The Arizona sentinel., 1911-09-21
Yuma Indians Are
Good Road Builders
(From Mondays Examiner


the road building operations across
the river at Fort Yuma.
Yesterday afternoon the Examiner
in company with Miss Anna c. Egan,
superintendent of the Fort Yuma In
dian school, Agency Clerk Carter, ana
Judge Willis, of the Sun, went over
the road.
At the outset it was learned there
were 70 teams working, the property
of the Yuma Indians, and 14O Indians
driving teams, shoveling and cutune
and laying brush for a foundatlon ioi
the roadway, and the Examiner touno
+hor, oil busv at work as the party
drove over the road
II NAV be stated here that MISS Es-
ans Indians have some capital IDEAS
about road building and some that are
worthy of emulation by the Wnioe
ranchers.
Without the aid of graders or scrap
orc these Indians have demonstrated
that they can build level and splenolo-
ly graded roads.
About a mile of fine road has now
baen built from the Colorado Ferry
across the reservation and sklrung
the Fort Yuma hill.
The top coating of the ROAD is ol
blue dirt. or decomposed granite SIM
liar to that used on Main street III
Yuma.
If is safe to say that when the In
dams have finished their roadway, IL
will be much to their credit as one OF
the hest stretches of road in the south
west.
Although the Indians are giving
their time and labor for public nlgh-
way without pay, Miss Egan has do
mated literally of provisions and peer
and E. F. Sanguinetti, of Yuma gave
two tons of hay and Billy Koran gave
p bales of hay yesterday to feed the
Indian horses.
After viewing the road work MISS
Fgan took the party out of the reser-
walton and about half way to Bard OF
about four miles from Yuma and the
trim was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
The amount of farming now Delng
done there and the green, refreshing
annearance of the country Travelled
over was a revelation to the Examiner
man. Of the ranches passed and more
than passingly worthy of mention are
those of A. NJ. Wilson, w. G. Gordan S
T N. Snyder, R. w. Graham, F. M.
Liyermore and the Haughtelin place.
Great credit is due the reclamation
service for the splendid bitches well
filled with water from Laguna DAM
and the well constructed, modern, &C.
ment bridges and laterals.
The total absence of wooden heao
gates was a treat for the eyes to be-
hold and every bit of the work sug-
gests permanence.
There are several roads and thanks
to the efficient driving of Mr. Carter,
the party was driven over the best,
and there was very little dust, al
though as the party Travelled, CLOUDS
of dust following travellers on distant
roads indicated that such thing as
dust was not unknown in the San Pas
cual valley. Beautiful green fields here
and there bore evidence of the indus
trious character of the ranchers and
the way, many of these have been less
than a year on their places, and none
of them much over year and the
growth of trees surrounding taese
cleared places, suggested Missouri
rather than the great southwest.
The party on the return trip were
greeted by number of Bard ranchers
on their way home from Yuma, and
among these were Mrs. HaughteGn
and son, and the Graham brothers.
AS the party drew near to Yuma
the new court house and other build
ings presented quite a metropolitan
appearance and to a total stranger
would have suggested a city of ter
thousand people on the Arizona side
and indeed everyone now believes
a city of that size will spring up II
a few years after the completion o.
the siphon.
At $3.50 the party pulled up at the
foot of the Southern Pacific bridge
and the Examiner thanked Miss Egar
and Mr.. Carter for the many courte
sizes extended and hurried across the
bridge to Yuma much impressed witt
the trip, and especially with the new