The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-15
Keller and Party Reach
Blount Springs After
Rocky Trip
'ROVEMENT SHOWN
I CULLMAN ROADS
6: ur Reached by Party Shortly
5 er Sunset, Having Covered 100
1iles-Party Pushes on to
Florence Tomorrow
BY L. $. BETTY


atur, June 14.-(Special) 1.-The
highway department scouting party
Z I'D at Blount Springs at IL AS o'clock
she norning. after travelling over seven
- ne-half miles of the worst roads en-
~ cred since the party left Montgom-
yesterday morning. Leaving Bir-
scouting party had plain sailing
the drive of 2S miles from that
TO the jefferson county line, and the
saf car made excellent time.
over two hours were consumed in
'1 p from Birmingham to the county
espite the fact that there were many
e1 grades to climb, and that various
strRf were made for the purpose of in
lifi : about the roads and to take
q of pictures
Rough Roads in Blount
Jefferson county line was reached
% O'Clock, and Immediately there
rouble ahead. At oncse there was
4 ms ked change in the character of the
ed and more than an hour was taken
covering the seven and odd miles be-
the county line and Blount Springs.
rocky hills that had the appearance
s yer having been graded. down steep
tiles with rocks projecting from
sides, oyer mountain streams two
es hree feet deep the touring car plowed
Fay. At one place rocks had to be
in the road to allow the car to pass
an immense boulder in the center of
ae road.
I'll Mr.. Keller and Driver Barr de-
d that the Clount county road Is the
i they have so far encountered since
ng Mobile last Monday morning. The
,s on the rear wheels of the car was
n through IN a dozen places In the
b over the Blount county hills. and
|lt fact that there were no accidents is
afrel.
j arriving at Blount Springs, Mr.. Kel-
was Informed that Blount county will
tly begin to build good roads. A pro-
~ Dbiu isSnt ndS cduy DctH Noltu
s. D, and the actual work of constructing
roads will begin at an early date.
County Divided Over Route
ount county is said to be divided,
I ever. on the route of the proposed
highway through its boundaries. The
+ svailing sentiment OF the county, so
- as can be learned, favors the con-
sstiction of the state highway by way of
eonta, the county seat, though residents
sT this section claim that IL the road be-
Zen here and the county line is graded
worked that this will make a better
E e to Decatur and Florence than the
sHdonta route.
igineer Keller was surprised at the
S. iition of the Jefferson county roads
81 5een Birmingham and the county line
fHS state engineer had predicted before
Z Ing Birmingham this morning that
il road beyond birmingham would be
'k4ih, and he was both surprised and
sed to see that his forecast had been
neous.
g. the whole, considering the disad-
ages with which Jefferson county has
= ontend in the way of road building.
roads through that county are de-
I'd by Mr.. Keller to be among the
sek he has travelled over since leav-
-. Mobile. While the roads in Mont
se cry and Dallas counties are better
ses the Jefferson county roads. the lat
a. csatlty has had greater natural dis
IL 1ntages to contend with In the way
i rrading and leveling hills.
entire trip through Jefferson coun-
as made, however. over comparative
sood roads, the highway from Br-
siss cham to the Blount county line being
aetter condition than the road from
bingham to the Shelby line.
Tiie party travelled over Ave or six
7siss of state-aid road in coming from
: bingham to the Blount county line.
lntages in the state aid road were
W IN In the increased width and the
sr grading The narrow width of
Jefferson county roads Is their prin-
defect, according to Mr.. Keller,
gh their narrowness is explained by
( On of the fact that they all are in
rural districts of the county lead
steep grades. around mountain sides,
between hilly cliffs that make it DIFF
to construct them with and great
ant Of width
,unt Springs is an attractive little
J. The controlling factor here is Nell
men, former mayor of Birmingham.
(ContfnveA ON Page Two.)