The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-01-05
APOSTLE Of GOOD
ROADS IS HERE
Makes Impressive Entry On Square
Monday Morning and Spoke on
Washington and Lee Highway
in Afternoon-Has Travelled
$4,000 Miles and Has Spent
II Years in Work.

$4,000 mile journey, riding a
patient pony, his blue denim cape
flowing in the chill winter breeze
and following was a pack burro,
evidence of the $4,000 miles, loaded
down with newspaper clippings from
papers in every state in the union'
telling of the Colonel's achievements
il promoting the Washington and
Lee Highway, which is scheduled to
run from Quebec, Canada, to Los
Angeles, Cal.
The Colonel halls from Virginia,
and is the son of a Clergyman OF
which fact he is duly proud and says
that only Virginian would have the
courage and the ability to tackle his
Job which is by way of being an Of
ficial marker of the transcontl-
mental highway. His official entry
on the Square was quite impressive
and was marked by something like a
demonstration. A large crowd gath
cred and the Colonel addressed them
and invited, them to the meeting
which was held this afternoon.
{ The Colonel asks no financial as
: sistance himself, but merely seeks
to arouse interest in his pet project,
the Washington and Lee highway,
and dresses and travels in manner
that proves an unique advertisement.
Ee sells curious to pay expenses,
but wants always to be known as
tbe<aApostle of Good Roads"
He would have Abbeville and
Abbeville County get back of his
project and promises that the high
way will come through Abbeville if
], he is given the proper support.
e Thatcher travels in a dilapidated
spring wagon, drawn by two mules.
I He prefers to sleep in the open and
his face is weather beaten and
tanned by exposure. He garbs him.
! self in striking manner and when
! he: was interviewed this morning by
Press and Banner reporter he wore
three coats, the top coat being the
Uniform coat of his rank. He says he
likes to be garbed so that he can
meet the demands of dress at a
moments notice and that there can't
/ be too many clothes this kind OF
weather.
Z At the meeting Monday afternoon
he told his audience that his idea in
travelling about the country was to
thoroughly arouse the people to the
needs and advantages of good roads
he described a system of Boule-
bsards, flanked with rows of trees
THAT will connect big centers Of
ebpIlation. He intersperced his
speech with amusing stories and ad.
ventures that had befallen him dur.
ing his seventeen years of travel.
rAnd the rugged and impossible
roads shall develop into national
bo9 9levards-- and highways; and the
stra, niger of two miles down the road
shal4 become neighbor and all the
3waSfd will rejoice. Extract from the
Eafy of GharlseW W. Thatcher"
The Winchester (Virginia) Sta,
as the following to say of Colonel
thatcher:
aCol. Charles W. Thatcher known
lSover the east as the "Apostle OF
i'd Roads," has written the Win.
lester Chamber of Commerce that
will be in Winchester on Satur.
VA July 18th, in the interest of the
osed Washington and Lee High
to run from New York to n W
ms. He will arrive here, he SAYS
Rturday at $3.50 o'clock and will
to the people here on the sub
bf good roads, the Plaza having
designated as the place and SAT.
afternoon as the time when
lei Thatcher will speak.
his letter to the Chamber of
- Colonel Thatcher saws
cancelled dates in Penn
Maryland i1f order to
sinia to boost the pro-