El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-12-15
To MAKE ROADS
AID SOUTHWEST
Twitchell Tells Of Enthusi-
asm Of 5000 Autoists in
Ozark Trails Movement.
BY GUTHRIE SMITH.

Santa Fe. y NJ. Dec 15--Iu selling
our UnrivaIed climate and great scenic
wonders, we need the same close-knit.
effective organization that would be
required in selling dry goods and gro
ceries-we VIII have to have an agent
or salesman to let the public know how
great are our attractions" The speak
er was Col Ralph Z. TwitchelL He was
relating his experiences and observa-
tions TO the santa Fe chamber of COM
merce- with respect to his recent trip
to Oklahoma city. where he represented
New Mexico as a delegate and lecturer
a. the annual convention of the Ozark
Trails association
He laid especial emphasis upon the
Importance and necessity OF building
hard surfaced roads for automobile
travel. particularly 10 New Mexico and
Dependable Roads Needed.
The paramount issue before the peo-
pie living east of the Rocky Mountains
Is the building of hard surfaced roads.
y hiCh Will be good and paSsahle for au-
tomobile traffic during 365 DAYS of ev
cry year. Roads must be dependable
and must be known TO be depend
able. such roads are next in value.
in the upbuilding and develop
ment of districts TO the building of
new railroads.
The Ozark Trails association is an
organization composed of wide awake
citizens of Missouri. Kansas. Arkansas.
Oklahoma, New Mexico and parts of
Texas. These people are striving for
the building and proper main
tenance Of fine automobile highway
through their states and leading west
Y ard through New Mexico and south
western Texas They are very much in
earnest and are working hard 10 bring
about the conditions which they deem
TO be Dractica BILE. as well as highly de-
in
attendance at the convention in Okla
hOma City. Now L am able TO illustrate
the truth of my statement as TO the
value of good automobile roads. Of the
10000 delegates, three-fOurths came TO
the convention in automobiles. There
were actually registered at that con-
ventiOn 5000 automobiles owned out
side of Oklahoma City. It is not hard
10 foresee the result, when so many
determined people are working 10 ac-
complish certain result
Looking TO New Mexico and FL PasO.
The largest auditorium in Oklahoma
City seats $500 people and at every ses-
sion during the three days Of the con-
VentiOn. il was filled. not with residents
OF the city but with bona fide dele
gates TO the convention Many of the
delegates personally told me afterwsrd
that in another year they certainly
would include New Mexico and FL Paso
in their itinerary
Active as is the scheme of this or
of good automobile roads
is yet in its infancy II is growing rap
IDLY and viii continue to grow. While
l was at the convention. United States
senator Robert L owen told me that
the sum Of SS5,000.000 which the central
government has appropriated for sys-
TEN of national roads is a mere baEa-
telle. that ultimately the United States
VIII spend hundreds Of millions of dol
lars for good roads
Next Convention at Amarillo.
The next convention viii be held in
Amarillo. New Mexico helped to bring
the convention to Amarillo, feeling that
the interests Of the people of that sec
ton are identical with ours Between
now and June. when the Amarillo con-
entlon Will be held, Santa Fe ought TO
secure the active interests and cOOpera-
ton OF every chamber of commerce and
commercial club in the towns which I
are interested with a view OF going to
amarillo with a big delegation pre-
Jared 10 make q New Mexico demonstra-
ton"