El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-21
SULLIVAN REPORT
FAVORABLE To
NEW ROAD
Recommends That Territory
Meet Subscription Raised
by People Opposes
Convicts.

Las Cruces, y. NJ, Dec. 21.-The re-
port Of territorial engineer, Vernon L.
Sullivan, on the Dona Ana road, has
not yet been made public by the terri
torial good roads commission, but
copy of it has been received here and
the following is the text of it, the
first public announcement which has
been made:
"At Las Cruces it is desired by the
citizens to continue a good road from
the end of the road constructed by the
county of FL Paso to Anthony, this road
being a portion of the Great Scenic
highway now being constructed from
Ell Paso. Texas, to Cheyenne, Wyom-
ing.
''For some reasons the citizens OF
Las Cruces were DESTROYS of obtaining
the use of convicts for assistance in
the construction of this particular road.
but after going over the proposed road
would not feel justified in recon-
mending the use of convicts The work
is not suitable for them, as it is large
~ work that will be done by teams,
wagons, graders, sprinklers, etc. There
is, however, a little grubbing that will
be required to be done by hand labor
which the citizens thought the con-
victs could be used upon. This how
ever, is not suitable for convict labor,
as it is spread out over large area
and no large amount of work neces-
sary at any one place. Consequently it
would be expensive TO guard the men.
Again, it is located right along the
. rightofway of the Santa Fee railroad
and within an hours ride of the Mexi-
can border; thus it would be very un-
wise for the commission to place con-
Wet camp there.
Very seldom will you find a place
h. e -.
great and the natural conditions for
building so favorable as this. as there
is plenty Of clay (adobe) lying all
along the road, and water can be had
at not exceeding eight feet in depth,
while plenty of gravel can be OBJ
tanned from the washes of the foot
hills only short distance away.
How TO Build the Road.
After grubbing the rightofway the
road should be graded and rolled, the
sandy stretches should have sand-clay
foundation made and then the whole
surface of the road for its entire length
should be covered with a gravel-clay
(adobe) wearing surface of at least
nine feet wide. In making this sand
clay (adobe) foundation an excess
amount of binder or clap (adobe)
shauld be used. but in the binder for
the wearing surface only a sufficient
amount necessary to fill the voids
should be used. In the construction OF
this macadamized portion sufficient
water must be used, the binder and
wearing particles properly mixed in
layers and then rolled the same in
structions to apply to the sand-clay
foundation.
The city of Las Cruces has built a
fine road (this is mistake. as this
road was built by private subscriptions
from the property owners along the
road, called the Alameda road, a dis
lance Of $500 feet, at a total cost of
$4,000. 1 consider this road to be an
exceptionally good road. However 1t
would be added to greatly by the use
OF a small amount of oil sprinkled over
the surface 70 prevent the wear of
the road from blowing away. The citi-
zens are very anxious for this road
(from Dona Ana to Anthony and vol
unteered to organize and place tax
on the property along the road. if the
territory would aid them in the appro-
priation of money and supervision of
the work. I would recommend that
the territory meet the appropriation
Strongly. urge that the territory un-
dertake the construction of this road
and set aside certain amount for said
purpose on conditions as above.
would also suggest TO the cooperative
organization that they place a heavier
tax on the property next TO the road.
say, 81 per acre. and running out to
% cents per acre on lands far away
In this way 1 believe that % percent
of the voluntary tax would be COL
lected.
I'VE are also fortunate in a road
roller and grader. as the town and
county already have them
yours very truly,
Vernon L. Sullivan,
Territorial Engineer"