Imperial Valley press., 1913-11-21
w MA tA-HOLTVILLE ROUTE
is HANGING IN BALANCE

san Diego Union: vi all the pro-
posed ocean to ocean highways, the
Southern National highway seems to
be long way in the lead so far as
actual accomplishment is concerned
and this is the highway that leads to
San Diego, provided that the western
end from Yuma can be controlled.
San Diego has secured the state
highway from San Diego to FL Centro
and it is now imperative that this +
route be rushed through to Yuma by
way of Holtville. A highway conven-
tion will be held at Ell Centre Monday
at which Los Angeles representatives
are said to be planning to attend in
numbers in support of their PROPOSE
tion to build the road west from Yuma
to Bradley and Los Angeles. To meet
this delegation, San Diego is urged to
send a hundred people at least.
Many Of these can be furnished by
people going to the FL Centre fair from
San Diego on Saturday, remaining
over until Monday.
New achievements by the Southern
National highway are related in tel
egram from Col. Dell M. Potter, presi-
dent of association, to the association
here. The message is as follows:
"Ashevlle, North Carolina.
Southern National Highway Associa-
ton, San Diego, Calf.
'Have completed all arrangements
to this place for the national engineer
and writeup. We now have available.
including three million dollars for
bridge over Mississippi at Memphis,
now being constructed, practically S8,-
100000 for our road. Am leaving for
Richmond for the big meeting Mon
day night. Congratulations on San
] Diego boy winning race.
"DELL M. POTTER"
The national engineer and publicity
l referred to is in conjunction with the
travel of the entire route and the pub
lication of the findings of the engineer
I in magazine forp.
Col. Ed Fletcher, president of the
h San Diego & Arizona highway, part
: of the Southern National highway, is
sued the following statement, con-
e corning San Diego's further work to
J. secure the Pacific terminal of the
route:
i '"The good work of Col Potter, pres
It ident of the Southern National High
i way association, will be appreciated by
il all the good roads boosters, particu-
a larly as the Southern National high
way was organized in San Diego by
Il good roads enthusiasts, with San
d Diego as the western terminus.
: "We have won the state highway
" from San Diego to El Centro; what we
;, need and must have is a direct road
;, from Ell Centre via Holtville and the
sand dunes to Yuma, as it is more than
= 40 miles shorter than via Brawley and
Mammoth Wash route, which is now
beng advocated by Los Angeles.
San diego will always be in dan
ger of losing the direct road to the
- coast if the road from Brawley and
- Mammoth Wash to Yuma is built. The
i Los Angeles Automobile club of South
- ern California has called a convention
next Monday at 10 o'clock at Ell Cen
/ tro to determine which route will be
o supported and this club has plenty of
& finances to put through any deal it
u undertakes. It is absolutely impera-
tive that San Diego have big delega-
&c ton at that meeting to insist upon the
" direct route. Any person who can
possibly be there will please furnish
c me their names and they will be given
5 badges as delegates. We ought to
g have hundred people at least at this
,. convention, and l earnestly request
?, every San Degan to be there who pos
@ sibly can.
5. with the state highway to FL Cen
d tro, the Yuma bridge secured, bonds
d already voted for the road from Yuma
n to Phoenix, the Gila bridge now under
r course of construction, the only thing
/, necessary to complete the direct route
II of the Southern National Highway
: from San Diego to Phoenix is the di
rect Ell Centro-Holtville route