El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-09

Las Cruces. n. NJ, Dec. - Realizing
the advantages to be derived by our
county and the Mesilla valley by its
road from Organ to Las Cruces and from
Las Cruces to FL Paso. being upon what
is known as the 'Borderland Route and
as determined and agreed upon when
sueh route was established IL the early
part OF last summer, and that our county
Is now engaged in expending the sum
of $4,000 IN the improvement OF the
roads composing a part OF such Border
land route as so determined upon De-
tween Las Cruces and Organ, we re
spectfully request the citizens OF Fl
Paso. its chamber OF commerce and Oth-
CT civic bodies, to keep the faith OF such
promises made at the time OF estab-
fishino such route as to DOna Ana county
being a part of such route along the
roads mentioned, and we deprecate the
efforts of certain individuals TO divert
tourists and traffic from our county BY
recommending the use of the road on the
east side of the Organ mountains and
through a section of country sparsely
settled and having no natural attrae-
tiOns."
The above resolution, unanimously
adopted by the Dona Ana County Good
Roads convention IN Las cruces Wnlen
was attended BY 2S4 delegates from all
parts of the county, shows what the PEG
Die of this county feel regarding the
Borderland route. The adoption OF this
resolution practically stops the expen-
diture of county road funds on the route
traversed BY tourists on the east side
of the Organ mountains through tins
county. and pledges the county to the
immediate improvement of the road a.
adopted, through Las Cruces and the
Organ pass. This road today Is IN lar
condition. But during the past week
seven miles of the new Organ-L Las Cruces
road have been completed, a fund OF
$4,000 for this road raised, and the I'M
mediate completion of this splendid hard
surfaced road assured. With this detl-
mite and effective action on the part OF
Dona Ana county now taken, 1t Is be-
Heved that the efforts made to route the
tourists from and to FL Paso by way OF
the desert route east of the Organ noun
tains will cease. The road up the Mes
lila valley is direct, in fair condition, IN
eludes 20 miles of beautifully paved
highway, and takes the tourist through
the most fertile valley OF the south
vest which he must completely miss
if he takes the desert route east OF the
Organ mountains. The valley route IS
the one f5rst officially adopted and
logged BY Harry Drum, who laid out the
Bo0rderland route last spring.
The valley route also takes the tourist
BY some of the most historic spots IN
the southwest, including indian and Con
federate battlefields and along the route
traversed BY the Spanish explorers many
centuries ago.
With the creation of the new DOna Ana
county road board, which has thead-
ministration of all county road funds,
and the adoption of the above resolution,
introduced by judge Medler, chairman
of the committee on resolutions, it IS GER
tain that the road east of the Organ
mountains, as a road for transeontnen-
tai travel. viii be heartily discouraged.
1t is believed that FL PasO citizens and
civic bodies viii cooperate with the SEN
timent expressed by Dona Ana county
citizens, since the interests OF the two
communities are identical IN this matter