The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-20
ROAD EXPERT
MADE A fine
IMPRESSION
THOSE WHO WITNESSED DEMON
STRATIoN AND HEARD LEG
TuRE OF D. WARD KING, SPLIT
LOG DRAG EXPERT, GAINED
VALUABLE INFORMATION.

Those citizens Of Pensacola and of
Escambia county, as well as some rep
resentative citizens of adjoining coun-
ties, who witnessed the demonstration
given by d. Ward King, the famous
split-log drag expert, on the Bar
rancas road, near Brent's mill, yes
terday morning, and who heard the
lecture of that gentleman delivered
in the convention hall of the San Car
los hotel yesterday afternoon, certainly
learned some things OF interest and
well worth the time consumed in at
tending the demonstration and lee
ture, and gained some information
which will, Undoubtedly. prove of vast
benefit to Escambia county 81 properly
applied.
The Demonstration.
Accompanied by a number OF prorni-
nent members of the Pensacola Com
nercial Association, some Of the coun-
~ commissioners and a number Of
other representative citizens of the
town and county, Mr.. King went to the
section of road which had been select
ed for the demonstration yesterday
morning and, taking charge of the
team and the split-log drag himself,
gave an interesting and instructive
exhibition OF it's uses, performing a
eyes Of the spectators.
Among the most interested Of the
attendants at the demonstration and
the lecture as well, was +. G. Brent,
who constructed the first hard road in
this section OF the county--the road
leading from this city out to his home
Mr.. Brent was much impressed with
the operation of the spltt-log drag,
taking a turn at driving the team him
ell l. l. a.
the demonstration and in the lecture
yesterday afternoon.
The demonstration served both to
show how to handle the drag and the
effect upon the road, for, while. of
course, dragging the rough section of
the road one time could not entirely
illustrate what can be done by the
use Of the drag, 1t made a considera-
bic difference in the road and clearly
indicated the possibilities OF road
dragging.
The Lecture.
From the moment that Mr.. King
was introduced by Chairman Geo. A.
Berry Of the good roads committee of
the Commercial Association, until he
left the hall after delivering his lecture
and answering the questions asked
him by people In the audience. he
held the undivided attention of his
MI IAlIlS Is IL nOt
original and has a unique manner of
expressing his thoughts, so that his
hearers could not tell what was COM
ing next and were kept in expecta-
tfcn. wondering after each statement
what would be the next. He does not
talk in the stereotyped style, COM
mon to so many speakers in his line
hut talks as If he were carrying on a
conversation and explains his meth
DDS of road working so clearly that,
as he expressed ii, after he finished
explaining 1t a person would wonder
why he had not thought OF 1t before
and would feel rather ashamed of not
doing so.
He said the discovery of the split
log drag had been forced upon him
and that he claimed no particular
credit for It, except that he possessed
a fighting disposition which made him
determined when he went after any
thing not to stop until he got it. He
told OF how the bad roads in the
country into which he went when he
first began farming had made him be-
gin to study and experiment in order
Continued on Page Six