La Junta tribune., 1915-07-10
WORST ROAD IN U. 8. A.
Road to Trinidad Not Equalled b,
Anything In Wiltis Of Arizona-
Disgrace to OterO County.


Otero county has the not YER,
creditable distinction OF having ont
OF the worst roads In the U. s. A. Il
is that part OF the historic Santa F,
trail that leads from La Junta d
Trinidad. Its condition is so motor
ious that automobile travellers Ii
the wilds OF Arizona inquire about
from travellers headed westward. AM
when they are warned immediatel,
commence making plans to avoid II
either by travelling southwar,
through Texas. or by taking tn,
route northward from Trinidad 4
Pueblo--any old way. in fact. tina
will obviate the necessity Of travel
Ing through La Junta. Now ism
that fine advertisement for tn,
best town of its size In the U. 8. A.
Isn't 1t about time to take vigorou
steps to have this condition remedi
ed!
A former resident Of La Junta va
30 disgusted and peeved after expert
encing the sensation Of travelling owe
this road that he wrote 10 Q lstts
for reproduction In the great famii.
journal telling Us all about II H
travelled for 500 miles westward. an,
with the exception Of the twenty 0
thirty miles through Otero count
found the roads good all the wsy
The letter follows:
Jennings Cash. myself and u
Ford. arrived here In Tuba, Aris
oil o. X. Friday evening-six day
and 800 miles from La Junta. W
found mostly good roads all the waJ
except . few rough and newly grad
ed stretches here and there-th
one notable exception being most
that stretch Of road from La Junta {
Trinidad. In Otero county. which W
something fierce. and not equalls
by anything In the wilds Of Arison,
One stretch from Magdalena, :
~. to Springfisld. Aris.. Of IL
miles. was almost like . boulsvar
although the oaly human habitatio
a1eag ths satirs diseaaes was u
small Mexican ssetlemsaes. n
stretch Of road In Otero county
certainly = disgrace TO the count
and II seems hard to understand wh
our commissioners have not impro'
ed II long ere this. There certainl
should be- sufficient available funt
for the purpose. judging from Il
amount Of taxes we are compelled .
pay-unlcss these funds are waste
through incompetent management
II was asked numerous times alor
the way by autoists. headed towai
i.a Junta. about the present cond
ton Of this particular piece OF roa
they either having Travelled one W:
over II. or having been told about
by those who had. and I found
several cases that they were pla
ming To avoid II by taking u southei
route through Texas. or from Trir
dad. via Pucbio-in either case
loss 10 La Junta.
We found the hardest climb
be Ration Pass aud we found no sal
anywhere worth mentioning. thcf
fore. any one contemplating an au
trip this far need have no fear Of 1
roads II they can make Il out
Otero county"
WALTER DUBREE.
Tuba. Arix.. July 8. 1915.
II Otsro county II bankrupt q
there In no money 70 repair Il
road and make Il at least somcthi
less Of an automobile nightms
than Il IL. Il would be . good idea
issue bonds for $4,000 or $500
and make this historic Santa
trail = boulevard that everybody
0tsro county would bc proud
A. Il II everybody In Otero coui
suffers. as Il Will eventually resi-
In divcrtins all transcontinentsi 8
tomobiis traffic to other sections
the state.
unlcss La Juhta and Otsro couf
desire TO be wiped off tho face Of
map altogether. by being advsstis
throushout the U. 8. A. ~ The 9
particular section Of Colorado 4
should bc avoided BY aii automet
travellers. Il will bs absolutely u
esssry to remedy this dissrAssu y
condition at oncs. and The sooase
better.
Il 10 not true. - seas peeols
sue. that the oaly peeDle h o..
county VITO ass flaanelally oonollf
by autoneelle esasf1o aso ~ =
aRoa n ehn Annnew anA 49, 49,