Arizona sentinel Yuma southwest., 1915-11-04
(By B. F. Fly)

at last nights good roads banquet, Tn the beautifully decorated Southern Pacific Hotel dining room.
 The genial Colonel then squared himself, to the delight of everybody present, for having unthoughtfully butted into our local squabble over the question of substituting "Warren- ite" for concrete for our good road from Yuma to Somerton. He took oc- casion to denounce in most unmistak- able terms the contents of telegram charging him with being the represen- tative of one of the California cement companies, declaring that he was not now, and never had been connected directly or indirectly with a cement company, either in California or else where
 His only object in sending a tele- gram to the Commercial Club advo- eating a concrete road, he declared, was to impress on the people the great importance of constructing a good road, but it mattered not to him what kind of material was used so long as it made a good road
 This straightforward declaration by the good-natured good roads booster at once disarmed his critics and, when he afterward assured me in a very pleasant interview that had he known the contract had been awarded to the O. &. c. company for Warren ite," he would never have "butted in," I at once made up my mind that he was absolutely correct when he said he had gone off half-cocked." He further said his information was that the contract under controversy was a part of the Ocean-to-Ocean highway, but, upon learning it was road thru the valley, for the benefit of our good farmers, he was doubly sorry he had sent his celebrated telegram.
 Col. Fletcher paid Yuma many high compliments during the course of his banquet speech, assuring his hearers that next to San Diego, he loved Yuma and the Yuma people best of all. He Eade many friends by his speech, and it goes without further saying that he in the future to let the people os Yuma county settle their own troubles.
 Toastmaster E. s. Kirkpatrick was unusually happy in his introduction sshort, witty and to the point All the speakers were more than en- ,hused over the question of good roads Banker George Michelsen was booked for the speech of wei come. He had good deal of fun with his friend, Col. Fletcher.
 T could but notice" said Mr. Michel sen, that while Col. Fletcher was speaking he kept his hands in his pockets, and this reminds me that this is the only time in history that he hasn't had his hands in our pockets which brought down the house, for Col. Fletcher had said he was not here this time to ask for a contribution to the good roads cause.
 Wilbur Hall, who is accompanying the party across the continent for the purpose of writing up the trip, for one of the well known magazines, made a happy five-minute speech from the of a magazine writer l am greatly indebted to him for the 
 "One who has travelled the desert roads of Yuma county in this state and of Imperial and Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California, IS I have done more or less for the ast twelve years, can appreciate what las been achieved in the way of bridge and highway construction in that time, and can certainly enjoy to the fullest extent real road when he rolls onto 0ne.
 T wouldn't advise a young and fra gile mother to start wheeling baby to the San Diego Fair in his little go-cart, but at that I was amazed at he sand hills road, and at the ease with which we made the run yester- lay from San, Diego to Yuma The which has been made, as as result of the energy and push ol the men along the line and at both ends, makes the observer more than ever convinced that within few years his segment of the Southern National Highway will be world famous.
 With Yuma's long and patien; fight for bridges all good roads enthu siasts are familiar, and it was a great please last night to see the big, per manent structure spanning the muddy Colorado and replacing the ancient erry. This connecting link makes