The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-09-03
MONSTER GATHERING.
JACKSON HIGHWAY
PLANNED COLUMBIA
MEETING AT MT. PLEASANT DE.
cIDEs ON THIS COURSE FOR
NEAR FUTURE.
MUST HAVE ROUTE THIS WAY
Is Sentiment of Meetine-Plan Out
lined to Get Government Aid in
Building Jackson Military High.
way"-Meeting in Florence Soon.

mayOI O0umduI VI OUlumuld VOlC0u
the sentiment of the gathering at Mt.
Pleasant Thursday afternoon in the
interest of the Jackson Highway,
when he said that the proper way in
which to start the ball to rolling was
to- have monster meeting in COlum.
bia some time in the near future at
which time from five to ten thousand
people would be in attendance, and
sufficient enthusiasm aroused to make
demand on the, officials who shall
decide the route OF the jackson road,
that they could not let it go any other
way than that of the old Jackson
Military Highway. The meeting held
Thursday was a most enthusiastic
one. and great deal of interest was
manifested. All the speakers empha.
sized the fact that this air line route
should be the one to be chosen. A
feature of the meeting was the plan
presented by Mayor Marion Richard
| son, Of Lawrenceburg. He said that
right now was the time that the peo-
pie of the country were aroused ON
the questions Of good roads and ma
tional defense, and that congress
should make military road out Of
this Jackson Highway. He said the
most logical and practical way in
which this road could be constructed
was for the government to pay half
and the counties half of the cost of
the road.
Mayor Dedman said that the people
Of the counties through which the
route would pass would have to get
busy right away on the toll gate prop
osition, and that especial efforts
would have to be made to get the
Williamson county people to buy their
pixies He said that at the meeting
to be held in Nashville for the selec-
ton of the route would largely be
controlled by trading, and suggested
that the best traders along the route
be sent to the meeting. A burst OF
applause greeted him when he stated
that the people Of Columbia we're
heart and soul for the movement to
turn the road through Mt Pleasant,
and Lawrence county. Il At
Col. Bond, of Mt Pleasant, said
that there was noe quite the crowd at
the meeting that the promoters had
expected, but that Columbia was just
like snail, always had been like a
snail, and always would be like a
snail His remarks provoked much
laughter. He said that this was the
airline to New Orleans, and was the
old Jackson Military road, and that if
it went by any other way its name
would have to be changed.
Mayor Richardson, of Lawrence
burg, said that the road would cost
at least $4,000 per mile, but that. if
the government would pay for half of
this expense that the counties travers-
ed could pay their half, He said that
the strongest argument against the
route by Birmingham was that the
people of that section already had
good roads, while his county was only
wanting them, and was determined to
obtain them.
Several other speakers also made
very enthusiastic, determined speech
es. Everybody agreed that this was
the one logical air line route, and lay
ing aside all the sentimental reasons
for the highway along this route, such
as was because it was the old route,
this should be chosen. ~
A committee consisting of Mayor
Dedman, of Columbia, and Mr. Parks,
Of Lawrenceburg, was, appointed to in,
vite w. E, Meyer, president of the
state highway association, Senator
Lea, Congressman Padgett and Byrns
and several government engineers to
be present at the meeting to be held
in Columbia, at which time it is hop
ed that delegates from every ,eounty
on the route might be in attendance.
The meeting was every enthusiastic
over the prospects for the monster
rally in Columbia. Mayor Richard
son announced that Lawrence county.
would be well represented al this
meeting, and would come prepared to
present her claims very strongly, as
he thought that sentiment had erys-
talized enough in his county for
special session of the county court to
be called to attend to the toll gates.
1t was announced that large meet
ing would be held in Florence, Ala,
next week, and the motion was made
and passed that Mr. Shofner, who pre-
sided over the meeting. be empower
ed to appoint delegates to the gath
ering, and that the boards of trade in
the other towns be requested to do
the same thing. Mr.. Shofner appoint