American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-12-30

ana a generous reward Ior the WOrKer.-GOOuWlnS
Weekly.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT OVER HIGHWAY.
1t is practicable to make the journey by automobile
over the Southern National Highway from Washington
to San Diego, Cal. and from San Diego to Washington,
at almost any time of the year. 1t has been done within
the last few weeks by a company of Argonauts working
to the east from the California terminus and made in great
comfort without untoward incident in this drive of
about $500 miles across the continent. The expedition
was headed by DR.. William B. Gross, a retired physician
and capitalist of San Diego and representatives of the
Southern National Highway Association, who were &C
companied by Mr.. B. H. Burrell, an engineer of the u. S.
Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering. The ex-
petition left San Diego on November 2 and twentys six
days later reached the national capital, having traversed
eight states on the way.
The special object of the expedition was to prove by
actual test the entire feasibility of the Southern National
Highway, its advantages from an industrial and economic
view, its wonderful scenic attractiveness and its worthy
claim upon the consideration of congress in the extension
of federal aid in the completion of this great national
project A good many bad places were found along the
way, engineering problems to be solved, grades to be set
tied, bridges to be built, directions to be noted and ques-
lions of construction to be considered; but from start to
finish a disposition upon the part of the people to approve
any reasonable measure of public aid for a great public
purpose upon a fair appreciation of the public benefits
which would ensue.
California is spending $l8yOOO,OOO on state highways
and with this expenditure it is promised that there will
be built a concrete highway sixteen feet wide from the
main road to every county seat in the state. The main
road is to be extended from Ell Centre to Yuma, which
VIII give the StaCe a concrete highway AOo nlHeS loHS.
This extension is to be built with convict labor. Work on
state highway work in California began in May, 1912, un-
der the direction and supervision of q state highway COM
mission and at the end of two years the state roads to the
extent of 1874 miles had been located and, including these
sections, surveys had been made Of state highways aggre-
eating 2,150 miles. Last year contracts had been made
for the construction of 97 miles of the state roads, OF
which $50 miles are to be of cement concrete construction.
The construction of these roads is not left to ignorance
and chance but is committed to the care Of a competent
highway engineer, Mr.. A. B. Fletcher, who is the execu-
five offioor IF tha ctatp HIGHWAY commission Under his
immediate direction and supervision are the several de-
partments of engineering and operation, legal depart
ment in right of way matters, purchasing department, ac-
counting, disbursing and publication and statistical mat
tiers. so there is perfect cooperation in all the work OF the
highway commission, with excellent service to the public
and direct responsibility of administration The state re-
quires a license from automobiles. Last year this license
Welded 81, $4,000 gross, the half of which was paid to the
state for maintenance of the roads and the remaining half
to the counties from which payment had been made.
On their way east the party reported that they found
the roads which are a part OF the Southern National
Highway generally good throughout the state OF Arizona,
with bad spots here and there, of course, but with the as
surance of the county commissioners that before the end
of 1916 the highway in Arizona would be put in first rate
condition its entire length. They also found that New
Mexico is arranging for the improvement of its roads
pose. In Texas the party was able to get through, altho
in the northeastern portion OF the state the roads were
not such as to invite in wet weather. In Arkansas GER
tain stretches of the road were in good condition., but
with MANY places that required treatment and no part OF
the road that could be regarded as impossible except IN
rainy weather. In Tennessee the road In many sections
was as good as any along the entire route and in North
Carolina the roads were equal to any found IN the en-
tire south.