Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1916 — JACKSON HIGHWAY PROMOTERS [ARTICLE]

JACKSON HIGHWAY PROMOTERS

Enthusiastic Over I’nqiosed Line Through Hoosier State. Notwithstanding a pouring rain quite a goodly number of people attended the Jackson Highway meeting at the court house Tuesday evening, presided over by Mayor Spitler. The party of 15 people composing the officials of the Jackson Highway association, a representative of the Motor Age and others included P. L. Atherton of Louisville, Ky., president of the Jackson Highway association; J. G. Creveling, jr., of Nashyllle, Tenn., vice-president; Charles C. Wheeler of Louisville; J. T. Durham of Gallatin, Tenn.; Emory G. Dent of Scottsville, Ky.; W. H. Crim of Salem, Ind.; W. R. Gibbs of the Motor Age, Chicago; D. M. Boyle and Thomas Follen, Lafayette. They were met at Water Valley by Mayor Spitler and a number of other local people in automobiles and escorted to Rensselaer. Speeches were made at the meeting by Mr. Dent, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Crim, State Representative W. L. Wood, E. P. Honan, C. G. Spitler County Commissioner Charles Welsh and others. Steps were taken to organize a Jackson county highway association. W. L. Wood, state representative; Charles A. Welsh, county commissioner, and others of Rensselaer, gave pledges that Jasper county would see that the bad stretch of road in the county would' be remedied.

The men who are inspecting the route from Chicago to Nashville, Tenn., are not only greatly pleased with the condition of the roads all the way to Indianapolis, but they admire the spirit and. progress of Indiana people along the way, who are taking an active interest in the success of the Jackson highway. Up to this point only about nine miles of really had road has been encountered That stretch of road Is north of Rensselaer, and the people here were very apologetic for it, saying a petition was under way for having it put in order. The officials of the association are more than ever convinced that the Jackson highway is the best and most direct route from Chicago to the south. They say that considering the highway all the way, from Chicago to New Orleans, It has a larger percentage of good roads)already built than any other long highway route, although it is realized that work of great magnitude must be done to make the route easy to travel all the way, particularly in the south. Mr. Atherton predicted that the highway would not only be made a delightful one to New" Orleans within a very short time, but that it would reach to San Diego, Calif., within a few years. He said it would serve as a great link in bringing the north and south together.

Mr. Atherton related briefly the history of the Jackson highway project. It became a reality, he said when the Jackson highway convention, perhaps the most successful good roads meeting ever held in the south, was held at Nashville, Tenn., September 24, 1915. There had been a preliminary meeting at Birmingham, Ala., on July 30, 1915, attended by about 40 men, who brought about a temporary organization to prepare for the convention. The Nashville convention was attended by" 1,500 delegates, mostly from the south, and it was a enthusiastic meeting. The party remained in Rensselaer over night at the Makeever House and next morning, escorted by E. P. Honan and others, went on to Lafayette. The Lafayette chamber of com-

merce had a big welcome arranged for the visitors at the Hotel Lahr, where there was a dinner and speechmaking. Samuel C. Moore, president of the Lafayette chamber of commerce, introduced Hr. Thomas Moran of Purdue university who presided at the meeting. Addresses were -hade by Mr. Atherton, Dr. Bruner, C. C. Wheeler of Louisville; Mr. Crim, G. I. Christie of Purdue and Thomas Bauer, mayor of Lafayette. M.\ Atherton advised Tippecanoe county to organize a county section of the Jackson Highway association, and this probably will be done. The visitors were pleased with their reception at Lafayette, says newspaper reports of the trip on south, but they were yet to receive a more demonstrative demonstration. When Clinton county was reached the farm houses along the way Were decorated with flags in honor of the Jackson highway party, and the farm

population was out to see the automobiles pass, A country blacksmith had decorated his shop and hung a “J. II.” sign up above the road. He had assembled all his neighbors at the shop and a cheer went up when the procession went by. The rural demonstration here was surpassed only by the country town of Montmorencl, north of Lafayette, which had put up a sign, “Speed Limit, One Hundred Miles an Hour.” . At Indianapolis, where the party was entertained by the chamber of commerce, Mr. Atherton, in eloquent language, pointed out the advantages and attractions of the Jackson highway, and the points of historic interest along the way which passes the former homes of Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln andi Andrew Jackson. He praised the Indiana roads which had been encountered on the way from Chicago to Indianapolis, and said he had found them even better than had been anticipated. However, he said, a unified system of road building is needed in Indiana.