Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-19

and G streets Passersby on the streets
a block distant are often lured from
the even tenor of their course to wend
their way toward the Riggs building
to see whats doing" The innocent
cause is just another motor wayfarer
who has returned from long automo-
bile tour to club headquarters to report
and tell his experiences on the road.
The past week has seen the return of
two transcontinental touring parties
and several from the New England,
southern and middle west sections.
At the present time there are about
$50 members of the local club yet en-
tour.
Cyrus Townsend Brady, the author.
is the most recent addition to the
three AS list of distinguished men,
bers. MIR. Brady wrote club head
quarters as follows:
Having recently purchased a car. I
am DESTROYS of joining the associa-
ton. Will you kindly advise me what
are the requirements for membership
and how one arrives at that honorable
distinction"
the radiator of the car of Secretary of
the Treasury McAdoo.
A party of motor tourists that in
Guided Mr.. and Mrs. E. E. Wintersgill
of Gulf Port, Fla, and Mr.. and Mrs.
NJ. A. Goble of st Petersburg, Fla, Wis
tied Washington last week. The jour-
ney to the National Capital was made
via Macon, Atlanta. Chattanooga, Nash
Vile, Cincinnati, Columbus and Pitts
burgh.
THE roads were variable" said Mr..
for-
ed that ranged from poor to excellent.
An especially bad stretch as found on
the detour between Columbus and
Wheeling. However, we did not get
into any serious difficulties and our
trip, averaged up. was a very enjoy
able one"
The party was routed from this city
to their homes by the touring bureau
Of the local club. Their itinerary re-
turning will include Richmond. Clarks-
vile. Greensboro, Charlotte. Columbia,
Augusta, Savannah and Jacksonville.
AS the most direct route, regardless of
road conditions, was requested. the trip
from Washington to Richmond was
made via Fredericksburg.
Many fine compliments were showered
upon the director of the touring bureau
by members of the local club after
receipt of the new postal-card map of
the Washington Fredericksburg auto
mobile route. The new map, which was
drawn after careful survey of the
route by Touring Director Ferguson,
was sent to the clubs members last
week. 1t is one of the most compre-
hensive maps ever issued by the tour
ing bureau, and shows the road be-
tween the two cities over which Mr..
Ferguson drove his machine at an aver
age speed of twenty miles per hour.
Every stick, stone. creek and house on
the route that could possibly be used
as a signpost is shown on the map, to-
gether with the exact condition of
every mile of the highway. The map
is a reversible one, and the mileage
can be read going and returning. 1t
was prepared especially for the MEM
bers of the District of Columbia club,
and while in itself a splendid piece of
work, which cost considerable time
and money, it is but small part of the
great service being rendered local
motorists.
William Ullman's Touring the Old
Dominion" published in the August
Issue of the American Motorist, official
publication of the American Automo-
bile Association, has led to the many
inquiries from every section of the
United States a. 81, to tn the a A A; head
the National Capital and special infor-
nation concerning preparations for a
Virginia motor tour. More than 200
letters requesting further knowledge
of places of historic interest in the
state have been received by the author
The main question asked is: How
are the roadsT'
The answer given usually Is: Zine
in the Shenandoah valley"
After a brief study Of the story and
the map the inquirer discovers that
the Shenandoah valley pike exacts a
fairly heavy toll from each motor
party and that the highway comes a
long way, from connecting with the
National Capital. the historic battle
fields and many of the famous old
towns of Virginia, including the in
tensely interesting city of Richmond.
Then comes letter: Virginia has the
scenic beauty and the historic spots.
but don't believe we should try the
trip until the roads are improved Why
don't they get busy on their roads and
get some of the tourist money!
This is a fair sample of the hundreds
of letters received at A. A. A. head
quarters.
And the answer to this Is that Wash
ington rnerchants-hotel keepers par
ticularly-are daily losing many hun
dreds of dollars.
The key to an improved situation
for Neutrality-suspicious. Is about six miles
Of insufferably bad roadway between