Arizona republican., 1909-05-29
Note Taker

year crossed the river at Ehrenberg, ! and came to this city by way of Sa- lome. The route. which has been tray eled by the Pathfinder, leads through
 the Imperial valley to Yuma, and then ! into this city by way of Dome, Deep | Well, Middle Wells. Palomas, Agua
 Caliente and Arlington. Mir. Bigelow
 made the trip in the Pathfinder car last year and says that, in his estima-
 tion, the new route will be superior to 1 the one traversed last year By the Ehrenberg route considerable difficulty
 was experienced in crossing the | Chuckawalla range and the Chucka-
 walla Wash, and this bad stretch of road, which runs for about sixty miles | across the desert, could be eliminated | by the adoption of the route through | Yuma. Last year, also. considerable | delay was experienced by some of the cars in getting ferried across the Colo rado. At Yuma, arrangements have been made by which this delay could be obviated, and the cars could be fer ried across the river immediately upon their arrival.
 The people of Yuma and the I'm perial valley are anxious to have the race pass through their territory and are making a strong bid for the path of the contestants. At present there is a good road from Los Angeles to the Imperial country. Under the Cali fornia state highway law, a road is to be built from Fl Central to Jacum ba, a distance of over forty miles. This road was commenced last year. and will be completed in time for the race. The people of the new county of I'm
 perial, which was organized less than a year ago. are particularly desirous of securing good highways through their county, and in case the race comes their way, will insure the com pletion of the road and will guarantee that the highway will be in good shape. The people of Yuma are will ing to meet the Californians more than halfway, and will guarantee to see that the road, which is bad for about fifteen or twenty miles, between Yuma and Calexico, is covered with straw or is in some way made suitable for the passage of the high-speed cars.
 There is possibility that a road may be found on the Arizona side from Deep Wells to the east which will intersect the present Salome road, and will allow the passage of the cars by that route. Between the two places there is a stretch of fifty miles of malapai mesa, on which there are but two bridges encountered, and which will merely demand the making of wagon trail to furnish a smooth, hard highway. However, this road may not be developed by next fall. but before another year passes, it will probably be opened up and will make a high way which will be almost as short as the Ehrenberg route, and which not only will furnish the best route to Los Angeles from Phoenix. but which will make almost an airline road between this city and San Diego. This year, however it may be necessary to come in by way of Palomas.
 In case a road can be secured which can be traversed with comparative ease, and which will not offer obsta- cles that are likely to ruin a high priced car, the number of entries will probably be increased from four to
 
 in Los Angeles are much interested in the race. and also in the opening up of Arizona as a field for automobile tourists from the coast. and, provided that a good road can be secured and that sufficient inducements be offered by the fair commissioners. a number of cars of the best makes will take part in the contest, and will be in this city for the track racing this fall. In the opinion of Mir. Bigelow, the Phoenix track is the fastest in the west, and the time made here should be record breaking. In case the difficulties of securing proper road can be met there will probably be cars of the Lozier, Fiat and Apperson makes in l the races at the fair, besides the Franklins and the Steamers. which | were represented last year.
 The question of the securing of high | ways is important, aside from the | holding of races, and the gentlemen | who came in the Pathfinder regard the | races as incidental to the building of | good roads. Nothing has aroused more | interest in the improvement of roads | than the development of the automo- bile, and nothing has done more to de- velop the automobile than the interest which has been aroused in the races for which good roads are absolutely necessary There are many people in Los Angeles, according to Mir Bigelow, who would make the tour to this sec ton and to the Roosevelt dam if it were not for the poor roads and the long desert stretches upon which no