Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-16
ESTIMATED $4,000 COO HAS BEEN
SPENT ON TRINscONTtNEN.
TAI ROADWAY
Of GREAT MILITARY IMPORTANCE
s20000,000 Mere SAID to &c Needed
for the Road, New York 10
san Francisco

ISOLATION that f4tQH,poN nave been eN'
pended upon that tranScontinental
roadway extending from san Francis.
- TO New York. The same authorities
estimate that fully $2o,000.o00 more
aie required TO hring 1t up 10 the
proper standard its entire distance.
The association officials say they
have ASSURANCES that this money Will
he provided in good line, with as
much more as may be found 10 be
necessary, as people in every state
through which the highway pa. Scs
are showing steadily increasing en-
thusiasm for the great enterprise in
which there is such vast advantage
for themselves and for the country as
a W ole
The importance Of military prepar-
odness has not been without effect
urOn sentiment OF the public living
adjacent to the Lincoln Highway. Il
has been made apparent as never he'
fore that an essential element in this
preparedness is a modern highway
system, over which troops, guns and
munitions can be moved with ease
ana facility.
Behind the growing favor for the
improvement also is found, OF course,
the large and constantly swelling NUM-
bers of automobile tourists. Four
years ago, it is estimated, there Lad
been less than a dozen through trans
continental trips by motor car actual
ly completed under the machines own
power.
It is well known from figures COM
piled with some cars that last year
the number OF motorists who made the
drive over the Lincoln Highway was
between $4,000 and 10000, mainly from
the Mississippi river to the Pacific
coast Transcontinental motorists, So.
lecting the season when weather is
most favorable can make the run IN
% to so days, as compared with sixty
or more prior to the creation OF fair
ly good roads system the entire dis
lance, Il has become a pleasure rath'
or than serious undertaking.
The Lincoln Highway across New
Jersey and Pennsylvania is practically
100 per cent macadam, maintained in
good condition and well marked.
In Ohio few miles of natural dit
road will be found. The state an!
counties have to date expended 81
256,7S in constructive work on the
highway, brick being the predomi-
nant material
Indiana is rapidly concreting the
route, and it is not until one gets
west Of Chicago that any unusual DIFF.
ficultes are encountered. Macadam,
interspersed with gravel and natural
dirt road. make up the highway across
illinois
In Iowa the situation Is peculiar,
Cue to lack of law that viii enable
counties to vote bonds for road con.
struction. The funds available for this
work from taxation do not allow for
anything more than extensive grading,
dragging and maintenance. but the
Lincoln Highway from the Mississippi
River at Clinton to the Missouri River
4 Omaha has been graded and dras-
ged until in dry weather it is a per
;ect dirt boulevard for nearly 400
miles.
The situation in Nebraska is much
the same as in Iowa, except that the
drawback to permanent construction
il, this state is not legislative but is
cue entirely to lack of finances, az
ia also the case in Wyoming, Utah
and Nevada,
From Salt Lake City west, the tour
j5t crosses plain of alkali dust and
traverses beds of almost pure salt
miles in extent, hard packed, and Of
fering speedway unrivaled by the
work Of man. Water is found at fire.
Quent intervals, the route being 80
laid out as to afford an oasis Of some
kind at intervals never greater than
30 or 60 miles. Gasoline can be- obtain
ed at any of the ranches which dot the
route, and where hospitality is assur-
ed This Is the trail OF the old pony
express, the old overland stage coach,
and The path Of these fearless advance
guards OF civilization, Fremont, the
bonner party, Stansbury, Lander and
others.
The Lincoln Highway in California
Il practically 100 degrees boulevard,
following, as 1t does, for nearly all
oi its distance portions Of that State
Highway system which has been con.
structed under an slS,000,000 bond Is.
sue.
Every year, as thousands of east.
ern motorists view the grandeurs and
study the possibilities OF tie west,
converts to soil are created. Homes
81 ring up along the route. ranches ap-
pear where once was barren desert,
inns are erected, hotels are moderniz.
ed and yearly the Lincoln Highway
becomes more and more the maln
street of the Nation
Evpry timp ha uun ubiuno Ibe nn,at