Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-07-15

OF the meeting, aided, of course
by the hearty cooperation of al
the com munities interested.
The meeting was, indeed, {
success far beyond all expecta
tions. The various cities anC
towns sent some of their very
best boosters, who pledged the
raising of sufficient funds for the
construction of the road from
Springfield to Licking, via Mans
field. Other routes are proposed
and have active supporters-but
our people say we must be on the
official route of the Ozark Trail
and, meaning what they say, they
stand willing to back it up with
money and muscle, so let's have
the o. Y. sign.boards lead the
travellers through Mansfield. 1t
is not decided as yet just what
the route will be beyond Licking
but it will probably be via Rolla
or Ironton.
Owing to his detention by Off
cial duties, State Highway Engi.
neer F, w. Buffum, of Louisiana,
Mo-, was unable to be present, as
was also W. H. Harvey, of Monte
Ne, Ark, president of the Ozark
Trails Association, who had been
invited by the Seymour Ozark
Trail Association, but members
of the Wright, Douglas and Texas
county courts, as well as road
com missioners from the Mans.
field, Norwood, Seymour, Hous-
ton and Licking special districts
and other road officials were
present.
The convention was called to
order in the morning by Chair.
man M. A Freeman, of Mansfield.
a good roads booster through
and through, who stated the pur-
pose of the meeting. The motto
of the Mansfield Ozark Highway
Association is "For Better
Roads," and President Freeman
is the right man for the place.
After the invocation by Rev..
M. England of the Mansfield
Baptist Church,a a hearty address
of welcome was delivered by
Mayor F. H. Riley, who had ar.
ranged for his speech to be in.
terrupted by Alex Salisbury,
who drove into the crowd in a
covered wagon drawn by a burro
Mr.. Salisbury was attired in
working clothes, overalls and all,
and had his hound dog along, On
his wagon were numerous mot.
toes, and he had his pick and his
shovel, all ready to go to work on
the roads. Upon asking what the
occasion of the gathering was he
was informed that it was a good
roads meeting. He thereupon
asked permission to say a few
words and his talk was the hit"
of the convention. He is one of
the prominent farmers of this
community, has sound ideas, and
knows how to express them in a
way that catches and holds the
attention of his audience. His
talk was a surprise, even to those
who knew him best. When he
first began to talk he was given a
polite hearing. AS his talk ad.
vanced the people began to take
notice, and before long his hear.
ers were listening intently to ev.
cry word he uttered.
The Ava quartet" composed
of an even dozen song.birds, then
entertained the audiences with q
musical sketch" or two.
A permanent organization was
formed by the election of the
following officers:
Chairman, S. E. Trimble, cash
ier of the Union National Bank
of Springfield.
Secretary, H. K. Lyles, of the
Houston Herald.
Treasurer, NJ. Craig, cashier
of the Farmers and Merchants
Bank of Mansfield.
When Secretary Lyles was e
lected he had just stepped int,
the assemblage and did not know
to what office he had been elected
Presuming he had been elected
chairman, he started to tax,
charge of the meeting, whel