Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-25
STATE ROADS ARE
NOT MAINTAINED
SAYS c. A. LONG
Ten Dollars Per Mile Annual
Cost of Dragging Roads
Is Statement of District
Forest Engineer.

Roads generally throughout
New Mexico and Arizona are most
ly in good condition. said G. A
Long. district forest engineer, who
has just returned from a months
auto trip through the national for
ests of these states. However
there is noticeable change for the
worse as you cross over into New
Mexico from the neighboring state
Roads that have cost thousands OF
dollars are not being maintained
What New Mexico needs today is
not road construction but road
maintenance" said Mr.. Long.
Mr.. Long, who has the handling
of forest road projects, has esti-
mated that the annual cost of drag
ging the state roads will not exceed
$40 per mile This will be seen tC
be a very small sum when it is
shown that these roads have cost
from 81 to $4,000 per mile to build
According to Mr.. Long. new roads
should be built if there is any
money left after the maintenance
program has been carried out.
During his absence of twenty
five days Mr. Long travelled prac-
ticaly 1000 miles over some of the
very toughest country in the two
states
While in Arizona. in company
with f. f. Bonner, assistant chief
engineer, he inspected what is
known as the Cherry creek project,
which is now being built by the
forest service to the Pueblo creek
cliff dwellings. This trail Is at the
end of the Salt river-Pleasant val
ley road, and was pronounced by
Mr.. Bonner to be the finest piece
of trail work in the west. 1t is four
feet wide and does not have a
grade of over 10 per cent. AS 1t
was impossible to construct bride
trail to the cliff dwellings a good
foot path has been made. This is
about one mi'e in length down the
canyon, whose walls rise on each
side 800 or 400 feet. The ruins
are located about 100 feet from the
bottom and have been wonderfully
preserved by an overhanging ledge
of rock. As an evidence of their
wonderful preservation, the marks
made by stone ak or some other
sharp instrument are still to be
seen on a large log that is nearby.
Other evidences of the former cave
men are everywhere present, ac-
cording to Mr.. Long, who has Wis
tied the dwellings several times.
During their trip they We're at
the Salt river bridge, which will be
completed within the next sixty
days over the Roosevelt lake and
which will displace the old ferry
that has been used for practically
six years.
When the trail and bridge are
completed it will afford an easy
and interesting side trip to the
ruins for thousands of tourists that
now travel the Apache trail from
Globe to Phoenix.
In visiting the southern part of
New Mexico Mr.. Long was much
with the rapid growth
Of the different sections. At
Nountainair large number of dry
land farms have been taken up and
gre NOW ullutT Al INV VI Nui-
tivation. The bean crop Is said to
look very promising. Several fields
of wheat were also noticed that
would compare favorably with
grown under irrigation.
livestock in both states are
looking exceptionally WELL" said
Mr.. Long. This is the result of late
spring rains and plenty Of forage.
A number of catt'emen complained
of not being able to close con-
tracts for steers. there being few
buyers In the market at the pres
ent time.
Mr.. Long expects to visit the
northern end of the state within
the next week or two. where he
will inspect a number of trails that
are now in course of construction.