The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-22
SQUARE DEAL NOT
GIVEN TO ALABAMA
John Craft Still Hopeful OF
Jackson Highway
CAUSE is HELPED
Feels That Alabama Routes Will Yet
Be Given the Recognition to
Which They Are Right
fully Entitled

Alabama did not get a square deal IN
the routing of the Jackson highway at
the louisville meeting, according to John
Craft president of the Alabama Good
Roads association who spent yesterday
afternoon in Birmingham, after ATTENDING
the Louisville meeting.
Mr.. Craft believes, however, at the ad-
iourned meeting to be held in Birmins-
ham in January, the Alabama route ooth
northern routes and the southern route
will be incorporated as part OF the
Jackson highway.
at do think Alabama was discrimi-
mated against at the meeting, and L be-
lieve the cards were stacked" said Mr.
Craft. II made this accusation on the
floor of the meeting, and although the.
president and other members of the asso-
citation got pretty hot about it, nothing
was done.
I'm the first place, 1 do not see where
the three pathinders appointed by the
association were entitled to any vote on
the question of routing. They should
have made their recommendation. and
the voting should have been left to the
convention. Had this been DONE the Ala
bama route would have been selected, as
they only beat US by two votes
TOLLS ARE CHARGED
Mr.. Craft claims that the requirements
of the association were not carried out
in the selection of the Mississippi route
inasmuch as there are tolls on the Missls-
sippi route as well as the Alabama. "Ac-
cording to the requirements of the asso-
citation, there were to be no tolls on the
route, he said
The chief objection raised to the Ala
bama route at the meeting, according to
Mr.. Craft, was the fact that the Bigbee
river at Jackson is not properly bridged
Despite the fact that the people OF
Washington and Clarke counties had as
sured the pathfnders that a motor ferry,
which would answer every purpose on the
highway, would be constructed, the path
finders made their recommendation with
this objection in view," he said.
Even should the resolution to have
all three routes incorporated under the
name of the Jackson highway be passed
at the January meeting, Mississippi vii
consider the route through her state as
the main ruote, according to Mr.. Craft.
However, do not see that this weighs
much one way or the other" he said
"inasmuch as the sole benefit is to be
derived from the name, and as there will
be no appropriation in favor of the Mis-
sissippi route. What we want is to have
the Jackson highway routed through
Alabama. and l still believe this will be
accomplished.
HAS HELPED CAUSE
Mr. Craft is very optimistic over the
situation. Even should the Jackson
highway not be routed through our
state, we shall have accomplished much
good through the effort to have it so
| routed he said. MANY miles of road
in Alabama have been put in good condi-
ton pursuant to the visit of the path
finders.
There is a great movement on foot to
have the roads in Alabama permanently
improved, and we are asking the 5000
automobile owners in the state to join in
the movement If they could only realize
that they are paying an invisible mud
tax of more than s4,O00,000 yearly, they
would be more anxious perhaps to join in
the movement"
Mr.. Craft says a concentrated effort
will be made to have bill put through
the next legislature, requiring the 81
| lax in their road regulations. to have
roads constructed in a business like way,
and in a permanent way, many of the
roads in the state now being only temper
| airy.