The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-08-11
HIGHWAY SIGNS
ARE COMPLETED
Western Washington Auto Club
Erects Road Signs on Main
Trails
(Contributed)

Inc western washington Automo-
bile club has just completed the cree
tion Of the finest signposts ever seen
in the state and their representative
came to Kennewick on last Friday.
The post on the northwest corner
of Pacific and Second streets is a cri-
terion Of the series they are erecting
thruout the state, and is one of the
several in this vicinity and the con-
venience of the tourist is thereby in
creased MANIFOLD by their efforts,
which practically do away with the
need Of roadmap. Roadmaps, after
fixing blowout or dirty sparkplugs,
resemble child's Sunday suit after
siege of blackberry pie, and should
the tourist be so unfortunate that he
drives flivver, he finds thumbmarks
that tally with the map markings Of
Mt. Rainier or Adams.
Such an organization as the Western
Washington Automobile club, that
spends its membership fees for SER
vice to the tourist, is indeed worthy Of
support, and Washington is particu-
larly fortunate in having in addition
to this, the Yellowstone Trail Trans
continental Yellow Arrow service and
also the Evergreen Highway signs.
If any tourist has had the pleasure
Of hearing Ezra Meeker, the oldest
resident Of the State of. Washington,
tell Of his ox-team experiences, they
will appreciate the value Of this road
sign service even more than the cas-
ual traveller.
Practically every town or city Of any
size at all on the trail from Spokane
to the British Columbia line by way
Of either Blewitt or Snoqualmie Pass,
has tourist parks set aside for the ex-
elusive use Of the tourist, and, not con-
tent with this accommodation, they
also provide stoves, ovens, wood,
baths and showers and electric lights.
To fully appreciate these conveniences
it is necessary to make trip lasting
week or so, when at the end Of, say,
eight hours of driving road sign
looms up with the information: "Free
Tourist Park 10 Miles from Here"
Kennewick is practically the only
exception to this rule. We had a fine
tourist park last year, located at the
grove by the N. P. bridge and the
Commercial club spent considerable
money and effort in cleaning it up and
supplying good drinking water, wood,
etc. Being unable to purchase this
campsite, they leased it for the. sea-
son and very favorable comment was
received from tourists, but this year
they Were unable to procure lease
as the reclamation service camp was
located there and it was found impos-
sible to obtain other grounds suitable
for such a park.
With the completion of the city park
which is an assured fact, no doubt
some additional provision will be made
for tourist park in connection with
it, or at some other suitable location.
Road conditions are rapidly becom-
ing excellent and with the completion
Of the Benton-Franklin Inter-County
bridge, the 1922 tourist will have moth
ing to worry him but gas and oil from
one end of Washington to the other.
With the exception of few miles Of
fine gravelled roads in Yakima county,
it is practically paved from Grand
view to Ellensburg, when the highway
connects with the Snoqualmie Pass
highway, and it is one Of the finest
engineering feats of the century. The
road is wide and in first class shape,
and when the time comes to pave it,
the Columbia Highway to Portland
will have to ego some" to retain its
popularity.