The state herald., 1915-07-23
Lincoln Highway War.

SO Tar this year, great boosting has
been done to secure the tourist travel
over the Lincoln Highway and that to-
gether With the name" has secured
the larger part Of the tourist travel but
the Denver loop or side track has final.
ly caused war on the line. The main
line was routed from Big Springs, Neb.
to Cheyenne without touching Colorado
Territory. 1t was even talked for .
while that Denver loop line would not
be routed in tourist road logs but the
loop was finally routed and soon war
was on n earnest between Nebraska
towns on the m ain line between Big
Springs, Neb., and Chevenne, Wyo., ,on
the one hand and the Colorado towns
on the loop on the other. Sterling soon
discovered that only small part OF the
tourist travel was being mad, over
the Denver Denver loop and commit
tee was sent down to North Platte.
Neb tn discover the colored man in
the woodpile. The Sterling Democrat,
in reporting the discovery of this COM
mittee, says:
Going down the party stopped at no
other point than Juleshurg, taking tie
time to inspect the road only. Arriving
at North Platte, the return WAS deter.
mined upon ard inquiry made as to the
best way to reach Denver The party
was directed. to go TO Big Springs,
.Iulesburg, Sidney. Cheyenne and on to
Denver. Asked as 10 branch of the
Lincoln Highway up the Platte the par
ty was told there was but one Lincoln
Highway and that the one over which
il had been routed; road logs too were
Given with this routing and the party
was told that there was no branch of
the Lincoln Highway up the river; that
there was a road there but It was i'm
passible; that no autos had been able
to get ;,.arough this summer. And that
was the tale told at every stopping
point between North Platte and Big
Spring. The tale was told with 20 III.
tie sssk k'os, cvss'ia lsrxusge, and az
precision. tina, the party was soon con.
vinced that a concerted action was on
foot to send all au'o;sts by way Of
Cheyenne. including Ju'esburR.
At first it was thought that perhaps
road conditions might have something
to do with the traffic passing this Ire
up. but a trip over the road dispelIed
this possibility. The road between Ster
ling and the county line is in fairly good
condition. although in places rm What
rough; the came 10 true Of the st ip in
Sedg wick county toJu'esburg Between
there and Big Springs 1t VS. ro' gh
very rough. in fact. but dry and piazza
Bile. Between Big Springs and North
Platte the road in places Is prac icallv
impossible; no worse condition can be
imagined There 10 = STRIP 'welve miles
long beginning at . point "a miles west
Of North Platte running along the UP.
X. Il which passes through low land
on which slough grass stands from IL
TO Is inches high. There is the merest
semblance Of track and those few
trails cut in many places so deep that
the axles Of machines drag the ground
Pictures were taken along the route to
show the actual conditions. Nothing
worse than this strip Ia possible. and II
cannot be said that the condition 10 the
result Of weather. for the road is moth
ing more than virgin prairie land mutt
lated with traffic and uncared for
Nothing has been done to better It's con
nothing can be done to better
It unless II is graded high and graveied
throughout. Eastof North Platte there
IL evidence conditions are worse. Tour
lists have found II necessary To ship
from q point cas-, In Nebraska To North
Platte in order to got through n, all.
The committee established beyond
doubt that Nebraska interests were NJ
work 10 cut Northeastern Colorado out
Of all part In the tours, traffic. Its re
port to the Chamber II Commerce was
TO this eHce, and the committee also
suggested the best means Of curing the
trouble was To so over the White role
line to Omaha and " road conditions
were good To make an effort TO divert
the traffic At Omaha. The Chamber n
dop,ed this view and 40 II appointed +.
L Frost and ]. A. Campbell Of Ster
ling To co operate With representatives.
Of Brush and Fort Morgan chambers
and go TO Omaha. II road conditions
Justify the committee ~ill work back
endcsyoring to interest all important
towns along the way In the movement
to send autoists over the White Pole
line. Il IL important TO every section
that sutois,s be impressed with good
road conditions and the general pros.
peri,y and resources Of the sections cf
the country through which they psss.
They cannot be Impressed by passing