Tombstone epitaph., 1918-02-24
GARDNER LOGS TOMBSTONE
eEhsoN-TucsoN ROAD

land trip to Tucson over the Benson
route. A. II. Gardner OF Tombstone.
one of the Cochise County Highway
Commissioners, has submitted the
following. on a request Of the log OF
his trip:
Your road hound" has just made
another trip to Tucson and back via
the Benson short line. to see what
effect the rains and snow had on
the route and here is what he found:
From Tucson to Vail the state
highway has just been treated to a
removal OF rocks and complete
dragging and is in fine shape From
Vail to the point where you turn OF
to go TO Colossal Cave, or to the 20
mile post from Tucson. the road is
good but from there to the Martinez
ranch house. the same old rocks an!
the same old brush AMI trees are
doing duty but at that you can get
through pretty well. and that it is
becoming favorite route is evil
denced from the fact that ! passed
twelve cars coming from the west
between nine and eleven in the
morning. while on my return trip |
passed seven cars between nine
thirty and one-all between Benson
and Vail.
On my return trip ! logged the
road and took my time TO make pic
lures and enjoy the beauties Of the
scenic drive from Vail to the Mar
tinez ranch house. II is a wonder.
fully beautiful drive over head and
sideways. but little work on the
road would help the pleasure of the
drive.
From the postoffice in Tucson to
the Colossal Cave road Is exactly
ing place is the ranch house OF a
very interesting rancher by the
name Of Ella Deeyer Harrington.
.t-t,n Iae-
west" over thirty years. The day
before had the pleasure OF meeting
Eliza he had been notified that I'm
Gle Sam was about TO issue him a
pension for fighting Injuns" way
long back IN the sixties. while a
resident Of Texas. He don't look
it. The Arizona climate has pre-
served him most kindly. Eliza is
man after Theodore Roosevelt's
heart. He is the proud father OF
ten children. all living.
From Tucson to the Harrington
ranch house 1t is SO miles. and the
next stopping place is the Martinez
ranch where you split a corral in
two and pass down a narrow lane
81 miles from Tucson. Then you
cross the Southern Pacific track on
the As mark and in front Of the
Mansion Hotel In Benson your speed
ometer records sos miles. From
the Martinez ranch to Benson the
road is In good shape but from Ben
son to Tombstone with the excep-
ton OF the last three miles il is very
good, the road from Benson to Cur
tbs being better than have ever
seen it. There is one wash be-
tween the railroad track and Benson
that needs to have the banks cut
down a little.
The fact that I made the trip to
Vail from Benson and back on mold
ed tires that had run two thousand
miles without any mishap shows
that II the loose rocks of PantanO
wash were thrown of the road and
the brush and wash banks were cut
down a little that 1t would not be
so bad through that otherwise de-
lightfully charming section OF what
eventually will be the state highway
from Douglas. Bisbee. Tombstone to
Tucson.
The exact distance from the post
Office in Tucson to the wooden cop"
at the intersection OF Fifth and Al
len streets. Tombstone. IL u miles.
In going west you strike the first
giant cacti near the road to Coles
sal Cave. There are two solid rock
hills that have immense giant cac-
tus plants growing like q pine for
80 - A>rA