Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
BETTER ROADS
A CRYING NEED
ASSERTS ENOS
President of American Automobile
Association Would Open up Vast
Industries With Highways.

THE National Road is one thing
needed to make this country a big
ger and better and greater nation"
is the assertion Lauyens Enos, presi-
dent of the American Automobile As
ISOLATION, and head of the largest or
ganized body of road users in the
world
"A vast amount Of misinforma-
ton seems to exist regarding the use
fulness of a national highway sys-
tenn. Primarily, 1t must be under
stood that every road entering into
a system of national roads would be
the main thoroughfare between cen
tiers of population and interest, and
on that basis alone would be subject
to heavy traffic. Further, it is a
wellknOwn fact that the principal
road between important centers runs
through the most thoroughly devel-
Oped section of country within that
region, with the most populous and
progressive smaller cities and villages
and the most thoroughly cultivated
farming sections.
Highways Bring Progress.
Mature has fixed the locations Of
most large cities; and almost invar-
iably, in this country at least, Ii will
be found that the richest and most
prosperous communities lie along the
path of the most direct communica-
ton between them. The COnstruC-
ton of a national road system there
fore, would, in its through traffic fea-
lures. accommodate a public from
wide belt of country through which
the roads would run.
In its local traffic features the ma
tional road would serve all the pur-
poses of a local road. Passing as it
would through the most pOpulous Sec
tions, It would carry a larger amount
of local traffic than roads located
where there existed less prosperity
and less advantages. The interurban
travel would reach its highest devel-
opment, both between the smaller cit
les and the termini, and among the
smaller cities themselves With such
a system. crossing every State in the
Union and reaching all important cit
les, II is not eXtravagant to assume
that at least half the people of the
country would be directly served, with
benefits to the other half. while in
direct, none the less pronounced.
There are still some people who
assume TO believe that national roads
are sought for the sole benefit Of a
few automobile tourists. Such have
not kept track of the commercial de-
long distance traffic on through routes
is motor driven. With horse traffic
limited to 40 or so miles a day, trav-
elers for business or pleasure natur-
ally utilize the conveyance which will
take them 800 or 400 miles The mo-
tor car is often used instead OF the
railroad train for two reasons: il is
not confined to time schedules; and
II takes one where he wants to 60
Traffic originates off as well as on the
main road, many getting to the
through road by the nearest route.
Furthermore, the commercial aspect
of the traffic OF through routes is
rapidly assuming greater proportions.
National roads would open up to
greater settlement and greater pro-
ductivity large areas Of our Western
country, whore there are now no
means of transportation. where the
States are too poor TO build roads,
and where local communities have
no means of marketing products. With
greater population and production
markets would be created for the out
put of the factories Of the marIfac-
turing centers. The development and
increase in production creates a gem
eral increase in commerce, in intelli-
gence, and In civilization.
with a national road system built
TO withstand heavy traffic, values
would increase and many more States
would be able to extend their State
systems and aid road building in
counties and lesser divisions, which
in turn would increase values, indus
tries, and production"