Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-03-11
AUTOMOBILE CLUB.

Seldom does a day pass that this Of
flee doesn't receive one to two let
ters from parties in different parts
of the United States inquiring con-
corning conditions of roads and just
how to get to Boise. What can we
tell them? Very little. for we have no
reliable information to give them nor
are the roads marked into Boise so
that the average automobile tourist can
tell where to CO.
Just as long as these conditions ex-
list, travellers are going to Salt Lake,
Ogden, Pocatello up into Montana, and
other localities where the roads are
well marked.
No one cares to travel to a city which
has no guide post leading to it and for
This reason we are losing thousands of
dollars worth of business each year
and probably a large number of new
settlers, for people are travelling
these days in cars, looking for place
to invest their money and the cities
that have automobile clubs report that
travel has increased in their city from
30 per cent to 60 per cent and in every
case their members haze more than re-
ceived back the amount they paid for
dues We have heard it said by a
good many people here in Boise that
all roads lead to Boise. But on the
other hand we have heard numerous
cases. of our own citizens getting lost
just few miles from Boise.
With the roads properly marked it
would mean that when visitors arrive
in our city they will be feeling good,
for the reason that they have had
something to guide them along the way.
They feel that we have an interest in
conditions, not particularly for the
amount of money that they are going
10 spend, but to show them the correct
roads to take thus making their trip II
pleasant one. In the city Of Boise
alone there are 9l2 cars and it is Ger
tainly worth AZ cents a month to ev-
cry automobile owner to know that he
is doing his part in helping mark the
roads and boosting our country Mark
ed roads are not just for strangers but
IRE a great benefit to our own people
but yet we have been satisfied to stand
atill and spend two or three hours on
zach trip sometimes in trying to find
tho proper road i"ri,ad of getting to-
gCthur ard ORGANIZING IN automobile
CLUB that will be 4 credit to the entire
west
Lately there has been a great deal of
favorable discussion in regard to.an
automobile club and the Commercial
club will be glad to furnish an office
free, stenographer and the secretary,
and assist in every way possible to or
ganize this club and to help keep It
on It's feet
There isn't another city in the west
that has such fine scenery, so many
good hunting and fishing places, and
not only our citizens, but the tourists
who come this way, will have an oppor =.
tunity to enjoy these things and If
we mark from 500 to 1000 miles of
road this year it will mean that we will
receive at least an increase of travel
of 20 per cent Next year we can mark
this much more and you can see what
we will have if we continue this for two
or three years.
The forestry department is ready
to assist if such an automobile club is;
oSanized and we hope that those that
are favorable towards such an organi-
zation will make their wishes known
by phoning any of the garage men or
this office. The following information
will give you a general idea of what
other cities are doing to keep to the
front
Salt Lake-Salt Lake has one of the
most active automobile clubs in the
west. They issue bulletins every day.
especially when the roads are bad, and
they claim to have the best system of
marked roads of any city their size in
the west. They make a speciality of
issuing free auto log books which the
Motel and garage men say has brought
them more business for the same
amount of money spent in any line of
advertising.
Baker, Ore.-Baker, Ore, has an ac-
tive automobile club and at present
they have over 800 miles of marked
roads leading out of their city
Everett, Wash.-Thi3 county has the
Snphomish County Automobile club
with a membership of 237. Their dues
are IS per year and they hope to in
crease the membership this year to
500.
Walla Walla, Wash.-The Walla
Walla Automobile club marked last
year, $50 miles and they furnish a
regular report each week concerning
conditions of roads.
Tacoma, Wash.-The Tacoma Auto
mobile club furnishes reports every
day. They have one of the largest
memberships in the west and their an
nual dues are $12 per year. Last year
they. spent $4,000 in marking roads,
placing signs and maintaining head
quarters. They make a speciality of
furnishing reliable information to tour
lists who come to their city and they
have a neat little pocket automobile
guide which thev distribute free. They
marked last Year, over 500 miles.
Ogden. Utah.-The Ogden Automo-
bile club claims to have 1900 miles of
marked road in it's territory and the
real estate men, garage and hotel pro-
prietors say that new settlers have
come into their country in large num-
beers as a resGlt of activities of the