The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-03-20
THE INTERSTATE TRAIL.
Annual Meeting OF Directors was
Held at Lamont Last Week,
Terminating with Fine
Banquet,

E. 2
The annual meeting of the direc-
tors and representatives of the In
ter-State Trail Association, which
has located and marked the best
auto trail between Kansas City and
Des Moines, and which has been
the cause of many thousands of dol
lars worth of improvements being
made en- the road in both Iowa and
Missouri, was held at Lamont, on
Tuesday of last week. The Reporte-
er editor haa received a special in
vitation to attend the meeting, but
unfortunately it came on a day
when we were unable to be absent
from the Office, and we had to fore
60 the pleasure of attending. AS
usual the citizens of Lamont went to
great expense and entertained the
visitors in an elaborate manner dur
ing their stay in that city. The fol-
lowing report of the meeting was
written by Mrs. o. w. Curry, of
Eagleville, Mo-, who by the way is
as good good roads booster as any
of the men:
The meeting of the Interstate
Trail Association for the election of
officers and for the transaction of
business connected with the general
affairs of the association was called
to order at 3 p. m on Tuesday
March II, 1913, in the auditorium
of the Coliseum by President w. A.
Hopkins.
Delegates from Indianola, Leon,
Davis City, Lamont, Eagleville,
Bethany, albany, King City, Union
Star. Dearborn, Edgerton, and Smith
vile, representing every town of the
Interstate trail with the exception
of Osceola, New Hampton, and ST..
Joseph.
The object of the meeting was
stated in short address by w. A.
Hopkins, president of the associa-
ton, after which the report of the
treasurer, G. W. Blair, was read,
and on motion the same was APPROX
ed. Then followed very interest
ing and lively old-fashioned love
feast and experience meeting. J. F.
Harvey, of Leon, Iowa, spoke of the
first meeting of the association
which was held at Lamont, Iowa, on
March IA, 1911, and spoke very high
ly of the work accomplished by the
untiring efforts Of Mr.. w. A. Hop
kins and the Lamont Commercial
Club in organizing and promoting
the Interstate Trail, and closed his
speech by making motion that a
vote of thanks be rendered Mr.. Hop
kins for his untiring efforts in the
interest of and as president of the
Interstate Trail Association, which
was carried unanimously.
DR.. Fred V. Loose, of Smithville,
Mo-, told of eight miles of rock road
near Smithville that is nearing COM
pletion and which will shorten the
mileage between Des Moines and
Kansas City about two miles, the
established grade being + per cent.
He also spoke Of the lively interest
of the Smithville Commercial Club
in the success OF the Interstate
Trail, and reported that they did not
feel that any two men could ade-
qnately represent the good people OF
Smithville at this meeting SO they
sent four delegates with half vote
each and that it was not a divided
house but all stood for exactly the
same thing and among their number
was Judge j. B. Walker, of their
county court.
]. J. Settle, of Edgerton, reported
a great deal of good work contem-
plated for the Trail in his section
and a great deal of enthusiasm.
w. p. Newman, of Dearborn, re-
ported that they had let the contract
and large portion of the work had
already teen done in grading the r:'-
tire road from St. Joseph to Dear
born and that the established grade
nowhere exceeded 6 per cent and
that all culverts on this road were of
rock and concrete.
The secretary, Daniel Anderson,
then read an interesting letter from
Mr.. Feeder, of St. Joseph.
R. E. Devall, of Union Star, assur-
ed the association that they could
be depended upon for anything want
ed as did also Samuel Shepherd of
the same place. Both of these gen.
Hemen have taken an active interest
in the Trail Association since it's
establishment via Union Star.
J. T. Wagers, of King City, in a
very happy vein pledged King City's
united support for the future i'm
provement of the Trail and reported
the roads in good condition and a
wonderful improvement in the same
since the establishment of the Trail,
which was the beginning of the good
road movement at King City.
Then came DR.. j. w. Barger, OF
Albany, and stated that his Colnmer-
cial Club had authorized him to say
to the association that they would
improve the roads much more this
year than they did last, and that
Albany vas deeply interested in the
future OF the Interstate Trail, and
that he was further authorized to
bind the club for anything that might
be asked by the association. He also
added that Albany now has two new
garages which were fully equipped
and we've the equal of any in the
state, not only as to equipment and
structure but as to workmen en-
ployed as well.
Bethany was represented by
Frank M. Frisby and c. w. Wiley,
who reported that New Hampton
had done lots of good work on the
Trail and that they were sorry that
New Hampton was not represented
They also reported the organization
of live and enthusiastic Automo-
x,;lo N1uI, a r Pofhanv If which C..