The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-20
Missouri Governor Commands
a Force of $4,000.
Begins Work of Pulling State
Out of the Rut.
HE is ASSISTED BY HODGES.
The Kansas Executive DOns a
Pair of Overalls.
Mrs. Hodges Helps to Serve
Dinner to Workers.

Kansas City. Aug. 20.-Enthused by
the new spirit of road building in Mis-
souri,, thousands of volunteers
marched forth from every county in
western Missouri this morning to be-
come part of Governor Majors army
of $4,000 strong, which in response
to his proclamation began a two days
campaign that was expected to add
one million dollars in bettermentS to
the public highways of the state. This,
the first state vide movement in ia
vor of better roads, was expected 80
be not only an epoch in the develop
ment of Missouri, but an example that
would be followed by other states and
thus lead to a general improvement
of highways all over the United States.
This movement will unite the farm
and the market" said the road over
seers as message of announcement
to the workers.
at will bring the city and country
districts closer together" was the re-
ply of the volunteer laborers, who
were so brimful of enthusiasm that
they needed no announcement. A
spirit of rivalry among the counties,
each of which wanted to make the
best record during the two days prom
fsed much for the general result.
Let ours be the banner county,,
was the slogan of every community.
No army ever was better prepared
for a campaign than that which
marched forth today to pull Missouri
out of the mud Eight thousand
road overseerS in the state for weeks
have been assembling equipment and
outlining the work to be done SO sys-
tematically that every squad of men
was put to work without delay or con-
fusion. Every city, town and hamlet
was represented in the movement and
in the farming districts nearly every
able-bodied man enlisted.
Governor Hodges in OveralIs.
Governor and Mrs. Hodges of KaE-
sas came to Missouri t. give their ac-
tive support to the work. They were
guests of Governor and Mrs. Major.
The two governors donned their over
ais and. setting out from Jefferson
City early this morning, were among
the first to get on the field of action.
Mrs. Hodges assisted in serving to the
workers fried chicken which had been
prepared by Mrs. Major.
Women took an important part in
the campaign.
The six thousand members of the
Missouri federation of womens clubs
throughout the state aided the move
ment in every way possible and thou
sands of farmers wives and other
women prepared and served meals to
the workers.
the American Revolution took advan-
Jage of the occasion to outline the
route of the old Santa Fe trail through
Kansas City. Trolley poles were
marked with red. white and blue
stripes to show the route. In Jasper
county a protest of the farmers
caused the county court to rescind an
order providing that prisoners in the
jails participate in the road work.
We look upon these two days s
the best of the year. A spirit of good
will should prevail and we don't want
any armed guards around to spoil the
scenery" the farmers said. One
thousand farmers and hundreds of
teams were engaged in the work in
that county. After the army of work
ers. at the end of two days marches
home over the good roads it has built.
an inventory of the work will be TAX
en-. These data. it is said will be SUBJ
mitted to congress at the next regular
session by Congressman d. w.
Shackleford and used as a basis in
asking for government aid in main
tanning good highways.
Business Suspended.
AS the day went by reports here
from all sections of the state indicated
that early reports of glowing enthus-
iasm were mild.
From Paris, Mo-, came the report
that road work was getting most
fthe attention throughout Monroe
county. There are 81 road districts
in the county. In each district a mod J
ern road machine manned by orga-
Business in Paris, a town of over two /
thousand was said to be at a stand !
still and the town wearing a desterted |
appearance 1t was estimated that s. !
600 men turned out to work in this !
(Jackson) county. Judge Ewing c. /
close of the court session rushed to /
a motor car in the rear of the police
station. In the car were picks, shoveIs
and overalls. The judge pulled his
clerk in after him and disregarded /
speed laws on a dash to the eastern |
suburbs. where Leo Gilday, county !
clerk, in charge of a gang of office |
men in overalls, assigned him to run |
a grader.
A hundred men set to work repair-
ing the ancient Westport trail at the |
eastern limits of this city early. They |
worked the most modern road ma i
chimes furnished by local implement /
companies. Along the five mile I
placed water barrels under every /
other shade tree.
John T. Fitzpatrick. state labor !
commissioner. George L. Major. state
labor inspector, Harvey Osborne,
superintendent of the free employment
bureau and city engineer were among
the shovelers on the Westport road.
Money From Paris.
Four Kansas City men abroad each
cabled from Paris today to local road
organizers money sufficient to hire a
squad of substitutes to do their share ,
of road work.
BY 9 O'Clock a mile of road near !
independence called SiIvers Lane had !
been put into conditions and the squad :
of volunteer workers from Independ- /,
ence assigned to it were bowling for |
other roads to grade.
A squad of sixty men from the Kan |
sas City Star. 80 of them employees !
and 80 subs. took charge of a section ,
of road near the southeast city limits. !
The Kansas City Journal supplied Is /
Liberty reported more than 1000 men
81 work In Clay county