Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1920-09-09

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the beautiful rolling country, past
the rich Iowa farms. When dry II
Is as nearly perfect as dirt road
can be made--better than pavement
to drive over because broader. When
wet, It is slippery proposition as
we found when 10 miles Of 1t had had
shower. 1t is an easy days run
to Des MOines and another to Oma-
ha. The State Fair was on at Des
Moines and the city was thr0nged.
The city garages do a thriving bust
ness. One at DesMoines covers half
a block, is 5 stories high and every
floor filled with cars. The repair
room Is on the fifth floor where As
mechanics are busy on a varied col
lection OF machines, from wrecks to
minor repairs. Six cars had been
brought In the night before, smashed
In collisions which had cost three
lives. go slo wat corners" say
signs In DesMoines. you may have
the right Of way but collisions are
COSTLY" The country has millions Of
danger signs but the fool driver goes
on tempting fate. The city garage
charges are fair--about the only place
where no profiteering is visible. AT
all places where the car was stored
for-the night and looked over for the
next days run the charge was never
over 1928.
Nebraska has the same road sys-
TEN as Iowa--main state roads kept
up by the state with secondary roads
under local charge. The road from
Omaha to Lincoln, thence south to
Beatrice and to the state line is
boulevarde, broad, smooth, marked
with fine culverts and bridges. At
county lines are signs showing what
county and at cross roads signs show
ing distances to nearby towns. The
road Is direct. no running around
three sides Of square so that the
drowsy citizens Of Podunk may see
the tourists go down the rutty main
streets as do many Kansas trails.
How the tourist does cuss such a
town! When you cross the Kansas
line you leave broad roads for mar
row, weed bordered track and feel
perfectly at home. Gov Allen ought
to send a commission to Iowa and
Nebraska and get some ideas on state
road making. 1t will be years be-
fore Kansas has hard surfaced roads
to any extent-but 1t could have the
finest dirt roads on earth II 1t had a
real system instead of leaving each
township to work out its own ideas.
Iowa farmers are rich. Three
stood on the curb at Grinnell and told
of land values. EARN land is up
to 5000 an acre." said one, but this
you know is the Garden of Eden"
He said land is higher than ever
and likely to go higher. He wanted
to learn If Kansas was sure to go
Republican. 1--WE don't know what
to expect Of Kansas" he commented
but your governor is all right"
Gov. Aliens debate with Gompers
made him known In the East and
he is a real character---wit lots OF
admiration expressed for him.
Touring is like other things in that
it is fine when everything goes well.
Bad roads, mud, dust, heat-these
use up nerve strength. But withal
it has a charm and after few days
1t becomes delight to start out
each morning on new series of ad-
ventures, passing the fragrant fields
of clover, beautiful farm homes, tree
covered hills and dimpling lakes.
Then the sturdy towns with their
town pride, the well kept homes and
artistic parks-marvelOus Is the num-
Der of beautiful houses one sees in
the smaller towns. Then comes a
city with its traffic cops, its street
cars, it's imposing buildings and busy
factories. You get a new idea of the
underlying strength of American civ
ilization and industry. At the end
Of the day comes the comfortable
hotel, a bath. dinner, a view OF the
streets at highland a picture show.
Thousands are doing 1t and as roads
are built more thousands will yield
to the lure Of the road. 1t Is an ideal
vacation, Independent Of railway
schedules and filled with new ex-
periences. No wonder the manufac-
turers cannot keep up with the de-
mand for luggage carriers for auto
mobile running boards.-C. NJ. H.