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The Louisville
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Ask th first man whom you meet on
an Omaha street what la the shortest
and best road to take for a drive to
Grand Island and the chances are that
he will direct you to follow the Platte
valley road, which leads along the line
of the Union Pacific railroad, unless this
man Is better Informed about Nebraska
highways than the average man. In this
latter case he will reply by directing you
to take the' Louisville road to Lincoln
and then hit almost directly west to
ftrand Island from the capital city. If
he answered your question by telling you
to take the first road the Platte valley
route he would be Incorrect; If he told
you to go to Lincoln by the Louisville
highway and then move straight on west,
he would be correct. The Louisville-
Lincoln route Is the best and shortest
way to get to Or and Island and to start
on a trip for Denver.
This statement will rather startle those
people who have been accustomed to
thinking that the route along the line
of the Union Pacific Is the shortest and
best. For years people hav simply said
the Platte valley line was the best be
cause they have not looked at the map
of this state and studied the lay of the
land. ......
Louisville Best Route.
By looking at a map of Nebraska one
will see that the Platte valley road, which
runs through Fremont, Columbus and
Central City to Grand Island Is not the
shortest In going out of Omaha the road
runs west and north to Elkhorn, and
then makes a long climb, almost directly
north to Fremont (Most people regard
Fremont as being west of Omaha, when
It Is really more north than west.)' From
Fremont the road runs west to Columbus.
Columbus is In the southern part - of
Platte county, which Is several miles
norh and east of Grand Island. In order
to go on to Grand Island from Columbus
one. must follow a road that shoots south
and. west for many miles. '
On the Louisvllle-Llnooln road one soon
learns that he has taken the better of
the two routes. ' People usually regard
Lincoln as being far south of Omaha,
and, therefore, as being below a line run
ning through Grand Island and going
east. But Lincoln is almost on a parallel
with Grand Island. After one has run
from Omaha through Papllllon, Spring
'field and Louisville to ' Lincoln he has
come to this direct road to Grand Island.
From the state capital he makes a drive
to Grand Island that Is almost straight
went Itsfeoes through Seward, Tork and
Hamilton counties and In Hall, . where
Grand Island Is located. A glance at the
map will show that these four counties
are parallel with each other.
These facts about the best route to
Grand Island and the west are given
simply that the p.llc " may be dis
illusioned. Unless facts are made public
people go along without knowing them.
When one comes to see, is his mind's
eye, the exact location . of the various
towns along . the two routes and the
courses that these roads pursue In going
west, he soon realises that the southern
route, by Louisville and Lincoln, Is the
shortest Omaha motorists who make
trips to Grand Island and the west and
who are not Interested In exploiting one
Ifarticular line, are certain to follow the
Louisvllle-Llnooln route. . , ,
Pass Over LonUrllle Bridge.
In going from Omaha to Lincoln the
Lett route Is that which takes the vehicle
ovtjr Uio Louisville bridge, passing
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through the towns of Papllllon, Springs
field and Louisville. Nature has been
particularly generous In the blessings be
stowed on the country that lines this
road and motorists who take trips be
tween Omaha and Lincoln at this time
of the year behold nature's chief fashion
shows. Tho roads are bordered with
broad fields of corn, full of high, ripen
ing stalks, whose heads toss and bow
before the gentle winds and who seem to
speak for their owners, sayiiig that this
year .is to see another rich . season for
the Nebraska farmer who has his fields
of wheat and corn In Douglas, Sarpy and
Lancaster counties.
As the motorist chugs along In his car
he now mount's a alight hill (It is hardly
a hill, for the Louisville road to Lincoln
Is free from hills, and, perhaps, one would
be more correct In saying that the motor
ist rises slightly , higher than the sur
rounding country) and pulls his machine
to a stop that he may gaze over the
undulating fields and let his eye wander
over hundreds of acres. It is suoh a beau
tiful sight that even the most pronalc
men will give utterance to an exclama-
Uon which shows that they think it is
beautiful.
Along other stretches of the Louisville
road one will motor for miles wittrlarge
trees shading the course and throwing a
cool air over the occupants of the auto
mobile. The foliage is so thick in some
Places along the Louisville road that one
may reach out his hand and pull off
leaves and small branches as the motor
car runs along. . Nowhere in the state Is
nature seen in more expressive and pleas
ing mood than on this Louisville road to
Lincoln. '
Platte Klver lotereau.
The Platte river, always a matter of
Interest to Nebraakans, is flanked by high
Banks near Louisville and the motoriBt
who approaches the bridge at this point
sees In the distance green topped eleva
tions, some with houses on them and
others with green fields of corn. Back
several hundred feet from the river and
to the left of the road as the motorist
runs on to the north end of the . Louis
ville bridge he sees a huge building that
projects Itself" from a high bank of the
Platte. It Is built of stone, and one, seeing
it for the first time, wonders why such
a majestlo looking structure has been
placed there. It dims the distance as he
looks. Inquiry brings the information that
this building, which has been provided
with cells for prisoners, was erected
years ago In Nebraska's early hlstory
by one of the state wardens, who had
Intended to bring many of the convicts
from Lincoln to work In the stone quar
ries, which are but a few yards from
this bridge. The structure was erected,
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however, before the warden obtained per
mission of the state government to use
the convict labor In his quarries. A bill
was Introduced for this purpose, but the
legislators thought the convicts would do
better In the Lincoln penitentiary, and
the warden did not use Nebraska pris
oners In his quarries.
" Ideal Route to Lincoln.
.Motorists have decided that the Ideal
route for travel between Omaha and
Lincoln is over the Louisville road, which
Is pronounced by tourists from the east
and west as being one of the prettiest
and best roads anywhere In the United
States. Stretches of it could not be
bettor for motor or wagon travel even
If they were treated with macadam. For
several miles in different sections of
this route the road runs along as smooth
and level as any dirt road In the world
couli be. It a graded to just the proper
slope, and rises to a wide street at the
center that makes it the delight of the
motorist who likes to travel along at a
brisk rate. Coming to bridges there is
no need of slowing up, In most places,
because the approaches to these bridges
have been graded and leveled In such a
way that the motor will run right on to
the bridge and aeross It without Jolting
the car or passengers In the least.
The people in and around Louisville
have taken a deep Interest in this road
and have Improved it in every place that
it Is possible to make it better. There
are no mudholes In the road. Did you
ever know of a country road that did
ROAD OU OF
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THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: AUGUST 4, 1912.
Shortest and Smoothest Route to Capital City Crosses
Louisville Bridge and Wends Way Through Most
Beautiful Scenery--No Hills Nor Sand Encountered
.
L eye Approach
not have mudholes? This Louisville
road to Lincoln is one, then. And the
reason there are no mudholes in this
road Is due to the efforts of the people
who are interested in keeping it a model
highway. Places where mudholes for
merly Inconvenienced travelers' have been
filled In with macadam and graded. Near
Louisville, where are situated stone quar
ries. There formerly was a couple of
sandy spots, but now the road has been
repaired through the use of macadam.
and no sand is in evidence anywhere on
the road. The owners of the quarries
here have become thoroughly Interested
In seeing the Louisville route made one
of the best in the country and are giving
tho road builders stone free, so that the
various places may be kept In fine condi
tion. . ,
Pot Macadam on Road.
On this side of the Louisville bridge,
for many yards, macadam has been used,
and the road is smooth and solid, giving
the automobile a surface over whloh to
spin at a fast rate of speed, delighting
the occupants of the car and causing
everyone to praise the highway.
Of the two routes to Lincoln, via Ash
land and via Louisville, the Louisville
route Is now several miles shorter, , and
OMAHA,. TO THE LOUISVILLE BRIDGE.
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is to be made much shorter still through
cutoffs that are planned. Tho
by Louisville is better than that
land, according to the Louisville people,
and a ride over their course seems to
Justify all their claims for the excellent
road.
The way to go in making the trip to
Lincoln by the Louisville route is to
drive to the Westlawn mills on Center
street, Just beyond the city limits and
Concordia park, and then turn south,
running over a smooth dirt road to
Sarpy Mills. From this place the road
is directed west and south to Papllllon.
From Sarpy Mills to Papllllon one of
the finest stretches of the .entire route
is found. The highway is wide, well
graded and lined with large trees that
make the route a delightful one for
pleasure travel. Motor cars can be spun
along this part of the road at any rate
of speed that the driver desires. Omaha
motorists who have never been over this
road should make It a point to take a
trip to Louisville at their earliest oppor
tunity,' following the highway that lead?
by Sarpy mills. This road, It should be
remembered, does not go through South
Omaha, though one in making the trip
may drive that way to Sixteenth street.
then turning south three-quarters of a
mile to Sarpy Mills and there strike this
road. One must not go through Ralston,
In order to bit upon this excellent
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stretch of road the motorist should be
sure to pass Sarpy Mills and then he
will know that he is going on the proper
route.
Dirt Packed Hard.
Between Papllllon and Springfield an
other stretch of road Is found where the
dirt is packed hard and where every rod
of the highway is kept up to a high,
standard. The bridges liere are in per
fect condition and the approaches to
them are so well imade that there is
absolutely no jolting as the car runs upon
the bridge.
In order to keep this road in condition
farmers are paid to run drags over it
after every rain. In event you chance
to run over this road after a rain you
will see many farmers dragging the high
way. They assume this work as though
It were just as important as the care of
their fields, and, indetd, many "of them
regard It as being fully as serious.
Between Springfield and Louisville the
road Is practically as good as that
stretch between Paptllion and Spring
field. The Louisville people are keeping
it repaired and improved. The road from
Omaha to Louisville Is twenty-eight
miles, approximately, but it is to be made
shorter by making a new road run along
the railroad tracks just outside of Louis
ville for a considerable distance. The
owner of the land at this place has
agreed to give them the right-of-way
through the fields for a good road.
The Louisville road to Lincoln is shorter
by at least two miles than the Ashland
road to that city. This is due to the cuts
that are made by the Louisville high
way. Instead of making square turns, as
the Ashland road does, the Louisville
route avoids the squares and shoots off
through them, gaining rods at this place
and at that.
Good Ilejrond Louisville.
Between Louisville and Lincoln the road
is practically as fine as it is between
Omaha and Louisville. There are no bad
hills and the road is kept in excellent
condition in nearly every part The Louis
ville people call their road the "hill-less
way" because there are no elevations on
the road that can be called hills. Once
in a while, there Is a slight grade to climb.
but none of them is deserving of the
name hill. ,
Motorists of. Omaha and Lincoln use
this road every day. Those who take
pleasure drives of an evening are sure to
run out on the Louisville road. The trip
from Omaha to Louisville can be mada
In an hour and a half, so smooth Is the
road. Without any doubt this trip from
Omaha to Louisville is one of the most
pleasant that motorists can make. In the
evetiir.g tno road Is coo), and as tho
tuctor cur runs along tae leaves aaU
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.branches of the trees at the side of tlia
highway make one take a real joy in
living and wonder how slow life would
be without a motor car. If you are a
motorist and wish to get all the pleasure
you can out of country rides bo sure that
you make a trip to Louisville, driving
across the bridge over the Platte river"
at that point and motoring into the town.
Louisville Pretty Town.
Louisville is a pretty little country
town. During the day it is just as full
of life as any town of its size in tha
state. The merchants who operate the
stores are agreeable, and to talk wit!
them Is a pleasure. Many Omaha motor
ists telephone to the hotel at Louisville
and have a chicken supper ready for
them when they reach Louisville in tlia
evening. These motorists begin their trip
, a i.ulj iaier ana arrive
at Louisville before 8 o'clock with a coort
appetite. The meal they get satisfies tna
most hungry appetite.
Most people who travel through th
country are interested In the hlstori-.
facts about various places alone th v
At the toll station of the Louisville bridgo
a middle-aged woman usually greets the
moionai ana receives the toll. She is s.-.
interesting person with whom to
It Is a little hard to get her to converse
much at first, but If one Is real pleasant
she soon will open up with many facts
that are entertaining history.
Interesting Points Here.
This woman knows many points about
the three prisoners who escaped from
the state penitentiary last winter and
made their way toward Omaha. This trio
went across the Platte river on a bridga
near South Bend, and after crossing there
worked their way to the home of Rov
Blunt, who later was killed when th'
officers surrounded the convicts near
Springfield. This woman at the bridge
can tell of all the movements of these
convicts, just where they stayed, just
how they acted at the Blunt frm '
Just what happened after they left there
Many of the points she tells are much
more Interesting than any that have even
been published. Some day when a writer
prepares a story on these convicts he will
visit this woman and from her .
large amount of interesting information.
out so it is Here and there along tne
Louisville road to Lincoln. On mp.,
with Interesting people and learns fact!
about the history of the state th.
never knew before. In addition to be'n
a thoroughly good road-one of the best
In the state the Louisvlllp hiri,... ...
also a source of much entertainment and
knowledge to the traveler who seeks ta
bo amwed and refreshed as he motor,
from Omaha to Lincoln.
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