The daily sentinel., 1912-03-20
A GREAT ROAD
THROUGH HERE

In the year 1915 thousands of
motorists will cross the country in
their cars to the Panama-Pacific eX-
position in San Francisco and the
San Diego fair The will travel
over the transcontinental road that
passes west through Utah from
Grand Junction. viii the people of
Moab assist in bringing this inter
state road and its resultant traffic
down Grand river to this place and
thence to Green River, or will they
let ii cross the desert from Grand
Junction to Green River? This is
the question that John Otto, the
western Colorado trail builder. who
is promoting the movement to turn
the road down Grand river, asks the
people of this section, says the Times
of Moab, Utah.
In communication to the Times
Mr.. Otto describes the route which
the proposed road will take. The
letter follows:
The interstate road on which
work has been started in a prelimi-
nary way on the Grand Junction
end is headed for Dewey. Four
miles from the city it climbs the
rim-rocks at the mouth of Nothor-
oughfare canon. On top it enters
the east boundary line of the Col
orado National Monument park, and
wends westward towards the state
line through Glade park 1t passes
the S-Cross home ranch on the Little
Dolores, and the Bar IL and Cook
ranches on Coates creek. From the
state line to Dewey it is not alto
gether laid out yet. l spent some
time in that section last summer,
but not sufficient to determine on
the best way to make the connection
! found the people on the Big
Dolores enthusiasts over the project
one man told me he would give a
months work towards it.
1T is settled fact-at least we
have never head it contended other
wise-that Grand Junction is on the
line of the transcontinental highway.
Why shouldn't Moab be on the line
instead of touring the tourists over
the long stretch of desert from Grand
Junction to Green River? When it
comes to scenery the Grand river
country abounds with it A new
bridge across the Grand river at
Grand Junction will be built this
summer The contract is let. This
bridge and your bridge at Moab con-
nected with a good road all the way
will mean good deal to the people
of the two counties A bridge will
have to be built across the Big Do
lores within a few miles of its
mouth. That is one of the main
items on the Utah end of the road
Mesa county will put in a bridge at
Gateway this spring, not to cost a
very great amount.
The question is, will the people
of Moab pull for this transcontinent-
al line to come their way. or will
they let it go over the desert? AS
Moab is on q state road to Green
River, it seems to me that it is the
proper place for the line to connect.
II will mean. in course of time, that
the Monument park in Colorado, the
natural bridges in Utah and the
Grand canon of the Colorado river
will all be connected with a good
road to pass on to Los Angeles and
San Diego, Cal. The route will be
the most interesting on the conti-
nent.
plans have been made for Col
orado-Utah goods roads convention
to be held in Grand Junction in
April BY that time we hope to get
the people acquainted with the prop
osition. before them, so that the prop
er plans can be made to push the
work on the Interstate road.
Truly yours,
JOHN OTTO"