Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-02-06
THAT AUTO RACE
A Passenger, Who Crossed lows.
with Pete Petersen in the Big
Race, Tells about the River to
River Road d,

SENS car in the holiday race across
Iowa, writes his Impressions of the
River to River Road, over which
they travelled. as follows: 1t is
interesting reading for those of US
who live along the great highway,
especially because he hands out his
bouquets to the residents along the
west end of the line.
1t is peculiar that subject that
hardly seems tangible should arouse
SO many thinking men. In all the
cities. i'm the counties and in the
towns the intellectual leaders are
continually boosting for better high,
ways in America today. 1t has been
one of the best contagious fo1 ma
tional betterment.
But Il ere is some of this boost
ile" tlst does mot go beyo,,d the
pale of the press. Publicity is a
great thing, as any man will admit.
All projects must be worked out
through the newspapers III ORDER
that those who hear Of them in
that way may cast new rays OF
light upon them. But publicity is
not all; there must be concerted
action-about so percent CT its-
along with it, There must be Or
ganization and effort and sacrifice.
For over three years new it has
| been my pleasure to sit at the east
ern end of tie River to River road
and boost for that great highway.
| Tourists have heard Of It through
eastern publications, dailies and 9th
ers. 1t has also been heard of IN
the South and West. But it is not
the road itself; it is the idea that
is being helped along. This, you
know, is recognized as the first
dragged dirt read to CONG into ex.
istence. That's why it is SO well
known. ;
But while they are talking about
this road elsewhere those who had
occasion to go over it discovered
that the 10 percent pub icity was
about all it was getting and that
almost all the 80 percent action
was lacking. Now this is not crit
icisng the organization END of it..
The idea is remarkable. It's just
the failure of humaa toucl; some
OF the cogs have stopped aua the
big whee's are going round and
round without assistance from, thes
smaller parts-those of the various
counties. ~
Lafe Young, ST., and Mr.. Etching
ger of Des Moines, "Bob" Carsons
OF Iowa City and a few other men
between Davenport and Des Moines
have been constantly at it. There
mas also been acton enough in Dav-
enport But they have not had sup
port. The people living along the
road have not shown the nroper
interest.
After living in blssful ignorance
for three years the chance was Civ
en- me to make he flying trip across
the state with Pete Petarsen, than
whom there is probably no letter
driver in the west. Pete lost the
race and-without refle:ti1g on;the
splendid record of Don McClnre--it
was lost because there was lack
OF concerted action.
Every time we~.hit one OF those
bridg-s between Davenpor. aud Des
| Aioincs it made one think Of the
parable of the, father who sent his
seven sons out to get switches, one
each, and wrapping them UP in a
bundle he told them to break them.
After each had tried and fai cd the
old gentleman united the bundle,
breaking them one by ons, thus
showing them how easy it would be
for them to become powerful 4. if
they remained together, and how
hard it would be If they parted.
That's the way the east enc OF the
River to River Road strikes you;
the bundle has been united, each
man is going on about his own bus.
il'ess-or his own immediate tasks
ard letting this opportunity slip by.
| The approaches to the bridges are
to one not we'll versed IN road bull
ding the very worst feature Of this
eastern half of Iowa's dragged dirt
road.
1t looks as if they had received n,
care at all. There was hard jolt
getting onto them and another in
leaving. This was in utter contrast
to the western half. There the
bridges were smooth and When we
prepared ourselves for another jo't
NE were given an agreeable surprise