Mr. SORRELS. In Fort Worth--because I knew we would be able to pick the
President up at the Texas Hotel in Fort Worth, and by motor get him to
the Trade Mart in a shorter time than it would take him to go from the
Texas Hotel to the Air Force Base, and go by plane to Love Field, and
from Love Field go to the Trade Mart.
But that was ruled out because the previous plans were that he was to
come by plane. And, of course, it would not have been practical to
have brought him by motor from Fort Worth if there was going to be a
downtown parade, because it would have meant coming in from the west
side of the city, and we would have to go right back to the west side
of the city to get to the Trade Mart, which would have meant a complete
loop through the downtown section.
So when it was determined that there was going to be a downtown parade,
Mr. Lawson, of course, wanted to know which would be the best route to
take him to the Trade Mart from Love Field.
So Mr. Lawson and I drove what I thought would be the best route and
the most direct route to the Trade Mart, bearing in mind that there
would be a parade through the downtown section.
So we drove that route. And then later on we had the police go with us,
and we went over the same route.
There were some discussions as to one section, whether it would be
better to get onto what we have known as the Central Expressway there,
and come off of it into Main Street. But that was ruled out because of
safety measures, going into the expressway, and it would only be for
such a short distance.
Another thing, too, they wanted as many people as possible to see
him, that would not have any opportunity to see him on the Central
Expressway.
So the route that we chose was from Love Field approach to Mockingbird
Lane, left on Mockingbird Lane to Lemmon, down Lemmon to Turtle, right
on Turtle Creek to Cedar Springs, left on Cedar Springs to Harwood,
right from Harwood on Main Street, continue down Main Street to Houston
Street, and then make a right-hand turn to Elm Street and then under
the underpass to Stemmons Expressway, which was the most direct route
from there and the most rapid route to the Trade Mart.
Mr. STERN. Excuse me--you said right-hand turn to Elm. I think you mean
left.
Mr. SORRELS. A right-hand turn on Houston--I am sorry--and a left-hand
turn on Elm.
Now, Elm is one way going west in the direction which we would have
gone, but that street is not the street that they use for parades.
Main Street is right through the heart of the city. It is the best
choice for parades. It gives an opportunity for more people--tall
buildings on the side of the street--and it is almost invariably--every
parade that is had is on Main Street. The one in 1936, when President
Roosevelt was there, was the same route in reverse, so to speak.
We came up on Houston Street from Union Station, turned right on Main
Street, right on Main Street, through the very heart of the town.
Mr. STERN. And went right past the School Book Depository then on
Houston Street?
Mr. SORRELS. Just within 1 block of it, because we were coming, in that
instance, from the Union Station, which is south of the Depository,
to Main Street, right on Main Street, which is just 1 block from the
Depository.
Mr. STERN. I take it, then, that once you were told there was to be a
motorcade, and approximately 45 minutes was allotted to the motorcade,
this route pretty well mapped itself, apart from the question whether
to use the expressway or Harwood Street to get on to Main Street, is
that right?
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, sir; that is right.
Mr. STERN. Why didn't you route the motorcade on Main Street under the
triple overpass and on to Stemmons Freeway that way, instead of going
to Houston and Elm?
Mr. SORRELS. Well, because you cannot get to the entrance to Stemmons
Expressway on Main Street. The traffic is not routed that way. It is
impractical.
On the other side of the first underpass there is a section built up to
prevent cars from cutting in from Main Street to get over to Elm Street
there. And if a person would go from--try to go from Main Street over
to Stemmons Expressway, they would have to either hurdle this built-up
place there, island, you might call it, or an extension of an island----
Mr. STERN. Do you know what this built-up place is constructed of?
Mr. SORRELS. It is, I am sure, asphalt, or concrete--probably concrete.
You would have to go down on Main Street, pass where you would
ordinarily turn off, and then come back against traffic, which would
be one way that way, and make a hairpin turn, and come back and get on
there. It just is not done.
Mr. STERN. Could that reverse-S turn which you have described have been
done conveniently with a car the size of the Presidential limousine?
Mr. SORRELS. No, it would not be convenient with an ordinary car,
because it would be a very sharp hairpin turn, and the place that is
built there is there specifically to prevent anyone from getting over
on the wrong way there.
Mr. STERN. When you laid out the motorcade route and drove over it--and
I take it you drove over it several times--
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, sir.
Mr. STERN. Did you consider or discuss with Mr. Lawson the possibility
of any danger to the President from the buildings along the route?