Evening star., 1916-08-20
J. Walter Drake Announces
Campaign in the Interest
of Better Highways.
TO TRAVEL IN AUTOMOBILE
FROM CAPITAL TO CAPITAL
Movement to Stimulate Cooperation
With National Government for
Improved Conditions.

With the passage Of the federal appro-
priation of $4,000, 000 for the building
good roads. public interest in road de
veloument it is said, has been stimulat'
to a greater degree than ever before
The co operation of the individual state
with the United States government nov
seems to be the one remaining thing to
accomplish positively to insure the effor'
of a united America in behaf OF lhi
proved roads in all parts of the country
No class, it is claimed. has shown
greater interest or a more loyal support
TO good roads work than the motorists OF
the country. The American Automobile
Association has been a tireless worker
in behalf of the federal appropriation,
J. Walter Drake of Detroit now announces
a campaign to insure the cooperation o!
the individual states with the government
for the development of local roads.
Mr.. Drake is donating to the good roads
movement an automobile tour wh1ch VII
start August 2S from this city and visit
the capital Of every state in the Union.
Objects of the Tour.
"It is the object of this tour to promote
interest in improved roads and capital
TO capital highways in all parts OF the
country" said Mr. Drake. THE Hup-
mobile which will start from Washington
August % will carry crew Of four men.
A distance of approximately $4,000 miles
will be covered, and throughout the en-
tire running a study will be made OF road
conditions and reports will be made TO the
governor of each state, suggesting the
most feasible roads for touring and out
lining road conditions encountered
This tour will lay the founoatloi
of a series of interstate highways. JOIN
ing all of the state capitals, the prlh-
cipaI cities. and the main scenic route
of the country Through these reports.
both written and Photographic. com
bined with the cooperation OF the
American Automo bile Association, th'
various good roads associations anc
state and government oft1cials, oeheVc
this tour will create personal ana
practical interest in road improve
ments such as the country has never
seen.
Good Results Anticipated.
"In the hands of the Secretary OF
Horticulture and Logan Waller Page
| federal good roads director the gov
ernment appropriation will, without
doubt, proouce lncdicudpio ieSu4'o 40
| improving the road conditions OF the
country. Widespread road improve
ment is of perhaps greatest benent TO
the motorist, and 1t is possible to as
sure both federal and state autnorltles
at this time of the heartest co-opera-
ton of the multitude OF people owning
and riding in automobiles. No greater
Impetus can be given the See America
First idea than the development OF the
nations highways. Through the tour
which will start from Washington the
latter part of this month we VIII zen
the public by written reports. by pno-
tographs and by moving pictures, the
story of the nations roads as tney now
exist, with suggestions for the pest
highway routes and the pest tours TO
see the wonders of America"
Predictions by Enthusiasts.
Good roads enthusiasts freely predict
that the Hupmobile tour will give the
public the most wonderful photo
graphic touring record of the United
States which has ever been made: Ihere
will be little LETT to the imagination
about American road conditions when
the car Mr.. Drake is sending from
ca apttaI to capital is finally checked in
at its destination. The immensity OF
tht. project in behalf of good roads Is
better understood when 1t Is figured
that the distance to be Travelled will
be greater than the distance around
| the world. and every mile of 1t Is to be
| made in the United States.