The Coconino sun., 1916-03-31
GOOD ROADS IN ARIZONA AND HOW THEY MAKE FOR
 INCREASED BUSINESS
Issued by Arnold Tourist Information Bureau o, K. Parker, Highway
 Engineer, Los Angeles,

At the Arizona Good Roads meeting held at Flagstaff on October 9th, 1915, many important subjects of interest to the business men of Arizona were discussed
 Among the papers of more than ordinary interest were the following: "Co-operation of Counties on a Gen eral Highway System" "Why State and County Officials Should Encour- age Good Roads," and Importance of County Bond Issues for Good Roads" |"
 Those subjects are of pertinent in- terest in the development of increased business throughout Arizona. Every business house in the state would be favorably affected in the way of in- creased business through the building of permanent system of good roads. No other one development could be undertaken that would yield a greater profit than the investment required for constructing a state highway system.
 It is understood at the present time that Arizona as a state is not in a position to undertake extensive road building, but that does not interfere nor conflict in any way with the coun- ty development of highways,
 In all history of highway construc- tion in the United States there has never been one instance where the construction of good roads was not of direct benefit to the neighborhood through which the good roads passed This beneficial effect has been so pro- nounced and has become so well known throughout the land that every business community from Canada to Mexico and from the Atlantic to the Pacific is anxiously seeking ways and means by which they can participate in the greater business due to the construction of good roads.
 Every community, of course has it's individual problems, both as to road construction and the development of increased business therefrom, but in a general way these problems have certain similarities of such universal effect that in the main they may be said to apply throughout the common width. As an illustration, the follow ing effects of better highways in any community will be general:
 Let us say that a community is situ- ated in broad valley and that this valley hs been so secluded, so separat- ed from other communities by physi- cal or geographical barriers that it's home products have not found their way to outside markets, and that these outside markets have been ac- customed to getting their supplies from districts farther away but more easily reached,
 Let us again suppose, for point of illustration, that the valley in ques- tion, profiting by the example so sue cessful in other communities, pro ceeds to build a system of good roads permanently surfaced and of easy grades, these highways to extend throughout the county and to lead to those districts where the home pro- ducts of the valley would find a ready market.
 With modern, well-built and reliable motor trucks, loads of one to five tons capacity could be sent over the newly constructed highways at such rate of speed and low cost of operation as to permit the valley merchants to compete with the districts which formerly supplied the outside market. Increased activity would immediately take place in the development of the resources of this home valley and would, as a matter of fact, so open the eyes of capital to the opportunities in the valley, and the products there from, as to induce that capital to seek investment, thereby stimulating the purchase and sale of land through out the valley, all of which, in turn, would result in general prosperity and have generally beneficial effect on every business in the community.
 This illustration of cause and effect of good roads system, as applied to a valley situation, is identical in a general degree to a mountainous re- zion, even though agricultural devel- opment, due to physical or geographi- cal conditions, may not be possible. The building of good roads in this mountainous region would permit of motor truck competition with railroad freight rates to such degree that a greatly decreased price of living com modities would be the result. This decrease in prices rarely is less than 20% to 258o and is usually sufficient in the aggregate to more than pay tho ;ptaract on tho invaet m ept re-