Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-07
GOULD TALKS OPPORTUNITY
President Of the Omaha Motor Club
Presents His Ideas.
WOULD HAVE MORE DRIVES
the One that Ought First TO Re
Improved a. a Sight-See-
ing Drive.

leCIlon IN CITY pl1unlnss SAID I. L.
Gould. president Of the Omaha Motor
club. is Omaha awake to her oppor-
tunities, or is she sleeping? Now. strictly
between ourselves, and not for outside
publication, let US admit that we haven't
much TO brag Of as q city beautiful
In every place one may visit, one finds
the same civic boastfulness, and accord
ing to the opinion OF its citizens each
city is the most desirable town in the
country. both as place OF residence and
as q field for investment. Some places
more than others are working TO make
the most Of themselves-to cultivate the
zone. five or ten talents entrusted TO
them.
We have n beginning in our park sys-
tenn. but the commissioners are hamperea
with insufficient revenue. Kansas City
,appropriaies for park purposes $4,000;
Omaha, ti5.ece.
Plenty of Opportunity.
The beautIfying Of cities and construc-
ltion Of good roads are the two important
movements Of the day, and the commun-
lity that doesn't recognize the spirit Of
the times and better itself is going TO be
sldetracked. A city as well as an in
Liv!dusl must appreciate and welcome It's
opportunity. for II may not knock again.
It would be just as short-sighted today
for the residents of Omaha to neglect
the good roads and civic betterment
Icitixens Of the 'ees to have taken no steps
for securing the Union Pacific railroad
on It's way across the plains.
Plans are being perfected for trans.
continental trunk lines. and the impor-
lance OF these mighty thoroughfares can
hardly be exaggerated. II Omaha Is 20
be anything more than a stopping place
fer luncheons on this coast-to-coast high
way II must offer better attractions 10
tourists than It now possesses. Besides
The money received directly from tourists,
town is Indebted to them for much free
advertising Whether 1t is favorable or
unsayorable depends upon the progress
s!yeness Of the citizens.
Good Roads Attract.
Now. nothing appeals. in the same de-
cree, to an automobile tourist, as well
Luiit reads and picturesque drives. No
other Improvement that Nebraska and
OMAHA could undertake would give. for
,he seme investment. such general salts
faction at home and abroad as good
roads through the state aud an extern
slve park and boulevard system within
tho city. Fortunately we have the oppor-
tunity TO secure an improvement at a
low cost that would be omahas chief
attraction. One link OF our present chain
Of drives. Thirteenth boulevard, extend
ing into Bellevue boulevard, about ten
mi,ee long, connects Bellevue, one Of the
sidest towns Of the Missouri valley, rich
In historical associations. with the states
metropolis.
ffaee for beautiful Drive.
what the Gift drive 10 to Kansas City,
what Lake shore 10 to Chicago, what Riv-
srs!da drive ID 10 New York, Bellevue
drive might he 10 Omaha. Most Of the
work Ia oompleted-was perfected ages
befpre white men ever saw the Missouri
,iysf Nature he's done It's part and done
Il most successfully, and now Il narvels
III cur .aapprsoatien and delay In COM
pletias the scheme. It has given US a
aiHaty river with rugged, picturesque
baahs. covered With the only natural for
Get In Nebraska, In the interior OF the
state arc few iargo trees. except the
esttonweods planted by the early settlers
but here are 10 be found pawpaw, Ameri-
tan linden box elder. honey locust, scar
let haw, velvet sumech. white ash, red
ash, white elm. black walnut. bitternut.
H,lsll bark hickory. coffee tree. cotton
~vod, Usage orange. poplar, Eastwood
and elk kinds Of oak.
Road IL Needed.
We have the river: We have the hills;
wo have the woods we even have the
drive laid oct. All that remains for US
10 Co Is to put on the finishing touches
by constructing durable roadbed. Then
We should acquire some Of those rugged
Hills and guileys along Thirteenth houle.
ward between the drive and the river and
Incorporate them into the boulevary sys-
tenn, 20 the landscape cannot be spoiled
w the erection Of .unsightly buildings.
The most attractive spots are those which
hre the least valuable as building sites
because too rough and prscipitous. Lit
sic so-eaIled improving Is necessary or
desirable. Wildnocs Is better than cul-
liyation. As Thoreeu said. Art can never
match the luxury and superfluity Of ma
trre.'
In this improved drive Omaha would
have something worth while TO show her
guests; something that would attract ana
lloid the visitor and also the investor
But It Will cost money to build this
urive. Certainly, nature could not do II
IIi, although she did most Of II. II
thing Is worth having. Il Is worth paying
for; and simply as an investment the
city would be msnifoldly benefited. One
mus. spend money to make money. Build
TABS read and charge the cost to adver-
tlslng.
Here Il q work that calls for the united
Efforts Of the Park board. the CONNER
6l&l club. the Automobile clubs and Of all
progressive business men,
This Is not the place for a detailed
tchems for working out the idea. Inter
oct must be aroused. demand created,
End BY the time we have decided Just
what VIC want to do we shall know how
10 do {, and how to raise the money
with which to do It.