Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-19
SEVEN THOUSAND
AUTO TOURISTS
SEE NE " MEXICO

At the beginning of the tourist sea-
son ii was estimated by the American
Automobile association of New York
and the Automobile club of Southern
California that $500 tourist cars
would pass over the Ocean to Ocean
highway from Kansas City to Los
Angeles, during the past season In
stead, 1000 passed over this highway.
According to d, X. b. Sellers, who
is without doubt the best authority on
road conditions, it would have been
possible to have brought many more
through here had roads been in bet
ter shape. For the past three years
the people have had the wrong idea
about road conditions in the state
Some three years ago there was
great deal of shouting done about
what the federal government was go
ing to do towards building roads. At
that time the public didn't realize that
it always takes considerable time for
the government to get into action, and
began to neglect the roads in the hope
that the government was going to put
everything in first class shape. BY
waiting it is estimated, by good au-
thorities, that the state has lost in the
neighberhood OF S1,500,000.
The government does not undertake
work unless there is a five-year pro-
gram ahead, The roads now under
construction throughout the state are
being put into first class condition and
will be magnificent highways when
completed. But as everyone realizes
who has had any experience the gov
eminent operations move slowly
In the meantime there has been but
very little road maintenance; bridges
have been washed out and not re-
placed. Deep washes have been
made through the graded roads in a
great many places and nobody has
built them UP again. The mainte-
nance of these roads could be done at
nominal cost. a small fraction of the
amount that the government expects
to spend within the next five years.
1t is conceded by those who are in
a position to know that New Mexico
has the best natural roads country in
the west Some three years ago the
state was maintaining one of the very
best systems of highways that could
be found in any of the western states,
and this fact was known throughout
the east, but today on every hand you
can hear of the bitter disappointment
of the auto tourist as he travels over
the state roads. This could be rene
died by the county and state cooper
ating, says Colonel Sellers, that is, as
far as the maintaining roads is con-
cerned. If this is not done. when the
tourists travel next spring they are
going to sidestep New Mexico
It is safe to say that with the roads
well drained, bridges back in and
some advertising done there would be
twice the number of tourists next year
Colonel Sellers the state represent
alive for the automobile clubs, gives
an illustration Of just what this would
mean to New Mexico. There is an
average of four people to car and
it is conservatively estimated that
they will spend S. per capita q day
while in the state, which, If they are
going right through, takes an average
of five days. The auto tourist travel,
then, brought to New Mexico during
the last season. something over $780,
600. This does not include the inter-
state travel of the nearby states, which
last year amounted to over 1000 cars
Beside the great amount of money
brought into the state by the
tourist travel, Albuquerque alone has
gained over 100 well-to-do families
who We're en- route to California but
were so web pleased with local eli
matte conditions that they decided to
make homes here