The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-05-21
COLORADO TO GULF
S0C|AB|L|TY TOUR
AFTER DIPPING THEIR AUTOS nv
THE WATERS OF GULF, THEY
ARE NOW EN- ROUTE BACK. q

Galveston, Tex, May 2O.-Dipping
their machines, which, ten days be-
fore, had hidden farewell to the snow
cappe&d summit of Pixies Peak, into
the Gule of Mexico, the members CT
the CClorado-to-the-Gulf automobile
sociability run on Saturday, May IS,
signdli2ed the attainment of the goal
of perhaps the most notable and sue
cessful automobile sociability run
ever carried out in the southwest.
The eight cars, carrying 80 repre-
sentative business men from Pueblo,
Colorado Springs and Manitou, were
met UIon their arrival at Galveston
by Mayor Lewis Fisher, who present
ed the golden key, and who received
the barker bearing the words Colo
rado to the Gulf" sent to him by
Mayor Charles l.. McKesson of Colo
rado Springs. The run of 1850 miles
was made by way of the Colorado to
the Gulf highway from Manitou, Col
orado Springs and Pueblo through
Walsenburg and Trinidad, Colorado;
Ration, Clayton, New Mexico; cross
ing into Texas at Texline, thence via
Dalhart, Amarillo, Claude, Goodnight,
Clarerd don, Memphis, Estelline, Chill
dress, Quanah, Chillicothe, Vernon,
Electra, Wichita Falls, Henrietta,
Bellevue, Bowie, Sunset, Alvord, De-
catur, Rhome and Fort Worth, to Dal-
las. Here, because of conditions re-
sultiag from the recent heavy rains,
change was made in the original
schedule, and it was decided 10 go
direct to Galveston, via Hillsboro,
Waco, Marlin, Bremond, Calvert,
Hearpe, Bryan, Navasota, Hampstead,
and Houston, to Galveston.
The return, starting Monday, May
IS, Is via Houston, Richmond, Whar-
toni El Campo, Edna, Victoria, Gu
ero, San Antonio, New Braunfels, San
Marcos. Austin, Temple, Waco to Dal-
las, and thence over the Oklahoma,
Texas and Gulf highway through Ok
lahoma and the Sante Fe trail through
Kansas back to the starting points
in Colorado.
Everywhere the tourists have been
most cordially received. Texas hospi-
tality has been extended unstintedly
Cities and towns, large and small,
have given hearty welcome. Escort
and Lilot cars have conducted the
party from town to town; from Tex
line to Fort Worth, E. L. Edwards,
representing the Texas State Automo-
bile association, acted as escort, and
from Dallas to Galveston and return,
Jesse Illingworth, representing the
Dallas Auto club, has been pilot. The
tour has had a wonderful effect in
stimulating interest in the good roads
movement, and particularly in the
Colorado to the Gulf highway. At
every stop, greater cooperation be-
tween Colorado, New Mexico and
Texas in the development of this great
artery has been pledged.
Considering the fact that the tour
followed the heaviest spring rains in
years. the roads have been surprising
ly good. Some difficulty was encoun-
tered, and man, days were strenuous,
but on the whole, the good roads
have more than overbalanced the bad,
and It has been encouraging to see
that in those counties where the worst
stretches have been, construction
gangs are now at work or bonds
have been voted for early develop
ment. This tour-the pioneer from
the mountains of Colorado to the Gulf
of MeXico-has demonstrated beyond
a question the feasibility and touring
possibilities of such q road, and it will
be a great factor in stimulating travel
from the mountain states to Texas
and the Gulf coast in the winter
months, and from the southwestern
states to Colorado during the heated
perio1
w thin the next year or two, it IS
predicted by the Coloradoans, thee
will he a graded and improved dirt
road, with many gravelled, shell and
macadamized sections, running The
entire 1850 miles from the Gulf TO
Colorado.