Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-04-27
Rousing Highway
Meet Held AT Court
House Here Friday
Central Dixie Highway Now Fixed
AS Primary Route

State Highway Commission, at the
meeting of the Central Dixie Highway
Association held here last Friday I'M
der the auspices of the Chamber of
Commerce. Delegations from every
town and county along the route, from
Hawkinsville to Folkston arrived early
in the day and their enthusiasm was
unbounded and conveyed itself to the
officials of the State Highway Com
mission, who came to address this
meeting.
Hawkinsville, Abbeville, Ocilla,
Douglas, Nichols, Waresboro, Way
cross and Folkston had their repre-
sentatives on the ground. Ware
county's delegation, headed by v. L.
Stanton, president of the Central Dix
lie Highway were active in their sup
port of their favored route and the
Douglas delegation, headed by May
or ]. J. Willingham, about seventy
tive strong, came in a body and were
greeted with applause.
Commissioner L. r. Tucker of r.
win, with representative crowd of
citizens of Ocilla, that good roads,
booster, F. NJ Beckham of Abbevile,
with strong delegation and the Pull
NNA SOuAey SOAtAi6Cut dill COASIlDutCu
to the final success of the object of
the meeting.
Presidet ]. H. Mhyes of the Cham
Der OF Commerce, acting as presiding
officer, introduced the speakers and
briefly stated the object of the con-
vention. Mr.. ]. E. Turner, for the
Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis,
IN a delightful way babe the visitors
welcome, after short prayer by Rev.
Whitley Langston of the Central M.
E. Church
Chairman Holder introduced
A long salvo of applause met chair
man John N. Holder of the State
Highway Commission, when he was
presented by Jack Mayes, who truly
stated that Mr.. Holder needed no in
PRODUCTION to Georgia audience.
Mr.. Holder whose friends in this
section are numerous, thugh his vote
for Governor at the last election did
not register strong, to which Mr..
Holder appreciatively referred and
put at ease the possible feeling of
doubt that may have rested in
the Mi3ds of his erstwhile associates
and adiYeis Going into the great
work 9eing done by the State High
way Commission, prior to his accep-
lance OF the responsibility as its
chairman, the speaker impressed his
audience with the extent of the work
and the great changes that have been
made in the few years and with the lin
tied funds at their disposal.
Mr.. Holder explained the proposed
map of the Highway department, of
rel Il.
classes of roads to be constructed and
their relation to each other and the
department and gave definite assur-
ance to The meeting that the Central
Dixie Highway had the approval of
the State Highway Commission as a
Primary Road and would be so des-
1gnated by them. The completion
of the full program of the department
IN the construction of permanent high
ways throughout the State, connecting
each county seat. with a first class
road, as contemplated by the legisla-
ture, would only become possible, if
the people were ready and willing to
furnish the necessary finances to car
ry on the work, which could most
readily be done, according to Mr..
Holders statement, through bond
issue.
Mr.. Holder was entertaining in his
speech and frequently interrupted with
applause, especially when he inter-
spersed his remarks with a fitting
story or when the Central Dixie was
spoken of by him, showing the great
motive which brought his audience to-
gether from the several counties af-
fected
w. R. Neel, chief engineer of the
State Highway department, practical
builder and engineer of wide reputa-
ton, further enlightened the meeting
on the work of his department, and
its importance to the fuller develop
ment of the states resources and the
welfare of its people.
Having over hundred million dol
lars invested in motorized vehicles, for
pleasure and business, the people are
intensely interested in the maintenance
of highways usable in all seasons and
under all weather conditions, thing
which at the present time is impossible
and losses to the owners of motor veh-
icles are annually millions of dollars,
thru failure to use and greater up keep
cost Figured on tonnage cost as pre-
sented by Mr.. Neel on we'll construct
ed highways, it costs zoe per ton per
mile to haul commodities as against
S6c per ton or the roads as we find
their today in most parts of the
country, according to the Federal
Road Investigators.
Central Route Designated
Mr.. Neel made it plain that the re-
arranged map for the primary and Sec
onGar, roads, as advised by the Fed
eral department, included the Dixie
Highway from Hawkinsville via Abb
beville, Fitzgerald and Douglas and
that this route had its full endorsement
filed now with the Federal authorities
and which he believed will receive
their endorsement. That the depart
Z mers- no Interior motive in over
looi<lng this important link of the state
road system and that each of the mem
bers of the State highway commission
had given the Central Dixie Highway
their approval, upon presentation to
them Hon. ]. p. Mcdonald of
Douglas, one of the original promoters
of this route, closely questioned Mr..
Neel and brought out the fact that
'the Central route is considerable short
er than the route via Eastman and
Lumber City, and much cheaper to
on account of the very expensive
bridge needed at Lumber City to re-
cross the Ocmulgee. Mr.. Neel also
gave it as his opinion that without
the passage of the seventy-five mil