The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-09-18
MAPPING OUT FOUR
AUTOMOBILE ROUTES
A. L. Westgard, of Chicago, Gathering
Data for Trans-ContinentaI
Automobile Highway.
SPOKE IN DENlSON THURSDAY
Routes to be Travelled by Tourists TO
Exposition in 1915-Trip Thru
Western Iowa Granting One

Thursday afternoon A. L. Westgard
Of Chicago, who is gathering data for
the laying out of trans-continental
automobile highway, spoke to mem
bers of the Commercial club at the
club rooms. About fifteen members
Cwere present at the meeting and en-
joyed the formal talk made by Mr.
Westgard, who is now making his
sixth trans-continental trip by auto
mobile
Mr.. Westgard is working with the
United States government and the
American Automobile association in
picking out four different routes suit
able for trans-continental touring,
!, and he said that the Iowa trans con-
tinental route which passes through
here would no doubt be one of the
four selected for coast to coast travel.
"In 1915 two large expositions will
be held in California, one at San
Francisco and one at San Diego, IL
honor of the opening of the Panama
canal" said Mr.. Westgard, "and the
1915 Glidden tour will also be run
from coast to coast so the route chos-
Ell will mean much to the town
through which the cars will pass"
The route adopted by the Glidden
tour in 1915 will no doubt be the one
that will be used by a majority of
the tourists going and coming to the
two fairs. He told members OF the
Commercial club that it was up to the
people along the trans-continental
route whether or not this route would
be selected for the Glidden tour for
1915 He spoke very highly of the
route from Omaha to Denison, and
said that it was a pleasure to travel
over the beautiful rolling country OF
western Iowa after having crossed the
desert lands and travelled the roads
Of western Nebraska. He reported
the reads between Council Bluffs and
nenison to be in very good condition
and stated that the poorest stretch
was in PottaWattamie county.
Mr. Westgard is making the trip
across the continent in a Pathfinder
machine. He sketches the road from
town to town and also makes record
81 he /,
New York he will at once start out
for another trans-continental trip, 60
ing another route. The four differ
ent routes which he selects will be
mapped out and printed in book
form.
In talking to members of the Com
mercial club, Mr.. Westgard comment
ed on the poor hotel accommodations
and the poor condition of the roads |
through western Nebraska and Wy
oming, and thought that an organiza-
ton should be made of all the auto
lists between Chicago and the coast |
along the Overland route. An or
ganiZation which would be permanent
and have for it's object the perfect
ing of the Overland route. A fee of
81 per member could be levied against
every member and about 100000 a
year could be raised in this manner.
An administrative body should be
created in this organization which
would control the expenditures of the
funds. Wherever a bad spot is found
along the route part of this fund
should be used to fix it so that it
would last forever. Some spots be-
tween here and the coast are very bad
and in such localities the people
in the vicinity cannot raise funds to