Tombstone epitaph., 1920-07-04
WORK PROGRESSING ON
 BENsoN.vAIL STRETCH

PHOENIX, June 29.-The Vail-Ben- son highway as it is known in Pima county, or the Benson-Vail road as it is known in Cochise county. is a demonstration of the old mathema tical axiom that the shortest dis. tance between two points is straight line. It reduces the distance between Tucson, the county seat of Pima county, and Tombstone. the county seat of Cochise county, by ten miles.
 The map of most Arizona roads look more like a snake than straight road, and road engineers seemingly take great delight in seeing just how many twists and turns they can get in a mile. This was the kind of road between Vail and Benson which Tom Maddock. state engineer, found when he took office. Leaving the Borderland highway at Vail 1t dippe0 into the treacherous Pantano wash, and crawled it's way up to the other side over waste of rocks. then drop ped again into the Agua Verde wash exec ptionally dangerous in flood time and following this valley. crossed ard recrossed the channel some ten times in distance of four miles.
 Engineers of Pima county and the state highway department were sen; ont to look over the situation. They i figured on improving the old route 1 by eliminating some of the more snake-like curves and some of the more snake-like treachery of rhe lords but the bridge estimates rau SO high that 1t was seen that the route was impractical.
 t was then that the state highway ct eineer told his locating forces 10 take a ramble over the whole SIT. rounding country and not to come back until they had located a more feasible routing. A thorough recon raisance of the entire region was
 Smith was discharged rom the army about four months ago and went to work in the gents furnish tade and it was seen that if bridge site could be secured over the Glen ega river splendid location could be made many miles south of the old road: very little excavation would bc necessary, the bridge expense would be much less and the road surfacing material much better The outcome was that this route was selected end that work is now progressing on q tigbway which for a large part of tue way takes it's course as straight as the crow flies
 As fast as the plans and specified tions necessary for federal aid could be prepared this work has been let by contract with indications that the job will be complete on or about the first of the year. thereby affcrding an important link in the system of highways which go to make up the socalled Bankhead route from Phoe. nix to the New Mexico line near Rodeo
 At this writing one i-mile section is finished and another ' miles unit is under construction, both sections having been contracted to Goodman and Merrill. In addition a contract has been let to English and Pierce of Yuma for the construction of a unique bridge which will span the beautiful Cienega river and the tracks of the Southern Pacific railroad near Irene. This bridge will be of the two-ribbed arch type, the main arcn being l46 feet between piers. owing to sudden flushes in the stream un usual problems are presented in ths erection of the false work This will be met by the erection of two frame towers which will support the false work which will be carried or a bowstring truss we'll above higs water. The remainder Of the bridge including the approach over the rail road is of the usual state standard reinforced concrete girder type.
 Bids have been called for the con struction of the three remaining sec tions of the highway. One of thes, is in Cochise county and the othe two in Pima county. One of thes'