The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-03

. ana MOntgOnery
 
 Following tour of northeast Alabama for the purpose of inspecting proposed state highways from Birmingham to the Tri-Cities W. $. Keller, state highway engineer. returned to Birmingham yester- day afternoon The state engineer was three days in making the trip, during which time he travelled through 10 coun- ties, visiting the principal cities in these counties and covering a distance of more than 300 miles.
 Engineer Keller came to Birmingham yesterday afternoon from Hartselle, one of the most progressive and thriving cities of Morgan county, where he and his party had spent the night following an all days trip from Russellville by way of Tuscumba, Courtland and Moul- ton The route taken by the highway scouting party on the homeward bound trip from Hartsele was by way of Gull man. Blountsville and Oneonta, the coun- ty seat of Blount county
 In going to Tuscumbia the highway party went by way of Jasper and then followed the line of the North Alabama railroad through Nauvoo, Haleyville, Bear Creek and Russellville. Practically all of the road beyond Jasper was found to be in a poor condition, scarcely any portion showing any evidence of having been worked or improved
 Blount County Road Preferable Notwithstanding the homeward bound route taken by the scouting party from Tuscumbia is probably 20 miles longer than the road through Walker, Winston, Marion and Franklin counties, it is hardly likely that MT. Keller will recommend the shorter route as the proper Birmingham Tuscumbia highway. The road through Blount, Cullman, Morgan and Lawrence counties is already partly constructed, and, with the exception of about six or eight miles in Blount county. a short dis tance in Cullman, and stretch of about | 10 miles in Lawrence county. the motorist would meet with little difficulty in trav- cling the 173.1 miles that separate the | two cities.
 Blount county has the distinction of hav- ing what is probably the most pie turesque and scenic road in Alabama, as well as the best piece of road work. For distance of 15 miles this road winds among the undulating hills of the coun- ty starting at Cleveland and ending a few miles this side of Oneonta. The highway is constructed of chert and gravel and was one of the first roads begun by the present state highway department. But the Oneonta- Cleveland road is but sample of what Blount county is doing Tn the way of constructing public roads. The county has just finished spending S100,000 of a $l50000 bond issue, and the remainder will be spent as soon as the 1 bonds are sold. road soon to be con structed by the county is link eight miles in length extending the Oneonta and Cleveland road to the Jefferson coun- ty line at Village Springs This road will probably be built during the next year. Judge kelton Road Enthusiast Judge John F. kelton. probate judge of Blount county. has the state wide lepu- tation of being one of the greatest good roads enthusiasts in Alabama, and what progress Blount county has made in the way of road building is believed to be due almost entirely to his efforts Judge kelton met Engineer Keller and the high way party upon their arrival at Oneonta yesterday afternoon.
 The highway scouting party made the trip to Birmingham yesterday without accident. although the touring car barely missed becoming begged in the
  " line at Village Springs MT. Keller and his party arrived at the branch just Tn time to see couple of mules pulling an automobile from the mud. Being forewarned. therefore, the driver Of the highway car. Mir. Conner, used extra precaution and succeeded in pass ing over the water and mudhole Incidentally, it might be we'll to add that the highway party learned from several men at Village Springs that one of the inhabitants of that place is kept continually busy extricating au- tomopiles from the bog. and that he always exacts the lucrative fee of s5.
 Keller's Recommendations The road scouts were particularly i'm pressed with evidences of thrift and prosperity in Cullman county While the roads were not particularly good io some places there were scarcely any stretches which could not be travelled with comparative ease, and little diff ficulty was encountered in passing over them.
 1 But what most impressed the touring party was the condition of the Gull man county crops, which were as good as any seen during the trip. The cot ton crop is probably better, especially lin the nelghborhood of Cullman and along Sand mountain. than in any county in north Alabama. and the iyield of that fleecy product will prob ably he larger than in former years | In Morgan county the highway party had little difficulty in the way of bad roads but found that the county was Ianowfng some of it's best roads to de- lteriorate for want of attention. Nor gan is one of the pioneer counties of jthe state in road construction, and is at present engaged in building roads, but is allowing some of her roads to go to pieces.
 Culipan County Progress 1 AS result of his recent trip through northwest Alabama, Engineer Keller, lin his report to the legislature. will most likely recommend the road through Hlount county as the Birming- ham, Tuscumbia highway. It is hard fly probable that he will make any Suggestion of the Walker county road lin that connection, though it is expect ed that he will recommend the build ling of road from Tuscumbia to Tus- caloosa ty way of Russellville, Haley