Evening star., 1915-11-23
POOR ROADC COSTS
CAPITAL THOUSANDS
A TWo-Mile Stretch Makes
Fredericksburg Highway
Useless for Tourists.
LOCAL AUTOISTs BACK
FROM INSPECTION TRIP
Business Men Find Reason Why
Southern Traffic Is Diverted to
Shenandoah Valley. .--

w dSHlnStoH business men yesterday IN
spected road conditions between this city
and Fredericksburg. Va, that are divert
ing thousands of automobile tourists from
the National Capital, with resultant loss
to Washington hotels, merchants and
other business men amounting to several
hundred thousand dollars each year.
I Within the past two years all but a
short section of the roadway between
Fredericksburg and Washington has been
put in fine shape. There are several short
stretches totaling less than two miles
that are in such bad condition, however,
as to make the remainder of the fine
thoroughfare useless to tourists.
These stretches are absolutely im-
passable In wet weather Yesterday
the Washington business men found
the going difficult, although there had
been no rain for several days. Two of
the cars in the party became begged
at one point and it took three hours
to get them out of the mire
Purpose of the Trip. ...
The party from this city consisted
of Representatives. of the Board of
Trade. Chamber of Commerce, Retail
mobile Association, Washington Hotel
Mems Association and the local press.
The trip was made under, the auspices
of the American Automobile Assocfa-
ton.
The purpose of the trip was to show
the Washington business men the con-
ditfon of the few bad stretches along
the road in order to enlist their as
sistance in a movement to have them
rpr q
from Fredericksburg to Washington is
put in good shape Washington will
become the gateway to- the south for
tourists, it is stated.
A new roadway has been built
recently from Fredericksburg to Rich
mond.
Because of the few short bad
stretches between Fredericksburg and
Washington. north bound tourists now
make detour at Richmond that car
ries them through the Shenandoah val
ley and prevents them from visiting the
National Capital without doing more
than 100 miles additional running
South bound tourists make the same
detour through. the valley with a re-
sultant loss to Washington. The
wretched condition of the few stretches
between Fredericksburg and WASH
ington are known to tourist bureaus
throughout the country, and tourists
are advised to use other routes.
Auto Stalls in Mud.
The inspection party left the Riggs
building about o'clock yesterday
morning, and had finer running over
the new road as far as the Chopawam-
sic swamp, where one of the cars be-
came begged in mud hole up to the
hubs. 1t took the combined efforts of
about ten members of the party and
two hired laborers to get the car out
of the mire. In an effort to avoid this
particular spot another one of the cars
backed down the roadway with a view
of making d detour
The, road was in such a trea cherous
condition that the car slipped Off an
embankment and nearly turned over in
small stream. 1t was necessary for
several members of the party to stand
on one of the running boards to pre-
vent 1t from overturning.
1t took more than two hours to get
the car righted and on the way again.
BY the time the trip was resumed many
of the members of the party were COW
cred with mud from head to foot.
Among those who were particularly
unfortunate in this respect were Charles
w. Fairfax and E. l.. Ferguson. While
attempting to get some Of the mud
from his clothing. Mr.. Fairfax stepped
on the tail of hound dog that was an
interested spectator, and was bitten on
the leg.
The party was scheduled to reach
Fredericksburg at noon, but did not
get there until o'clock in the after
moon. The Washingtonians were pro-
vided luncheon at the Princess Anne
Hotel as guests of the proprietor, B. r
Reamy. In a short address following
the luncheon, l.. l.. Ferguson of the
American Automobile Association ex.
planned that about $4,000 was needed
to construct permanent highway
along those portions of the road be-
tween Fredericksburg and Washington
that are now in a bad condition.
He said that the sum of $3.50 has been
obtained by the association to make
start today. -
Hotel Men Will Contribute.
Townley A. Mckee stated that the
Washington Hotel Mems Associa ion
would contribute 800 toward the $12,-
600 needed. Joseph NJ. Stoddard sug-
gested that the representatives of the
trade organizations on the trim hold a
meeting within a few days and deter
mine on a plan for raising the re-
mainder Of the money needed. Frank
&. Baldwin of Fredericksburg stated
that the business men of that city
stood ready to aid in the money rails
ing.
The start for home was made about
4:30 O'Clock in the afternoon and
Washington was reached about a
o clock last night.
The party included the following:
Chamber of Commensurate L,
Howser and Thomas Grant.
Retail Merchants Association=Mt A.