Arizona republican., 1920-07-30
SCENIC SPOTSOF NORTH VISITED
 BY SCOUT CAR


 Ever changing scenic grandeur, in describably rich in it's beauty, over rolling plains, green with carpets of | grass, through dense forests of pine, poplar and oak, past snow capped | mountains and across clear icy streams is the sort of country being traversed | by the Oldsmobile sS'-Goodyear scout car in its road mapping tour of north ern Arizona according to word re- ceived at this office from the pilot of the car.
 From Holbrook to St John. a dis tance of 6S miles, one traverses an ex- | cellent graded road which leads | through the Petrified Forest, 19 miles | distant from Holbrook and over a | rolling country. rich in grazing land for cattle and sheep. A new road is | being constructed through the Petri- | fled Forest and for a distance of about | miles it is necessary to still use the | old road. This forest. which is classed | as one of the seven wonders of the world, is always a source of much in- terest to travellers. This vast forest, | laid low by some unaccountable reason, covers an area of perhaps 2U0 square miles, Not tree of any description stands while the huge pines lie as they fell. centuries past, broken into innu- merable bits of petrification, the vivid .7olors of which have only in this way
 
 beauty. No where else in the world is a similar freak to be found. From St John to Springerville, 32 miles distant, an excellent graded dirt road also is found, surfaced with gravel and cinders obtained from nearby lava and cinder beds Although this road is kept in the best Of condition an ad- ditional s30ooo0 has been raised for the purpose of still further improv- ing it.
 This route is part of the National highway and much traffic is seen over it. Because of it's good condition, transcontinental travellers are using it more than other roads of that section. At Springervi1le an excellent hotel is found and garage accommodations are of the best. although all provisions and material must be freighted in from Holbrook, a distance of 100 miles. Even considering this disadvantage, prices are reasonable.
 After leaving Springerville, the O1ds- mobile Goodyear scout car wended its way into the White mountains. Springerville lies practically at the foot of these mountains.
 The numbering town of Cooley is the next stop, which lies in the heart of the mountains, 4S miles distant. Much of this road is graded, especially in the open mesas, while the road through the dense pine forests can not be classed as bad. Rocks are encoun- tered in places, but the going can be maintained at an average of 10 miles per hour. Many grades, though must be climbed, for at one point, 2s miles put of Springerville, the car gains an altitude of 9400 feet.
 Excellent hotel accommodations are found at Cooley. as we'll as provisions, gas and oil, but no garage service.
 The town of Cooley is supported by one of the largest sawmills in the coun- try, 1t being one of the few electric ally operated mills in existence. Everything is new and modern New rustic bungalows are furnished the workmen and their families, the houses being electric lighted. with a complete sewerage system. It is claimed that S110,00O was spent by the company to and sanitary system. According to of ficials of the company, an existing contract with the Santa Fe railroad demands an output of one tie every 25 seconds for every workday of the year, approximating total annual output of 100000 ties. More than 100000 feet of lumber now is being cut daily, while 30.000,0O0 feet have been cut since the mill started it's oper- ation on Jan. I. Seventy-two miles of track have been laid from Holbrook, over which the company operates it's own trains and maintains the road.
 Were the wonderful scenic roads through the White mountains placed in proper shape and rightly advertised, fully two days could be cut from the running time between Kansas City or other eastern points and Phoenix. The most direct route obtainable from Phoenix to Albuquerque, N. M., is found through the White mountains with variety of scenery unequaIled anywhere. Because of the poor con- dition of the road between Rice and Fort Apache, a distance of about 65 miles, and few stretches to Springerville from Cooley, motorists are stunning the route and instead taking the route through Flagstaff Kingman and into California. This huge traffic of tourists might just as well come through the White noun tain country and into Phoenix for the reason that the road is two days shorter, if for no other reason. If nee sssary routes into Phoenix and Globe should have precedence, then this i'm portant tourist artery shDuld come in for serious consideration.