Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
5000 ROADS ATTRACT
TOURISTS FROM NORTH
Now Automobile Blue Book Contains
Running Directions for Over
$4,000 Miles in South.
HIGHWAY is BEST
Best Route From Chicago Is by
Way OF Indianapolis, Louisville
and Mammoth Cave to NASH
vile.
tBY GEORGE w. SUTTON. JR.
Editor of "Notor Life.-)

+ Emorc motor touring to Southern resorts
! Hthis year than ever before since the
tRmotor car came and enabled man TO
Anscck far distant delights at his own
s{swect pleasure as to time, cost and
~ compa mons.
Many millions OF dollars have been
spent improving the highways which
81 lead from the Northern larC OF bliz-
~ yards, influenza and coal bills to the
n balmy land Of the Seminole. made FAM
!. GUS by the late lamented Ponce dc
i Leon.
lsut all these dollars will come back
many times multiplied into the pockets
\ OF Southern taxpayers in direct ratio
,, with the amount OF progress they have
shown in road building. Tho Northern
motorist Is generous spcndcr lie
Will patronize the hotels. garages and
other industries in the localities where
good roads abound and he will shhn
the territories where the ShortsiEhted-
ness OF the inhabitants makes him go
bouncing over wretched highways.
Southern roads not yet all they
should be. but several of them are in
such condition that the Northern met
orist who does not vote the trip from
New York or Chicago a delightful tour
is indeed hard TO please.
new volume OF the Automobile
Bluc Books has just appeared and con-
tafns accurate and detailed running di-
rcctions for over $4,000 miles OF roads
through Virginia. Tennessee. Georgia,
Mississippi and Florida. This is par
ticularly opportunc at this time when
Uncle Sam has quartercd large per-
centaGe Of his fighting mon in tho ter
ritory below the Mason Dixon line
While the Automobile Blue Book
people have published this volume for
some years. this is really the first time
mat the southern roads have been
thoroughly cnarted. The 1917 volume.
{ the most up-to-date volume until now
; had running directions for only about
1900 miles OF roads. The 1918 volume
has running directions for over 1000
miles, mere than double OF last year
q and shows the routes TO every camp
4 IN the Southern district. From 500
(, pages last year the new volume has
!. grown to 1850 in the new edition.
Among some OF the new features O!
z this newest member of the Blue Book
}, family is the addition of q descriptive
4 outline at the head of each route with
I brief history OF the territory; better
e. ana more complete route matter: points
d OF historic and scenic interest described
/, AZ bottom OF the pages: new pilot
a. maps 81 Washington and environments
and of practically all of Florida.
NATIONAL HIGHWAY IN
room CONDITION
The only notable north and south
highway project which did not have
Miami for Its terminus was the old
National Highway which aimed to CON
u III
and Atlanta, Ga Nearly a decade has
elapsed since its incipcncy. but while
enough paper has been used in writing
stories about II to cover its 21Oo-mles
surface, 1t is still only partly finished
ana motor travel over it's entire lenr; N
Is only spaSmodic and infreuucnt Much
100, has been written about the newer
loiNie Highway from Chicago TO Miami
NO small part OF the difficulties travel
on the Dixie Highway now offers is
try, ;nr,
was begun and delayed in compilation
ny excessive wet weather. Many coun-
y tics in Tennessee. Northern Alabama
& and sections OF Georgia have newly
graded reads which they have not had
Time 10 surface and which are some
what harder TO travel than they were
before they were improved between
nashville and AThattarooEa however
II is Sill! better TO go ninty-aeyen miles
out OF Tie way through EuntsyjlI.
Ala. e
The third and best route 70 Florida
from the North is designated as the
Atlantic Highway. This route is inn
proved for practically the cnre dis
lance from Quebec and Miami: the last
remaining stretch OF almost irnpassablc
ROAD in Virginia has heer repaired ana
IS open to travel Tho Chopawam;sic
SWAMP. that section OF the road be-
tween Washington and FrcdcricEsburr
Whlch was very poor at best and i'm
passablc at times of last spring. h,a
been rebuilt and is now rendv rn,
travel. The grade has been raised
and the road is now equal to any along
the route.
or RICHMOND
After leaving Richmond, twcn.v
miles OF rough and worn road is en-.
c"Nhtercd. an! to save jounciur i.
might tie we'll TO make inquiry as TO
"he'hcr The route past Chesterfield
10 .
though five miles further From, mi
c'Eh t1e new road to pirchurst Yin
SANFORD has been completed and saves
some fortv-thrco miles over The o,d
irhEr,icNll'e route At savannah the
Northern motorist comes TO the sr. ana
sets out on the long trip 10 Jacksn,
VIE. crossing the six mile railroad
bridge over the Aliamaha on n ia.
car. "
There some who Will -,ec, .. -
from New York southwark vi, -,
Shenandoah Valley. in which r,ec 49,.
VIII come through Easton. Reading ana
Harrisburg; then through C;cttvshurs,
and lfaGcrstown TO Winchester Tbi,
point may also bc reached over enIc,-
DID roads from either Washington ~
Baltimore. From Roanoke the ro,,s
arc likely TO he difficult whichever ,v.,,.
ne goes. but probably tho mos, Dracti
cable Itinerary is through Bristol and
Knoxville TO Chattanooga, there SON.
inE the Dixie Highway one NAV nm
direct TO Jacksonville from Atlanta hut
better roads lead to Augusta. thcre
Joining the Atlantic Highway
On the trip from Chicago TO Chat.
nooga. the best way is via Indlanapo.
i lis. Louisville and Mammoth cav. n
Nashville, where the tourist nnds the
route from Paducah end ST Louis
these being the best western connect.
ions for the trip into Florida
OLD SPANISH TRAn.
NOT VERY JNTEnESTtS,
Recently there has been agita,ed IN,
& improvement of the Old spanish Trai
from Jacksonville to Pensacola ana
III New Orleans While some parts or In,
road are excellent. its condition AS :
whole is far from good, and the ,rir
Is not particularly interesting TIL,
K numerous ferries on the direct connect,