Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-07-28

Mr.. Ben Bear received a very in
teresting letter from H. P. Hancock,
of West Union, regarding the new
automobile trail out of Decorah,
which we publish below. Mr.. Bear
N. L. Bailey and John Bradish have
been doing some good work mark
ing auto trails out of Decorah the
past two weeks. Following is the
letter:
July Twenty-four, 1915.
Mr.. Ben Bear,
| Decorah, Iowa.
Dear Sir:-I have your letter of
22nd inst, in re- trail from Decorah
to Calmar, via West Union to Cedar
Rapids, and | have talked with
number of our good road boosters,
ed to have such trail perfected.
At independence it can connect
with the Hawkeye Pike, and at Cedar
Rapids with the Lincoln Highway.
AS we have varied scenery in this
section of the state that will interest
tourists, especially those travelling
from the western part of the state
to the east, we merely thought the
name "Swiss Trail or something Of
that kind to indicate it's scenic beau
ty would he appropriate
We will be glad to meet you peo-
pie at any time either here or at De-
corah for a consultation in regard to
the matter, and will do all we can
tc push it along. At Eldorado there
is considerable sand, and we are as
sured that this will be repaired In
case the trail goes through that town.
| have before me a communication
from the Secretary of the "Burling-
ton Way" which is claimed to be the
best marked trail in the world. They
have corps of officers of it's Iowa
division from FIT. Madison to Cedar
Rapids, the intention being to have
a thorough route from st. Louis
through western Illinois to FIT. Madi-
son, thence to Burlington, Iowa City,
Cedar Rapids, Independence and
Oelwein; thence to or near West IN
ion on its road to st. Paul. They
are to have a meeting at Cedar
Rapids in August, and will receive
delegates from sections desiring this
trail.
AS this will be great north and
south route, with two great terminal
centers, it strikes me that it would
be an advantage to good roads if we
can get it through this section, and
would cause great deal of traffic
from the south to the north. We ia
this section should do all we can to
further it, and with your fine road
from Decorah to Cresco, and the
| further fact that Cedar Rapids is
nearly in a direct line with your
town and ours, it would entrail no
additional travel to st. Paul, would
be a very picturesque route and
something different from the flat
prairie west of us.
l have also today received COM
munication from the President OF the
"Southwest Trail from Chicago to
Kansas City, in which he has noted
in the Des Moines Register & Leader
reference to our proposed route
from Decorah to Cedar Rapids, and
suggests that we continue further
south to meet their trail. | hardly
think this advisable, for the route TO
Cedar Rapids is all we desire.
Your sign of this route, to-wit;
yellow in the center, with white
stripe top and bottom, is distinctive
and does not conflict with our ''cut
off" which will be on part of this
trail and whose sign is three inches
red, six inches yellow and three in
ches red.
/ have spoken to Mr.. Morrison,
General Superintendent of the Tele-
phone System in this section, and he
has given us permission to mark the
poles on the route, simply enjoining
us not to obliterate the number on
the poles belonging to the telephone
company.
| call your attention to the new
law passed by the 35th General AS
sembly, Chapter 125, regarding reg
istration of highway routes and
making certain provisions thereon
which must be carried out and ap'