The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-01-02
TWO GOVERNORS
BUILD GOOD ROADS
Kansas and Missouri Execu-
tIves Doomed QveraIIs.
BIG ARMY OF WORKERS. OUT

In Good Roads Days "to Pull Missouri
Out Of the Mud" Bankers and Con-
victs Labored Side by Side-Esti-
mated That $1,5oo,oo0 Worth Of Inn
provements Were Made on Occasion.
Clad in Khaki overalls. Governor Ma
jor of Missouri and Governor Hodges
of Kansas worked side BY side with
picks and shovels, assisting in pulling
Missouri out of the mud" Over 800
600 other men Of the state-bankers.
day laborers. convicts from the state
penitentiary. professional men and
clerks-also worked shoulder to shoul-
der with the same implements. and
miles of roads in the ia counties Of
Missouri were put in better shape than
they have ever been in before.
Hundreds of business men in St
Louis. Kansas City. Joplin and other
cities and towns Of the state deserted
their desks or failed to enjoy an aft
ernoon on the golf links and instead
donned overalls and labored on the
roads. 1t is estimated that the value
Of the work done will be over $780,
600. Moving pictures were taken Of
the operations in many parts Of the
! state and will be used to encourage
| other states to follow suit.
The two days work on the roads 10
| the result of a proclamation issued by
| Governor Major calling for Missouri
ans to get together and Improve. the
state roads. The ready response of
| the men Of all classes surprised even
the most ardent supporters of the good.
| roads movement.
ut has been one of the great days
| of my life" said Governor Major. "As
a boy ! travelled over nothing hut bad
roads. | made up my mind then IL l
ever got a chance l would do all l
could for better highways. The gov
ernor Of Arkansas has advised me he
has set aside Sept. 2 and 8 for road
work. and l am happy at the results"
II intend to fix two road days when
1 return home" said Governor Hodges.
1T is remarkable how many have re.
sponded to Governor Majors procla-
nation"
Governors Major and Hodges. when
their hands became SO blistered that
they could no longer use a pick or u
shovel. turned in and steered road
grading machines. Both executives
! said that they never had a better time
in their lives.
Governor Major headed a great pro-
cession of road workers that left Je1er-
son City early to improve the high
ways of Cole and Galloway counties.
Part Of the crowd separated ut the city
limits. some to work on various roads.
while a large number, under the lead
ership of the governor. Congressman
d. w. Shackleford and State Highway
Commissioner f. w. Buffum, went
across the river to begin the extension
of the Ashland road to Jefferson City.
Secretary of State Roach. attired in a
full regalia of blue overalls. drove q
team of mules in the Galloway county
division and put in a full days work.
Fl. r. Noel. chairman Of the board Of
pardons and paroles. also drove a mule
team during the day.
Governor Major did u little Of every
thing during the day, including the
touching of Of several dynamite
charges to blast u way through the
crown of one Of the high hills on that
road.
One hundred and ten convicts from
the %penitentiary. under command Of
Warden d. C. McClung and Deputy
Warden Porter Gilvin. formed part Of
the working force. Each one Of the
%convicts will get thirty days OF his
sentence for his two days work.
Four Kansas City men abroad each
cabled from Paris to state road organ
izers money sufficient to hire q squad
of substitutes to do their share Of road
work.
Women took an important part in
the campaign. The 6.O00 members Of
the Missouri Federation of Women's
Clubs throughout the state aided the
movement in every way possible. and
thousands Of farmers wives and other
women prepared and served meals
Mrs. Major and Mrs. Hodges, the
wives Of the two governors. aided in
serving to the workers fried chicken
which had been prepared by Mrs.
Major.
Z. AAs>a $40 >>a>-