The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-20
Automobile Club Plans Run Of Three
Days Duration, With
keokuk ~ the
Terminal.
TO VISIT POWER PLANT
Party viii Arrive on Saturday Night
and Will Leave Here
Sunday Noon for
Louisiana.

of the state between st. Louis and
Keokuk, Iowa, is the territory through
which will be run this year the ninth
annual Reliability and Sociabilty
Tour of the Automobile Club of St.
Louis, on September %, "a and IS.
This part OF the state is new to many
motorists, but it is in this section
that the roads average better than in
any other part OF the state, and the
Touring Committee of the Automobile
Club decided that this splendid coun-
try should be brought to the atten-
ton of its members and other motor
lists by this years tour.
Therefore, this year the tour will
have for it's main object the boosting
of the roads between st Louis and
Keokuk. via Hannibal, Palmyra, etc.
The run to Keokuk and return will
be on the Missouri side OF the river.
There was some intention of crossing
the river to Quincy and running up
the east side to Keokuk. but the path
finders, after making two inspection
trips. found the Missouri roads 30
much better than those in Illinois that
it was decided to make the entire run
on Missouri side.
This tour is not road race in any
sense. 1t is tour In which contest
ants for the reliability prizes are re-
quired to run between certain points
on schedule time. They may not ar
rive at station before or after their
set time unless they lose points from
their score Like railroad train
they are supposed to arrive ION
time" This is not as easy to do as
1t sounds, and it is the call for good
judgment on the part Of the driver
that lends zest to the run. Contest
ants will be required to run at an av-
erage speed OF Fl miles an hour and
this is not speeding, but very ordi-
nary running.
There is no occasion for racing, as
the contestants are not required to
pass each other The first car away
is supposed to be the first car to
finish and, unless some cars fall be-
hind their schedule, they finish in the
order they started. Sometimes peo-
pie get the impression that the tour
is race, but such is not the case and
the Automobile Club OF st. Louis is
opposed to speeding on the roads.
The tour this year will be three
day outing. The first days run will
be through to Keokuk, a distance of
1876 miles. The morning of the sec
ond day will be spent in visiting the
dam. power house and locks at keo-
kuk. About noon, September oath,
the tourists will start back to Louisi-
ana which will be the second nights
stop. On the third day, September
25th, they will start from Louisiana
about o'clock and arrive in st.
Louis about noon, thus leaving the
afternoon of the third day for exami-
nation of the cars of the contestants.
In the tour this year will partioi
pate a number Of motorists who will
not enter as contestants. They will
make the run to get the benefit of
the outing and to see another part
of their state. This class will start
after the contestants are under way
and they will run on their own time.
The chief purpose of the tour is to
stimulate interest in good roads, and
in getting results along this line the
Automobile Club Of ST. Louis has
found it's tours to be very efficient
enthusiasm creators. Before the tours
the Touring Committee of the club
usually makes number of trips over
the roads that they contemplate Sc
lecting for the route and the people
along these roads are urged to get
them in the best possible condition
e. A. 10 sic
found they are called to the attention
of the road authorities and usually
they are fixed. In this way every
Fall the club has road work done that
otherwise would be left over until
the next spring, which would mean a
bad roads all winter.
The road to Keokuk as whole is
very good, but there are few places
that need attention. The people on
the road to Keokuk undoubtedly take
pride in their roads, and it is believed
that they will put them in good shape
So that their counties may be well
advertised by their good roads. Some
where in the neighborhood of 800
will travel the road to Keo-
kuk on this tour, and If they find
the roads good it will mean that they
will travel them frequently during the
course of a year. Motorists will tour
most where the roads are best.
From st. Louis the tour will be
through st. Charles, Cottleville, Oar
denne. Wentzville, Flint Hill, Mos
COW, Troy, Auburn, Eolia, Calumet,
Frankford, New London,
Hannibal. Palmyra, Taylor. Lagrange.
Canton, Wayland and Feokuk. The
return will be over the same route.
The counties traversed will be St
Louis. St. Charles. Lincoln, Pike,
Rails, Marion, Lewis and Clark