The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-01-21
LINCOLN HIGHWAY POSITION EXPLAINED
Association Has Given Utah $125.000 to Assist Completion
of Lincoln Way-Has Offered the State More Aid
Statement. from Detroit Headquarters Pro-
vides Some Facts
From the Lincoln Highway Association

lgnWay A"SSOclaLlOn
California who will suffer as a result
Of ~protracted route controversies.
tending to a confused state of public
opinion, misunderstanding, i'll feel
ing, a lack of cooperation and the re-
sulting delay in the completion OF any
proper trans-Utah link in a ~traLscon-
~tinental highway.
II this situation could be consid-
cred solely on its merits and the true
facts of the matter placed without
prejudice, or bias or misstatements
or suspicion of them, in the hands OF
every citizen of Utah, we have not
the slightest doubt but what every
one of them not biased by personal
interests would support the conten-
lions of this Association, including
the members of the organizations rep
resented by the gentlemen subscrib-
ing to Mr.. Rishel's article. 1t is too
bad that the public of Utah must be
continually misled by press state
ments Astounding in mis-information.
We appreciate the preamble of the
business mems statement which COM
ments upon the inception of the Lin
coin Highway and the work of this
organization. This statement, how
ever, 1t would seem, could we'll have
included the fact that the route of
the Lincoln Highway announced In
detail in September, 1913, was laid
out after the most thorough and care
full investigation and with the advice
of those familiar with highway mat
ters in each State, and furthermore
was passed upon by a meeting of the
Governors of the States traversed by
the proposed route. held in Colorado
Springs, Colorado, in August 1913,
preliminary to its announcement to
the public in September.
1t might also have been said that
the then Governors of Utah and Ne
vada agreed to the route selected in
those States, which was first brought
to the attention of the investigating
officials of the Association early in
1913 by w. d. Rishel of Salt Lake
City to whom they were referred. Mr..
Rishel who was then, as now, the
mentor of Salt Lake City on road
matters, although he at that time had
no official capacity, advised H. B. Joy
that the only way to go West of Salt
Lake City was via Fish Springs. 1t
was at his advice that this route was
first investigated. 1t was later adopt
ed as the first route of the Lincoln
Highway from Salt Lake City to Ely,
Nevada. 1t was only later when funds
made available to the Association to
take care of the construction of the
cutoff north of Fish Springs that the
route was changed, providing a short
ening of about SO miles but main
tanning the strategic route to Ely or
iginally suggested by Mr.. Rishel.
Under the heading, "Utah-Reno
Unit Discussed" the business mems
statement goes on to say that long
before the Lincoln Highway was or
ganized other highway associations
had covered the West with their or
CARNATIONS. signed the roads, and
published detailed maps for the ben
eft of the motorist." This of course
is an exaggeration as there we're no
detailed maps and few logs west of
Salt Lake City in existence at the
time the Lincoln Highway was laid
out. There was, at that time, not
wen a Utah State Automobile Associ-
alton; very little Interstate through
traffic in the West and no "estab-
lished highway" with the one excep-
ton of the midland Trail which
had been marked from Salt Lake via
Fish Springs and Ely to Los Angeles.
AS the statement in question truly
points out, the situation west of Salt
Lake City has been undoubtedly the
most difficult to bridge between the
two coasts, a fact recognized by this
Association since 1913. The problem
in western Utah was, indeed, the most
adverse of all and has been made in
finitely more difficult by the injection
into the situation of the so called
"Wendover Route" controversy which
developed in 1914, largely as a re-
suit of Salt Lake City's desire to pro-
vide a western outlet strategically
designed to prevent any possibility of
the establishment of a trans-Utah
road which would not come through
Salt Lake City, but go north of the
Lake via Ogden and Snowville and
across Nevada on the same route
which the Wendover Road is planned
to tap al Wells. Nevada.
This Wendover route which in Ne
vada was formerly called the Over
land Trail.' 'The .Pershing Transport
Route. THE Pixies Peak Ocean to
Ocean Highway, etc, was named THE
Victory Highway" by California in
terests during the Summer of 1921.
Before that it had no interstate sig
nificance whatever and connected at
the Nevada line with no Nevada road.
1t is now stated to be the route sell
ected by all the Salt Lake City organ
izations mentioned for eight specific
reasons which are listed. .
In view of the fact that most of
these reasons, which take the form of
fiat statements of Facts" are I'm
portant IL true" and would, II admit
ted, make out a very good case for
the Wendover connection, they should
perhaps be each of them touched