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Show I THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY OR OVERLAND TRAIL? I Manager of the Lincoln Highway Resents Criticism in This Paper of His Acts in Changing the Highway and Is Himself Placed I on the Rack Two Letters That Explain Themselves It Is Plainly Pointed Out That Switching of the Lincoln High- I way Leading From Echo South, A way From Ogden, Caused the Death of Young Duke, and That More Deaths Will I Follow If the Mountain Climbing, Desert Route Is Not Abandoned. "The Editor of The Standard, Ogden 3 Utah, Dear Sir: j "I have Just been privileged to read with a great deal of interest the news item appearing in your issue of the , 1 8th instant beaded, Taking Ogden Off the Lincoln High way.1 "A number of statements are made by you in that article which I feel i onfldent are prompted hy a lack of knowledge of the conditions as they really exist You seem to Indicate that holdup methods have been pra ticed, that is, as to finances. I am enclosing with this letter the last annual an-nual report of the Lincoln Highway, that is, the financial report, and would direct your attention to page 3. You will note that there are eighteen people peo-ple in the entire state of Utah who have contributed anything to the Lincoln Lin-coln Highway. One of those contributors contrib-utors is a business man in Ogden, who contributed $50. The others are made un of smaller units. I would direct your particular attention to the fact that $15 of the $90 paid by the citizens citi-zens of Utah remain on deposit In a bank in Salt Lake City. I would also direct your attention to the fact that there remains on deposit in the banks between New York and San Francisco Fran-cisco $10,334, which was raised for the Lincoln Highway, and left by this association in the local communities, with the idea of having it expended when the amount proved sufficiently large, on the Highway In the communities commu-nities where the funds were raised. "Had the newspapers and the citl zens of Ogden displayed the same interest in-terest in the permanent establish merit of the Lincoln Highway that fhev did in treating the matter selfishly, sel-fishly, and diverting innoeent tourists from a route which they desired to take, and declared their Intent to take, I can assure you that the action ac-tion of the directors of this association associa-tion would not have been made pop Bible, We did not act upon the elimination of Ogden from the route until it was made clear that there was a determined effort on the part of the citizens of your community to lead these tourists into sections of the country which they did not originally orig-inally intend traveling. "I can assure you that we have been in receipt of many very bitter letters complaining of the conditions which they encountered west of Ogden, Og-den, due to their diversion from the established route of the Lincoln Highway. High-way. "In eliminating Ogden from the route of the highway, the directors of this association have but reverted to the originally declared route of September, 1913, when the route between be-tween Evanston and Salt Iake was down through Parley s canyon. Our original plan was to establish a route between New York and San Francisco Fran-cisco of the most direct character. It was at the request of his excellency your governor, and upon his assurance assur-ance that the association would be co-operated with, that we lengthened the road about 36 miles to include i Ogden. 1 am well within the bounds of truth when I say that in makinp I this change at the governor's request i we made a very grievous mistake, BECAUSE SINCE that time THE ONE POINT WHERE THIS ASSO CIATION HAS BEEN LACKING IN SUPPORT OR CO-OPERATION OF ANY KIND HAS BEEN AT OGDEN. "Never has an appeal for financial aid for the Lincoln Highway association associa-tion been promulgated in your city. The citizens of Ogden have had the same opportunity that the citizens of I Jacksonville, Fla.. have had to co-I co-I operate In the establishment of the Lincoln Highway should they so de sire The report best tells how that j response was received 1 would direct your attention to the fact that Connecticut, Washington. 1 D. C, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and many other states far removed from the Lincoln Highv.rt have been more responsive to the appeal ap-peal for support You will note that Texas 2000 miles from the Lincoln Highway, has been more liberal in its treatment of the Lincoln Highway than Utah You will note that Wisconsin, Wis-consin, not on the Lincoln Highway, has about four times as many contributors con-tributors as has Utah "I am writing this letter to you, not with the idea that It will be published, pub-lished, or that It will make any Impression, Im-pression, hut I do desire to have the record made clear and to deny emphatically em-phatically some of the statementJ which you have made, which are misleading, mis-leading, erroneous, and 1 trust madf without due knowledge of the conditions condi-tions as they really exist Very truly yours. (Signed) A, R. Pardington, Vice President." Answer to Pardington A R. Pardington, Vice President and Secretary Lincoln Highway, Detroit. Michigan, "Dear Sir: I have received your letter let-ter of April 20th and havo carefully perused its contents and ara surprised at the attitude you take, but I will make an effort to undeceive you, if possible, as I feel you have been misled mis-led since you positively deny that a monetary' consideration could have Induced you to make a change in the Lincoln Highway. You charge that the Ogden Daily Standard and the cltuens of Ogden acted selflshlj In recommending that the automobile traffic go north of Great Salt Lake, instead of around the south end. You certainly are mistaken, so far as the Dally Ogden Standard is concerned. con-cerned. The editor for years owned a. ranch on the south end of Great Salt Lake and he had a hundred head of buffaloes which, about four times a year, would break down the fences and try to escape westward through the Great Salt Lake desert, over winch you have designated the route of the Lincoln Highway. Without detailing to you ray experience experi-ence on the desert, I prefer to let others talk, but I want to tell you, Mr Pardington. that T consider it worse than a crime for you to recommend rec-ommend people with automobiles to take the route over the mountains from Echo to Salt Lake City and from that city around the south end of Great Salt Lake Do you know that it is all dowTi grade to Salt Lake City b way of Ogden. from Echo through Weber canyon? Do you know that the Weber canyon road, from Echo to Og- den and Salt Lake, Is one of the best canyon roads In America'' If you do, why do you urge autos to go from Echo over the dangerous mountains to Salt Lake City an almost impossible impossi-ble road'' "Do you know that young Duke, of the great tobacco house, lost his life because his auto turned turtle on this mountain road you so highly rec-lommend'' rec-lommend'' He would be alive today but for the selection of your uuprac-Ucable uuprac-Ucable and dangerous route. You say you have many letters complaining complain-ing of the conditions encountered west of Ogden, but you do not say as to which route the complaint Is made There are two routes west from Ogden. Og-den. the Lincoln Highway around the south end of the Great Salt Lake, and the old pioneer, established Overland trail to California. Now, Mr. Pardington, Par-dington, ! challenge you to produce even one bitter letter complaining of the Overland trail from any man who has also tried a trip over your route through the Great Salt Lake desert around the south end of Great Salt l.ake. I know that no truthful man will complain of the condition of the Overland trail if he ever has traveled trav-eled over your highway. I have been over both routes and I know you will cancel the Lincoln Highway route around the south end of the lake and that you will adopt the Overland trail, if you will go over both routes, provided pro-vided that your only object is to select se-lect the best route for the automobile traffic I will personally arrange to take you over both routes. Mr Pardington. Pard-ington. if you will accept my invitation. invita-tion. Will you? Did you ever wonder won-der why, during fhe past 60 years, the Overland trail has been the onlv great highway to San Francisco through Utah and Nevada? Don't you think that the only route that could bo found In 60 years for horses to travel over should have been considered consid-ered by you and at least Inspected bv you before locating arbitrarily the Lincoln Lin-coln Highway through the Grt Salt i Lake desert via the south end of Great Salt Lake? "You lay great stress on the lack of financial help given yoor highway bv the people of Ogden. yet your own re ports show that Ogden alone gave you 55 per cent of all the money you received re-ceived In Utah. Why do you demand so much from Ogden and so little from Salt Lake City. Can you blame in if we feel that you are trying to hold us up as a preliminary to switching the Lincoln Highway to the Overland trail? Now, let us see what the evidence is! My paper ba6 never refused to print ajiy statement concerning the two routes west from Ogden and cv-' cv-' ery statement made to us so far has been favorable to the north route anil against the south route. B. J. Wyatt, of the Denver Stock Yards. Denver, Colo., in attempting I the Salt Lake route, in driving after dark one night stepped out of his car to search for the road when be fell into an arroja and lay there unconscious. un-conscious. When he did not return his wife became nervous and started to search for him. She fell into another an-other hole at the side of the road and was so seriously injured that it was necessary to keep her at the hospital for some time thereafter Had it not been for another car following close ly behind, these people probably would have, perished So many are the stories of trouble and distress on this route that it is a positive pity to send people over it who are not acquainted with condl tlons. It is reasonably safe to predict pre-dict that, if onlv a small percentage of the people traveling west this ear go over this highwav , there will be deaths as well as injuries This must be pleasant for the vice president and secretary of the Lincoln Highway association as-sociation to contemplate. You say you selected the route through the great desert because it is shorter. Is that true? You make the route shorter at one place but actually actual-ly make it longer at other points. Look at the facts: From Evanston, Wyo.. the Overland trail via Ogden and around the north end of Great Salt Lake to Reno, New, Is fi77.4 miles and th same journey via the Lincoln Highway is 682 5 miles. This shows jour route to be over five miles longer, and you must climb a number of mountain ranges and pass throuch deserts with no water wa-ter or supply stations See the automobile Blue Book for proof of the above figures. This road authority the Automobile Automo-bile Blue Book after sending a man from New York City to the west to go over these various routes, makes very positive recommendations in favor of the Overland trail which runs north as against the Lincoln Highway running south from Ogden. The gentleman who made the investigation inves-tigation was absolutely unbiased and made it In the interest of the American Amer-ican traveling public. His recommendations recom-mendations are positive and his powerful pow-erful organization is back of his recommendations rec-ommendations which follow: The Auto Blue Book Says: "There has betn a good bit of discussion dis-cussion as to whether the Overland trail or Lincoln Highway was the better bet-ter road across Utah and Nevada for transcontinental touring, and, in the' late fall of 1914. the Blue Book representative repre-sentative covered both routes To the average eastern tourist, Inexpe rienced in desert or mountain travel we advise the use of the northern route, due to the fact that it follows the railroad practically all the way, therefore making it a much more convenient con-venient route in- case of accident to the car, also, there are numerous places In which to get supplies and good accommodations. The Overland trail has been graded across Utah and permanent bridges and culverts have been built. Nevada has continued the good work by grading the road in various places and also by the use of approximately 100 miles of old railroad rail-road grade, therefore making the entire en-tire road from Ogden to Reno, a very fair one. except in some parts of tho country where the soli Is of such a peculiar formation that after a long dry spell it will be rough and cut up by chuck holes. On the other hand, the Lincoln Highway from Salt Lake City to Reno traver.es a sparsely settled district and there are numerous long stretches without water or supplies which may cause trouble to the Inexperienced eastern tourist, although the roadbed, with the exception of the stretch across the Great American desert, is very good and may prove superior in wet weather, owing to the graveJIv formation of the soil. The desert will be absolutely impassable after a rain and tourists are cautioned not to attempt at-tempt that part of the trip without first ascertaining, from an unbiased source, the present road conditions of the desert There are also numerous rather heavy grades between Ely and Reno We strongly advise that a partv with women and children in It use the north route, and, if they are bound ror Los Angeles, we advise the north route to Cobre. then down to Elv and on to Los Angelen; although if "there are two cars or more, or the party is composed of young men who are not averse to being inconvenienced in caae of the remote possibility of an accident to the car, the Lincoln Highway may be used if they will thke th precaution to take a full supply sup-ply of gas, oil and water before leaving leav-ing the place where they may be ob fained." Further, A. L. Westgard, the national na-tional pathfinder, who has traveled a good many thousand miles seeking out roads in the interest of the American Amer-ican touring public, without question' advises taking the Overland trail as! against the Lincoln Highway. He knows the conditions and does not desire de-sire to lead the tourists of this country coun-try astray on the deserts of the Utah- ; Nevada link of the Lincoln Highway. Here is his statement. He wrote the , iollowing letter to H M S wetland, I j president Olass Journal company,! I publishers of Motor Print Motor Age, i Automobile. Automobile Blue Book, New York City. What A. L. Westgard Said, i am in receipt of your Inquiry of February 4. relative to the comparative compara-tive condition of the two routes between be-tween Salt Lake City and Reno that is the south of the lake route from Salt Lake City n Ely and directly I across the state of Nevada to Reno and the route from Salt lake City via Ogden and the north of the lake along the Southern Pacific railroad to Reno. s I understand it, you want this Information In-formation for the sole purpose of being be-ing able to give adlce to Intending tourists as to the relative merits oi these two routes and looking at it in this sense, I am glad to comply with your request as it has always been my policv to furnish such Information, looking at it strictly from the standpoint stand-point of the man in the car. "Though I must confess I have not covered every mile of the so-called north of the lake route in a motor car, I have, however, covered the greater portion of It in an automobile and have paralleled it on the railroad for the entire distance In addition to which I have recent, reliable information informa-tion direct from various people who have covered the entire route in a motor car It is my frank opinion that a tourist who is accompanied by Ms wife and children has practically no choice but to take the north of the lake route Though the distance along this route is quite longer, it is offset by the fact that the tourist is never more than eight or ten milei-from milei-from human habitation where water and food may be obtained in case of accident The surface of the road j has been improved practically through i the entire state of Utah and in the state of Nevada parallels the railroad very closely for the major part of the distance and while it Is by no means good; it is entirely telable "Now as to the south of the lake route, it is undeniable, of course, that; the distance Is shorter. On the other band, the advantage is offset by the! fact that there is more than forty miles in one case between fresh water. wa-ter. Also the topography is much rougher throughout tho route and in I the state of Nevada one continually j crosses summits of ranges and inter-veiling inter-veiling desert valleys, part of which; Is largely composed of sticky clay) which in case of storm, makes them practically impassable. Also one is out of touch with the railroad prac-1 tically the entire distance with the exception of touching a north and south spur at Elv Eureka and Austin. I "The flats at the south of Great1 Salt Lake near Fish Springs and also the flats east of Fallon in the Carson Sink country', may be to a tourist 1 whose car would contain nothing but i male passengers that he would be able to make the trip in reasonable j comfort if the above mentioned flats and valleys were dry at the time of his passage and if he would take the chance of not running out of water Ogden ha" been charged with a good many failings by you. the vice president and secretary oi the Lincoln Lin-coln Highway, and you have ltstened to the whims and protestations of otb- er$ without giving Ogden an opportunity opportu-nity of telling the other side of the story For instance. It might surprise you that 'harks Tyng, consul of the! Lincoln Highway in the state of Utah, made an honest but startling statement state-ment to R A. Woodall, representing! the Automobile Blue Book While Mr Woodall was at Ogden, he asked Mr. Tyng about the desert part of the Uncoln Highway south of the Great Salt Lake. Mr Tyng said, in the presence of witnesses: ' Mr. Woodall, 1 consider it a crime to send any tourist over the Lincoln Highway south of the lake.'1 Mr. Tyng made; this statement after having heard of the distressing road conditions as well as the danger of the route. You say. "The one point where this association has been lacking In support sup-port or co-operation of any kind has been at Ogden " That is decidedly unfair and 11 Is indicated by the facts in the ease. It was Ogden mMi who placed the first Lincoln Highway signs along the road In Utah. A good many dollars were spent for these signs and the Uncoln Highway carefully marked from Evanston Into Ogden. Up to that time there was not a single Lincoln Highway marker mark-er in the state, and since that time, only the link between Salt Lake City and Ogden has been marked. Besides, you state that $90 in money is ail that has ben paid into tb Lin coln Highway fund by the people of Utah, and that $5' of the $0u came from an Ogden business man; 55 per cent, therefore, of the entire sum col-lecled col-lecled in Utah came from Ogden with B population only one-third the size of Salt Lake. Aside from this another $50 was paid by an Ogden citizen for banners, etc., which is more than wan credited to an other district in the state. Yet ou claim there was 1 lack of co-operation at Ogd'-n Ogden road men were instrumental in urging the improvement of the highway between Evanston and Ogden Og-den in the four counties through which it traverses. The glories ot the famous Weber canvon were widely wide-ly advertised as a link in the Lincoln Highway Ogden's policy has always been to support the be3t road for the route traffic which is the road through Wyo ming, down Echo canyon and through Weber canyon, which was designated as the Lincoln Highway. On the other hand. Salt Lake has been urging urg-ing the use of the Pikes Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, the Midland Trail and other routes as against the Lincoln Lin-coln Highway The) hae given ah aolutely no support with the exception excep-tion of attacks on Ogden through newspaper?. They have laughed at the idea of ever building a road as designated over the mud flats on the south route the Lincoln Highway. They hae gone before the legislature and asked for money for the building of a competitive route by way of Wen dover, connecting in Nevada with the 0erland Trail, realizing that the completion com-pletion of the Lincoln Highway over the mud flats is impracticable Salt Lake garage men and leading citizens who are familiar with road condition advise their friends not to follow the Lincoln Highway, but the Overland Trail north of the lake. Yet Ogden is charged with not giving support Seventy-five per cent of all the sup port given tho Lincoln Highwa in the state of Utah came from Ogden citizens. But we repeat, Mr Parding ton "there are none so blind as those who will not sco." I believe it Is a fact that more " of good road have been built throiiB" 1 the agitation of Ogden citizons, n ui? mountain states, than by the Lincoln Highway association itself. It seems odd that a man like n vice president and secretary ot tn-Lincoln tn-Lincoln Highway, who confesses 'tw he has not been In tho great west tor fifteen years and thonn the rallroau cars, should set himself up as a roaJ guide when the greatest American road authorities, such as the utom0' bile Blue Book. Motor Age. Motor I Print Vutomobile. A. L. Westgard, J. G, Monlhan and scores of other prominent promi-nent touring men who know western conditions and give an unbiased report, re-port, advise the traveling of the Over- I land Trail betw een Ogden and Reno, Nev as against the mud flats of Ute Lincoln Highway, in its present condition con-dition around the south end of the I Great Salt Lake. It is not local pride j with these men; it Is a case or siv.ns honest and authentic information to the American touring public. I ran not understand how a man o( our intelligence can pick up any ordinary map of our country and see thai vast stretch of country south and west ot Great Salt Lake labeled "GREAT SALT LAKE DESERT," and then deliberately locate the Lincoln Highway through it without even Inspecting In-specting it, and then defend It as a possible automobile route, and in the face of the further fact that for 60 years the Overland Trail north of said lake has been the only safe road to travel Think of it! Over your route the south route you go through a desert without a village or even a house over a long, very long, distance and no fresh water, and in case of accident no placo of succor Take the north route and you not only have good roads but you pass through the garden gar-den spots of Utah, with a village or stopping place, and good water every few miles On the south route, there is no village between Grantsville. tab, and near Ely. Nevada. On the north route you pass through North Ogden. Wiilard Brigham City, Torinne, Bear River City, Trenionton. Garland Snowvllle. Kelton and other lllages and one need ever lose sight of the Central Pacific railway I think. Mr Pardington, I have completely com-pletely answered your lettet, except th- concluding paragraph In which you sa.v that you have no idea your letter will be published but that you do desire to have the RECORD MADE CLEAR. For that reason we publish your letter in the Daily Standard Stand-ard Will you be as generous and publish this letter so that the REC ORD MAY BE MADE CLEARER" Let me repeat. I extend to you a most cordial invitation to go over both routes Will you come? Very truly yours, (Signed! WILLIAM GLASMANN. Editor |