Arizona republican., 1904-04-07
PHOENIX, ARIZONA. APRIL [ 1904
Why Vote for she Tonto Basin Road ?

An anonymous circular has been us tributed over the city calling upon the +axnayers to vote against the bonos for the proposed wagon road from the valley to the reservoir. It is reason- ably certain that the bond proposition will carry by a large majority and II ia not practically necessary that the circular should have any answer.
 However. as the document was pre- sumably produced in good faith' oy good citizens, it may be worth while 10 notice briefly some of its most mis- leading features.
 The question is asked repeatedly in varying forms, Why vote for tnis roaaq" and it is urged that 1t will be an expensive luxury with no compeh- sating features. Especial stress IS laid upon the allegation that 1t VIII ih- crease the cost of the dam to the ex- tent of the cost of the road. and that any freight hauled over it will cost considerably more than if hauled oy way of Globe. It is urged that the government already has constructed road from Globe to the dam. which the valley will have to pay for, and that all the freight twill go that way. Then. very inconsistently. it is pointed ont that Mesa will receive great bene- fits from the road, and it is implied that Phoenix should do nothing to build up Mesa and Tempe.
 The circular goes into figures. and attempts to show that it will cost twenty cents per hundred additional to haul fuel oil from Mesa instead of via Globe.
 Every statement made is fallacious.
 Admitting that the wagon haul from Globe will be cheaper by twenty cents than the haul from Mesa, it must be remembered that the railway freight rates to Globe are much higher. The tariffs now in force show that fuel oil. upon which the circular lays particu- lar emphasis. is shipped to Mesa at a rate 11% cents below the Globe tariff. This in itself almost evens up the diff ference in wagon haul. And 1t will not be forgotten that there are com peting railroads to Mesa, and there is every reason to expect that on large quantities of oil, ot other freight, both lines will fix their tariffs at a. consider ably lower level.
 It Is not unreasonable, indeed, to expect that in the end it will be found much cheaper to ship from Mesa, not withstanding the longer wagon haul.
 But if the railroads shall merely place Mesa and her wagon road on a parity with Globe and her wagon road, the cost of the dam will not be in- creased by a hve-cent piece, when other facts are considered.
 
 As the government officials have already shown in The Republican. if labor can be employed here instead of Globe, the cost of the dam will be ma terially decreased. Not only that, but the reservoir will be completed much sooner. if large center like Phoenix can be the employment base.
 Can anybody doubt that the reservoir would be worth a million dollars to the valley this season alone, if we had it in operation? The saving of a few months time in construction will many times offset the cost of the wagon road.
 The wagon road from Globe to the dam is a necessity in any event for the reservoir will submerge the pres ent road which leads across the reser- voir site to Payson, and another high way had to be provided for the public
 The argument that the road will benefit Mesa and Tempe is so narraw and selfish that it requires no further notice.
 The circular goes into italics over an admission made by MT. Fowler in Washington that the road is not "vitally" necessary. Of course it is not vitally necessary. for the dam can be constructed. even at increased cost. by drawing laborers and supplies from Globe.
 Finally-and this fact alone would settle the matter so far as the business