The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-18
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

with them all to know with any def- niteness their starting point or terminus, much less know the territory they traverse.
 Every now and then I run acnoss new one It was at Demopolis at the famous rooster dinner" that I got my first hand information of the Dixie Over land highway, and heard it's claims set forth by it's secretary, Leland J. Tender son, and also learned from him about the Dixie Overland Highway Magazine, published monthly at Columbus, Ga. in it's interest.
 Since then I have the June number, and if it is a type of those to follow it will not be very difficult for A. E, Barden, circulation manager, to build up good list, or ". J. Baldwin, the busi- ness manager, to meet the pay rolls. Le- land J. Henderson, the editor and pro- prietor, has good chance to build up not only useful but paying publica- tion. for it fills a real need and covers wide territory
 As the Dixie Overland passes through Alabama, I think it we'll that our people should know more about it One thing know it is going to get a lot of pub licity out of Frank Darby's novel, Big bee Rooster Bridge" for it is just such semingly trivial but out of the way things which get much space in the twentieth century newspaper, and Frank who put over one good stunt in his Red Cross | bull sale, I feel sure will be equally as successful with his game cocks 1 The Dixie Overland highway starts at Savannah. and after trarersing eight Louisiana, Texas New Mexico, Arizona terminates at San Diego, Cal. John E. l Dunaway of Orrville is the president of the state organization in Alabama. The county officers are I. I. Moses, Girard, Russell countj H. P. Merritt, Tuskegee, Macon county; F. J. Crampton, Montgom- cry, Montgomery county; R. s. Dickson, Lowndesboro, Lowndes county; A. J. M. Atkins, Selma. Dallas county, Judge w. H. Tayloe Uniontown, Perry county; AL len Collins, Allenville, Hale county; B. H. Mccoy, Demopolis, Marengo county, and W. H. Coleman. Livingston, Sumter county. I give these names to show the high class men backing the route. I I confess it appeals to my inagina tion, when l am told about the Dixie Over land highway, a great transcontinental trunk line, hard surface, all-weather high way, reaching from Savannah to San Diego, crossing eight states and 20,00O miles of the 2s,aO0 miles of navigable waterways. many trunk line highways and S2 railroads with 2S5 stations. This straight line across the coastal plain, where the climatic conditions allow out door work all the year round, is sure to be not merely a path for pleasure seekers but a great artery of trade and of un- told value both in war and peace times |
 In the government service the postal authorities are planning air mail lines, and already the army has surveyed a number of cross-country air routes to
 
 in peace times to better serve commerce. One of these follow the Dixie Overland from Savannah to San Diego, except in the western part of Texas and the eastern part of New Mexico, where the line of the Southern Pacific railroad is followed. But neither the army nor the postoffice de- partment have the necessary money to Tor both have the money for operating a linn ited service congress may, however, later remedy this and provide funds. but in the meantime enterprisine communi ties are given the opportunity to ''get in on the ground floor" as it were, and he ready to receive this new service of the government as soon as it can be extended. It is very evident that the communities which prepared landing fields in advance would be given preferential consideration, to say the least.
 The Dixie Overland Highway associa- tion offered it's services to the postoffice department for the purpose of securing landing fields in the Dixie Overland cities where same will be needed.
 l
 The highway commissioners of the eight states through which it traverses have officially included it in the state sys- tems of highways. This action puts the highway in line to secure federal aid and Approximately s3oO0,Ooo has already been apportioned to it. It is affiliated with the National Highway association, which pro- poses good roads everywhere, but specif- lically federal construction of highways lpurporting to connect every county seat in the union.
 The acceptance of the presidency of the Dixie Overland Highway association by Col. Ed Fletcher of San Diego put new life into the promoters, for he has the reputation of putting over big things in a big way, and has great influence not only in California but the adjoining states. He says: San Diego is entitled to transcontinental highway, geograph- ically and from a military standpoint as well. When completed it will be the shortest route and the only route open the year around and free from snow across the continent
 ''The object of the Dixie Overland High way association is to promote good roads |, and specifically the construction and use of the Dixie Overland highway, and there by the development of the country trav- | erSed hy it If has heep itS policv pot fc