Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-12
ROAD ENGINEER
VISITS 0TTUMWA
&c. w. THATCHER, REPRESENTING
NATIONAL HIGHWAY, sroPs
OFF IN CITY.
TALKS TO PEOPLE
Addresses Crowd In Front Of Ballln0.
all, Telling Advantages Of
the Transcontinsntal
Roadway.

Exciting first curiosity and then In.
terest, G. w. Thatcher. engineer OF the
Washington national transconttnentA
highway, came to Ottumwa Monday,
and remained here today. He address
ed crowd Of people Monday after
noon on the streets and leaves for Bur
lington Wednesday.
Mr.. Thatcher's outfit aroused much
comment, some Of 1t humorous, but
when he began to speak, the people
gathered round to hear what he had to
say. He came in light wagon, piled
high with odds and ends Of every des-
cription, the collections OF his travels
Of fifty thousand miles. There were
various horns OF deers. elk and other
animals, buckets, pans, canvas, an AK,
gun, ropes, hundreds OF newspapers
and clippings and In fact everything
that could be picked up In long years
Of wandering all over the United
States. There were cards and names
on the wagon representing people in
Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio, Iowa,
New York, Illinois, Utah, Wyoming,
in fact most OF the sections OF the
country had either cards or names
penciled on some part Of the wagon,
showing the extent Of his travels.
Mr.. Thatcher drove team Of small
mules, third one following the outft.
BY the heroic efforts of the reception
committee, consisting Of Harry Lyle.
Carl Haw, Grsenleaf Merrill and War.
rem Ferguson, the third mule was
saved for its master, when = farmers
son drove tho animal into lane and
was KIDNAPPING the little animal. Mr..
Thatcher himself, was dressed In cor.
duroy trousers and vest, wore grey
sweater coat In spite OF the heat high
leather boots and q weather beaten
felt hat of the cowboy type. 1t would
be an injustice to leave out the black
curly dog, which follows Mr.. Thatcher
everywhere.
10 Met by Committee.
The committee went out over the
Blue Grass road to greet Mr.. Thatcher
meeting him at the Shaul cemetery.
He was driving along at good gait,
reading a book as he drove. He look.
ed picture OF health, with the tanned
skin and clear eyes, that life In the
open gives. He was shown the way to
town, people staring at his RIG a. he
went along. He was taken to the
Commercial club, where there were
several men to greet him. Regrets
were expressed that he had not come
on Saturday as had been planned. The
mayor and q commissioner with re-
ception committee had gone to meet
him and a meeting had been planned
for him. He explained that rain and
bad roads and the injuries Of one OF
his mules, had kept him back. He an
swered numerous question about vari-
Gus highways, telling what was the
matter with Iowa roads, which are the
best in good weather and the worst IN
bad weather.
Points Out Route.
Going into the rooms he used 4 map
to point out the route which the Wash
ington highway will take, from Seattle
| to New York and probably passing
through Ottumwa on the way. A
southern branch from Florida, passing
through st. Louis Is also to be estab-
lished. Mr.. Thatcher expressed him
self as very well pleased with 1.-The
route through Ottumwa, expressing
only doubt as to which way the road
would 60 after leaving this city. The
highway is to be monument to
George Washington, after whom it is
named, and will be open to the travel
ing public for the greater part Of the
year Mr.. Thatcher has been travelling
for twelve years in the interests Of
good roads and for the past several
years has been seeking the best route
for the Washington highway. BY TAX
ing the route through the Roosevelt
pass through the Cascades or Sierra
Nevada mountains, he claims that q
grade not SO great as some Of the
hills, around Ottumwa Will be the
- 1850 - -~--