Bisbee daily review., 1920-09-07

1He SplllJ Ol lIleHuSulp anu uHilJ existing between Bisbee and Doug. las was more firmly cemented by the celebration yesterday afternoon at Forest Station of the completion of the Bisbee- Douglas highway, the long est piece of concrete paving in the southwest and the connecting link between two of the most important cities in the southwest The cele- bration was attended by large dele cations from both cities. Hundreds of autos were parked on both sides of a section of the new highway that had been closed to traffic while the celebration was in progress.
 Shortly after the arrival of the George Fl. Winfrey mounted the speakers stand. announced tEe pur- pose of the meeting and introduced Cleon 1T. Knapp, local attorney. who delivered a short but masterly ad- dress. Knapp spoke in part as fol lows:
 We are gathered together for the purpose of formally dedicating the Bisbee-Douglas highway. Plans for this project were inaugurated in 1917 and it's successful continuation is due largely to the enthusiasm and energy of the chambers of commerce of Bis bee and Douglas, of the board of su- pervisors, composed at that time of Vance Johnson, J. C. Sparks and John Rock, and of the highway com mission appointed by the board of supervisors.
 Is Fruit of Courage
 "In the construction of this high way obstacles were met that would have been unsurmountable to any less determined group of men. The first of these was the sale of $1,00O.- 900 dollars worth of bonds. At first no bidder could be found and it was only when two of the mining com panies purchased half the bonds that a bonding company could be found to take over the other half.
 "In the fall of 1917 this country had entered the war It is needless to dwell on the difficulties of carrying through such project while the ef- forts of the community and of the country were engaged in the war. Not only this but on account of in creasing costs estimates were 1n- creased to such an etent that it looked as if the project would have to be given up. The first estimate made for the work was $6OO,O0O and it was only by the enterprise and de- votion of Tom Maddock, who enlisted the aid of the government, that the highway was completed.
 The Bisbee-Douglas highway has now been accepted as part of the Bankhead highway and is a national road"
 Praises Dead Engineer
 At this point the speaker paid a tribute to the commercial organiza- tions of Bisbee and Douglas and the board of supervisors for the part they have played is the building Of the highway, and to Dick Ryan (de- ceased) "a genius as an engineer and road builder, responsible in a large part for the construction of the high way over the divide and for the ma for portion of this highway"
 Mir Knapp then pointed out the fal lacies and the injustices that would be caused to the southern counties of Arizona by the passage of the pro- posed measure for the creation of a state highway commission. He said in part:
 "There is a measure pending for the appointment of a state highway commission of five members. l am for any constructive legislation but this bill is designed to rob southern Arizona of great amount of money that should be used for road work here. The assessed valuation of the three southern counties of Arizona | is $500. GOO, 900 as against $500. 1000 ,0OC assessed valuation of all the other counties. And yet the northern coun ties would have three representatives on this proposed highway commits i sion and the southern counties only two. The assessed valuation of Go chise county is $175,00O,0OO dollars greater than any other county in Ari zona. not excepting that great county 1 of Maricona All Of uS should be OD