The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-09-10
ACETATE FOR
GOOD ROADS
Last Week TimeIy-Other Pa
pers Begin Talking.
JEFFERSON BEE FALLS IN LINE
Lincoln Highway Association to Build
Concrete Road From Ocean to
Ocean by Popular Subscription

TIE Ieeu vi concentrated dCl1oI upoli
the part of the business men OF Denl'
son to see that this important road is
kept in good condition and properly
marked from one end of the county to
the other.
We notice that other newspapers
along the route Of the Iowa Trans
Continental route are agitating the
question of keeping this road in eX-
cellent condition and if possible to
have it selected as a part OF the Lin
coin Memorial highway from New
York to San Francisco
Below we print an article that ap-
peared in the last issue OF the Jefter-
son Bee which was written by prom
inent and influential business man of
that place, in which he sounds the
alarm for "better transcontlnental'
if the people along the route expect
to secure the great Lincoln highway
from ocean to ocean, for the construc-
ton of which more than S4,O0O.OOO
has already been subscribed He
says:
"The Lincoln Highway association
plans to build concrete road from
New York to San Francisco, the ex-
penses to be met by popular subscrip-
ton and the road to be as nearly COM
pleted as may be by the time OF the
Panama Pacific exposition In San
Francisco in 1915 That the idea is
not visionary one, that it is not the
dream of bunch of over imaginative
automobile men is indicated by the
fact that of the $10,000,00O estimated
@~
S4,0OO.OOO has already been sub
scribed by thoroughly responsible
people. The men at the head of the
agitation, men thoroughly responsible
and near the top in the automobile
business, almost guarantee that the
thing will be carried to successful
conclusion. 1t is hoped that large
mart of the remaining $6,000,OOO to
be raised can be secured by small
gifts from the people along the pro-
posed routes and with that END IN
view the highway association. IS IS
suing certificates to people who give
five dollars or more. That these GER
tificates are badges of honor is indl-
Gated by the fact the number one IS
to go to the president of the United
States and that woman IN NAME
far from any possible route. has al
ready paid one thousand dollars Tor
number two.
Cali of which is very interesting
az showing how keenly the need for
good roads is being felt. But there IS
q closer, more personal appeal to
the residents of Greene county. The
president of the Lincoln Highway
association, Mr.. Henry Joy, OF the
packard Automobile company, has IN
the past few years been over the So
called Transcontinental route more
than few times. He is known to
favor an Iowa location for the pro-
nosed highway, and it is fair to as
sume since he always selects the
Transcontinental for his own cross
continent tours, that this would De
the road of his preference. indeed
he travelled this road some weeks ago
in laying out a tentative Lincoln
highway. Inquiry at the main once
of the Lincoln highway ASSOCIATION
elected the information that the maj
choice of route would depend on
directness of the proposed roads be-
tween the terminal points. natural
advantages offered. and local support.
Wa have in the Transcontinental the
most direct of all Iowa routes. ana
were it not for the fact that Mr..
Fischer. vice president OF the nigh
way association and one of the prln-
cinal donors of funds SO far is resi-
dent of indianapolis and is anxious
IN have the road pass through MS
own town, nc other than Iowa routes
would be considered, probably; we
have a road which would lend itself
TO improvement as we'll, ana prop
ably better, than any other cross
state road, and we can, If we WISH
give the project as much support
certainly. as could be desired.
"A few years ago, largely through
the efforts of one untiringly, ener-
eetic citizen, We had the best roads III
the state of Iowa. Some people who
live far enough away from Greene
county and who do not travel over
the roads, think we still have them.
# is even rumored that some OF the
residents of the county. and perhaps,
who knows, some members of those
organizations which have road build
ing ana ROAD improvement III Sh''i -
are of the opinion that we are IN
position to tell other counties how to
huild and maintain roads. Let us not
deceive ourselves; we have the worst
roads on the transcontinental route
between Clinton and Carroll: this con-
clusion is reached from the personal
observation of the writer within the
last three weeks. A man who travels
regularly over the roads of several
Iowa counties. including Greene, is
very positive that we have the worst
roads of the seven. Another habitual
tourist is positive that between Des
Moines and the lakes, the only really
moor roads are in Polk and Greene
counties. And if you don't agree.
lust take your car, or your friends
and run from Jefferson to Scranton,
on the Transcontinental. There are
some very good stretches, and lots OF
very bad ones. Isn't it about time
that we quit posing as good roads ex-
merits and get down to cases and make
a few roads? Probably if we really
worked for two or three years we
conld take a week off and go to pat.
ting ourselves on the back again with
ont the danger of someone giving US