Good Roads
Train and Its Southern Tour
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CONVICTS M A K I Nil ROAD IN NOHTH CAROLINA.
liO(H ROADS TR A IN CRl SHER IN OPERATION AT GRAVKSVILI.E. Tenn.
MAKING AN OYSTER SHELL ROAD AT MOBILE, Ala.
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m m I nun i ill I II iiiinvtiiy iiijiiij imauB
I train, equipped with thirteen cars
ill iiiihi"III II iiij iiiui II J II t- jr ( u tviu-
mlssary uir, two (.Hirers' cam,
left A Icxaiiilriii . Va., Tuesday.
October 'I'ji, l'.Kil, fur a lour of Hie Hunt Iiitii
Ktai"B on tin; line of in- Southern system,
in the inti rest of i amnion rimil Improve
ment. TIiih nowl ami attrai live moveinciit for
aiousiug attention, promoi Inn action ami
lnten Kt for the construetlon of Improved
highways !ii ihe l ulled States, waa origl
nateil and inaugurated liy the National
Good Roads association. The plan co
operates the Koverninent iIIvImIi.ii for good
loads, the railway KjHtein over which the
train is operated, ro.nl machinery manu
facturers, and Htate and local Interests In
carry Ink on the work. Reprenentatlves of
the t.alii.i.al assoclut lou vimt central point
t rc in wl.lli tin' KrcatcHt lnliuence may
ladlale, and iirtiniKc for a week's stop of
the t iii.n. 1 lie co-operat tin of the local
interi nln Hecureil and dale fixed for
the holding of a two or three days' con
vention, in which the nuiht practical ad
drtMHcH and iIIhc uhhIoiih upon the subject
of road improvement are had. The. neces
sary machinery from the train Is unloaded
and under the direction of the engineers
and road and machinery experts In charge,
a section of object -leason rond is con
structed. Tho train vlxltcd the stales of North
Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
South Carolina and Virginia, making eight
een stops at the following cities: Wlns-ton-Siilem,
Ashcvlllu and Raleigh, N. C;
(ireenevllle and Chattanooga, Teuii.; Bir
mingham, Mobile and Montgomery, Ala.;
Atlanta. Columbus and Augusta, da.;
Greenville, Columbia and Charleston. S. C,
and Danville, Lynchburg. Richmond and
Charlottesville, Va. Sections of modern
roads were constructed at each of these
points. Conventions were held and ad
drettsed by governors of states, members
of congress, state legislators, government
road directors and experts, county super
visors, and most active interest aroused
upon the subject. District and state as
sociations weie formed to carry on the
work eo will Inaugurated in the several
states. Never before has the subject of
the improvement of the lommon roads of
the country commanded such widespread
and practical attention as at the present
time.
.Irltrrmnl Mtmorlnl llnllil.
The Jeff ei son Memoilal Road asocl:it Ion.
Charlottesville, Va., of which General KIU
I'.ugh Lee Im president, conceived the com
mendable idea of constructing a splend'd
modern, macadamized memorial road con
necting the I'nlveinity of Virginia with
Montleello, tho home and tomb of the uni
versity's Illustrious founder. Thomas Jef
ferson. The old road was narrow, badlv
cut up and washed, over steep and Irreg
ular grades, and It was thought that a
beautiful road leading to the historic home
of the author of the Declaration of hide-
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GOOD ROADS TRAIN MACHINE IN OPERATION AT BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
pendence, would attract uinny visitors and
serve as a practical object lesson and In
ducement for belter highways In the uatlm
and be a fitting and lasting memorial to
the great and beneficent Jefferson. The
National Good Roads association and the
qflice of road inquiries of the United States
government were requested to innuguraie
and promote this special work. The South
ern railway good roads train came to Char
lottevville, Va., Monday morning. Maroh
?r, I'.ioi', and Its engineers and road ex
perts commenced the construction of Ihe
road. The memorial road meellng was held
in the armory In the city of Charlottes
ville and opened its sessions on Wednes
day morning, April 2. General Kltzhugh
Lee presided ami after a welcome address
by the mayor cf the city, he Introduced
Hon. W. H. Moore, president of the Na
tional Good Roads association, Hon. Martin
Dodge, director of the ofllre of public real
inquiries. I'nited States government, and
Gemral Rny Stone, ex-dlreclor of the office
ef public roads inquiries, all of whom de
livered eloquent and practical speeches on
the subject.
Vlnl e Priiil Take Part.
The following day brought a soeclal train
from Washington bearing General Nels in
A. Miles, Assistant Secretary of Agricul
ture J. 11. Hrigham, Mr. Samuel Spencer,
president of the Southern railway; Mr.
Sluyvesant Fish, president of the Illinois
Central railway, Mr. George W. Stevens,
president of the Chesapeake & Ohio rail
way, members of congress and prominent
officials of the government departments.
The great hall rang with applause as Gen
eral Kitzhugh Lee, in a most pleasing man
ner presented General Miles and the others
who delivered stirring addresses, which
were most enthusiastically received. At the
conclusion of about a two-hours session,
the party was conducted over the section
of the new road In course of construction,
and out to Montleello, where a reception
was tendered by Hon. Jefferson Monroe
Levy, the present owner of Jefferson's old
home.
On Ihe following day a second special
train from Washington carried Senator
Mark A. llanna, ex-Secretary of the In
terior Cornelius N. Bliss and many mem
bers of congress, government officials and
other distinguished citizens. Inspiring and
patrlolic addresses were delivered by Gov.
A. J. Montague of Virginia, Hon. Binger
Hermann, commissioner of the general land
office, and by the following representatives
in congress: Hon. Thomas H. Tongue, Ore
gon; Hon. Charles E. Littletleld. Maine;
Hon. R. W. Davis, Florida. The feature of
the day was the introduction of Senator
llanna. The Virginians gave him an en
thusiastic reception, which amounted to an
ovation when they found that his grand
father came from Virginia. The senator
spoke in his most happy vein.
It portends the milleuium for good roads.
Industrial development and new politics
for the south when Mark llanna and Gen
eral Miles receive such ovations as were
given to each under the shadow of Montl
eello, the home and tomb of the father of
democracy.
Kflccl of the HliiialKn.
The campaign of the good roads' train
created marked interest in the subject of
good roads and industrial development in
.ho southern states. The last decade has
shown most marvelous progress in the lat
ter Interest and the southland is being
transformed. The old southern methods,
manners and customs are rapidly passing
away and the spirit of modern improve
ment Is taking possession of the people.
While we were operating the big road
making machine, drawn by a traction en
gine, moving Ihe earth with marvelous
rapidity, an old negro standing by the way
side remarked: "De white man comu down
from de north and freed de nigger and now .
he's gnine to free de nniL'!"
There are many line opportunities In the
south for active, progressive, western men
and the next decade will show a wonderful
transformation in this section of the coun
try. Our train was heartily welcomed by
the people aud our work generously com
mended. The writer was delightfully
pleased with the people of the south and
the cordial and hearty reception invariably
accorded. Among the special occasions to
be remembered was the Sunday spent at
tlu lovely old Virginia mansion owned by
Lieutenant Charles P. Shaw. President W.
H. Mcore, Senator Martin Dodge and my
self were most charmingly entertained and
attended Easter service at one of the beau
tiful old Episcopal churches nestled in the
Virginia hills nmong the majestic oaks and
Ihe slender pines.
Mow sweet the hour of Sabbath talk,
The vale with peace und sunshine full
Where all I lie happy people wa)k,
Decked In tlniir honie-Mpun llax and
v ool ;
Where youth's gay hats with blossoms
bloom-
And every maid, with simple art,
Wears on her breast, like her own heart
A bud whose depths are all perfume;
While every garment's gentle stir
Is breathing rose and lavender.
R. W. RICHARDSON.
Pointed Paragraphs
Chicago News' Hypocrite, pray cream
and live skim milk.
A woman's Idea of ref cement Is to be tall
and thin.
Even in cash transactions the pocketbook
is taken out in trade.
Every woman would live long, but no
woman would grow old.
Some men are known by the company
they are unable to get into.
The farmer can give you spades even If
he has no cards to hand out.
It matters not what your ancesters were
it is what you are that counts.
When one man meets another that he Is
said to look like he usually jwoars.
Some wives are so averse to mending that
they won't even try to patch up a quarrel.
Many a woull-be Jolly good fellow might
be really so If he would only stop telling
Jokes.
The more money a man has the harder It
Is for him to convince the world that be is a
fool.
If a man does not have the price of a
meal about him somehow he can always
manage to acquire a chew of tobacco.
When the boarders begin to draw the
color line at hash the same old combination
comes up in the guise of croquettes.
Solitary confinement ie the most severe of
all punishments. This Is proof positive
that a man oon tirc3 of his own company.
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CROSSING OF MORRIS CREEK ON THE ROAD TO MONTICELLO.
SOl'THERN RAILWAY GOOD ROADS TRAIN AT ALEXANDRIA, VA.
