The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-02
TWO CITIES IN
STUBBORN FIGHT
FOR AUTO ROAD
San Diego and Los Angeles Bat
tie for Place on Trans-cOn-
tinental Highway
BIG CITY TRIES TO
PUSH OTHER OFF MAP
Mayor of San Diego to Engage
In Maverick Race" to PhOe-
nix to Prove His Point

Ell CENTRIC, IMPERIAL VALLEY,
Cal, Nov 1.-THE whole Imperial
Valley Is applauding the latest game
stand OF the city OF San Diego In her
long struggle TO prevent her big SIS
ter, Los Angeles from cutting her on
the map OF the proposed oceanic
ocean highway.
This latest move by San Diego cen
ters In an outlaw" road race Ia race
not sanctioned by the American
Automobile ASSN In which the mayor
OF San Diego entered, personally, as
a contestant. The maverick race
Is In condition to an authorized race
from San Diego to Phoenix, Arlz'
Back of It Is pretty story of city
fighting against odds.
San Diego claims that the best and
quickest way by road from Los
Angeles TO Phoenix is by way OF san
Diego and the city has been demon
strating II for several months.
When California, a couple of years
ago, voted to bond itself for $lS,Oo0,
900 for the construction OF state
highway, and when, subsequently an
ocean-to-ocean highway association OF
!, California. Arizona and New Mexico
was formed at Phoenix, Los Angeles
at once advanced the contention that
the most feasible route OF state hltkl'
way to connect with the proposed
ocean-to-ocean highway would be by
way OF Los Angeles, through the
desert country of Riverside county,
along the Salton sea to Brawley. at
the northern end of the Imperial Va.
lev and thence, through more desert
country to Yuma and Phoenix.
This route would cut San Diego on
tbs state highway. San Diego began
: a campaign OF publicity TO show that
thtre was a far more feasible route
by way OF San Diego, through the
heart OF the Imperial Valley, ard
thence TO Yuma and Phoenix. SaE
Diego citizens, from their own purses
financed path-hnding expeditions
which traversed both the Los Angeles
desert route and the San Diego I'M
perial Valley route. San Diego coun-
ty spent hundreds OF dollars to .estaO-
lish a perfect road from the city TO
the border Of Imperial county, on the
east. imperial county followed suit,
improving the road from the San
Diego county line into the lmperia,
Valley, and opening road from the
valley to Yuma.
San Diego's investigating expedi
tons proved conclusively that there
are 66 miles OF absolute desert con-
ditions. which means almost unbear-
able heat, no water, high winds and
deep, shifting sand on the Los Angeles
desert route, against no absolute
desert conditions and but 13 miles OF
heavy sand over the San Diego route;
that there were 919 miles more OF
martial desert conditions over the
desert than over the San Diego route,
and that the route from Los Angeles
to Yuma, via the desert, was but lO.7
miles shorter than via San Diego.
Actual measurement showed one
stretch Of the desert route along the
Salton sea. where for 43 miles there
was waterless waste of wind-blown
sand. where automobiles made head
way with the greatest difficulty anu
where high winds and sand storms
mad wiped out the tracks OF previous
pathfinders, leaving nothing but monu-
mants to mark the way.
Ali this was reported with the proof
TO the highway commission.
Los Angeles was disturbed, but not
defeated.
A Los Angeles TO Phoenix road
race over the desert route was pro
NOTED and received the sanction OF
the A. A. A.
San Diego promoted San Diego
to Phoenix race, to start simultaneous
ly with the race from Los Angeles,
but got recognition from the A. A. A.
only on the condition that the San
Diego cars would allow the Los
Angeles cars to leave Yuma for
Phoenix an hour and a half ahead OF
them. Los Angeles, having the prior
sanction, was able to dictate the