The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-25
ABOUT GOOD ROAD
Day Of Press Agent and Pub
LEFTY Director Is Here.
Boosting for Highways Is Now
Profession.
PROPAGANDA IS A FINE ART
Col. Thatcher Tells of WASH
ington and Franklin Road.
He Gives Account of a Visit
to Topeka.

This is the day of the press agen;
and the publicity director. Propa-
ganda is a fine art. Boosting is a
profession.
In which connection the following
article. headed Free News Matter.
Please Publish" received by the To-
peka Auto club. from the Farmers
and Business Mems League of Geddes.
s D.. is interesting. The article is
reproduced. verbatim. with orthog-
raphy unchanged.
Colonel Thatcher Chef Engineer
and founder of the Washington and
franklin highways delivered an ad-
dress at banquet served by the citi-
zens of Geddes in his honor today at
turned from a five years campaign in
the east and south in the interest OF
the Washington highway. Since
Colonel Thatcher's last visit the
Washington highway has advanced by
leaps and bounds Today this great
trsnscontinental highway is all but
twenty miles hard surfaced from
Dubuque. Ia, to Washington. D. c..
ington highway will be all hard sur
faced and paved across the state of
Iowa by next fall.
The spacious banquet hall at the
Hotel DeFyle was decorated appro-
prlately for the location by the ladies
Of Geddes. These wonderful women
made it a feast Of glorious splendor
Some two hundred plates were served
Colonel Thatcher has become a ma
tional figure by his continued efforts
Tor twenty years in behalf of the good
roads cause He has driven his little
mules five times from ocean to ocean
in the interest of national highways.
Colonel Thatcher's picture with his
historic mule drawn prairie schooner
has appeared in most of the metro
politan papers in the past twenty years
from New York to San Francisco.
and Seattle es well from Chicago TO
New Orleans and Los Angeles. The
Coils wagon attracts great crowds
everywhere he goes. 1t is covered
with curios from all over the nation
along with auto numbers from every
state Along tourists routes. Col. I
Thatcher's progress is fmpeded by
hundreds stopping the famous prairie
schooner to kodak the outfit. The
world famed outfit that holds so con-
spicuous place in the good roads his
tory OF the L. S is now be-
Fathe pictures are on exhibition. Col |
Thatcher arose from bed where he |
has been battling with a severe at
tack OF pneumonia TO be present az |
this great feast arranged in his honor. !
After his address DIR. De E,yle ordered /
the colonel to retire for a two weeks /
rest in his private hospital (Note: |
DR.. De F'yle is the author of the ar
ticle.)
Colonel Thatcher's Address.)
The eyes Of the Nation are upon /
G eddes today on account of the ma
tional Importance of this gathering.
Since my last visit the Washington
Highway has advanced to a leading
position among great transcOntinental i
The Washington highway. /
running as it does over the most di-
rect route from New York and Wash
inEtOn to Portland and Seattle, its
is sure to increase from
year to year.
Nature has designated the Washing
ton Highway as the Worlds Fair
Route to Portland in 1925. 1t is es-
timated that millions will pass over
our beloved highway to Portland's /
World Fair L have painted new signs
since July from Penn. to Dubuque. |
Ia. The Washington highway will
connect the Atlantic and the Pacific
in the spring. Geddes has been |
greatly honored by being selected as
the junction point of the Washington
and Franklin highways. The Frank
lin highway is destined to become one
Of our country's greatest national
The Franklin Highway will run
from Duluth St Paul and AIinneap-
1iis- Via Sioux Falls or Mitchell Black
Hills. Denver and the Cliff Dwellings Il
Attic Ruins. buried cities Of Texas
10 FL Paso- This will be the most in
-erestnS tourists route from North to
South in the United States.
At FL Paso il will connect with the
New Orleans division of the Wash
ngton highway running from Boston
10 Los Angeles. The citizens from
he north desireing to escape hard
will select the Franklin high
way as the best route Via. the Rockies
along the slender slopes thru these
states The tourists over this route
will enjoy ancient ruins unsurpassed