Bisbee daily review., 1914-10-13
GRAY TRAVERSES RACE ROUTE AND RETURNS
 FULL OF ENTHUSIASM


 reached Phoenix at 9:3O Thursday evening. In the capital city there was a number of meetings and Rinehart did some great boosting for the San Diego race since an effort Us being made Co push the southern city off the racing map and to put Phoenix on a side line for transcontinental routess For that reason. 10 attend meetings and conferences the return trip was delayed until Saturday af- ternoon. Then the run was made to Florence and Sunday it was complet- ed from Florence to Bisbee.
 What work is done now prelim- mary to the race Is not SO much for the race as for the tourists who will traverse the route in the coming win ter and spring. It is true the race is the main advertisement for the route but it is essential if the tourist business is 10 be attracted that the roads be made as comfortable and as traversable as possible
 "The road through government
  draw is worse now than at this time last year but can readily be put in shape for winter travel before the race Despite its roughness we made .it in 1-15 and 1-1O. From Tombstone Ito Fairbanks it is in pretty good shape. From Fairbanks to the sid ing it is again poor, though not SO bad as last year. There are stiu dan .gerous cross washes. From the sid ing to the county line it is badly washed. The Santa Cruz county part is even better than year ago and while the Pima county road to Empire ranch is still far from being good it is not nearly as bad as when T looked it over last year and the Pima supervisors have agreed to brush it up. This stretch. from Tomb stone to the Empire we covered in 1-55 and in 2-O5
 Far faster time will be made in the Fl PasO to Phoenix race this year than last Already the roads are better at their worst and there are longer stretches of fine roadways where fast time can be made than last year This is the report brought back by Robert II. Rinehart. presi- dent of the Fl Paso Auto club and Joe Gray, Arizona representative, af- ter their official trip. Accompanied by Lou Gasser they returned to Bis. bee Sunday evening and the two Fl Pasoans left at o'clock for El Paso yesterday morning.
 Joe Gray stated to a Review repre- sentative yesterday afternoon that he was confident that 15 hours would be beaten by the racers and that he be- lieved the time would be closer to l4 than l5 hours "The roads are far better than when I inspected them last year" said Gray Not only have We several miles of the most beauti- ful of roads in this country that we did not have then, but there are long stretches of magnificent roads in Pima Pinal roads have improved and from here to Phoenix there will be gains made that those who have not seen the roads both years can not well believe.
 Although" continued Gray. i've were seeking to break no records we made the run from here to Tucson in hours and 25 minutes going and clipped of 6 minutes on the return trip. We made the fastest bursts of speed on the outward trip but main tained a more even gait on the re- turn
 "In Tucson Wednesday evening the car was run into a ditch where street paving is to be done and pipes are being set deeper as a prelimin- ary, the ditch having been carelessly left by the city without lights at any point to show it's existence to the un- wary. Fortunately it was proceeding at a rate of not over 12 to l5 miles and SO no one was seriously injured. The accident delayed departure the next day until afternoon while re- pairs were being made.
 From the Empire ranch on the road is all that can be asked except in two or three spots. Of course care is necessary in passing over the stretches of winding and narrow mountain roads but after the noun tains are left very fast time is possi- ble over the newly completed sec tion of the highway. The former stretch we covered in 1:20 and 1-25 and the latter in 50 minutes each trip. This covers the section of the road people here are most interested in"
 On the trip timers and checkers were appointed at all points. Chan dler was added as a checking point This makes nine checking stations this year instead of as last.
 A fuli report of the trip and what has been accomplished for the race thus far and what remains to be done will be rendered the directors of the Auto Club at its regular meeting to- night
 Gray's injuries in Tucson consist ed of sprains of legs and back and he is able to walk with difficulty but expects to be normally active" as he puts it before the end of the week.