Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-05-11
CONVOY REPORT URGES
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
WAR DEPARTMENT SUBMITS RE
SUITS OF TRANSCONTINENTAL
TOUR; SYSTEM OF NATIONAL
HIGHWAYS A NECESSITY.

oH July I, 1919, the Ieuefal govern
ment designated y point in the vicin-
ity of the White House in Washing
ton, d. c., as the beginning point of
a system of national highways and
marked it with monument called the
Zero Milestone A plaster cast was
installed to be replaced in due season
with q permanent granite monument,
the design of which has been pre-
pared by the fine arts commission,
of Washington. The dedication of
this monument will be a national oc-
casion with an address by the presi-
dent of the United States.
The occasion on which the plaster
cast was unveiled was the starting
of the transcontinental army motor
truck convoy over the Lincoln high
way from Washington to San Fran
cisco. The date was July Z, 1919.
The monument was the gift of F. w.
Hockaday, president of the National
Highway Marking Association.
Wreaths Are Presented.
The presentation was made by DR..
S. M. Johnson, who was the official
spokesman Of the convoy accompany
ing the train and making good roads
speeches to chambers of commerce
and great throngs of people which
gathered to see the expedition. On
behalf of the President, Secretary OF
War Newton D. Baker accepted the
gift tor the purpose and also as
marking, the start of the historic ex-
p dition Of two companies of the
army across the continent. The cere-
monies were witnessed by a distin-
guished gathering of high officials of
the federal and state governments
and of the various organizations.
Suspended from the monument
and adorning the sides were four
beautiful wreaths each with star
to represent the four sections of the
country. The Honorable julius
Kahn, congressman from California,
gave the wreath marked West" to
Lieut.-Col. c. w. Mcclure, COM
mander of the expedition, to present
to the governor of California, and
Secretary Baker sent the wreath
marked East" by Lieut.-Col. Nc
Clure to present the mayor of San
Francisco. Colonel Mcclure sue
ceeded in conducting the convoy,
about three miles long, to San Fran
cisco, arriving September 6 and pre-
senting the wreaths with greetings
from Washington. The wreath
marked "North" was presented to
Secretary Baker; the Southern"
wreath was presented to DR., John
son, who was the originator of the
zero milestone idea.
Truck Factor in New Era.
The Washington milestone is To-
Gated on a line of world measure
ment. the United States meridian.
which, passing from the North to the
South Pole. forms part of the Plan
of Washington. being the axial line
of Sixteenth street. Lafayette square,
the White House. the Milestone and
the Ellipse.
Secretary Baker in his address said
that the motor truck on the modern
highway enabled the United States
to take decisive part in the quick
ending of the war and would be as
factor in the era on
which we were now entering as the
railway had been since the invention
Of the locomotive.
On the first Sunday out from
the convoy, consisting OF
500 men, was entertained by Mr.. and
Mrs. Fl. S. Firestone at their summer
home at East Palestine, Ohio, the oc-
casion being one of far reaching sig
nficance for highway improvement.
The importance of through motor
truck routes was stressed and an i'm
petus was given to the ship by truck
that greatly strengthened
the bureau, finally bringing Into its
service the publicity man of the army
convoy, Lieutenant William B. Do
ron, and resulting in the plan for the
observance Of the ship by truck-good
roads week as a national event.
Lincoln Highway Conceived.
The army expedition across the
continent last summer resulted in