The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-08-30
COAST TO COAST AUTO ROUTE.

COAST TO COAST AUTO ROUTE.
Pathfinder (. L. Ferguson to Arrive
Here Monday, Sept. 1-chan1ber
of Commerce Plans Reception for
Lonq-Dfstance Tourists.
A gigantic good roads movement
that will not only work for the bet
terment and improvement Of the
highways of the south, but which will
permit the establishment of new in
dustries, utilization Of natural re-
sources and the consequent creation
OF new markets. both for merchan-
disc and farm products, and which
will also locate a new all-southern,
open-the-year-round, transcontinental
highway from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific, was formally launched by the
New Orleans Item Monday, Aug. IS.
On that day e. L. Ferguson.l one
of the best-known automobile drivers
and pathfinders in the United States,
started in a touring car from Atlanta,
Ca, to ''pathfind'' route from that
city through Birmingham, Montgom-
cry, Mobile, New Orleans, Houston
and Dallas to Los Angeles, Califor-
mia.
This great pathfihding and road i'm
prOvement tour has been inaugurated
by the Item in conjunction with other
prominent southern dailies. It will
mark the first step toward proving
that the south has the most logical
and best route from coast to coast,
and one whereby the tourist can tray-
Ell through a country replete with
beautiful scenery and historlcag in
terest.
An all-southern route to the Paci-
fic has been long desired, but every
attempt to map out a recognized
route has been squelched by those in
amount of traffic taken away from
them. It has been said that while
the all-southern route might be tour
able it would not be comfortable
touring during the summer months.
To offset this unjust criticism and
demonstrate ITS fallaey, Mr.. Fergu-
son will have his wife and little son
and daughter with him, in proof
that this trip can be made by both
sexes and children.
The route will be gone over at
least twice by. Mr.. Ferguson's organi-
cation. There will be an interval be-
tween the fist and second trips Of
about one month to permit checking
of results. This interval will also
show whereln local organizations are
weak or the route in need of other
corrections.
After the all-southern trans cont
mental route has been surveyed and
mapped, it is proposed to hold inter-
state and through tours. The inter-
state divisions will be largely local,
and for such distances as may be
later determined upon. The through
tour is planned for those northern
tourists Who each year inquire as
to the possibility Of motoring to the
Pacific coast after the northern
routes have seen closed by the wealth
er. and for such factors as usually
enter these events.
AS the best roads through LouiBi-
ana were desired for the routea Dom
aldsonyflle naturally was selected as
one of the important stopping places.
When this was made known the
Chamber of Commerce took inn
medite steps to provide a suitable
welcome for the epoch-makina car,
upon its arrival here Monday aftag
noon. Sept. /. and President Charles
Maurin appointed committee of ell
tomobile owners to receive and en-
tertain the pathfinding party, which
will consist OF Mr.. Ferguson and
family and Stanley C. Arthur, Of the
New Orleans Item staff, who will
accompany the auto from Mobile.
Ala, to Beaumont, Tex, to write up
the tour for his paper and the other
newspapers. financing the tour
The Donaldsonville committee will
consist of R. N. Sims, K. A. Aucoin,
DR.. E. K. sims, 2. H. Allen, D.
Ohlmeyer, Alex. Bloom enstiel, G. Fl.
Landry, ]. ]. Lafargue, Arthur Lem
ann, Per@ Lemann. H. c. Whitemans
Paul Leche, J. A. Da1feres, A. w.
Whiteman, DIR. D. C. Brumfield, Hen
ry C. Braud, Ernest Barton and
Emile Leblanc. The intention of the
committee is to motor to the st.
James line and escort the pathfind
ing car through Ascension to- this city,
where public reception and meet
ing will be held at the courthouse
Monday night at which a talk on
good roads will be delivered by Mr..
Ferguson.
The pathfinder will leave New Or
leans Monday morning and will fol-
low the east bank of the Mississippi
river, passing through the different
towns along the route. The machine
will ferry across the river at barrow
and the party will spend the night in
Donaldsonville. Tuesday morning
they will start again for the west,
going by Napoleonville, Thibodaux
and Morgan City. The Chamber Of
Commerce committee Will escort the
car to the Assumption parish line.
sHERlFF,s SALE.
State of LouiSiana-PariSh of Ascension