Imperial Valley press., 1914-03-21
AUTOMOBILE CLUB PLANS
LARGE IMPROVEMENTS
Grade Signs to Be Placed on Highway
From Chicago to Los Angeles


More than 5000 arrows will point
the way for motorists from Chicago to
southern California over the most
thoroughly sign posted transcontineH-
tai route in the world, if the plans of
the directors of the Automobile Club
of Southern California are consum-
mated.
Providing that the necessary sup
port is given the movement, the Au-
tomobile club officials will undertake
to sign a transcontinental highway
from Chicago to Los Angeles. This
action was determined by the board
of directors at a recent meeting, but
so vast was the project that details
of the work were completed before ths
news was made public.
1t is planned to send out club
scout car from the headquarters of
the organization next week, which will!
travel as far as Albuquerque on a
preliminary survey, to determine the
cooperation of the territory through
which the highway passes. Accord
ing to President Fred L. Baker the
success of the undertaking is depend
ent upon the support given the auto
mobile club by civic and road organ
izations along the way.
o. X. Parker, chief engineer of the
auto club. and c. E. McStay, special
representative, will make the prelim-
mary journey.
Those who can take advantage of
a transcontinental motoring trip in
1915, and do not, will be in small mi
nority, according to reports from the
east. To reassure those who are plan
ming this great educational trip, the
cities of the west are arranging to
provide facilities for comfort along
the road.
at is matter of statistics that SO
percent of railroad tourists want re-
turn trip tickets over different route
than the Outgoing one," said 0. K.
Parker, "and the same thing is true
with motorists. If they are advised
that they can reach San Francisco in
1915 via one route and San Diego and
the California Pacific exposition by an
other route, and that both roads are
plainly marked, it is certain that
great majority will go by one road
and return by the other.
Mature, topography, scenery and
route accommodations are the deter
mining factors of the route to be Sc
lected, but there is one other consider
alton that every motorist wants to be
assured of, and that is a we'll posted
road.
Driving through territory of vast
expanse to which he is a complete
stranger, the motorist can only OBJ
tain complete enjoyment of the trip
and scenery when he knows he is on
the right road and within reasonable
distance of accommodations. If, at
every fork of the road, there is un-
certainty as to which is the right one
to take, the average motorist will be
robbed of much of the pleasure of the
trip.
The Automobile Club of Southern
California intends doing all within its
power to provide for the comfort of
the long distance visitors, and signing
of the long routes will be one of the
most important steps.
at is generally conceded that the
Lincoln highway, following the over
and route through Salt Lake City,
will be sign posted during the summer
Of 1914, and that that road will be
the favored one, unless some other
,ranscontinental route can receive an
equal or greater amount of atten-
ton in the way of posting direction
signs and providing accommodations
for the motorist.
at is with the idea of providing
another well signed transcontinental
route during 1914 that the 'Automo-
bile Club of Southern California is
starting a campaign to sign post one
Of the three southern routes from Chi
cago to Southern California"
AS the plans of the club now stand,
an organization car will be sent out
for the purpose of charting the route.
This car will be followed by sign
posting truck to do the actual work
of erecting the signs.
The road men of the Auto Club have
- Ll u IL