The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-08-29
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(By Cad Allard)

cNi'ihphiui WV iNtuNi III many Vi
the reform movements of the day as
well as an advance mover in the great
betterment of the people in general,
As just now claiming position
sood roads movement of the land.
With the Oklahoma Highways De-
partment, at the head of which is
Col. Sidney Suggs, the state of Ok
lahoma is moving forward as rapidly
and effectively perhaps, in the good
roads work, as any of the states of
the great southwest. We at least are
awakening to the great Importance
Of the work being promoted and urg
ed by the state highways department.
The west side of the state has made
more progress in road building than
has the east side. 1t is only of re-
cent date that the east side has TAX
en- especial interest in this now state
wide movement. The first attempt at
good roads building on the east side
under the directions of the Oklahoma
Highways Commission, was that OF
a mile and a half of road leading
west from the end of Gentry avenue
out of Checotah. This was the inaug
uration of the movement on the east
side of the state. Muskogee, Tulsa,
Atoka, Adair, Cherokee, Sequoyah and
other counties followed with effective
work extending out from the larger
business centers. The Checotah eX"
perimental road has been culverted,
graded and ditched ready for the
ebert or gravel with which it is to
be covered.
The Oklahoma Highways Commits
sion has planned in all about 200
miles of roads leading through the
state in such way as to benefit all
sections. OF this amount about one
half has been definitely located, such
lines crossing the state from north
to south and from east to west. One
route on the east side, that of the
one passing through Vinita, Musko-
gee, Checotah and Atoka, has had
considerable work put out upon it
through local movements. 1t is the
plan, however of the Highways Com
mission to secure large sums in aid
of this movement from the federal
government.
The west side of the state has had
considerable to encourage them in
road building, especially along the
route OF the proposed great national
highway from Winnipeg to the Gulf,
known as the Meridian road. This
great highway runs through Oklaho
ma by two diyerging routes, one by
the way of the old Chisholm Trail
branching off from the Meridian road
at Wellington, Kansas, and passing
through Enid, Kingfisher, Ell Reno,
Chickasha, Duncan and Waurika, and
switching into the main line at Fort
Worth, Texas. The other, the Merid-
ian road proper, running through
Perry, Guthrie, Oklahoma City Nor
man, Pauls Valley and Ardmore, and
cn to Fort Worth.
Along the Chisholm Trail route
much of the road mas been built, or
a foundation made for the great high
way. Several of the cities and coun-
ties through which this highway runs
have put out much work through vol
unteer labor, much road in Grant,
Garfield, Kingfisher, Canadian and
Grady counties having been built
through a general turning out of the
formers and townsmen along the
route. with great volunteer work, the
counties placing the bridges and cul-
WI pl lttttuluS vi do thO "CAh
gressed.
The writer was in Enid and Chick
asha when this work was being done
and there was a general uprising OF
the inhabitant as the work progress
ed. For days all lines of business
was suspended and the road Tor
miles was dotted with traction en-
gines, teams drawing plows, shovels
and graders, and gangs of laborers, I
the latter composed of bankers, mer-
chants, professional men. artisans
ministers and laymen. At the noon
hour the good women of the commu-
nifty appeared in great numbers at