The Coconino sun., 1917-05-25
EVERGREEN HIGHWAY
Proposed Military Road Extending | From the Mexican Border to Pa
 cific Coast
ONLY TOURING ROUTE OPEN
 THE YEAR ROUND
Path Finding Cars to Visit Flagstaff

Path- Finding Cars to Visit Flagstaff
 The existence of a state of war has forced upon the people of the United States, as never before, the conviction that good highways are indispensable as a means of defense, and, in the campaign of preparedness being con- ducted in every nook and corner of the land, the need of constructing highways so located as to be of spe- cial service in military operations is not being overlooked. Gen. Goethals, the builder of the Panama Canal is serving the state of New Jersey as highway engineer, to supervise the expenditure of $15,000,000 for state roads. Governor Stevens, of Califor- mia, is advocating for his state, "fed- eral, state and county cooperation in !, the construction of military roads," Senator Bankhead, of Alabama, re- gently said in @ speech, "It may be that I can be of the most service to my country, whether in war or at peace, by promoting the building of better roads"
 Actuated by the same sense of ne- cessity, the executive committee of the Interstate Evergreen Highway association have proposed the exten- sion of the Evergreen Highway so as to run from Vancouver, British Co., lumbia, to the Mexican border at Fl Paso, Texas, distance of 2800 miles. The route will be from Vancouver south over the Pacific Highway to the Columbia River, thence east with the north bank of the Columbia, and over the Snake River plateau, to Lewiston, Idaho; thence through the Snake Riv- CT canyon, partly on the Oregon and partly on the Idaho side, to Weiser; thence by way of Boise, Twin Falls, Ogden, Salt Lake City, the Grand Canyon, Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, Bisbee and Douglas, to Fl Paso. The advocates of this route are impressed with its paramount utility in military mobilization because of it's two com manding advantages, in that, first, it connects the Pacific Coast and both national boundaries with the food producing interior, and, second, it is the only route into the Pacific North west over which motor trucks could be operated every day in the year. It follows water grades. It connects in one chain the cities of the United States blessed with the least annual rainfall and the largest percentage of possible sunshine. Throughout its en- tire length climatic conditions, soil formations and contours are such as to eliminate troubles from mud. The few missing links in the chain can be | aJ ,,,;tL t;txIa onef
 The highway will also serve local divisions as utility road, usable the year round; in some states breaking the bonds of isolation which have hampered maximum industrial devel opment, as in the counties of Wallowa and Baker, in Oregon, and some of the counties of Southern Utah not served by a railroad; in other states, as in Washington and Idaho, supplying a long -hoped-for means of uninterrupt- ed communication between two grand subdivisions separated by mountain barriers. To southwestern Idaho and northeastern Oregon the construction of an all-year auto is an enter prise promising more beneficent re- suits, perhaps, than the coming of a railroad from south to north.
 | As a summer tourist route the Ev- ergreen Highway offers attractions legion in number: the indiscribable outdoor wonders, beauties and pleas ures of the evergreen North Pacific coast, with its summer temperature ranging in extremes between 70 and 80 degrees of 16 hours sunlight; gla- ciers, mountain-peaks lakes, beaches, white-topped peaks releasing waters that give life, wealth and beauty to the world-famed valleys of the Yaki- ma, Hood, White Salmon, Willamette, Puyallup and Walla Walla. In Idaho and Eastern Oregon the lakes and woods of Wallowa county, Lake Pay cite, the canyon of the Snake River, rivalling in grandeur the Grand Can yon of the Colorado, Shoshone Falls, Niagara of the West, the City of Rocks ice caves and lost rivers.
 Over this route, too, the tourist from the North may travel through the fall and take his choice from among the varied offerings of the many winter resorts extending across the continent from Los Angeles to Palm Beach and select his own time to return without being compelled to load his car upon steamship.
 | The commercial clubs and automo- bile associations of the Pacific North west have endorsed the plans, and will assist in financing the activities of the Interstate Evergreen Highway association. The association is pre- pairing to send a path-finding auto mobile excursion over the whole route this summer. The cars for the trip and mechanician are to be provided through the courtesy of the Stude- baker corporation; the equipment by the Goodrich Rubber Co. In the party will be representative of the Auto mobile Blue Book, who will make a log of the route; press correspond ent; one of the best known platform entertainers of the Pacific Northwest; B. F. Hill, of Walla Walla, Wash, President, and A. J. Elrod, of Pasco, Wash, Secretary of the association; Capt. 1. N. Howell, Secretary of State, of Washington, will accompany the caravan for, at least, a large part of its military; and the highway commits xn oL ckok, sr%aracfaI ;o nv