The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-19
UCKER TELLS
OF ROAD WORK

/ Paradise VIII De 0etll1tely eStaDISneu
and marked as part of the plan to con-
meet Florida and other southern states
by a system of good roads, with the
east, the north and the west that has
been endorsed by the Southern Settle
ment and Development Organizati
and its affiliated state development
associations throughout the south. The
! Path to Paradise" is the name sug-
! gested for one or more of the principal
links in this system, which would eX-
tend from Boston to Florida, from st.
Paul and Chicago to Florida and from
the Pacific coast to Florida, that is
part of the platform and program of
the new Florida Development Associa-
ton.
I There are good roads in Florida and
other southern states, but they are not
in all cases connected up so as to af-
ford through routes of smooth highway
for the motor tourist. 1t is proposed
that the southern states development
+ associations shall promote the con-
Meeting up of these good roads and the
construction of new stretches of good
roads where necessary, securing the
cooperation of the federal, state and
local governments and of good roads
interests generally in support of this
plan.
Clement S. ticker of Baltimore, eX-
{; ecutive vice president of the Southern
Settlement and Development Organiza
ton, who is a member of the Federal
Highway Council, is going south next
week to assist in developing the idea
while closing up details in connection
/ with the organization and program
w A. McGirt of Wilmington, n. c.
manager of the North Carolina
: Landowners Association. and presi-
dent of the North Carolina Good
Roads Association, is chairman of
1 committee representing the develop
ment organizations of the south, in
connection with the plan for putting
through the southern highway project.
/ I'VE have already a continuous good
! highway from Baltimore to Washing
/ ton, indeed from Boston to Washing
( ton" said Mr.. Ticker. THE southern
states are building good roads and they
will have more and more federal aid
in this work We ought to see to it
that a good road is built from Wash
ington to Richmond, to Raleigh, to
Columbia, and then on down to Florida
by the most expeditions route. There
| should be a branch or parallel road
through the coastal plain connecting
Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston and
Savannah. They would connect with
the good road system of Florida,
which has cost many millions of dol
lars, and would enable the tourist to
go clear down the Florida east coast,
that wonderful Riviera of the new
world, destined to become the nations
/ playground, to Miami.
The old Spanish forts at Pensacola
would be another picturesque attrac-
fct To-
/ the Florida and other southern state
road systems be connected by another
great highway with the middle west
and the Great Lake region, coming
down through Tennessee and Alabama.
A third would connect the southeast
with the lower Mississippi valley, and
beyond that with the Pacific coast via
the route of the old Spanish trail.
| If he did not find the fountain of
eternal youth with Ponce de Leon in
Florida the motorist could follow the
path blazed by fernando De Soto in
his effort to reach a similar fountain
at (the Hot Springs of Arkansas), in
the course of which he died and was
buried in the bosom of the Mississippi
river, which he had discovered; only
the modern tourist would succeed, by
way of southern good roads. Following
the proposed highway to the lower
Mississippi, he could visit Mobile, Ala
bama, where there were other struc-
lures indicative of SPANS might and
religion, and also New Orleans, which
is rich in memories and atmosphere
of old France and old Spain.
Approaching the great south, the
western tourist would traverse a re-
gion replete with historical associations
and with romance and picturesque
scenery. Leaving San Diego and the
California chain of Spanish missions,
he would traverse Arizona and Kew
Mexico. with their story Of Spanish
gold seekers, picturesque Pueblo ind
als and the like. Santa Fe would
lure him in one direction; the Alamo
in another, with its record of Old world
tyranny and Texas and American
heroism. And so on eastward
Part of the plan for establishing
these several great highways to and
through the south, as it IS outlined by
Mr. Ticker, would oe TO locate along
them hotels at the cad of each days
Journey and lunch stations in between,
instead of Spanish missions, CT per-
haps in the appearance of Spanish mis-
sions Then it is proposed 10 have
these establishment serve typically
southern products and southern dishes
in southern styles, and cooked by
black mamies One leader would be
sweet potatoes; others rice, dewberrics |
scuppernong grapes, Georgia peaches,
Florida alligator pears and other fruits
cane syrup, and meat and dairy pro-
ducts. produced as far as practicable on
demonstration farnHs and in model
vineyards. orchards and dairies close
to the eating places.
In that way, it is pointed out, the
tourist, while seeing the beauties and
learning anew the history of the south
would have an opportunity TO judge
of its good things, 10 eat, as we'll as to
became acquainted with Its resources
nrd r,nssiIilities and nnnnrff1nffieS.