The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-07-21

MEMORIAL is
BADLY BEATEN
House Defeats Plan for Cross
Country Highway Between
Kansas City and
St. Louis.
REFUSE SUBSTITUTE BILL
Proposed Hard Surface Road
Would Cost Approx
mately s9,000,0O0
TO Construct.
Brn s.an core.penSsaL.

IkffEhsON tlii- july
provide for the paving OF the Old Trails
road between ST. Louis and Kansas City
as memorial highway was defeated in
he. House late yesterday afternoon after
lengthy discussion in which the rural
delegates denounced peacock lanes" al
every opportunity.
The paving Of the road was included
in the provisions Of an amendment 10
the House road bill offered by Judge J.
Allen Prewiit of the First district of
Jackson County. A substitute fer the
amendment, providing for FIVE primary
roads based on the plan suggested by
John Malang, former state highway
superintendent. was also defeated.
The amendment offered by Judge
Prewitt provided for the designation Of
the Old Trails road as memorial to
the soldiers, sailors and marines Of Mis-
scuri who gave their lives in the war
with Germany and to the sturdy pioneers
who blazed the Old Trails across the
state" The amendment specified Nat the
road was 10 be constructed of material
most practical for permanent hard
surface road and that as part Of the
construction Of the road a monument oi
Missouri granite was TO be erected al
each mile post. The contents OF the
amendment we're practically the same as
those contained in the bill introduced
in the House by Judge Prewitt but kill
ed BY the House committee on roads
and highways.
FIVE ROADS SUGGESTED
Immediately after the amendment was
offered by Judge Prewitt, William P.
Elmer OF Dent County tried 10 put
through the substitute, causing the
lengthy discussion Of peacock lanes"
The substitute offered by Elmer proyid.
ed for five primary roads reaching from
ST. Louis 10 Kansas City, from ST. Louis
10 Joplin by way Of Springfield, from
Hannibal TO St Joseph with connecting
spurs TO ST. Louis and Kansas City, from
St. LOUIS HOltn anu eOulH diuuS ilC
eastern edge Of the state, and from Kan
sas City north and south along the west
ern edge. The adoption Of the substitute
and the approval Of the amendment would
have left the Old Trails road out of
the primary system since the road from
ST. Louis TO Kansas City in the SUBJ
stituie ran by way of Jefferson City and
Sedalia.
In support Of the amendment, how
ever, Judge Prewitt made a strong plea.
The Old Trails ought TO be hallowed
grcund,' he said, in reviewing the his
tory of the road across the continent
The paving of the road he continued,
will serve the double purpose of COM
memora,ing the memory of those old
pioneers as well as the boys who crossed
the water" He then called attention
to the colleges and state institutions To-
Gated on the route, saying that 1T is a
burning shame that Columbia. the educs.
tional capital Of the state. does not have
Dctttr transportation ldCiiilcs-
WOULD COST s9DO0OOO
When questioned regarding the amend
ment, Judge Prewilt said that he esti-
mated il would cost 100000 to con-
struct the cross-sta,e highway.
Opposing the amendment. Elmer claim
ed that Prewitt was attempting TO take
the Old Trails road, "or whatever else
they called il" from the class Of all
other roads and put it in the so-called
primary class. He seeks 10 weave around
that all the sentiment he can," Elmer
added, and then began his argument for
the primary roads included in his sub.
stiiuie for the Prcwiit amendment He
pointed out the primary roads had been
laid out by the state highway commits.
sion and that they connected almost ev.
cry important town in the stale, in.
cluding ST. Louis. Kansas City. St. Jo
seph, Joplin, Carthage. Springfield. Cape
Girardeau, Hannibal, Jefferson City and
Sedalia
Both the amendment and substitute
were opposed. Prewiit and Elmer be
ing severely criticised for attempting ,c
designate primary roads. This iomfool
cry ought TO stop" declared William A
Hubbard of Lawrence County. in con
Guiding a short talk against The pro
posals.
The substitute and the amendmen
were both voted down by acclamation.
DATA FAILED TO EXPLAIN