The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-05-23
ROAD BOOSTERS
VISIT MARYHILL
JOURNEY is MADE BY AUTOMOBILE
samuel Hill Entertains Visitors and Fix.
plains Experimental Roads Party
Returns Via GOldendaIe.

"a
Of the members of the Hood River
commercial club last Saturday. The
Hood River men. who journeyed to the
eastern end Of klickitat county to in
spect the experimental roads of Mr.
hili, who has devoted much time and
money during the past few years in an
effort toward procuring a perfect high
way for the Northwest, left here al
hVe O'clock arriving at The Dalles for
breakfast With few exceptions the
road to The Dalles was excellent and
the long stretches were inviting.
Shortly after eight O'Clock the men
had finished the morning meal and
with Judge Rorick as a pilot to lead
them across the sand blows near
Granddalles, had crossed the Columbia
by ferry and were on the first Ian of
the journey across Klicktat county.
just north OF Granddales on the
North Bank railroad stretches of sand
OF acres In extent must be crossed be-
fore the range dividing the river gorge
and the klickitat valley is reached.
10 make a passable way the ranchers
OF the district have built fences TO
catch the drifting sand, when the wind
blows. However. on Saturday morn
ing, despite the wind breaks a number
of sand barriers appeared on the road.
Every ear had trouble in crossing.
The most difficult time was had when
the flying wheels of Capt. McCan's
heavy Alec touring car, reaching no
solid ground, buried themselves in the
fine sand until the dust pan of the ma
chine was resting on the gray surface
gllstening with silica. The members
of the party scratched, dug, pushed.
pulled and muttered calculations ali
to no avail. The hot sun caused streaks
of perspiration to run down sand Gov
cred faces. Walking at the road side,
the feet became buried and sand in
large quantities filled the shoes. A
road supervisor on bronco passing
by, stopped to laugh at the predica-'
ment. One of the party climbed a sand
fence with hammer and began to
knock off some of the broad planks to
be used under the wheels of the ma
chine. His excellency, the duty loving
official, with pointing finger swore that
he would do things right then and
there if single splinter of one of the
boards was touched. No entreaty or
promises to make repairs to the fence
were of avail with that Klickitat road
guardian and the party gave up and
proclaimed him the meanest man in
Washington.
Although a few steep grades were
encountere and ruts in the road in
some places, the remainder of the route
over the range and through the Kicki-
tat was delightful. Still the exercise
in the sand placed the travellers in
frame of mind to get more real pleas
ure out of the last lap of the journey
over the pelfect roads of Mr.. Hill.
Mr.. Hill is big, whole souled man
with ruddy cheeks displaying his love
of the out of doors and his perfect
health. He has known how and has
made money. A snug sum of his for
tune is now being used experimenting
with roads TO be used as models for
the development of the Northwest.
However, these experimental roads
will not only be of benefit to the north
west but they will have their effect on
the road building of all America and
even in European countries, for Mr..
Hill has had visitors from England and
Canada and other countries, who have
come to inspect his highways and carry
away the plans of his methods.
The progressive citizens of the
klickitat valley just beyond the Gas.
cade range, where Mr.. Hill has chosen
the scene of his operations and where
the soil is productive in grain and
alfalfa and where the ranchers build
up bank accounts by the sale of live
stock, have adopted as the trade mark
Of the region, Where the rain and the
sunshine meet. +" There in one of
Nashington's largest and most pros.
porous counties, where the early spring
sunshine is already causing the straw
berries and cherries to ripen, where
The winter rains soak the earth with
water to mature bumper hay and
wheat crops, Samuel Hill has been
with. experts and expert
with their advice. He has
sifted, weighed and pruned the best of
all the theories and garnering them
mas constructed his roads according to
heir instruction. The highways that
ne has built are good to look at They
soothe the soul of the motorist. But
10 gel the full effect of the result of
Mr.. Hills experiments, the automobile
owner should take his car along with
llm. After a spin from one end of
he Maryhill estate to the other at a
Zip of 65 miles, as Capt. McCan made
Saturday, he is ready to join the lists
)f the most enthusiastic boosters of
good roads.
Safety, durability and beauty, "
and MAKE the road to match the
are maxims followed by Mr.
Hill in his road construction. His
roads are characterized by long grace
ful curves. The motorist on one of
MS highways that is running around
a bluff or steep hillside is not every
afraid of running into an un-
seen vehicle. when he turns a sharp
curve; for the road doesSnot hug the
bank but swings out far enough away
from Jutting points that the driver of
a machine or vehicle may see up and
lown the highway for long stretches.
CARRIED in a suit of corduroy Mr.. Hill
net his guests Saturday and escorting
hem over the roads that have been
built and that are under construction
explained the methods of building. He
large crew of experienced
aborers, who were applying rock, sand
and oil to the roads. He has large
where he works out i'm
for road building ma
,hinery.
ssThe visit at the Maryhill estate was
made decidedly pleasant because of the
hospitality of Mr.. Hills entertainment.
Growing one of the hills of the estate,
where from broad, cool verandahs one
gets splendid view of the Columbia
Just north of the dalles around which
The Dalles-Celilo canal is being built,
and the skyline of the central Oregon
country, Mr.. Hill has erected commod-
GUS and comfortable quarters for the
of his guests. Here a
luncheon, with Sam. his colored SER