Governor Hiram Johnson of California and P. J. Walker, president of the California State Automobile Association, have accepted invitations to address the Pacific Highway Convention, which will be held in San Francisco August 5th, 6th and 7th in the Convention Hall of the St. Francis Hotel. This, in addition to Samuel Hill and the Pacific Highway pathfinders, P. E. Sands and Chester Lawrence, will make up a very interesting program.
The most prominent other speaker to appear will be the Hon. Thos. Taylor, Minister of Public Works of British Columbia, who has not definitely decided that it will be possible for him to be present. However, his plans now contemplate that he will be on hand to tell what his province is doing for the good roads cause of the Pacific Coast. If Mr. Taylor is not present, he will be represented by one of his deputies.
All indications point out that this year’s Pacific Highway Convention will be the most notable gathering of its kind ever held on the western coast of North America. Delegates from many parts of the Pacific Coast that are not now on the Pacific Highway route will be on hand to take part in the deliberations. Already prominent citizens of Humboldt County, California, have accepted invitations to attend the convention.
Judge J. T. Ronald, president of the Pacific Highway Association, has just returned from a trip to Los Angeles and has received a great deal of encouragement from the good roads enthusiasts in Oregon and California. At all points was President Ronald assured that he had the hearty co-operation of the public-spirited citizens for the Pacific Highway project. This is very gratifying to him because of the fact that he has done so much pioneer work on this international highway project.
Almost daily letters of commendation are coming into association headquarters from motorists who are touring up and down the coast, praising the sign work that this organization has done.
The Vancouver Auto Club of Vancouver, B. C., has formally asked the Pacific Highway Association to hold their fourth Annual Convention for 1913 in the metropolis of Western Canada. This action was recently authorized at a meeting of the British Columbia motorists and the likelihood is that the Vancouverites will have the support of both Seattle and Portland in their claim for the next annual gathering of good roads enthusiasts, who are boosters for this International Highway project.
British Columbia has furnished some of the most active members of this association and so far has not had an annual convention in their territory. Their claims have considerable merit and probably in view of these facts no other city will ask for next year’s convention.
The Vancouver Auto Club has been continually affiliated with the Pacific Highway Association, and the Vancouver Island Development League, representing the principal city on the Island, has rendered more effective assistance to the Pacific Highway Association than any other allied organization.
While no formal action has been taken by the Vancouver Island members it is safe to presume that they will support the city of Vancouver for this honor. The dates that have usually been observed for the Pacific Highway Convention, namely, about the first of August, is an ideal time to tour the Northwest through Oregon, Washington and into British Columbia, as road conditions are the most favorable at that time of the year and the entire northern country is at its best.
To stimulate interest in the coming San Francisco Convention, the Pacific Highway Association has just issued a very practical map and table of distances from Vancouver, B. C. and San Diego, California, to San Francisco, California. These folders are being distributed gratuitously to all persons, whether or no they are members, who are interested in touring the Pacific Coast territory.