Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-05-06
UNCLE SAM USES GOOD ROADS
OF SUMTER AS BEST MODELS
OF Highways Constructed Of Lime and CIayIGxas Road
builders Came Here to Learn Method

Directed to Sumter county, Georgia,
by the chief engineer of construction
of the department of agriculture at
Washington, as the locality where the
best system of good roads construc-
ton could be found, a committee If
three citizens of Tyler, Texas, Judge }.
Q. Odom, Messrs. S. d. Jackson and 5.
H. Cox, reached Americus Monday
morning upon a tour of inspection of
Sumter county roads. The fact that
the Texans were directed here by such
an authority as the chief engineer OF
construction for the national depart
ment of agriculture is an unusual en-
dorsement of the great work done in
S"Ni'Cl NOuhIyJ WuOSe TOduS nave u
national reputation.
I'VE wanted to see the best system
of public roads, and we have made no
mistake in coming to Sumter county,
was the comment of Mr.. S. H. Cox yes
terday afternoon, after the party had
returned from sixty-mile ride over
the Leslie, Lee street, Plains and a
portion of the new Friendship road.
AS Supt Henry Christian was bugiIy
engaged at the meeting of county com
missioners Monday, and therefore,
could not accompany the visitors, they
were taken in charge by Secretary J.
K. Patterson, of the Board of Trade,
who accompanied them upon the all
tomobiIe trip and supplied them all de-
sired information.
The visitors were not only favorably
impressed with the system of road co1l-
struction and of the roads already COM
pleted, but were impressed likewise
with the fine farms, the attractive
country homes, the crops. the fertility
of the soil, and evidences generally OF
the thrift and prosperity of the farm
ers of Sumter
This is, indeed. magnificent sec
tion of the South and one that will de-
velop even more rapidly within the
next few years." said Judge Odom, one
of the three visitors. ut is a section
which holds out every possible induce
ment to farmers and to immigration
generally, and people of other states
will be quick to note it's advantages.
Smith county, Texas, of which Ty-
Ter is the county site, is preparing TO
construct about two hundred miles of
good roads, in addition to what it has
already, and it was desired that the
best methods of road construction be
employed.
Messrs. Jackson, Cox and Odom, as
committee, went to Washington in
order to ascertain from the chief en-
gineer of construction for the ma
tional department of agriculture sucn
information as was desired. They
wanted the very best, and went to
headquarters for 1t. Go to Americus,
Georgia, and see the highways OF Sum-
ter county. They are the best in the
South and the kind you want in
Texas" was the advise they received
from that high official
"We spent some time in Montgom.
cry, Alabama, and saw the fine roads
Of that county, but they are largely
constructed of gravel and not as dura-
BILE as the sand-clay roads of Sumter
county" said Mr.. Jackson. Our soil
is very similar to that of Sumter, COM
posed largely of sand and red clay
and we will build them according to
your methods"
The visitors will return this morn
ing to Texas and carry with them the
very best impressions of Sumter coun
ty, its roads and thrifty farmers, and
OF Americus as live, progressive city,