Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1917 — WILL HAVE GOOD ROADS DAY [ARTICLE]

WILL HAVE GOOD ROADS DAY

Pioneer County in Building Concrete Roads to Celebrate. Wayne county, Michigan, which pioneered id the building of concrete roads for permanent highways, Is to hold a good roads day celebration Thursday, October 11. Rather, the Detroit Automobile club Is celebrating and the whole county, as well as the state, and good roads boosters from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois have been invited to participate. The occasion for this gala day la the completion of a concrete road 120 miles in length and known aa the Outer Belt Drive, a part of Wayne county’s 350-mile concrete highway system. An automobile parade, such aa has seldom been seen in any city, is to precede the dedication of the road and the celebration proper. More than 2,500 cars, bearing at least 10.000 people will start from the Detroit Automobile club headquarters in the center of the city .and head for the town of Northville, twenty-six miles distant. Another route thirty-six miles long, part ofi the Outer Belt Drive, will be followed on the return trip. The village officials of Northville are planning for the celebration in their town. Luncheon will be served and then will follow a program with speeches by a number of prominent men. Albert E. Sleeper, governor of Michigan, and Oscar B. Marx, mayor Of Detroit, will lead in the dedicatory exercises on the completed highway just outside Northville.

The governors and all executive officers pf Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania and good roads jnen from all these states have been invited. Dr. H. M. Rowe of Baltimore, jWaryland, president; A. G. Batchelder, Washington, executive chairman, and George 0. Diehl, Buffalo, chairman of the good roads board, American Automobile association, have also been sent invitations. All three of these officials are expected. The big bands from Detroit, Toledo, Flint and Lapsing automobile factories have been donated for the occasion. Motor car companies and members of the Detroit Automobile club 'have volunteered to furnish automobiles for the guests. Wayne county began building concrete roads in 19 09 after experimenting with other types of material. Since then 105 miles of concrete has been laid. None of this has yet needed resurfacing o~ rebuilding. The board of county road commissioners, composed of Edward N. IH'ines, chairman, John S. Haggerty and William F. Butler will be honored guests on good roads day.