Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-06-07

Id ADDeVllle
Despite the incessant rains for
the past week, which seriously
lnterfered with auto travel one
hundred ~ and twenty-seven accre-
dlted delegates met at Vidalia on
Monday to promote the letter
son Davis Highway and to plan
tor its future.
Chairman Walter w. Sheppard.
Judge OF the Atlantic Circuit resid-
iirg IN ClaXton, presided at the meet
ing and delivered beautiful eulogv
on Jefferson Davis, whose birthday
was thus officially recognized by the
Association formed to promote the
: Highway, named IN his honor. and for
! the memory of the men of the Con-
federacy, through which territory the
proposed highway will ultimately be
built, Greetings by wire and letters
were received by many interested thru
out Georgia and Alabama, who were
unable to attend, but whose loyal sup
port OF the project was pledged in
these messages.
al - d morgan or savannah,
survivor of the lost cause" and a
nenper OF the Associations executive
committee Tor Chatham county, speak
ing Tor his city and county, and the.
cause ne represented, made a deep i'm
preston ON the audience with his ref
crences from actual experiences before
ana during the war between the states
chatham countys active cooperation
was assured by the speaker.
Col; w Smith of Tattnal county.
Col. Hal Lawson and N. M. Patten
OF Wilcox county, ] McRae Clements
o. Wheeler, Prof. R. R. Geiger of
Bryan, Messrs H. c. Napier and S. L,
Meadows of Toombs and others spoke
curing the session and gave their hear
ty endorsement and pledged their
committees support
Secretary Gelders gave a full report
OF the activities of the association to
date and outlined the needs of the
organization Tor the future. Gov. ELECT
Clifford Walker, who was unable TO
attend wrote. "You can assure the
delegates present that the movement
Will have my support 100 per cent,
personally and officially"
Lieut.. Governor Chas. S. Mcdowell
OF Alabama wrote that the Chattahoo-
chez bridge for the Jefferson Davis
Highway is assured and that the CON
tract for same will be let within A
month.
Delegations from Richmond County
reached the meeting at noon and inn
lned1ately took an active part in the
deliberations, headed by Mr.. Middle
ton. representing the Board of Trade
OF Augusta
through urgent request of Angus
ia, the final decision of the location
or the route to Augusta and the Car
ollnas was deferred until later, to
give that section opportunity to pre-
sent plans which they think more
advantageous than those previously
proposed, but not finally adopted
II is their desire to bring the north
and south route closer to the cross;ng
o. the Ocmulgee to assure nearer
and more direct route for the north
ern tourist travel to Florida from An
Gusta, which is now the gateway TO
the Last for northern tourists.
he following towns and counties
were represented and responded TO =
ro!i call: Wilcox, Abbeville; TeIfair,
Milan, McRae; Dodge, Rhine. Wheel.
or, Alamo and Glennwood; Montoon1-
cry. Mt Vernon, Alley; Toombs. Vi
dalia and Lyons; Tattnal, ReTdsvilIe.
Eyans, CiaXton, Bryan, Pembroke and
hyde; Chatham Savannah; Richmond
Aul----'ta Ben Hill County was rem
resented by the Secretary.
he meeting recessed at I 90 p NJ
to be the guests at luncheon given
by the Woman's Club of Vidalja and
members OF the u. d. c. Chapter of
Ioombs County, headed by Mesdames
l.. b :/Godbee, ]. w Poe, w / De
Loach, | r Lee, H c Napier. assisted
hy. about thirty of the loveliest vounp
ladies' OF the Twelfth Congressional
district. who served a most delight
I'LL luncheon, during which time Chair
man Sheppard took occasion to sneak
on the Highway project and the dav
we celebrated, Jefferson Davis Birth
day. resolution of thanks and an
probation for this courtesy to the
convention by the ladies was mani
nously voted.
To Mark Routes Soon
During the afternoon session, au-
thority was vested in the Secretary to
accept a proposal made by Della and
the Irwin County Chapter u. D C.
ard also to extend the route via All,
bevllle, Rhine and Milan. and to mark
the accepted routes as soon as posi-
bic, the designs, as presented bv the
Secretary, being given the unanimous
endorsement.
Resolutions were also adopted to
cooperate with the Daughters of the
Contederacy in their memorial high
way project and the promotion of the
Stone Mountain Memorial.
An endorsement of the candidacy
OF Mrs. Frank Harold of Americas.
President of the Georgia Division of
the Y D c for President General of
the Daughters of the Confederacy was
also unanimously voted
A finance committee of three mem
bers for each county in the division. to
secure funds for the furtherance of
the project, was voted to be selected
by the chairman, several representa-
work.
We are indebted to Mr.. C. S. Oliver
OF Abbeville for valuable assistance in
Keeping the minutes of the meeting
and otherwise assisting the secretarv