The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1917-08-24
.BANKHEAD HIGHWAY
PATHFINDERS HERE
Spend Night in Tupelo Where
They Were Royalty Treated.

The PathflnderS committee OF the
Bankhead Highway Association ar
rived in Tupelo on their return trip
from Memphis at 8 o'clock Tuesday
night, after being followed by rains
from Memphis to New Albany. One
car was left in the mud and was
brought in later.
The first incident of the trip that
caused any trouble to any of the
members was the slight injury re-
ceived by Col. Plowman, when alight-
ing from his car here He suffered
but little; however, he felt it best to
take the train for Birmingham the
next morning.
At all points along the route the
members of the commission were re-
ceived with every mark of courtesy
and consideration. Each place SEEM
ed to vie with the other in their DEM
onstration. Arriving at Tupelo the
party was hurried to the Golf and
County Club house, where a sump-
tuous banquet was awaiting them,
having been prepared by committee
of ladies, who volunteered to make
the preparation.
Hon. C. w. Troy, president of
the association, acted as POSTMASTER,
and introduced the various speakers
of the evening. Hon. C. p Long de-
1ivered the address of welcome. Mr.
Long expressed the great pleasure of
the community in having the distin-
guished party to visit us on mission
which promised so much for the terri
try through which the proposed high
way would pass. He assured them
that our heartiest support would al
ways be found behind such move
nents as the Bankhead Highway Mr..
Longs talk was responded to by Dr.
Riggs, president of Clemson College,
S. G. DR.. Riggs heads the committee
of three, which will locate the route.
He explained that the service his
committee would render was gratui-
tous, and that this committee would
act entirely with sole desire to rem
der the best service possible. He ex-
pressed his appreciation of the lavish
hospitality shown him, and as sur
prised to see the many evidences of
prosperity in this section and the
wonderful and bounteous harvest
that now is promised from our fertile
valleys and hills.
Chancellor j. O. Robins spoke on
the benefits to be derived from good
roads. He expressed the great need
of such counties as Itawamba and
Marion for great highway through
them. These two counties have only
few miles of railroads, which fail
to afford them the necessary trans
portation outlet for the splendid
lumber and timber and farm products
that they produce.
The United States Government
engineer Mr.. Eldridge of Washington
reviewed the progress which had
been made in this section. Eleven
years ago he went over the district
with Congressman E. S. Gambler,
speaking in every county seat, advo-
eating an improvement of the public
highways. He was gratifed to see
such marked changes for the better,
and attributed this progress to. the
fact that the Mississippi good roads
and bond laws are the best to be
found. in the United States.
State Highway Commissioner D.
IW.sRobins reviewed some of the work
Of the commission, stating that it had
been planned by the citizens of Tu-
pelo to construct great highway
from Birmingham to Memphis
Through this place, and that prelimi-
mary steps had already been taken
ito perfect the project. He was
|pleased to see the movement extend
ed where it had become national in it's
Scope; that as commissioner he
wanted roads built wherever posi-
Fble.
Secretary Roundtree was intro
|duced and reviewed in detail the first
conception of the Bankhead TIich-
way movement. He recalled the
meeting last fall in Birmingham,
when the convention was called to
perfect. rans for the furthering of
the mover en,. He gave the Lee
County delegation credit for. having
insisted on q permanent organization
and the election of permanent off
GERS. In his opinion, whatever grows
but of the movement credit should be
Given the delegates from Lee Coursy
Who were present at the first meet
ing in Bir,uiaghsrl.