The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-08-29
STATE STOPS
 HIGHWAY WORK IN
 C0CH|SE COUNTY

The Arizona Republican contains the followin garticle on Saturday con- corning the status of road work in Cochise county which the law provides shall be- done jointly under the direc- tion of the board of supervisors and the state engineer. This isNa a sequel to the order given by the board of su- lprvisors ast week that the state en- gineer should do more work in that county.
 Merry war is on, apparently be- tween the supervisors of Cochise coun ty and the state engineer. One tacti- cal stroke has been delivered by each constant and they are now appar- entely waiting in their corners for the gong that will open the next round. Honors apparently are even at this time. The trouble between the Cochise county supervisors and the state high way department has been brewing for some time but active measures were taken only so far as the public view is concerned when the board address ed letter to Thomas Maddock, state engineer. informing him that that body will mo longer approve or counte- nance the payment of any more bills cut of the 75 per. cent road tax fund of Cochise county .-.,
 "The return shot by the state en- gineer was delivered with vim and consisted of an order to I. F. Fraser, engineer in charge of road mainten ance and construction in Cochise coun ty instructing him to immediately re- move all the road gangs and equip. ment from Cochise county to Pima county.
 The letter from the Cochise county supervisors containing the. ultimatum arrived yesterday, and reads as fol lows:
 Letter From Board.
 August 19, 1919. Hon. Thos. Maddock.
 State Engineer, Phoenix, Arizona.
 Dear Sir: By order of the board of supervisors I have been directed to ad- wise you that on and after September ] 1919, this board will no longer ap- prove nor countenance the payment of any more bills out cf-the 15 per cent road tax fund of Cochise county as the board desires to; take over the supervision and directing of road mat ters within this county after the Ist of September. -.-,..-..- i For your ;nformationr the board ! wishes to advise that the reason for taking these steps owing to the fact i that they are not satisfied with the presen existing system: that under the system, proper results have not been forthcoming, and from a busi- ness standpoint have been very unsat- isfactory, therefore not conductive to the best methods of obtaining value received in exchange for the amounts expended.
 The board wishes to be fair and just in this matter, but feel that for the best interest of Cochise county this change is necessary.
 i yours very truly
 l.. F. KUCHENBECKER. Clerk Board of Supervisors | The reply was not delivered to the Cochise board except by indirectiOn It was not wordy reply simply an order to do something and do it now It follows:
 State Engineer Replies .i Phoenix, August g. 1919. F. Fraser
 NOgales Arizona.
 i Arrange to stop all work Cochise , county by August 31,. Include time necessarily to load construction anG maintenance equipment. Notify al maintenance men impossible to Ion ger keep them in service. Move com plete outfit onto road Vail to Empire in Pima county, to repair and wider roadbed. Will divert government T N. T. from Fairbanks to Vail. Use al trucks and caterpillars for movims Notify Tombstone impossible to dt work requested also abandon propos d widening rock cuts between Bisbee and Tombstone. Be sure to incur nc further indebtedness Cochise count! after August. These instruction ac count action of supervisors.
 THOMAS MADDOCK,
 State Engineer