Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-21
ACTION ASSURES CITY
OF TWO MODERN
HIGHWAYS
HARD FIGHT WON
Al. RICHARDS, FATHER OF PLAN
FOR DIRECTING TRAFFIC THRU
STATE PARK, WINS VICTORY
AFTER YEARS OF HARD FIGHT.

Two birds, both Of them highly i'm
portant ones to Ottawa, We're killed
with single stone last night. when
virtual assurance was given the city
that II would have a pair of thoroly
modern highway connections with III.
inois State Park and the west end of
the county. Guarantees that the Fed
eral Highway would be built upon the
South side Of the Illinois river, and
the State Aid Road. under the $50.
10000 bond issue, would be construct
ed on the north side of the river. wera
Outgrowths Of meeting of the County
Boards State Aid Committee with OF
ficial OF the State Department Of
Public Works and Public Buildings
In the court house.
With double victory assured them
local good roads advocates are very
we'll pleased with the results of
last nights assemblage, none more
so than Al Richards, one of the edi.
tors OF the Free Trader-Journal who
for twelve years or more has fought
almost single handed for the south.
ride improvement against odds that
would hove proven too great for or
dinary human to surmount. In this
ha IN ri a
by Auditor Axel Heiberg, secretary Of
the ivy Way.
Appraised for It's scenic value-the
route covering one OF the beauty spots
OF America-and at the same time re-
ducing mileage by considerable, state
Officials took to the Richards plan
as rapidly SIS il was unfurled before
them. Judgment on the idea was
passed and approved by Frank /
Bennett, state director of Public
Works and Public Buildings; s. f.
Bradt. State superintendent of high
ways; Clifford Older, Chief Engineer
and Assistant Chief Engineer A. II
Hunter. both of the State Highway
department, who came to Ottawa es
pecially for the meeting.
These men were unanimous in
their endorsement of the Richards
plan, as being most feasible and prac
tical for facilitating work on the new
Federal road; $1.000000 for which has
been appropriated by the government
state and county in a triple alliance
The road splits La Sale County from
east to west and is a link in the Chi
cago-St. Louis highway with spu
running to Springfield, A quarter o
million has already been set aside
by La Sale County as its share o
the cost, this money now being in thu
treasury awaiting the government cal
The bond was raised by bonding th
county.
Credit for securing to Ottawa tw,
modern roadways is due almost en-
tirely to Mr. Richards and his stron
hackers. all Of whom stuck tenacious
ly to the original plan for improvin,
the Illinois Valley Way. The super
visors were won over when it wa
shown to them that the s60,000G0
Bond issue law calls for the construt
tion OF an equally modern highwa
on the north side OF the river, bot
of which are now certain beyond tn
peradventure OF doubt, all Of whc
should be exceedingly good news {
progressive Ottawans who hay
achieved the compliment Of goo
roads advocates thru many years {
earnest effort trying to pull LaSall
county out Of the mud.
Unless labor complications arriv
or else material men have too initiate
an idea of the value Of their product
work for constructing the FEEDERS
Highway will be begun in the ear
spring. Plans are now being mac
by he state for immediate prosec
tion of the task before them. and on
unforeseen impediments such as tho,
named. can prevent contracts beir
let this winter and first ground bro
on as Spring is at hand
Besides the state officials abo
fifty representative citizens Of Il
county, including delegates from |
Sale, Streator, Peru and Marseillt
were In attendance at the meetil