The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-01-16
HIGHWAY
WILL ACCOMMODATE
TRAFFIC FROM EAST

Paralleling as nearly as possible the
Rock Island railway from Kansas City
to I'll Paso, Texas, and connecting such
important military centers as Camp
Funston near Fort Riley, the geo.
graphical center of the United States,
and Fort Bliss at FL Paso. the gate
way to old Mexico, the Funston-F Fort
Bliss Military Highway promises to
be one of the more important high
ways that is being proposed at this
time and on which federal aid is an
ticipated
Many of the links in the proposed
highway have already been completed
and work is expected to begin imme-
diately on some of the unimproveo
links. Probably one of the best high
ways in the southwest has just been
between FL Paso and Alamo
gordo, n. NJ. The building of this
road was possible by the use of local,
state and federal funds and the extern
sive use of convict labor by the State
of New Mexico.
The Good Roads Club of Guymon.
Okla, advises that Oklahoma proposes
to issue $50 000O,0OO worth of bonds for
the construction of highways in that
state. A "a recent conference held at
Oklahoma City, that organization was
represented and attention was called
to the proposed Funston-Fort Bliss
Military Highway. Upon the return
af L..
tion officials were advised that "you
may depend on Texas county"
Local, state and federal funds were
also expended in building the highway
from Nara Visa, n. NJ. to Logan, n.
NJ, and the authorities expect soon to
take up the work Of building the road
from Logan to Tucumcari. The con-
tract has already been let for the con-
struction of the highway from Tucum-
carl to Montoya.
Concerted action is necessary 10 ac-
complish anything worth while and il
Is hoped that the various communi-
ties through which the proposed high
way is routed are awake to the possi-
bilities and that the dream Of its pro-
moters will soon be an accomplished
fact.
Senator John II. Bankhead. chair
man of the Committee on Post Offices
and Post Roads, to which all highways
legislation in the upper branch of con-
gress is referred, in commenting upon
bills now pending, recently made this
plea for "roads at home:"
"The war showed what the national
strength could accomplish in the swift
construction of rapidtransit highways
and the use thereon of rapid-transit
vehicles.
THE Nation trained its Engineer
Corps and sent them to Europe equip
ped for the quick construction of the
roads. The part which the United
State stock in the decisive campaign
was rendered possible by the use of
automobiles and motor trucks over
rapid transit highways.
Nov that the war is over the ques-
tion arises, are not highways as vital
ly important for the conduct of peace
as they were for the conduct of war?
With half the world going to bed hun
cry every night and millions doomed
to starvation, is not the swift construc-
tion of the highway to the acre that
produces as urgent necessity as were
the roads in the battle zone? And If
the need is as urgent should the Nation
slacken its effort or permit its road
building equipment to be sold or dis
sipated? Should it not rather increase
its efforts in this direction and proceed
with the construction of highways at
home on scale commensurate with
the importance and urgency of the
need?
1T is for the Congress of the L. ).
to answer these questions. Measures
are pending designed to meet the sit
uation. three of which are as follows:
Joint resolution 200, authorizing
the transfer from the War Department
to the Department of Agriculture OF
all available dispensable and suitable
war material for distribution to the
highway departments of the several
states for use on the highways.
Senate bill 50SS increasing the
present unexpended appropriation of
about $60, ,000, 900 for road parposes by
the addition of $l25,000,0O0 for expen-
ditures to June 1920, and 500 ,OO0, 900
year thereafter for -four years.
"House bill l3308 carries an appro-
priation of Sl,000,000 for an extern