The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-08-25

| accompanied Dy Harry Williams as
chauffer, departed from Pennington
in their Essex for a seventeen days
F, tour. The skyline of the 0zarks was
the course principally followed. This
trail was struck at Eureka, in st.
Louis county, and followed the State
line at Joplin, with brief stop at
Rolla, where several old friendships
were renewed, and longer stop at
the old home in Lebanon, which was
home in Lebanon, which was
thoroughly enjoyed for day and two
nights. AS the years advance, those
old ties seem to be so much nearer
and stronger than they were in their
formative period, and again was the
the old home, where wife and | spent
our early years, there still remains
more true and sincere friends than we
can ever hope to acquire elsewhere.
Out of Lebanon to Springfield we
found that the best route diverged by
way of Buffalo, Dallas county, caused
by the high class of road work which
is kept up in that county, which caus-
es most tourists to travel the extra
few miles necessary in order to enjoy
those better roads. This divergence
from the shorter but rougher route
enables Buffalo to enjoy the patron
age of the great bulk of auto travel,
which as considerable, as well as the
best possible method of personal ad-
vertising. The boundary line between
Laclede and Dallas counties and Dali
las and Greene counties quite dis
tinctly marked by general road condi-
tions. While we are not attempting
to map out a route for autoists, we
cannot refrain here from mentioning
the fact that one of the best served
and most satisfactory meals we had on
our entire trip was secured at the lit
tel town Of Republic, short distance
west of Springfield Both in appoint
ment and service Chaffin Bros. Cafe
serves the best SOC meal we have en-
joyed in many years.
Reaching Joplin rather early that
evening, it was our desire to spend
the night there, having a number of
friends whom we would have been
pleased to have met. The writer
stopped into the Conner hotel to reg
lister, and on inquiry was informed
that room rates were $1.50 and up.
Asking the price of two rooms with
baths, for four people, we were in
| formed that the price would be $1,000.
Being unable to adjust such a rate to
the statement of rates already made
we suggested such fact to the "butch-
er" behind the counter. He promptly
informed us that all the $3.50 rooms
were taken. He apparently failed to
observe, however, that there is a con-
siderable range between $1.50 room
and $500. We speak of this all too
apparent attempt to 'hold up" tour
lists, especially in the larger hotels.
They appear to consider all tourists
their legitimate prey, to be "knocked
down and shook out" to the last de-
gree.
After our episode with the "high-
wayman" in the Connor hotel, we re-
turned to our car and announced "on
to Miami" A fine, broad macadam
road runs practically the entire dis
tapce, over which we made fast pas
senger train time, and soon stopped
before the door of Miami's leading
hostelry, where we secured the same
accommodations desired at the Connor
hotel in Joplin for less than half the
price asked there. We discovered
during the evening spent there that
the mining and oil promoter is still in
evidence in that locality, though bus
mess does not appear to be at all
brisk with them. We had hardly be-
come comfortably seated in front of
the hotel before a good Christian gen.
tleman and friend took seat beside
US and began to tell of the splendid
properties he possessed, the one thing
lacking being some cash for develop
ment. We assured him we had all
the money we desired, and had no de-
sire for further investments. Again
we laid it on our auto togs for this
attempted "shake-down."
The next morning we were on our
way at reasonably early hour, driv-
| ing to Vinita for breakfast. Out of
there we got on the wrong road and
detoured several miles to get to Sa-
lima, Okla, our next stopping place,
where several days were most enjoy
ably spent with relatives, and where
we left our daughter for a prolonged
visit with her grandparents. While
here we made several enjoyable side
trips, notably one to the Spavinaw, a
celebrated resort that draws people
from hundreds of miles for pleasure
and recreation. Here arrangements
are now under way for the construc-
tion of an immense reservoir for the
supplying of Tulsa, nearly hundred
miles distant, with that splendid wa
ter. For this great work $S,000,000
worth of bonds have already been vot-
ed by Tulsa, which affords some idea
of the value of pure water in many
parts of the State. The next brief
stop was made at Wagner for an en-
joyable visit with relatives, and where
we were pleased to meet few old
friends.
From Wagner our trail led us
through Muskogee and on to Ft.
Smith, Ark, much of which road was
the toughest we had yet encountered.
Not far out of Muskogee we suffered
our first mishap, a blowous of front
tire. This trouble was soon liquidat-
ed, and we continued on our enjoyable
way with the excellent driving abil-
ity Of our chauffer, who by this time
had instilled us with absolute conf.
dence in his ability to overcome road
difficulties with the minimum amount
Of discomfort. This, entire distance
was covered in good time, and it was
midafternoon of the second Sunday