Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-04-10
THATCHER WRITES
AS HE BLAzES WAY
NAN WHO is MARKING OUT
ROUTE FOR TRANscONTiNEN-
TAI TRAVEL.

Engineers Camp Enroute, April s.,
1514-To Editor JournaL-Dear Sir:
The Washington Highway road signs
are going up at a merry pace. This fea-
ture alone viii be worth many thOus
ands Of dollars in attracting rich
tourist travel to see the unexcelled
scenery Of your fair state. The back
wardness in the development Of your
commonwealth vast resources is
largely to be blamed to the forrifying
road conditions 1t is a sacrifice too
great 20 expect good citizenship tO
leave the land Of good roads and
come and live amidst conditions that
are a disgrace to the interior Of Africa
The citizenship Of Idaho can no
longer afford to see the vast millions
of resources lying beyond their reach
all around. The rich inheritance be-
longs 10 your children and it becomes
the solemn duty Of every citizen Of
Idaho TO exert their best effort in de-
livering the property of those you
love into their hands 10 avoid the
great day Of reckoning. 1 am more
than delighted 10 see that Lincoln
county is taking the lead in the state
in road Improvement.
actually securing good roads will bv
far reaching. I am marking the
Washington Highway via ShoshOne
Falls, ogden and Echo Canyon. The
road over this route IS the best thar
can be secured at present. Undoubt-
edly the most feasible route for ths
main line of the Washington High
way lies via Pocatello and Granger.
as it Will be fifty miles shorter The
route via Shoshone Falls viii always
exist The rare beauty and grandeur
of Shoshone Falls is little known
On my trip to New York. Boston.
Philadelphia and Washington 1 VIII
address hundreds of thousands of peo-
pie, and it affords me great pleasure to
attract the attention of these thous
ands 70 Shoshone Falls, one of the
worlds greatest natural wonders,
ranking with Niagra Falls The juno
ton of these two highways at the city
of Shoshone will be a matter Of great
import as a money making enterprise.
The Washington and Columbus High
way Association is now making a
double listed strong arm fight for gov
ernment aid in the construction Of the
Washington and Columbus highways, /
the Washington Highway passing
the north and the Columbus .
Highway through the south to the Pa Z
ciffc coast. Thus the fight becomes /
national and not sectional The join
ing of these two great organizations 4
was a master feat and places the en-
terprise upon a footing where they can 4
not loose The Advisory Board of the
Association expect to have fifteen
millions of letters and telegrams
pouring into Washington at the close
Of twenty-four months, more thar the
voting strength of the nation;-a pow
pr which Congress can not ignore and
the construction of the Highway
Shoshone by the government
will not cost its citizenship one penny
more than if il went five hundred
miles away. The main line OF the
Washington highway via your city is
destined 10 become the most travelled
and popular transcOntinental roadway
n the world because Of its shOrtness
20 the Pacific and its natural facilities
IS an aI-year-round route The
of Idaho. Oregon and WASH
ngton is beyond the power Of pen to
describe. And its summer climate
s unexcelled.
With the construction Of the Wash
ngton Highway your section VIII be-
ome the summer recreation ground OF
he people of the world. And this will
,e the natural route for the stream OF
ravel that is sure to come with good
Dads enroute to see the world re-
lowned scenery of Alaska. Step to
he front of the battle, ye sons and
aughters of Lincoln county and aid in
he struggle for this peerless treas 1,
ire and afterwards enjoy the rare
appiness that the fruits OF victory
ccord. Yours for success,
CHAS. W. THATCHER.
,fficial Engineer of the Washington
and Columbus Highway AsSOeia-
ton