Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-06-06
THE SCENIC
ROUTE ROAD
Work to Commence Next
Week From the Las
Vegas End.
FOUR MILES ARE SURVEYED
President Pierce of the Peniten-
tiary Commission to Have
Charge Of Construction
and Convicts.

Work on the Scenic Route Road"
Miguel county having fully complied
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 a preim-
mary survey made, is trailing along,
asleey or dozing, while the pententiary
authorities are ready to begin at this
end and push the work. Preparations
have been completed at the peniten-
tiary and on Monday 20 convicts with
an adequate number of guards, will be
sent to Las Vegas and actual construc-
ton will be begun as soon as they ar
rive there and arrangements are COM
pleted for their security.
There are a number of buildings now
vacant along the surveyed line of the
road, which can be used for bunk
houses and a camp for the convicts,
and these will be used. President f.
Fl. Pierce of the board of manager of
the penitentiary who lives in Las We
gas, will be acting warden Of the
branch, as it We're, and will have gen.
eral supervision of the men and the
work.
The permanent survey approved by
Superintendent Bursum of the peni-
tertiary, has a maximum grade of 5
per cent Either of the present roads
from Las Vegas to Las Vegas Hot
Springs can be used for that dis
tance and both are in good condition.
The surveyed road follows the wind
ings of the canons, beginning at Hot
Springs and enters the Park just west
of the Nontezuma hotel. At the be-
ginning, the road has a per cent
grade for a short distance which then
Id.ops to 2 per cent grade. From the
| first ice dam to Commissary canon
| he grade Is 4 per cent ana rrofn thu.
point to Iron Spring canon, the grade
| is per cent. The road passes within
short distance of the spring. per
cent grade is again encountered from
the sprin;s to Canon Nina. Through
this canon the maximum grade OF
per cent is met with for the first time
After crossing the stream at the wes'
end of the Canon Nina, for the first
time the road changes from an almos,
direct line east and west, and turns
due south for a short distance. The
grade then becomes per cent ano
Just after turning to the west again
the highest point is reached. This is
400 feet above the level Of the river
and is 1900 feet above sea level. The
grade again becomes per cent bu'
as the road continues west, Is reduced
to 4 and then 35 per cent. The per-
manent survey ends one mile east Of
Trout Springs.
The total length Of the road perma
nently surveyed is four miles and a!
Las Vegas Hot Springs is six mile:
from Las Vegas, ten miles of the roae
will be provided for when this Is COM
pleted. The road does not follow the
Gallinas river but is north of it. -Four
bridges will have to be constructed II
the four miles surveyed, but they are
not large structures.
| Had Santa Fe county bestirred itsel1
and had a permanent survey beer
made, work would now have been II
progress on the road from this end al
SO. Superintendent Bursum has re-
ceived nothing from this county except
the preliminary survey and, of course
that furnishes no basis on which NJ
can work. He is prepared to ac
promptly in the matter, something tina
Santa Fe county does not seem to p'
prepared to do.