Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-06-08
THE SCENIC ROUTE.
BAND OF coNvIcTs HERE TO BE-
GIN THE IMPORTANT
WORK.
Course of the Picturesque Highway
r. X. Pierce Warden Of the Branch
Penitentiary.--san Msuel's Prompt
Action.


Twenty convicts from the territor-
lal penitentiary, accompanied by their
guards. arrived from the capital this
afternoon, to begin actual construction
on the Scenic Route President r H.
Pierce, of the hoard of managers Of
the penilcnriary has had new honors
thrust upon him. He will officiate
as warden OF the branch of the ter
ritorial bastile to be established in San
Miguel county. Work on the road will
begin tomorrow under the direction OF
Engineer Rice.
The New Mexican jumps on Santa
Fe county for not being in readiness
for beginning the work and COM
mends San Miguel county as follows:l
San Miguel county having fully com
piled with all conditions of the law,
the work will be inaugurated at the
Las Vegas end, and Santa Fe county.
not having done more than have pre-
liminary survey made, is trailing
along, asleep or doing, while the
penitentiary authorities are ready to
begin at this end and push the work.
Had Santa Fe county bestirred It.
self and had permanent survey been
made. work would now have been in
progress on the road from this end
ALSO Superintendent Bursum has re-
ceived nothing from this county ex-
cept the preliminary survey and OF
course, that furnishes no basis on
which he can work. He Is prepared
to act promptly in the matter, some
thing that Santa Fe county does not
seems to be prepared to do
The Optic understands the work is
to be pushed rapidly to completion.
The permanent survey approved by
Superintendent Bursum OF the peni-
tentiary, has maximum grade OF
per cent. Either Of the present roads
| from Las Vegas. 70 Las Vegas, Hot
and both are In good condition. Tho
surveyed road follows the windings Of
the canyons. beginning at Hot Springs
and leaves the present road Just west
Of the Montezuma hotel. Beginning,
the road has a per cent grade for a
short distance which then drops to a
2 per cent grade. From the first ice
dam to C0mmissary canyon tho grade
Is per cent and from that point to
Iron Spring canyon the grade is per
Icent. The road passes within short
distance Of the spring. A 4 per cent
grade is again encountered from tho
spring to Canyon Nina. Through this
canyon the maximum grade OF per
cent Ia met with for the first time.
After crossing the stream at the west
end Of the Canyon Nina, for the first
time the road changes from an almost
direct line east and west, and t,irns
Inc south for short distance. The
gfAde then becomes per cent and
)uS after turning to the west a gniu
the sighest point Is reached. TIL is II
400 fest above asa level OF the riyel
and is 1900 feet above ST. ,evel Tn,
grade again becomes per ce,. !. ~,
: as the roal continues west, is re ducs
to 4 and then s.5 per cent. Tn %
manent survey ends one mile ast
y Trout Springs.
! The total length Of the roe d p'
smanently surveyed is four mil es- q
) as Las Vegas Hot Springs is 81 ( mi
D from Las Vegas. ten miles Of { he rc
J. will be provided for when this is @
= pleted. The road does not fol low
Q Gallinas river but is north Of II. F.
II bridges will have To be constr acted
9 the four miles surveyed but .uey
y not large structures.