El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-02
ROADMARKERS
OUTDISTiNCE
HEAVY Rain
Pathfinders For the Phoenix
Race Now on the Way to
Douglas From Tucson.
ROAD FROM TUCSON
TO PHOENIX is GOOD

lBy G.. 4. Martini
UCSON. Ariz.. oct Leaving here
at 8 o'clock this morning. the FL
Il Paso automObilists, marking the
route of the race from FL Paso to
Phoenix, expect to run to Douglas this
evening. We reached Tucson yesterday
afternoon. just ahead Of a rain, which
while not heavy here. appears to have
been heavy in the direction we are go
ing and may delay us somewhat today.
Unless delayed. We should reach Doug
las early this afternoon
Fast Piece Of Road
In my opinion, the best time that VIII
be made over the course between II
Paso and Phoenix in the race next
month viii be between here and Phoe-
nix. Yesterday We covered the distance
OF 129 miles in six hours and 10 min
utes. We found the road much better
than on the way over, as force OF
cOnVicts has been at work filling IN the
washes If no heavy rain comes before
now and the race to the Arizona 1alr'
This part of the road is going TO be IN
fine shape Tor the race.
There is even now some very 1ast
bad as any OF it, is the stretch out OF
Tucson for the first 26 miles. or 10
the fork of the oracle road, and TINS
] would not call bad A Mexican was AZ
work yesterday as We came over the
road making repairs between Tucson
and the Oracle fork From that point
on TO Florence the road is known as
the state highway and the state IS TAI
ing care of it The convict force should
finish its work in another week or So
Some of the road for stretches OF seV-
eral miles, where it winds ABOUT the
mountains above the washes, IS very
fast even now, without repairs JUST
after turning away from the OIacle
road on the way to Phoenix is very
bad sand wash, but little can be done
for this and the cars viii have TO buck
it We had no trouble IN crossing II
Two other places, about a mile ana
two miles respectively, from the oracle
road fork, are bad. The road has been
completely washed out at these places
and it is necessary to make sharp
turn to get across the arroyoS- re
signed both these pIaceSs Dup the Signs
viii hardly be necessary for the racers,
as the road gang will reach the spots
long before the race
Florence to Phoenix.
For about four miles beyond Flor
ence the road is in very bad CONDITION
badly rutted IN deep dust, on rouSh
caliche surface; road that is PAD on
tires. disa greeable from the dust that
is kicked up and generally slow some
of the distance between tlorence ana
Phoenix. the road is good, but there are
many sand washes across Il NO eILoTl
is being made to repair these, as the
race is to be over the old road from
FJorence to Mesa and the state viii
only make repairs to the new road,
which is a part Of the state highway
As soon as the new road IS properly
leveled. il will be the best, but at
present, it is not as good as the old
road so the racing committee ana the
citizens Of Mesa and Florence nave
selected the old road for the race
From Mesa into Phoenix the roads
are Door, especially if several cars
haDpen to strike the place at the same
time The first car can do larry
well, but the others Will nave such a
cloud of dust TO contend with that they
will be hampered IN running very
little If anything will be done to repair
this stretch Of road, as 1t IS about as
good as IT can be made without paving
it. The traffic is heavy and the Ordinary
dirt road has been cut fu4 OF cnuck
holes and fiOur-like dust Mar1copa
county is now about to vote upon Dig
bond issue to pave the roads leaning
into Phoenix, and If this pond issue
masses. Phoenix viii have roads IN
keeping with its Importance as city
At present. the roads are a disgrace to
a CITY the size Of Phoenix, but there Is
no use trying TO make the present
roads any better-it would only be
waste of money. Phoenix is doing the
right thing in waiting for the bond
issue to macadamize and pave the
roads The plan is to lay the same
type of paving on the roads as Is now
down on the streets in the city.
Douglass Enterprise
One Of the noticeable things that can
not help but impress tourist over the
Borderland route is the Douglas way
signs found at every cross-road or
turn The people Of Douglas have been
very diligent in putting up their signs
and from q few miles west of FL Paso
to within a few miles of Phoenix. the
round yellow sign with the black
arrow pointing "the Douglas way" IS
helpful source TO the traveller No other
CITY on the BOrderland route has done
as much A few road signs advertising
a Tucson firm are found out of tucson
as far as Florence in one direction and
for a considerable distance in the di-
rectfOn Of BiSbee, but that is all Il ne
signing which we pathinders have doLe
VIII be Of great help TO the tourists
and will be q big advertisement for FL
PasO and its automobile club Every
sign that we have put up has E. P.
Automobile Club" on the bottom TheT
show that the Automobile club of the
Pass City is not sleeping. The signs
are Of several Kinds One marks a. bad
curve ahead. another a bad wash and
third is placed at road crossings or
forks. The latter has the word Phoenix
at the top and an arrow pointing
PhoeniXward below IS the name II
Paso and an arrow pointing towards
FL Paso. st the bottom. e p. AulO
club" is shown. The signs showing
curves have a red curved line in one
corner.
Assistance Along Route.
The people all along the route hive
showed the greatest interest in the
race and everywhere the local com
mittees of automobilists have agreed
to put up signs in the towns and have
men with flags stationed at the ap
proaches to the cities and at all curves
to show the racing drivers where to
turn Hi CObett, president Of tSe I
Tucson Auto club, viii take care of the !
Situation in Tucson; at Florence, !