Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-07-15

,did In Dona Ana county in the fall
OF 1872 was to carry on a systematic
campaign through the local newspa
pers. setting forth by plain facts and
figures the business economy of bond
ing our county for road construction.
We got In touch with the office ~
public roads in Washington, and 9TH
er sources of reliable data. and set
forth Just what 1t would mean in dol
lars and cents to the farmers in our
county to have hard surfaced roads
instead Of sandy and muddy ones over
which to haul their crops We took
our gross tonnage hauled to varl-
Gus railroad stations, estimated the
amount saved in dollars ana cents,
and put the issue squarely up To the
farmers To the merchants We de-
monstrated the increased traffic that
comes to "A town from better roads,
and to the real estate dealers and
land owners the increased land values
We had a striking object lesson In
the lands below El Paso, forty miles
away. which within twelve months
jumped from an average of $1,000 an
acre to $4,000 an acre and over, al
most solely as result of the build
ing of hard surfaced highway.
The next step we took was to Sc
cure mailing list of the intelligent
of our county and send out
to that list a series of letters setting
forth the issues in plain language. AT
the same time we organized the DOna
Ana County Good Roads association
and began to circulate through the
precinct deputy system which our
county road board has throughout
our county, petitions addressed to the
county commissioners as required by
law, asking for the road bond issue
in the amount proposed 500. 600
These petitions were soon signed by
more than the necessary 10 per cent
Of the voting taxpayers.
Next we held a county good roads
at Las Cruces, the county
seat, and although the day turned out
TO be the most unpleasant day OF the
year, with bitter cold and much snow
on the ground, we had over two nun
lred delegates present from all pre-
,incts in the county Badges pre-
giously sent out had helped to arouse
he necessary enthusiasm Fully hall
he delegates were our native citizens
who entered into the spirit OF the I'M
iertaking vigorously.
At the convention we had several
excellent speakers from outside the
including State Engineer |
French and Colonel Twitchel presi- /
dent of the State Good Roads associa- |
ion, who, In the evening. to large /
audience gave his illustrated stereop- |
icon lecture on The Canine Real.
Public sentiment was now well |
and the date of the election |
lad already been decided upon. TO |
lelp secure an affirmative vote we |
lpplied for good roads lecturer from /
he office of public roads at Washing |
on, who was sent down here without /
,xpehse to the county, ana delivered /
series Of night lectures illustrated |
~ stereopticon, setting forth the prac
ical value to community of good
Dads These lectures were given in
most Of the precincts Of the county,
Usually in the public school. always
With large attendance, which IN
many cases overlooked the limited aC-
ommodations.
When our election was held the re-
ult was an almost affirmative vote.
Had such an election been held with
ut the preliminary educational cam
'aign, the bonds undoubtedly would
ave been defeated. A legal technical
rror occurring, second election had
o be held few months later. with
lmost practically the same results
n almost unanimous affirmative vote
he bonds, which carried per cent
interest. were readily sold at an ex-
client price. and the money for start
ng work was available within a few
weeks after election.
In the bonding Of county for road
the utmost caution and
are shoulI be taken to watch the va