Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1921-04-20
WALKER LAKE ROAD
NEARLY FINISHED

mineral county residents III partlcu-
lar, and road enthusiasts generally
throughout the state, are looking for
ward to the opening of the state high
way OH the west side OF Walker lake
to traffic. Contractor Berney and as.
sociates have two camps established
one at either end of the contract, thai
will, i'll all PROBABILITY, be completed
within fortnight.
The original contract called for
construction OF 9.33 miles of unsur-
faced road, IS feet in width. An ex-
tension l.73 miles long has been added
20 the south end of themain road. The
extension is an unsurfaced road, Is
feet wide, in very good condition, as it
runs through good, natural road-ouild;
ing material, consisting largely Of
gravel. An ordinary county road, in
air condition, connects the constructed
highway with Hawthorne. The com.
missioners OF Mineral county have
opened up rough graded road from
The north end OF the state highway
to Schurz.
The ll0o miles OF new road in part
has been CONSTRUCTED in spite of great
difficulties. For distance of two
niles it was necessary to run the line
,bout 80 feet above the lake level
blasting a pathway through the solid
rock towering hundreds OF feet above
the lake and forming the largest
known geological fault in the United
States.
Machinery. building material fol-
he camps, stock and supplies Of all
;inds were transported sin miles
.cross the lake on barge. The com.
,ressor to operate the the rock drills
md blacksmith forges were placed Or
narrow rock lodges where workmen
lad barely standing room.
The most difficult obstacle, however
vas the mountainside and cliff farther
,orth where the nature OF the debris
,bovc vertical cliff between 50 ano
IS feet high made it appear well nigh
impossible to construct road thai
would stand and that would not be
.roublcd by rock and gravel DRIFT
ng down from above This developed
he bitter controversy over the merits
If the ~" M" and 81 lines, which
vas aired fully before the legislative
INVESTIGATING committee, and resulted
II the selection of the IN" line, which
# various points was midway between
he other two routes, and which ap-
bears TO present fewer engineering
problems than either OF the other
ines. The route chosen at this point
about 2lO feet above the lake. The
builder have overcome difficulties that
an be appreciated only by seeing, but
lower line would have followed Tor g
considerable distance the top OF the
vertical cliff.
The road on the west side of Walker
AXE is not a local undertaking IN the
;ensc of serving the public in the i'm
Mediate vicinity, for throughout Its
,ntire length, not to exceed three
anchors on small scale have then
,oltlings. The road is, however, VI
al link in the state highway system
I eliminates the S00S-foot Luckyboy
,yrade, which ordinarily is closed dur
20 all of the winter months and which
aside from its novelty, is the bane OF
,utoists.
Under ordinart conditions 1t Will be
>ossibe Tor an open road between
Reno and Tonopall---in fact, between
oregon and the most southern bound
arv OF the state to be nalhtaiheo
n nassablc condition Tor automobiles
throughout the year. Mineral county
n PLAYING its part in the development
nd construction of the state highway
;vstem is paying one-fourth OF the cos'
4 the road that will cost III excess o.
>2OO.OOO. in addition to extra county
maintenance work at both the north
md south ends.
Mineral county. the highway de-
oartmcnt and the contractor a"o
he Dublic is about to reap the reward
# their efforts in ROAD OF Srea'
statewide benefit and convenience ana
hat in many respects, has Scenic
Qualities that are unsurpassed.
In Position.
From n story am nan 80.
{" ba said. rs he bent over her