Imperial Valley press., 1922-04-29
VALLEY ROUTE
|NDORsEO
IN VOTE
National Roads Convention
Goes on Record for
New Highway
ALL YEAR TRAVEL
Ocean to Ocean Traffic
Will Bring Visitors by
Thousands
ALL YEAR TRAVEL

Reports from the national good roads
convention at Phoenix indicate that so
far as resolutions count for anything,
everyone is now committed to the prop
osition of bringing the Bankhead trans
continental highway by the southern
route into Imperial Valley and establish
ing this as the dividing points for the
roads to Los Angeles and San Diego.
At the associated chambers Of com-
merce meeting in Brawley last night, q
l.. F. Shaw saying that the Imperial
Valley people had won everything that
they had been contending for.
General satisfaction was expressed at
the meeting Of the associated chambers
as the Imperial Valley contentious were
based solely upon the merits of the case,
the local people standing in favor Of
including hundred miles Of cultivated
country in the transcontinental routa
rather than an equal distance of unin-
habitable desert. 1t was case ofsound
common sense against selfishness and
lit-appears that common sense won.
During 1921 approximately $4,000
machines were ferried across the river
at Blythe, and a great deal of this traf-
fic will be diverted through Imperial
Valley, upon the completion Of the
Bankhead highway. 1t is estimated
that as high as 100 machines day viii
be brought through Ell Centre.
The Bankhead highway is approved
by the federal government and is in
line to receive federal money for COM
pletion. Over a year ago, the pioneer
party, consisting Of military train,
made the trip over the proposed high
way, with very little difficulty, and
their favorable report to Washington
was of great Importance in securing the
backing of the government for the new
highway.
This report also stated the fact that
the Bankhead highway would provide
an all year round route from coast to
coast, which would not be possible on
other highways, and would prove Of
great value in case of military neces-
sity, for transporting troops. Having
such highway pass through Imperial
Valley is also bound to bring hundreds
of tourists here who would not come
otherwise.
A delegation from the Ell Centre
chamber of commerce, headed by Will
S. Fawcett and Ray Edgar were active
at the convention, backed up by Colenel
Ed Fletcher and the San Diego delega-
tion in their determination to keep the
route of the Bankhead highway as it
was originally planned, and not allow
it to be diverted so as to cut off Imper-
ial Valley and San Diego and reach Los
Angeles by way of Blythe and River.
side. The local chamber has been an
enthusiastic Supporter of the highway
sinre it was first proposed and has kept
hammering away at all times to keep
the people of FL Centre and Imperial
Valley alive to the advantages that are
to be derived from having q national
highway pass throdgh this city and
have given great deal of publicity to
the movement. The FL Centre delega-
tion returned today on the noon train
and all wore happy smile at the sue
cessful results of their efforts.
Win S. Fawcett, Ray Edgar, X. w.
Hoover and l.. f. Shaw returned from
Phoenix at 1:0S this afternoon. All
were much pleased at the outcome Of
the Phoenix meeting and expressed the
opinion that something had been done
to keep Imperial Valley on the trans-
continental highway map. L. +. SHAY
was elected director of the Rankhcad
Highway Association; Ed Fletcher was
elected vice president and s. NJ. White
q director.
Mr.. Fawcett stated that the meeting
was practically unanimous in favor of
the Imperial Valley route 30 far as
anything that developed to the coz
trary. Riverside and Los Angeles were
not represented. Mr.. Fawcett was one
of the speakers at a meeting arranged
by George II. Maxwell to discuss the
Colorado river project. Mr.. Maxwell
it appears, is opposed to the bill intro.
duced in congress by Congressman
Swing and gave notice that the meas
ure would be opposed.
Mr.. Maxwell has different plan
which he is boosting and availed him.
self Of the presence of the California
and Arizona people to point out what
he regards as the weaknesses Of tho
Swing bill and the particular advsnt-
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