The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-14
State Engineer and Party
Came Up From Capital
Yesterday in 6 Hours
LEAVE EARLY TODAY
ON DECATUR TRIP
Visit Jefferson County Convict Camp
and Are Greatly Pleased With
the Way Work Is
Being Done
by l.. $. BETTY

Whether Or not the state OF Alabama
viii at any time in the near future con-
struet system of trunk highways. ex-
tending from one end of the state to an
other. north and south and east and west.
Is a question that none can answer, but
Il is practically certain that a,iine boule-
ward will connect Birmingham aud Mont
gomery long before the people of the state
have ceased to discuss the issues of tho
recent national campaign or have for
gotten the last amendment fight.
highway between Birmingham and
Montgomery is practically assured. This
fact was demonstrated yesterday after
noon when the state highway commission
party came in an automobile over the
reads from Montgomery to Birmingham in
less time, probably. than any ather au-
tcmobile has been able to make the trip.
Altogether not more than six hours were
consumed in running the 100 and odd
miles between this city and the state
capital.
System of Trunk Highways
The highway commission party is tour
ing the state for the purpose of making
preliminary survey for a system of
trunk highways The party is under the
leadership of State Engineer w. S. kel-
ler who is making the survey, and who
will make full report of his trip. to-
gether with his recommendations, to the
members of the commission. Capt John
Craft of Mobile member of the COM
mission, and one of the most enthusiastic
exponents of good roads in the state, is
accompanying Engineer Keller upon the
trip.
Engineer Keller and his party left Mont
gomery at 62o o'clock yesterday morn
ing and arrived in Birmingham at exactly
500 o'clock in the afternoon. ApproSi-
mately three hours were taken up on
the way by various stops the first having
been at Clanton, where the highway
scouts were met by d number of resi-
dents of that place Thirty minutes were
taken up at Clanton, and the next delay
was at Caera. where the party stopped
an hour for lunch.
The party stopped several times be-
tween Calera and Birmingham, the LAST
wait being at the Jefferson county con-
vct camp about eight miles from Bir-
mingham. There Mr.. Keller and his party
Were met ny the members ol lle Jtilei-
son county board of revenue, County En-
gneer Jerry Gewin and others. An hour
and fifteen minutes were spent at tho
convict camp, from which place the party
came into Birmingham.
Trip Causes Surprise
The Birmingham party who met the
state scouts expressed great surprise over
the time made by the state scouts ON the
trip from Montgomery. Mr. Keller and
his party had been at the camp long
enough to take several pictures. inspect
the quarters of the eonvicts, and to in
dulge in a short social talk with the
camn superintendent and others at the
camp before the automobile from Bir-
mingham appeared upon the scene.
The members of the jefferson county
board of revenue could scarcely believe
that Mr.. Keller had not Travelled all night
long in order to make such quick time.
They all declared that they expected the
highway party TO reach Birmingham
about o'clock in the afternoon. indi-
eating that they did not believe it was
possnble to drive an automobile over the
100 miles between Montgomery and Bir-
mingham in less than u hours.
Yet despite the incredulity of the JEFF
ferson county board of revenue, the trip
here from the Capital City of the state
consumed only six hours, and the ac-
complishment of that feat has made pos
sibe the opening of highway or boule-
ward between the two cities within the
near future.
Roads Considered Fairly Good
With the exception of few places. the
roads between Birmingham and Mont
gomery are fairly good. ON the first lap
lContinued ON Page TenD