The Mankato free press., 1920-09-10
SIGNS POINT THE WAY
kATO AUTO CLUB Is GUIDE
TO TRAVELLERS
Mankato Organization Is Now
Larger Than 1t Ever Was
Before

The Mankato Automobile Club is
engaged in doing some signboard
work and trail painting. Sign
boards have the past week been put
up at the corner pf Fifth and Warren
streets. to guide tourists out OF the
city on the Mapleton and st. Clair
roads. and also at the head of tho
cemetery rayine, to show them the
road to st. Clair and Smiths Mil.
Other signs, including some danger
signs. will be put up as soon as the
secretary can ind time to do 1t. Sec
retary Soaring Is also engaged in
painting the Hammond Highway trail
markings on the section Of this high
way from q point half way between
Madelia and Lake Crystal to point
Ihalw way between Mankato and Eagle
Lake. 1t takes three coats OF paint
to complete the marking. and when
1t is completed It Will be an attrac
tive emblem. The trail passes the
length Of Front street. The highway
extends from Worthington to Red
Wing, via Faribault, and is painted
most Of the distance west Of this city,
and will be painted throughout its
length before cold weather. Good
roads boosters at Eagle Lake and
Madison Lake will paint their sec
tions in a very few days, 1t Is ex-
pected.
The Mankato Automobile club Is
now larger than 1t ever was before.
A large number of new members
have Joined the present summer and
are taking an interest in the clubs
work. Car owners not now members
are cordially invited to join, and can
do 80 by communicating with the
secretary.
Members Of the club who are going
to attend the state fair should take
their membership cards with them
and make use Of the state association
headquarters on the fair grounds,
where they can rest up and clean up.
Those who drive to the fair should
register at the state headquarters,
for the club whose members travel
the longest distance in the aggregate
to attend the fair will be presented
with a siver cup.
A good many Automobile clubs
are conducting anti billboard cam
paigns, to rid the main highways of
the upsightly advertising signs that
defaCe the scenery One of these fs
the Keystone Automobile Club of
Philadelphia, one of the largest clubs
In the country. The attitude OF
Pennsylvania motorists on the bill
board question was very clearly
demonstrated when representatives
OF every club present at Iin annual
meeting Of the Pennsylvania Motor
/. federation voted in favor of the pas
tsage of resolution that "it is the
sense Of this meeting hat this nuis-
ance should be abolished, and that
our best efforts be pledged in the
support of legislation to bring about
this result
The State Highway Department OF
Delaware has selected for the state
highway system in that state what is
known as 1882. That is, the hard
surfaced roadway Is IS feet wide.
Nearly all the hard surfaced roads
are of concrete. Last year 73 miles
of this kind of road were completed,
with 81 more miles uncompleted but
under contract.
In Pennsylvania there are this year
more than 500 miles Of permanently
constructed highways under contract,
| most of 1t on the through highways.
AS soon as the primary system is
com pleted, attention will be given to
year more than $50 miles of new
roads were constructed, as compared
with 130 miles in 1918. High costs
are not delaying the Improvement Of
Pennsylvania roads.
A new railroad grade crossing sig
nal is to be adopted throughout the
country to replace the time honored
"Stop! Look! and Listen!" device.
The new design consists Of a metal
disc having a black rim and cross
dividing It into four quarters. In the
two upper quarters are the letters r.
R. These signs are to be placed at
all railroad crossings in Pennsylvania
and New York In the near future and
ultimately will be extended over the
entire United States. Each sign will
be placed 800 feet from the tracks
and will be Of height that can be
readily seen by the motorist BY
agreement with the Pennsylvania
Railroad that company win furnish
the signs for that state, and the State
Highway Commission will be respon
sible for the placing and mainten-
ance Of them. The standard design
was adopted by Joint committee of
the American Railway Association
and the National Association Of Rail-
way Commissioners and has the ap-
proval of the American Automobile
Association.
The Omaha Automobile club would
like to give free to every car owner
anything available at the club room.
but were we to do this the club
members would be deprived Of one of
the exclusive benefits. A car owner
who cannot think in broad enough
terms of CO. operation to join the club
and pay his little old Eve dollars a
year dues for the support OF the big
work carried on, is not deserving Of
the official organ of that club.