Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-27
SIMONSON GIVES
JOHNSON A REPLY
Arguments Supporting Two Lo-
cal Links of oceanic Ocean
Route Getting Warm.

Rock Island, Ill, June 27.-To the
members Of the Ocean-to-Ocean High
way association: l wish to say a few
last words regarding the routes be-
tween here and Sterling. In letter
of June 26 Mr.. Johnson discusses the
Official route" question somewhat at
length. l will in a few words answer
his letter and then give some reasons
why the scenic route should be en-
dorsed. He evidently does not care
for the tourist" trade. If'he does not
why does he want to have the Rock
River route part of the oceanic
Ocean highway for that is all the lat
ter is for?
Mr.. Johnson agrees with me that the
river road between Hillsdale and Erie
Is overdowed at times. The sand
road"-a fine name for a road-he says
is never under water, but when Mr.
Agg, the highway engineer, and l went
| over the road a short time ago, drift
wood could be seen for a long dis
tance at the edge of the road. 1t was
probably carried there by hand.
If Mr.. Johnson didn't go over the
route with Mr.. Agg it was because he
was asleep at the switch. The scenic
route was on the job and if it hadn't
been l don't know how Mr.. Agg woulC
have gotten from Sterling to Hillsdale
for the Rock River Valley route haC
no one in Sterling to meet hiz4. Cour
tesy on our part brought him from
Sterling west on that route.
The arguments for the Rock Rive
Valley route are SO few that the or.
is always beware Of Clinton. Thi
bugaboo has been settled long ago.
1 believe that these cities of 10000
with the Rock Island arsenal an
scores of other attractions are no
afraid of Clinton. Are we coward
to be frightened by this cry?
The scenic route with its scener
offers an inducement for tourists t
come here and the Rock River Vale
route offers none.
We ask you to endorse the scent
route for several reasons
First-In considering this matter j
should not be a question of the pres
ent condition of the roads, but whic
road could be made a permanent har
road at the least expense. We are nc
merely building for the present, bu
also for the future. Without any queI
tion a hard road-concrete or mac;
dam-can be built much cheaper o
this route? Why is this true? B,
cause all the materials are foun
along the scenic route for over ha
the distance within a few rods of th
road. In the hills between Hampto
and Rapids City are immense deposit
of limestone. In Port Byron and Co
dova are several limestone quarrie
Between Cordova and Albany are +
exhaustible quantities of gravel in ii
hills and river bank. Sand is found
various places in the river bank. Pra
tically every day during the summC
steamboats, from here go there wit
barges, land at the shore, and pun
the gravel onto the barges. In vel
few places in the United States cou
a hard road be built so cheaply as {
the scenic route. The cost of tran
portation of these materials for Il
Rock River Valley route would be pr
hibitive. Through and beyond Morl
son are now found four miles of hal
road in fine condition and built und
the supervision of the state highw;
engineer.
Secondly the 1910 United Stat
census there are three times as maj
people along the scenic route as aloI
the Rock River Valley route. AS
business proposition from where do
the greater amount of trade com
Necessarily from along the seen
route.
Third-The Mississippi river see
cry for 80 miles makes a trip equall
only by one along the Hudson river
In a trip from Chicago west a tol
ist will certainly be glad to see t
Mississippi river and ride along it I