South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-24
Designation of Second Route
With This City as Terminus
Is Made to AIIay Bitterness
Following Fight.
CHICAGO IS TERMINAL
OF THE FIRST ROUTE
Local Delegation Returning
from Session at Chattanooga
Report a Series of Fights for
Entire Line of Way.

Although there were two routes Sc
lected for the Dixie highway Saturday
at Chattanooga by the commissioners.
one with a terminus at Chicago and
another at South Bend the latter Will
eventually become to he recognized as
the real and only route. This was the
assertion of II. G. Spaulding, secretary
of the Chamber of Commerce and sec
retary Of the local Dixie highway
committee that attended the Chatta-
noOga meeting.
The report Sunday that South Bend
had been ignored by the commission
was explained as resulting from the
fact that the report was sent out be-
fore the commission had finally ad-
journed. 1t appears the commission
went into session Saturday morning
and mapped out the route with Chi
cagO as the terminus. 1t then took a
short recess and went into session
again and named the route with South
Bend as a terminus. News of the lat
ter action did not reach the city until
South Bend delegation arrived sun
day morning.
gun Thursday morning with the COM
missiOners from Florida being first.
Working north each commission was
heard in turn, Indiana getting her inn
ing Friday After each commission
was heard, which took all Of Friday,
the routing of the road was begun
Saturday morning. The routing be-
gan at the north end with Chicago and
worked south.
Session a Series OF Fights.
According to reports from the local
delegation the session at Chattanooga
was one fight after another. From
Jacksonville, Fla, clear TO Chicago
there were two routes fought for all
the way. Politics played its part in
the whole affair, senators, congress
men, ex-governors and party leaders
from each state represented, being on
the scene. For time there was such
confusion and bitterness that II was
feared the whole proposition would
have to be abandoned. Finally II APP
pears in order that all could be salts
fed, two routes were decided upon.
The commissioners encountered the
first fight before the route had been
out of Florida Tallahassee com
missioner fought hard and long for
the route TO 90 from Jacksonville TO
his city. He finally won. The next
twO-cOrnered battle was put up by
Dalton and Rome Ga. These two
cities are only ID miles apart. Each
was satisfied. Then Louisville, KY,
and Cincinnati, O., took the floor.
Each was given a route. Then came
the fight of Indiana A diamond
shaped route from Chattanooga to In
dianapolis was adopted, one by way OF
Louisville and the other by way OF
Cincinnati.
Passes Through DanYille.
From Indianapolis one route extends
northeast through Charlottesville tC
Danville, Ill. thence TO Chicago.
The other route from indianapolis
follows the Michigan road through
| Iogansport to South Bend from which
point il continues to Michigan, fol
. lowing the Lake Shore from st. Jo-
| seph 10 Mackinaw.
Michigan is also given the opportun-
! ity TO build a line from MackinaV
along the east side of Michigan alons
the lake to Detroit, connecting there
| with a branch which may be COnLn
ued up from Cincinnati
The main routes represented by
! commissioners were the first annOunc
1 ed Saturday but the commissioner
! remained in session and during th'
! evening mapped out the other route
| which were agreed upon and announc
| ed late Saturday night
South Bend now has the remarkable
| distinction of being on the main Ine'
OF the Lincoln highway. the Nationa
| Parks highway and the Dixie nigh
way. which will use the west Michigan
| pike in its nOrthward course 10 tn
| Straits of Mackinac.
The South Bend committee whici
returned Yesterday included +. Loui
Kuhns. chairman; a. Frank, William
| Happ and Sec'y Spaulding.
This city is also included in tn
route of the Red Trail running from
\ Denver 10 New York. and hishwa.
running from Detroit via Jackson
Battle Creek and Niles. a highwa,
/ running from Traverse City Mich. Z
south Bend by way OF Grand Rapid
and Kalamazoo is now being contem
Mated. which viii probably be bull
within the next few years.
May Build Arch Here.
Plans are now under way for tn
erecrion Of a gigantic arch here. mark
ING the intersection OF the many high
v-avs that pass through the city. Tn
arch will be engraved with the name
lof the various roads, their terminals
Iand the distance OF the most import
ant cities from South Bend.