Imperial Valley press., 1913-02-11
COL, Ed FLETCHER REPLIES
TO W|LDER'S ROAD REPORT

anywhere: in fact, beautiful mountain
streams the year around and forests
of oak and pine, magnificent mountain
scenery. etc At Mountain Springs, on
the Imperial county line, san Diego has
one of the best springs to he found on
the desert. Coyote Wells has an abun-
dance of water, and at no point on the
entire route is there a place where
water cannot he found in plenty. The
longest stretch between water from
san Diego to FL Centre is approximately
ten miles. while it is common knoWl-
Centre route there is IS miles of dcS-
ert sands to combat, and stretches Of
approximately 80 miles without wa
ter 1t is only two weeks ago, accord
ing to The Los Angeles papers, that the
Southern Pacific tracks We're covered
with five feet of sand, and it took
hundred men to clear the track.
No permanent road can be kept open
Via The san Bcrnardino route, for it
means shovclin% sand all the time,
while the route from san Diego to FL
Centre entirely eliminates this danger
Gus and expensive feature.
Again. quoting from Mr.. Wider's
statement he says: Between san
M I,n
Campo. The population of which is
300, the assessed valuation Of which
is $4,000"
! attribute this statement to absolute
ignorance-lhc route from san Diego
| to FL Centre will pass through the fol-
lowing cities: East san Diego, with
population of 5000: La Mesa, with a
population of 2OO0: FL Caion, with a
population Of 1000. and in addition,
| directly affected through The country,
are 10000 additional people by actual
count as taken from the register of
san Diego county, with an assessed
valuation of millions of dollars.
1t is hardly necessary for me to call
| The attention of your honorable body
| to the fact that san Diego has spent
| nearly a half million dollars in con-
structing the road from san Diego east.
to sub-grade ready for YOU to con
struct the state highway. Imperial
| county is also doing its share. ana the
| cnterprising citizens Of San Diego, led
/ hy F. W. Jackson, are building four
miles of road through solid granite
! to reach the desert from Mountain
| Springs. You must admit that this
! shows energy, backed up by hard work
| Altogether, Imperial county and san
| Diego county are putting approximately
$40, 900 into surveys rights Of way. the
| building of bridges and grading of
roads from san Diego TO Ell Centre.
BY comparison, what has the ocean
| to ocean highway done? They have
passed many resolutions and raised
| from the cities of Los Angeles, River
side. san Bcrnardino. Pomona. etc. the
sum total of $50. 900, a great deal Of
which has been spent by engineers and
for travelling expenses.
The road goes for many miles
through San BernardinO cOunIy-What
has that county done toward building
a road from >an BernardinO to Mecca?
| II is common knowledge that they have
| been asleep at the switch, and to my
| knowledge not one dollar has been
spent 10 help themselves.
We won the state highway fairly and
for the following reasons:
Firsi-It is HE shortest distance to
connect Tie Two county seats by 60
or 20 miles, which means a saving Of
at least 100000 or 5000, 900 to the
state, owing to the character of the
country through which the road will
have 10 he constructed
Second-The advantage is on the
side of The san Diego route. owing to