El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-28


GOOD used in connection with
" road. is a comparative word Il
a road is better than the roads
you have been travelling recently. you
refer to Il as q good road
e Psso county. however, has good
roads in the strictsst sense OF the
word. and each year sees its roads
extended an1 its highways improved
Fl Paso county has as good roads,
perhaps better roads, than any county
in the southwest Il really should
have, when We stop 10 consider these
things The taxpayers are oprimis-
tic and are willing TO put up money
for good roads, voting bonds gladly
for road extension and Improvement
as soon as they are convinced that
they are going 70 get their moneys
WORTH materials for construction are
easily available in FL Paso county,
While excellent rock Is available as
close as Mount Franklin. and rock
is cheaper in FL Paso than in any
county in Texas. New Mexico or Arr
IONA: q cement plant Is located in Fl
Pasos asphalt materials are available
in east Texas, California and New
Mexico, and there IS plenty Of gravel
and sand along the foothills Of the
valley a number Of concerns engaged
exclusively in rock building work
have their headquarters here labor
is reasonable and obtainabls IN the
county itself So We have all the
requisites. the need. the willingness.
the money. the material and the
labor
Roads In Upper VALLEY.
Road building is appearing in q
new light Il is no longer the city
nan with an automobils who is the
"a
greatest demand for better roads in
e Paso county comes from the
farmer
The physical features Of FL Paso
county make possible the proper serv-
ing OF the farmer With a minimum
in long narrow valley following the
Rio Grande, thus one main hard sur
faced road extending through the
length Of the valley with 4 system Of
gravel OF rock crossroads leading 20
the main artery gives an ideal road
system
IN November. 1915, the laying OF
. concrete road extending north 70
the county line at Anthony vas com
pletsd- This pavementsis OF concrete
1 8 feet wide with an earth shoulder
on each side and vas constructed az
a cost Of approximately $4,000 per
nile The coast 10 duplicate this
road today would be more than dou-
bic that price.
All the fsrmed land IN the upper
valley lies west Of this road and the
farmers are enabled 70 reach the
main highway over a system OF
graveled crossroads constructed at
small cost on account Of the prox-
unity OF suitable materials
An improvements Needed.
While the upper valley farmer IS
fairly well served with suitable roads
close to his farm. yet there IS one
important link still lacking IN our
roads TO the north An immense ton
mage OF farm products, prlnci pallv
hay and grain. is hauled 70 market
in e Paso on horse drawn vehicles
The farmer can load his wagon TO
the limit at his barn and negotiate
the road with ease as far as the via
duct over the railroad tracks al the
Globe mills. Here, however. he en-
counters the only hill on the entire
route ana as the original designer
did not equip horses or mules with a
gear shift. much difficulty is encoun-
tered IN making the grade. Horses
have dropped dead IN making the
pull in warm weather and the farm
ers are forced 70 arrange to send
wagons in pairs OF IN trains 50 they
can double the hill
II IL estimated that n this hfIl can
be eliminated II viii reduce the cost
OF hauling by at least 80 ecnrz per
ton and the total tonnage hauled
amounts 10 about 10000 tons yearly.
Tentative plans have been tending
toward the realgnment and widen
ing Of the road from the cement plant
20 old Fort Bliss, and the construc-
ton OF new roadway from that
point along the river into the lower
end OF town, thus giving a more di-
rect route At present the farmer IS