Arizona republican., 1909-04-13
4 MESA'S MAN VIEWS OF THE
 BRIDGE CON TROVERSY

Mesa is in a position to give a
 disinterested decision on the bridge proposition. Having direct railroad
 access to the Capitol City and the
 railroad service as good as could be asked, with a loop around the city of
 Mesa making it accessible from all quarters and the time of travel so short that it would seem that there would be no inclination to reach Phoenix by any other route To be compelled to go by the way of Grays crossing it would be safe to say that 999 out of a thousand would go by rail instead, and think no more about it.
 The bridge at the Gray's crossing would be decidedly to Mesa's advan- tage. The travel from the section of country east of Mesa would stop at Mesa rather than go to Phoenix by either an indirect route or fording the river. Supplies would in most cases be bought in Mesa or shipped up. by rail while their teams rested for the return trip. A man who is hot and tired and dusty would be easily persuaded that this would be the wise thing to do. A glance at map of the road would convince him that the route by the Grays crossing offers by no means direct route, and he would have no inclination to go to Phoenix by circuitous travelling when he could reach Phoenix, If nee cssary. by rail in less time and be the sooner ready to return home with a rested team.
 Taking this view of it, Mesa would be in favor of the Grays crossing bridge. The name Center Street" is rather a mis-nomeri as Center street at Phoenix runs from north to south, while the idea of a Center street in this section would be a street running almost due west from Mesa to the capitol building and all on high and dry land.
 The advocates of the lower bridge lay some stress on the plan of hay ing the roadway leading up to the bridge somewhat lower than the bridge, so that in case of very high water the roadway instead of the bridge would wash out. In this event (which would happen sooner or lat er), what would be the countys great loss would be Mesa's great gain. AG few of us remember the high water of '91, when about half of Phoenix had to climb to the second story now, that the abutments to the bridge were built as high as they should be, then where would the water go.
 The writer wishes to state here, that in the fall of '91 he had occa- sion to do considerable riding along the river below Phoenix, and was at the formation of the land. There were deposits from high water in times past that the rise in '91 did not cover by fifteen or twenty feet.
 Mesa can look with equanimity on the effort that is being made to ha- gard the future of Phoenix, but no selfish interest could induce her peo- pie to aid in that effort.
 In all probability we are borrowing l great deal of worry and vexation. It is an accepted fact that the people will not stand for two bridges at this time. and it is very uncertain about their voting an additional tax for l even one bridge. Taxes are already | oo high, and the reservoir the Gran | te Reef dam and the canals are yet | Q be paid for. ..l
 The misfortune seems to be that | tome few have an idea that there | 8 no limit to a peoples indurance | Will the people consent to double the of all the officials, employ a | awyer at s2,O00 per year to involve hem in law suits, to build a s20,000 | 'ffice, pay their state and county tax, 'ay the reclamation expense and | 'uild bridges at the rate of s100.000I 'er all in one breath? Not much.
 We are going too fast. We are get ing ahead of the hounds in the fox hase. With all our handsome riding re must not forget that it is the ounds that are doing the trailing.
 As the bill was first passed by the ,gislature we would have had the ridge and road all on high ground, nd a safe road and a really Center rect" sixteen miles long, with its olley lines. and factories and homes s full length But 'jockeying for