Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-05-08

Auto club the following letter from
rhos w Wildly is published and
,hows what he considers a most
Practicable scenic road through Ari-
,ora and New Mexico and on to the
coast The letter is we'll worth the
CAREFUL consideration of those whose
duty il is to select the route for any
Genie and historic road in the west
Mt. Wildly says;
New York, March 10. 1912.
Mr.. Walter Williams,
President Mo. Old Trails Assn,
Columbia, Mo.
Dear Mr.. Williams;
1, was with great pleasure that
received your announcement OF a
National Old Trails Road eonven-
lion at Kansas City. April 10 and 10.
I congratulate you upon the fine
public spirit actuating you in max
ing this appeal in behalf Of trans
continental highway. ! regret that
shall be prevented attending the
convention. May ] therefore beg
that this letter be read publicly to
the delegates as expressing the opin-
ION Of one who has recently COW
cred the Old Trails of America by
automobile and made special and
disinterestcd study of the subject
II a national highway
presume that we are all agreed
upon the need of a national highway
being historic and scenic in char.
ac,er. Europe has always proven
tina, a road to be permanent, national
and financially successful, must b,
historic and scenic. Any other kind
VI a national road is doomed to fail
IRE from the start.
You have pledged yourself to al
old Trails road avowedly historic
That portion OF the Old Trail
road following the Braddock. Cum
berland and national pixies to St
Louis, the Boone's Lick road to OLE
Franklin, and the Santa Fe trai
from Bonneville to Kansas City ant
across the plains and mountains Il
SAINT Fe is excellent 1t conform
exactly to those conditions whic'
have made foreign highways success
ful. The route. however. from SAINT
Fc to the coast is one which re
quircs the gravest consideration. An
route selected through New Mexico
arizona and Southern Californi
which is not historic spoils the er
tire significance of the Old Trail
road. The national highway, like
chain. can only be as strong as II
weakest link. The route which YOU
circular mentions from Santa Fe
the coast is not historic-therefor
the Old Trails road is weak, II tn;
route be accepted.
What, then. is the historic rou'
between Santa Fe and the coas'
VIVA, is the route which will appe
10 the government and the peop
alike?
The answer is obvious. The HI
toric route is that which was 10
lowed by the Spanish conquerors
the southwest, by the army OF Ge
cral Kearney, and In more rece
times by the pioneers and those wi
had the task Of carrying the ma
and supplies. In sense, the
routes are analogous and. with
strange coincidence, they embra
those scenic features of the count
which have made this portion OF t
United States famous throughout t
civilized world The iandmar
which they left. the wonders
seenery and history which mark q
route, cannot be overlooked. for tn
form the most vital assets OF an [
Trails road.
The historic route runs to All
querque. thence west to Lagu
Acoma and the Enchanted Me
and hence from a point on
Santa Fe railroad near Grants
McCarthy's to the Old Spanish
scription Rock (El Morro),
greatest historic treasure and CT
osi,y which the United States p
scsses, The wagon road con''n
to the historic Indian villages
Zuni, the most famous rallying pc
in the Spanish conquest Tor u
we're the tabled Seven Cities oil
bola. The road continues TO
Johns and through the Third fe
lied forest to Holbrook. This re
is now being put into condition