The copper era and Morenci leader., 1913-10-10
GREAT TASK IS NEW ROAD LEADING
 ID MDRENC|
Construction of New Road Between Clifton and Morenci is Great Undertaking; Blast Passage
 Along Mountain Walls.

! The highway now being construct ed between Clifton and Moernci, and
 under the direction of MT. O. J.
 Cotey, to whom the contract was
 gineering undertakings ever consum- mated in this section. The difficulty and labor of the work may be illustra-
 ted by the statement that for the
 entire distance of the route, a pas
 sage is being gained only by the
 blasting of stone from the mountain walls. To view the surveyed route
 before the work of blasting, it is scarcely. conceiveable that a passage could be obtained. The task is one
 that requires much patient labor, and
 the frequent use of large charges of
 explosives
 Blasting is employed practically
 route. Workmen drill holes in the
 mountain side to distance of many
 feet. Dynamite is then exploded in
 the bottom of the hole,, making a
 space for the reception of large
 quantities of blasting powder, which
 upon being exploded, ,loosens the stone
 for many feet along the mountain
 walls. The many tons of the loosen
 ed stone is thenshoveled into place
 for the forming of the roadbed.
 Beginning at the extreme end of
 Chase Creek street, this road begins the ascent of the mountain by a long concrete approach built over the can yon there. By gradual and all most completely uniform ascent the road winds along the walls of the mountain foyits entiredistance, reaching the mountains top near. the point where the present road crosses. At no place along the route will the grade of ascent be more than seven per cent, and in the main the grade is about five per cent, this low and gradual grade denoting skill on the part of the surveying en- gineer.
 The minimum width of this road is sixteen feet, and in places, at curv es along the route, is wider, in many
 
 Especial, provision is being made for the safety of traffic, the road bed, at curves, being made higher on the outside than the sidenext to the mountain walls, this being to pre- vent the possible overturning of ve- hicles as the curves are rounded. .Aa hicles above deep gorges, parapets will be erected All drainage is un- derground, through corrugated iron pipes, over which is placed concrete. This system of draining will obviate the trouble and expense that would otherwise have been caused by the washing of the road bed where raV- ines are crossed.
 Of the toatal distance of this road, about two and one-half miles, three fourths of mile has been partially MT. Cotey estimates that the completion of the road will be about the first of the coming year.
 A noticeable feature of this road is the material used in construction This material is what is known as Gila Conglome merate, and is the for nation of the mountain along which he rad passes for the entire distance. This material is a natural concrete, Lndis harder and more durable than he artificial concrete. It is the opinion of Mr. Cotey that this ma erial, after the traffic of a few moH- hs, will coalesce again into an al- nost solid mass, giving a road crown hat will be of splendid qualities. In u faces, MT. Cotey has finished the u oad bed, and these examples we'll ie 5 illustrate the splendid quality of u ne highway. Large stones are used Y or the foundation, and the crown is pi lade of small stones and pebbles, laking surface of fine texture. u This road is a great improvement M yer the present road to Morenci, as o' le grade of the latter is in places u' Iore than twenty-three per cent, this iS sten making difficult the passage of c' aded vehicles. The great amount u ? traffic between Morenci and Cliff ut ,n make of this new road a vital and it is safe to assume lat the traffic of the new road, i'll be greatly increased over the a resent traffic between Clifton and en orenci. fic Road to be Extended to Morenci. ar In all probability, the Supervisors, pl, lrly. in the coming year, will let pa ontracts for the construction of ph