The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-10
Golden Belt Route Is Now
Ready for Tourists.
First Lap Over Rock Road to
Be Extended Soon.
WARNINGS FOR AUTOISTS
Turns Are Shown on Tele-
phone Along Highway.
Bulletin Boards Tell OF Towns
Along the Way.

Abilene. Kan. June 1O.-The first
Kansas automobile highway on wflch
signs have been placed marking every
trrn is the Golden Belt road from
Kansas City, Mo-, to the west Ilhe "
the state where it connects with ire
Colorado highway to Denver ana Coloi
ado Springs over $50 road signs anu
rs danger signs have been placeu- ~
road signs are 12x1S inches on enameieu
iron with the words Golden BE
Road in yellow letters against piue
background. The danger signs have teF
word Danger in yellow letters on
blue background. The signs are to ~
placed on IRON posts painted yellow anu
every turn is marked by TWO iodu
signs. Preceding each, three telephohe
1lnles or fence posts are marked Will
yellow bands TO indicate turn.
This work has been carried on py
the Golden Belt Road association, whose
,,e5cers are: q. f. Muenzenmayer, pres
ident. Junction City; F. Hagemdh
treasurer. Salina; c. NJ. Harger pup
Hcity agent, Abilene; B. W. smith, sec
rotary. Manhattan Vice presidents
were selected for each town along the
line.
the cities have erected large town signs
1ex12 feet giving the name OIL Tue
town. population, distance to the neA'
town in each direction and any I'M
portant facts about the city. This glFes
The tourist a perfect guide entirely
across the state.
The Golden Belt road starts with "
rock road for II miles out of Kansas
city to Bonner Springs. rms ROAD WI
proba bly, be continued during the pre-
ent year to Lawrence, the seat OF .ut
university of Kansas and a beautlIul
,1oIIeee town. Thirty miles farther Is
Topeka, the capital. The road theE
follows the Kaw valley on the north
side of the Union Pacific track. through
St Marys, Wamego, Manhattan anu
east of the State Agricultural collese'
TO Fort Riley where it passes the mrs.
canital of Kansas. a picturesque rum
along side the road. This bullolnS was
erected in the early days OF KANSAS
history. and has been preserved as the
most interesting relic of the state. Fort
Riley has a reservation OF 1S'uoo act
and is the largest fort in the south
west. From 5000 to 5000 troops are sta
toned at the fort.
Four miles beyond is Junction CITY
where the road leaves the valley for
little and takes it's course over roll
ing prairies, dropping back into the
smoky Hill valley sight miles beyond
Abilene. SaIina and Ellsworth come
next all valley towns and in the he9rt
of rich farming country. Beyond Eus'
worth comes the higher plains and the
rich western Kansas wheat coudtry
being as smooth as bOulevardes ana
following the line of the Union Pa
cific closely through Russell, hays
City. Ellis and Wakeeney to Oakley.
At Oakley the road turns northwest for
30 miles across the prairies to Colby
where it strikes the Rock Island. This
it follows through Goodland to the west
line of the state and on to Limon juno
ton where the route runs to Colorado
Springs and Denver
This road traverses some of the ri "a |
est farm lands of Kansas and the pi2- |
turesuue beauties of the landscape are |
striking throughout its entire length.
IT is almost a direct line to Colorado. |
Thousands of tourists have come over |
this road during the last three years |
and indications are for a largely n |
crea sed travel this summer.
Under the new road laws of Kansas |
are authorized to lay out |
county roads to be kept up at county |
expense. and many of the counties I
along the Golden Belt road have desig- |
mated the route followed by this high |
way as county road and much wC~k |
is being done to put it in perfect con- |
dition. Automobile clubs and Good |
Roads clubs all along the road are ex- |
erting themselves to make this the best /
highway across the state as it is the /
first to be completely marked