The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-10-29
Des Moines Again Acting Up.

terests of Des Moines are trying to
get the Lincoln Memorial Highway
COMMISSION to change the route OF
the highway across Iowa. using the
Transcontinental to Marshalltown or
State Center and then running into
Des Moines and striking the Trans
continental again at Jefferson or even
rather west, say Council Bluffs, says
the Boone News Republican. Moth
ing definite can be found out about
this, but information has leaked out
that the commercial bodies Of the cap
ital city are working day and night to
get this change made.
The Capitals Attitude.
Late Young in the Daily Iowa Cap
ital takes this view of the matter in
the following editorial which he pub
lished in Thursday evenings paper:
The powers that be have located the
Lincoln highway along the Trans
continental line which follows the
Chicago & Northwestern railway from
Clinton to Council Bluffs. The people
of Des Mones would have been much
pleased had this road been located IN
way to pass through this city. But
the action is passed and Des Moines
is not going to kick. We are all for
the Lincoln highway. If it is made
what they expect to make it, we must
have a branch leading to it. When
palms are more fully developed this
branc hcan be decided upon.
Meanwhile all the people OF the
state should lend their influence to-
ward making the Lincoln highway a
success. If built in accordance with
present plans it will do a larger
freight business than any railway
which crosses the state.
That Loop Proposition.
Friday morning the Register and
Leader in speaking of the 'loop'' prop
osition from Ames south to Des Moines
through Perry and into Grand juno
ton or Jefferson did not mention the
fact that Des Moines was trying to get
the main road, but merely wanted to
have "loop" established so that the
Transcontinental visitors who want
ed to, could visit their city.
This article follows:
Preliminary steps toward establish
ing the proposed loop of the Lincoln
highway through Des Moines were
taken yesterday afternoon when rep
resentatives of Perry, Jefferson, Grand
Junction, Bouton, Woodward, Moran
and Granger came to Des MOines and
conferred with E. W. Waterbury, rep
resenting the Des Moines Commercial
club, in a meeting at the Slavery hotel.
They discussed the proposition and
received assurance from Mr.. Water
bury that Des Moines would cooper
ate with them in their efforts. At a
meeting some time next week definite
plans for choosing the exact route of
the loop will be made.
The men who attended yesterday S
meeting were all from points which
would come within the west half OF
the loop. They discussed mainly that
branch of the proposed highway, sug
costing that it go by way of Perry and
join the main stem of the Lincoln high
way at Grand Junction. The smaller
towns through which the road would
pass were left for later consideration.
Ames, State Center and Marshalltown
were all suggested as possible points
for the eastern terminal of the route
with Ames receiving most favor.
Inspect Routes.
The meeting in Des Moines was in
termediate between two inspection
runs which the boosters at the ives,
end of the route conducted yesterday
They came from Perry by way OF
Bouton, Woodward, Moran and Gran
ger, and went back last night by way
of Waukee, Abel, Mlnburn and Gardi
ner. They travelled the best roads on
both routes with a view of determin
ing which would furnish the better
way for the portion of the loop be-
tween Des Moines and Perry.
In the meeting the west end boost
ers explained to Mr.. Waterbury the
plan of the loop. They suggested the
advantage that would accrue to Des
Moines through it's establishment and
pointed out that the earnest sym.
pathy and cooperation of Des MOines
would be necessary to make it sue,
cess. The main thing to be done now
and to be done quickly, is to get the
loop officially recognized by the ex'
ecutive committee of the Lincoln high
way so it will 60 on the map, they
said. The present plan is not to ask
any support from the Lincoln High
way association other than it's approx.
al of the plan. The loop founders
plan to have the people along the
way build and care for the road.
Des Moines to Cooperate.
Mr.. Waterbury assured the repre-
sentatives that Des Moines would vel
come the loop and do it's part in secur
ing it. He said that the loop would
be established regardless of the atti
tude of the Lincoln highway official:
toward 1t and that there would be NJ
question but that it would divert
large part of the travel from the maiI
highway.
Mr.. Waterbury told the out of towr
men that their asking for assistance
from Des Moines was most pleasing
In most cases, he said, Des Moine'
had been compelled to 60 out to thu
smaller towns and ask for their as
sistance and had then been criticized
for exhibiting self interest. Prior t.
meeting with the executives of thu
commercial organiZatins he could no
assure them what route Des Nome:
would favor for the loop, but he made
it clear that there would be little diff
Guilty in reaching satisfactory agree
ment on that proposition when thu
time for it came, so far as Des Mone
woe copcarpod