Arizona republican., 1909-04-15

WltDOut duulnS three HllieS tO tiit uiS-
 tance to Florence, Tucson or other
 points east. In making a trip to
 Roosevelt it adds two miles to round trip. We don't believe that the tax
 payers of Maricopa county would do
 so great an injustice to the towns of
 Mesa and Tempe as to cut them off
 the map by passing a territorial road
 outside of the towns. and this is what Center street bridge means.
 If any one thinks what I have said
 is all imagination, dream. or some
 thing not to be feared. let them inves- tigate and talk with people who are ! interested in the territorial highway. | Therefore, l ask the voters of Mari copa county to examine into what l
 have said. and if have made any mis- statements. or have said anything un- | true I wish to be corrected.
 My statement in regard to the terri | torial commissioner of highways and
 county superintendents of roads work ing in conjunction is only repetition ! of what the board of supervisors and l the reclamation service did in regard to the road between Mesa and Gold field As I understand it, Maricopa county spent s1.50000 in the grading 1 of the road and putting it in shape | for travel, and the reclamation service l agreed to keep it in repair and did take it over and is now carrying out | it's part of the contract.
 will not say anything about the difference in the distance or the diff ference in the cost of construction of the two bridges. That is an engineers
 proposition. But there has been some
 thing said by some one about what
 may be termed the scenic side of the
 proposition. It has been held up to
 the public that a road from the so-
 called foot of Center street is lined
 running east is lined with beautiful
 shade trees. palms. etc. and the road from Tempe to the cross -cut canal is practically a desert road and very dis tasteful to those who have an eye for the artistic.
 A few days ago I was talking with
 L. C. Hill the engineet in charge of the reclamation project in this part of the country, he said to me: We of the reclamation service are taking no part in the bridge controversy. l would like to see a bridge at both places. I am very anxious that a bridge be built at both places and am waiting now until it can be deter mined whether a bridge will be built at Tempe before I complete all my plans for the building of the cross-cut canal and power canal on the north side of the river near Tempe. It de- bends on whether the Tempe bridge is -f,.l. 1.,-;I rnfa ra1a across the power canal We expect to establish the power plant east of the north approach to the proposed Tempe bridge and we expect to tunnel through that part extending out into the river at the Grand canal waste gate. If the bridge is built, l would like to make arrangements with the supervisors to carry the Tempe road along the south bank of this canal"
 As I understood from MT. Hill. the road will follow the south bank from the north end of the bridge to prac- tically what is known as the Half Way house. Now in comparing a road running south of Mesa City through the farming country to the south end of the so-called foot of Center street bridge, with a road crossing the bridge at Tempe, there will be, as I see it, this difference: Over the Cen ter street bridge road there is a con tinuation of farms and farm houses, practically sameness throughout the whole length of the road. On the other route. tourists coming in from Tucson pass through one of the finest citrus and deciduous fruit belts in Arizona. entering on the main streets of Mesa, passing over a mile of Mesa City's beautiful streets. then en- tering again we'll farmed and well improved country until they arrive at the town of Tempe, passing along the main streets of Tempe, over well kept streets. and arriving at the bridge. Crossing the bridge. the first thing a tourist would observe would be the water from an immense canal coming out through a great tunnel, as MT.
 Hill informed me the other day they intended to tunnel through at that point. The tourist would follow along down the bank of large and beautiful canal, which in time would be lined on either bank with choice trees. There is no one who doubts for a moment but that if Mir. Hill Is intending to build a road on the bank of this canal,
 it will be one of the most beautiful
 as well as the best road in the valley, for Mir. Hill has a reputation for build | ing roads and building them well. | Every one knows that MT. Hill planned | and supervised the construction of the
 Roosevelt road. remember we'll when they began to talk about building a road over Fish Creek hill. 1 expressed
 the opinion that a wagon road could
 not be built over Fish Creek hill, as
 1t was impossible to build a trail. and
 a wagon road could not be built where
 they could not build a trail. But he
 built the road, and it will stand for
 all time as a feat of MT. Hills en-
 gineering skill.
 Continuing along down the bank of this canal to the Half Way house. we follow Van Buren street; that is, I think some of the citizens of Phoenix would designate it as such, as it is an extension of Van Buren street. but we call it the Tempe and Phoenix road The people living along that street have their local pride. and I think would change it into beautiful boule- yard in the near future.
 The most direct route from Tucson to Phoenix is by way of passing