South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-04
Dixie HIGHWAY HEADS
FLAYS COMMISSIONERS
Resigns Presidency in SCOrCh-
ing Letter DenOunCing Sc
lection of Routes.

Charles f. James, principal factor
in the promotion of the Dixie High
way association and who was recently
elected president of the association
by the combined votes of the old and
new directorate, declines the office.
Such is the word that reached
South Bend Friday James mailed
his resignation 20 each one Of the Il
commissioners that were named by
the various governors. This letter is
what might be termed n hot shot"
at the commissioners. James speaks
straight from the shoulder and is
highly incensed at the commissioners
naming two routes for the Dixie high
way at the Chattanooga meeting two
weeks ago.
James has. however, not quit the
association altogether TWenty-four
hours after he handed in his resigna-
ton he headed the founders subscrip-
ton list with $1,000 for the promo
tions of aggressive road building
along the east and west lines of the
Dixie highway system. He declared
that he will continue TO give his ear
nest support to the organization
But James letter of resignation
should not be overlooked. He begins
by saying he will devote his time to
the building of a short line through
Tennessee and Kentucky to the Ohio
river. which he says was contemplated
before the governors met. For rea-
sons not necessary TO recite," James
says the governors went beyond
their province in delegating others to
conclude what we had hoped the gov
ernors would themselves accomplish.
Sees No Use of Continuing.
Continuing he says in part:
have concluded after studying
your map that there is no use for me
TO try to assume any official RESPONSE
billty for a road laid out on the pres
ent lines l hope YOU will get some
one TO finish what the Dixie Highway
association started and which YOU
have designated.
II has taken me two DAYS to trace
ali the routes you located. l find Won
nave cut out all the center or short
routes, OF every state from Michigan
through Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Georgia and Florida. With
rev exceptions the road is as compli-
Gated as it was possible 20 make il
ana cater 10 the interests of individ-
uals interested.
Your commissioners had no other
authority conferred on you than that
or locating one route, not two or three
routes In any one state You did not
allow me or any other membe of the
Dixie Highway association to make
any statement or give any opinion on
any of the proposed routes. If YOU
wanted to lay out more roads than one
in any state, il would seem but ord
mary courtesy TO have asked the
Dixie Highway association for an APP
prevail before you laid out more than
one road.
shut Out Association.
You gave certain favored routes
three months time in which TO COM
plete their propositions. When
you called the executive session CATER
you had heard from everyone except
the Dixie Highway association TO
really locate the road, you did not in
Vite me or any OF my associates 10
be present on the contrary you ex-
cluded US. YOU stating that no one
would be allowed 10 be present eX-
cept the ] 1 commissioners. COnSe-
quently the Chattanooga directors
could not know. nor can they give any
reason or excuse 10 claimants why
their roads were left out and others
put in.
You kept me and the other d.
rectors sitting on hall benches in
Louisville several hours; you kept US
here III Chattanooga doing the same
thing, waiting until YOU called us, and
when YOU did finally call us il was az
ter you had made all locations. You
excluded us from all knowledge OF
from right 10 make any statement"