Arizona republican., 1911-03-18
AuTO|sTs BANQUET
OFFICIAL OF A. A. A.
PROSPECTS FOR GOOD ROADS
NEVER BRIGHTER
So Says A. G. Batchelder, Who Thinks
Arizona Will be on Transconti-
mental Highway

G. Batchelder chairman of the Am
erican Automobile Association execu
tive committee spoke of the Los an
geles- Phoenix road race and the prob
ability that a transcontinental high
way will be constructed to pas.
through this territory.
Mr.. Batchelder was guest of honol
at the dinner. Other persons who
spoke were President George Purdy
Billiard of the Maricopa County Au-
tomobile Club. Mayor Lloyd b. Chris
ty. Dwight b. Heard, B. A. Fowler
and c. +. Ainsworth.
Following the fine banquet which
was served. DR.. II. II. Stone. who act
ed as POSTMASTER. introduced Mr.. Bull
lard Mr.. Billiard made the address
of welcome to Mr.. Batchelder. ex-
pressing the pleasure OF himself and
other automobilists at having him in
| Arizona at this time. The local
club. stated the speaker. is anxious Ia
cooperate with the national associa =
ton for tranScontinental highway
He also told Mr. Batchelder some =
thing of what the Maricopa club has
done in the cause OF good roads.
In response. Mr.. Batchelder declar-
ed that Arizona should be covered
! by a magnificent network of road
ways The territorial road. he said.
is a start i'm the right direction. and
i'm his opinion it will not be long be-
fore Arizona is crossed from east to
west by a highway built largely at
government expense.
Federal aid is some thing within
easy reach" he said. This state
ment is made positively after attend
ing meetings and conferences recent
ly in nearly a score of states. Every
where l have found unanimity on
this phase OF road building and when
congress assemblies for its regular
session in December next. there will
be a pronounced movement for the
federal aid measure.
Here is the way the good roads
situation of the whole country now
shapes up: The Atlantic sea coast
now has highways and the Pacific
slope is building at a rapid pace. But
there is a vast country between the
two coasts and there are states which
require government aid to secure the
roads that shall fit into a transcon-
tinental scheme.
In my opinion. there will ulti-
mately be two transcontinental roads
one angling off to the Pacific north
west and the other to the southwest
passing through Phoenix and end
ing in Los Angeles. Thus a triangle
will be formed. Tourists will pass
over the northern route i'm summer
and over the southern arm in winter
Arizona is certain to greatly benefit
I'm the trail OF improved highways
follows the need OF touring informa-
ton. The American Automobile AS
ISOLATION clubs Of the country are
contributing TO the fund OF material
which is accommodating in great guam
tity at the national clearing house
IF all the state bodies of the Am
erican Automobile Association had the
progressiveness and activity which
are manifest in the Maricopa County
Automobile club, there would be rea-
son for congratulation. Mr.. Billiard,
your president. is certainly a hard
worker and you owe him a great deal.
His work in connection with the
Los Angeles race has been Of meal
culable benefit to Arizona. That
race is talked Of all over the coun-
try and in the east we read about
il as eagerly as you read of the VAN
derbilt cup race. 1t is a supreme
test of a car. Mere speed contests
are spectacular but trials under ex-
traordinary touring conditions are
what really count"
The City and the Automobile"
was the subject of an interesting talk
by Mayor Lloyd b. Christy Dwight
Il. Heard had few forceful remarks
to make along the line Of good roads.
their value to a community. and the
need OF highway improvement in Ari-
IONA. 3. A Fowler's talk was on
THE Salt River Valley" but he also
had something to say of the share the
automobile has had in building up
this section. From the standpoint
of an attorney. Judge c. +. Aims
worth discussed The Relation of the
Law to the Automobile"
As all must rise early to leave this
morning for Roosevelt, the speech
making program was rather short.
The gathering broke up at an early
hour.
Mr.. Batchelder arrived in Phoenix
from Los Angeles yesterday afternoon
at 4:45 He left New York three
weeks ago and went first to Mime
apolis to confer with the leaders of
the good roads movement in Mime
sofa From there he went to Oma
ha and assisted in the organization of
the thirty seventh state organization
of the association. Among other
cities he visited Denver. Salt Lake.
Twin Falls, Seattle, Portland, San
Francisco and Los Angeles. From
here he will go to FL Paso. Calves
ton and other Texas cities. then to
Jackson, Mississippi. and back to New
York.
The executive committee of which
Mr.. Batchelder is chairman. is re-
sponsible for the conduct of the af-
fairs of the association. Mr.. Batch
elder is travelling to examine into
conditions and upon his return will
report his findings to the committee
Never have the people of the
country been so awake to the value
even the necessity. of good roads as
they are at present" he said last
night. Prospects for the improve
ment of roads all over the United
States are immeasurably better than
they ever were before"
| Because Mr.. Batchelder was de-
layed in Los Angeles and did moi
arrive as soon as he expected, the
meeting of the Arizona Good Roads
Association. to have been held Mt the