Williams news., 1913-12-11
A NATURAL. ROADWAY
Grand Canyon, Arizonia, Dec. 1st. 1913.
Editor Williams, News.

It is now time to be- gin the discussion of how best to care for the immense numbers that will come within our new State during the San Francisco Fair. It is estim- ated that at leat 150,000 people will visit the Grand Canyon and this is only small portion of the num- her who will pass trough our state over the different railways and by automobiles. In fact, we may ex- pect this latter class to begin to reach this coast so as to spend the winter of 1914 in California and re- main for the fair. Now the ques- tion of our Highways and what may be expected in the way of accommodation for this class of visitors must be answered. The Grand Canyon is the dra wing card as we all must know The people of Williams are desirous of seeing this travel pass thru their city but what are they doing in order to get it? How much has been spent on the highway between your town and the Grand Canyon in the last year and what is the present con dition of the road? It is more than thirty years since I first cast my lot in this community and 1 be- lieve 1 am justified in the statement that I have taken quite as much interest in road building as any other resident of this county and kno Y where the natural advantages for routes to catch this travel should be established More than once in the past eighteen months I have offered to donate my time to go over route from the Grand Can yon to Williams with any repre- sentative citizen or delegation for the purpose of demonstrating that there is natural roadway that can be constructed and maintained to connect these points that is far more desirable than the one now in use. Not long since 1 met by ar- rangement, a delegation at Anita and traversed small portion of the route and believe they will bear me out in the statement that we saw on that trip, what must event. ually become tho Grand Canyon Road.
 I have just returned from quite an extended trip over the Ca aract country and drove over forty miles of what Is known as the Ash Fork road and although there has been nc attention paid to It since 1 built il three years ago, it is a veritablt bou evard today 1 am informed that the portion sout of Catar c is also Tn good condition although 1t has never re. eived one fourth a much outlay as the portion nortl of this creek. As this route passe within about twenty miles of Will lams it would not be very ditficul or expen i've to connect with it anC thus make it possible for those wh' know the difference between tn two routes to direct Automobil Tourists how best to reach youl city. No one who knows the trut can conscientiously direct them b Rain Tanks and Howard and Red Lakes, thru the Malapais Rock add sheep camps, but. must tel them to go to Ashfork direcl an not go to Williams at all.
 It has often been reported b. certain knowing ones that hay an ulterior motiue in getting thi route adoped by the National Bh Local High-v ay associations, an that it would be great benefit t the Ashfo k road if the chunt should adopt my plan and appro riate any road money for the worl
 To such as these 1 will say,
 don't care a penny which way th autos go but do know they wi seek the best way, and unless tf Williams road can get recognitic in the next issue of the Nations Road Map the trans-contintal tra