Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-07-12
JEFF DAVIS HIGHWAY
MEMBERS HOLD BIG
MEETING IN DUBLIN
Route Advocated From Abbeville
To Augusta
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED
All Counties Along Route Send
Representatives
By JOHN L. HACKNEY
Macon Telegraph, Rep.


what is called by members of the Jeff.
erson Davis Highway Association the
most enthusiastic meeting of that body
since its organization, resolution
was adopted Friday tentatively fixing
the general route of the lMemoria
Road from Abbeville to Augusta. The
resolution, proposed by Dudley Smith
OF Dodge County, calls for the routing
OF the highway via Abbeville, Eastman
Dublin, Wrightsville, Louisville, Wren
and Augusta.
The meeting was called to order in
the Laurens County courthouse at II
O'Clock Friday morning by E. G.. Sim
mons, president of the Dublin cham
Der OF commerce. Judge ]. E. Burch
of this city was elected chairman OF
the meeting and w. H. Proctor, sec
rotary of the chamber of commerce
secretary. More than seventy-five dele
gates, representing every county along
the proposed route were in attendance.
Isidor Gelders, of Fitzgerald, gen.
eral secretary of the Jefferson Davis
Highway Association, made the open
he related something of the history of
road building in the South and gave d
series of reasons why the highway
should be constructed as memorial
to the great chief of the Confederacy.
'It was along this general route, y
declared Mr.. Gelders, that Jefferson
Davis spent the last days before his
capture by federal forces 1t was but
miles from Fitzgerald where the
great chief was made prisoner For
fore he was made a prisoner. For
days before that he travelled along this
road. Because of the traditions of the
old South wrapped in this strip of land
no better or more lasting memorial
could be erected to Jefferson Davis.
Mr.. Gelders explained that from
Abbeville the road is to branch to both
Augusta and Savannah. Fixing the
route to Augusta was the principa
purpose of the meeting here.
Following Mr.. Gelders' address short
talks were made by Hal Lawson oil
Abbeville; Ben Lester of Augusta; Hal
Roberts of Eastman; Gen. James A
Thomas of Dublin; George B. Davis
of Dublin and representatives from
Johnston, Jefferson, Montgomery
Truetlen and Toombs counties
Other Couuties Want Route
During the session, some argument
was offered by the delegations from
Montgomery and Truetllen counties. L
was proposed by them that the high.
way should be routed through those
counties and the reason advanced tina
much of the work there was already
completed and more now under con
struction with both state and fedora
aid.
The address of Mr.. Lawson was OF
the Augusta-R Richmond "division. Tn
roads above Augusta, to Richmond
and Washington are complete, h
said, and the Jefferson Davis High
way could Be made to join this al
ready finished, road. Ben Leste
spoke on popularizing the highwa,
and proposed to make the Jefferson
Davis memorial road the best marked
and best known route in the South.
He told of the efforts of Augusta ano
Richmond county to attract tourist
through that section and declared
that the good roads they now hav
made it possible for Augusta to MAKE
thousands and thousands of dollar
every year from the tourists visiting
there.
Gen. James A. Thomas who wa
young man in Dublin when Jeffer
son Davis visited the town, told o
the Confederate Presidents flight thr,
this section of the State. He paid
glowing tribute to Mr. Davis and gave
a series of sentimental reasons VIII,
the route should. be adopted. Genera
Thomas talk was the high spot o
the morning session of the convention
The delegates burst into prolonge'
applause when the former soldier O
the Confederacy concluded his re
marks.
At 80 o'clock the meeting ad
journed to the New Dublin Hote
where the officials of Laurens Count,
and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce
were hosts at luncheon
The principal speaker of the lunch
con was N. M. Patton, president o
the Abbeville Chamber of Commerce
who first proposed the adopted rout
of the highway and who was instru
mental in calling the meeting her
Friday.
North Has Challenged
"By building the Lincoln Highwa.
declared Mr.. Patten the North ha
thrown out challenge to the Soutl
not alone in patriotism, but in pro
gress as WE'LL Loyal sons an
daughters of the South will eventu
ally build chain of concrete an
steel that will reach from the Pacifi
to the Atlantic. That road must b
the Jefferson Davis Highway.
"This whole project he con
tinued, depends upon local coopera
ton of the counties and towns alons
the route. The road should form
chain of local cooperation in promot
ing the project"
Roy Flint, of the State Highwa
Department, was introduced and ex
pressed the assurance that the stat
departmtnt stands ready to assist i
the building of the road in ever
way possible
Mr.. Gelders explained to the dele
gates that life membership in the as
ISOLATION are being sold for SIS eac
! as a part OF the plan to raise tn
! money for the road. George 3. Da
Wis of Dublin proposed resolutio
that a committee of three men fror
each county along the route be az
Z pointed to devise ways and means c
financing the project. Judge Burc
announced that the appointment
mwould be made within the next fe7
y days.