Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-10-07
REASONS WHY AMER|CUs
SHOULD Be ON The DIXIE
HIGHWAY ARE PRESENTED
SECRETARY FENSIMORE INDUCES
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO DE-
eide TO CHANGE THE PRESENT
ROUTE OF THE HIGHWAY.


Dixie Highway through Americas, q
matter now under consideration and
favored by the executive committee Of
the Dixie Overland Association, the
following letter, written by Secretary
Fennimore, of the local Chamber OF
j Commerye, is of interest:
! Mr.. Leland j. Henderson, Sec'y.
Dixie Overland Highway Associa-
ton.
Columbus, Ga.
Dear Mr.. Henderson:
A letter from your Office under date
CT September 2Sth in reply to mine of
September 14th, advises me that you
will be in Columbus on the list and
| End of October
/ want to have talk with you re-
garding the desirability of routing the
Dixie Overland highway via Americas,
but since it will be impossible for me
t. leave here either Midday or Tus-
day of next week, l have decided to
introduce the subject to you by letter
and later on we can get together at
some convenient time and place and
! go thoroughly into the detail.
AS | understand it, the present route
runs from Ellavill to Oglethorpe,
Montezuma, Unadilla and Hawkins
Vile This, on the map, appears to
be the most direct and desirable as
well as the shortest route from Ella
vile to Hawkinsville but there are
some disadvantages about it which
would not exist if the official route
were changed to come by this city,
First, the bridge at Montezuma Is the
weakest link. not only in the Dixie
Overland but also in the western
division Of the Dixie highway and al
though we have made every possible
effort looking to IL construction of a
new bridge at this important point,
it does not appear that our work In
that direction will meet with success
for couple of years at least and
meantime that old bridge is constantly
deteriorating. Second, your line
across Dooly county in the northern
part and at a considerable distance
from the county seat of that county.
Now, let's consider the advantage
of the route by way of Americas. The
road from Ellavllle to this city is al
ways in fair condition and if it should
be designated by your association as
part of the Dixie Overland high
way, the commissioners of roads and
revenues of this county would i'm
prove and maintain it in better con-
dition than it is at the present time
in Sumter county. A new road 81
feet wide is being built from Amerlcus
eastward to the Flint river, where Il
new steel bridge is being built jointly
by Dooly and Sumter counties. This
bridge will have approaches of APP
proximately 1900 feet on either side,
which will be laid to grade above the
highest water mark record at this
point. 1t is expected that this bridge
will be completed and the new road
from Americas to Vienna opened for
traffic by June 1918 at the latest.
Dooly county has agreed to build
and maintain first-class highway
from the new bridge to Vienna and
as you know, the highway now in use
from Vienna to Hawkinsville is one
of the best in southwest Georgia.
have talked this project over with
the chairman of the board of commits
sissioners of roads and revenues OF
this county, also with a number of the
most prominent citizens of Americas
and find them enthusiastic.
The mileage is a little greater bui
this is very slight disadvantage
which is more than offset by offerine
the tourist more attractive route
over road system that it is reason
able to suppose, will be better main
tanned than the more northerly route
you have named and affords cross
ling over the Flint river that will be
safe and sure at all seasons: whereas
when the river is at flood STAGE the
approaches to the present bridge be.
tween Oglethorpe and Montezuma are
under water and the ram-shackled
structure that now Affords a cross
ing between the points named is liable
to go out at any time the river is
on rampage.
4 believe this position is worthy
of careful consideration at the hands
OF your association. Please take il