The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-05-01
PAVED HIGHWAYS
REUNION TRAVELS
jacksonville Has Many High
Class Roads to Points
Of interest
Trips to Be Taken Over Them N ~
tomobIies During the Reunion OF
C~onfederatss May 6, J, D.

LA~oAAnLAbt VI f4biADla ~
during the week Of the great Reunion
OF Confederate Veterans and sons Oh
Veterans, will make the trip from
their homes In automobiles. NuLner'
Gus inquiries have been received from
all parts OF the country concerning
road conditions, and especially in re-
gard to the practiCabillty OF reaching
other points in Florida by
trips from Jacksonville.
For the Information OF auto owners
DESTROYS Of bringing their cars to
Jacksonville at the time OF the he
union, attention is called TO the lac'
that the city license books show that
there are over 1000 licensed automo'
biles in the city of Jacksonville alone,
and during the past winter season
more than $500 motor-driven vehicles
have passed through Jacksonville en-
route to various places on the Florida
peninsula. Unless there were fairly
good roads, leading from Jacksonville
To other sections OF the State. there
would not have been one-tenth as
many cars In Florida this season, and
the home people OF Jacksonville would
not have invested SO heavily in motor
vehicles.
Duyal county, OF which Jacksonville
is the county seat, was among the first
Of the Florida counties TO issue road
Improvement bonds and to begin the
paving Of Its highways with vitrified
paving brick and concrete. With a
population OF only $1,000 in 1909, this
that year to the amount OF $1,000, 600,
and It VA provided that not moro
than s250,000 was TO be expended in
road construction each year for four
years. The bonds were sold at a
handsome premium and the money
has all been expended on the roads Of
the county, with a result that this
county now has some OF the.very best
In the South. and these roads are a
Joy to the joyrider and to all persons
who use them.
But this Is not all; for the Board OF
County Commissioners Is at the pres.
ent time working up interest In .
proposition to issue from 81, 900, 900 to
$4,000. 900 additional road improve.
ment bonds and construct a system OF
paved roads and highways throughout
the county OF Duval that will be q
model for all sections OF the country.
Jacksonville Is only seventeen miles
in a direct line from the Atlantic
Ocean, where there is n Of the finest
beaches in the world, affording a speed.
way four hundred feet In width and
twenty miles In length. Here Is the
ideal automobile course and it Is Wis.
tied by thousands Of cars every year,
From the city to the seashore the
county has constructed a magnificent
boulevard, paved with vitrifed brick
and with concrete for the entire dis.
lance. Hundreds of cars traverse this
Atlantic Boulevard. as 1t Is known.
daily. and during the Reunion many
thousands OF visitors will make the
trip by auto to the beach. Once on
the seashore they will find much to
interest them. Surf bathing will be
at It's best during the Reunion week
and many visitors from Interior points,
who have never before had the oppor.
tunity to plunge into the big breakers
Of Old Ocean, will find the experience
a novel and delightful one
From Jacksonville to St. Augustine
the distance by auto is SS miles and
the trip Is easily made in two hours.
In fact, the record for the trip Is one
hour and nine minutes, but that Is al.
most too fast for a trip to the Oldest
city In the United States.
The road from South Jacksonville,
on the opposite side OF the majestic
st. Johns river from the Reunion city.
is paved with shell for nine miles and
the going Is good. Then comes six
miles OF brick paving over which the
cars fairly skim along. The next four
miles, to the Duval county line, have
not yet been paved, but a temporary
surface of shavings has been provid.
ed. From the county line to st. Au,
gustine, a distance Of is miles, the
road is not yet paved but shell has
been placed In the wheel ruts and good
time can be made by the average car.
Still another attractive trip, OIL the
south side Of the st. Johns river, Is
that to Mandarin, q pretty little vii.
lage on the banks OF the river, about
fifteen miles from the city. This road
is well paved with shell for the entire
distance and passes through some
very pretty orange groves, which In
themselves are an attraction to all.
At Mandarin there are a number of
attractive homes, surrounded by pref.
~ gardens, groves and farms. This
village Is the site Of the former home
OF the late Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe, the author OF Uncle Toms
Cabin"
The city OF Jacksonville has sixty
miles OF paved streets and contracts
are now outstanding for several add.
tional miles, work on which will start
Immediately after the reunion, as 1t Il
the desire OF the city authorities not
to have the streets torn up while the
visitors are here.
Sightseeing automobiles are nuner.
Gus In Jacksonville every winter and
this year several OF the large cars will
remain over until after the reunion.