The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-10
PARADE FORMED

A parade was former containing cars of all of the civic bodies of the city, including the Kiwanis Club. the Civitan Club, the Rotary Club, the Birming ham Automobile Club. the Real Estate Exchange, the Civic Association and other bannered trucks by a number of the truck dealers. car for the city commissioners and Lieut. Gov. Nathan L. Miller.
 The parade passed down First ave nue to Twenty first street where 1t turned south and toured the automo- bile district and the residential sec tion. It came back to the business section through Five Points and Twentieth street, disbanding in Capitol Park. where the trucks of the convoy were parked and the tents of the per sonnell pitched. 2
 Dr. N. A. Barrett welcomed the con- voy to Birmingham. Tt is a privilege to be citizen of this country in such times as these" he said You wont t need the keys to the city. Its gates are thrown wide.'
 Nathan L. Miller welcomed the con voy to the state. Tt is an honor for Birmingham to be on the route of the national highway named for our dis tinguished Senator Bankhead You may know that we are glad to see the convoy and to have them in the state by our efforts to keep you in the state. Our roads may not be
 the best in the country, but we have
 just voted a $25,000,00 bond issue, and
 there will be some improvement soon '' Mrs. J. Kirkman Jackson and six sponsors, Misses Virginia Jemison, Mary zabeth Caldwell, Martha La l tady Margaret Builder, Edna ONeal and Julia Mae Drennen, presented Col l John F'. Franklin, Jr commander of l the convoy, with a floral design in the shape of an auto truck of the motor transport corps.
 TELLS EXPERIENCES Colonel Franklin responded to the welcome of the president of the City Commission and the lieutenant govern or of the state. and thanked the ladies for the floral offering. He told of his experiences of the past four days, pulling the heavy trucks out of
 holes, over shaky bridges, mending and repairing the trucks, and at night.
 curling up in his car and sleeping un- til o'clock, when the convoy started again.
 Some of the enlisted men with the convoy told of their experiences on the road On all sides they have been met with hospitality. especially since they have struck Alabama, but never as much as in Birmingham. The driver or tho advance truck of the engineering corps. which tests all bridges, stated that almost every bridge had to be strengthened by additional lumber before they were safe to cross. Some of the steel bridges were unsafe, one of them collapsing under the heavy load of the provision truck.
 The convoy is scheduled to be on the road eighty-three days in the transcontinential tour. It will arrive in Los Angeles September IT, if it Is delayed no further. The total mileage
 1t must travel is 3,640, or an average of 441s miles daily.
 After the exercises at the park yes terday and after supper had been served the theatres of the city were
 thrown open to the men who cared to go. though most of them preferred
 their tents. as they leave early this morning for Jasper Their route from Jasper will take them to Winfield, the second night; Hartly. Miss. the third night. and Tupelo, Miss. the fourth night
 Men and officers of the convoy are looking with dread to the sandy DOT lions of their route through the Eouth- western country. They are expecting to have the hardest time of the entire trip in this district.