The Washington herald., 1922-07-02
Cities and Towns Provide
Entertainment for
Auto Sojourners.
POPULAR VISITORS
Many Parties Find Trips En-.
joyable and Healthful
Motor Tours.

ing sites for those who make the
5000 = mile journey out-of doors.
Eastern States are said to be back
ward In this respect; but II is pos
sible to camp in municipal shelters
every night but two on the entire
trip from Chicago to the Pacific
Coast
June marks the beginning Of this
trafhc, but July. August and Sep
tember are the favorite months for
this form of vacation. Most of
those who make the trip are east
erners who plan to winter in CALI
fornia, and set out just in time to
cross the Rockies before bad road
conditions set in. From May to
July an average OF one such party
day passes through Chicago.
During the three boom months the
average is eight day. Ofncials of
the Chicago Motor Club estimate
that one-fourth Of the tourists from
foreign states pass through its tour
lists bureau. II that Is correct, II
may be estimated that about 1000
persons every season make this
transcontinental journey. which a
few years ago was something of
stunt"
-
an industry has grown up along the
principal routes from east to west
that is comparable to the commerce
in tourist accommodation in Swift
zerland. Booster clubs and cham
bers Of commerce in largest cities
and smallest villages alike have
recognized the advantages Of enter
tanning tourists so Hospitality that
they will stay several days.
New Economic Growth.
Possibilities OF large changes in
economic geography are inherent in
these developments. Seventy five
years ago towns along canal routes
began to lose commercial prestige
to the villages that followed the
rev routes of transportation. the
railroads. Today the great chan
nels of automotive trafHc-the Ma
tional. Trail. the Lincoln Highway.
the Yellowston Trail. the National
Parks HiGhway-do not coincide
with railways; and towns along
these roads are making efforts to
attract custom from the cities that
were the usual destinations Of sum-
mer siGhtseers who have travelled
bv rail
establishing municipal automobil-
lists campaign sites. Now it has
three. the principal OF which is
Overland Park, an area of $50 acres
with permanent improvements on
which the municipality has spent
s250.0O0. More than 500 touring
cars have been reported parked
there in one night. Any party Of
riSfE h adr
istration. A site is assigned to
each. Water. electric light. fuel.
writing and rest-roOms. mail and
package delivery and police protec-
tion are provided free. Baths and
laundry service are available. A
feature is the dance hall where
music is played for the tourists. at
municipal expense. twice a week
With the exception Of this latter
feature. most of the services given
at Denver are extended to tourists
in other cities. Tuscom. the first
city in Arizona to open a camp, pro-
vides open-air stoves. tables and
benches, but charges a small daily
rental. except to those who declare
they cannot afford It, Tents also
may be rented. At Bloomington,
Ill, stone fireplaces have been built
in the parking area. Bathing. fish,
ing. tennis and a children's play
ground are offered in the tourists
park at Waterloo. Ia, Ogden. Utah.
has paved the streets of its camp
and provides hose for washing cars.
Uniform Rules In California.
In California more than eighty
cities have opened such camps and
c.
that the Automobile Club of South
ern California has found it neces-
sary to urge uniform rules through
out its territory. These provide
that every user must register all
members of his party. that each
group is to have its individual lot.
25 by so feet in dimension, that
no party shall stay in a given
park more than two weeks excep,
by permit, and that no statesmen or
concessionnaires are to be allowed
in the space.
Different cities offer locations of
varying desirability. The little
town Of Idaho Falls. Ida, has pre-
served two and one-half acres in
the center of the city with shelter
in school building. Despite a
year or more Of agitation on the
part of automobile clubs, Chicago
thus far merely refers tourists to
any of the forest preserves on the
outskirts OF Cook County. Detroit
sends its overnight motoring visi-
tors to Slocums Island. a few miles
south of the city on the Dixie
Highway. In Morris. Ill, the camp
is only FIVE blocks from the heart
of the city. Stoves, 'cordwood and
running water are provided free.
Beatty. New. a town Of 100. forty
seven miles from Death Valley, has
erected permanent shelters in a
park space of three acres in the
center OF the village.
Few Coast-to-Coast Routes,
Comparatively few routes are
open for the coast-to-coast trip.
The one usually taken is the Ma
tional Trail from Washington, pass
ing through wreeling. w. Va,
Columbus, o.. indianapolis, Ind, ST.
Louis, Mo, and Kansas City, Mo-,
to Los Angeles Cal. Many follow
the Lincoln Highway west to In
dianapolis thence come to Chicago
via the Dixie Highway; then are
directed to Davenport, Ia, where
they take up the 'River-to-river"
road to Omaha; whence they follow
the old "Omaha-Lincoln-De
/ Trail" to Denver, go south to Colo
rado Springs and there pick up the
Santa Fe Trail to Los Angeles.
| That Is the, favorite route west
ward except in midsummer. when