Arizona republican., 1922-04-11
SET APRIL 29 FOR
DEFINITE OPENING
Of SUPERIOR ROAD

With the possible exception OF one
bridge the Superior Miami highway
will be opened on April %. the date
set by Miami for the celebration in
that city for the formal opening of
the road, according to an announce
ment made yesterday by Thomas
Maddox, state engineer. Mr.. Mad
dock. accompanied by A. ". jenkins,
division engineer OF the highway de-
partment for the southern part of the
state, made an inspection trip over
The highway on Sunday.
But for an epidemic of flu among
The workmen employed In the con-
struction of the road. Mr.. Maddox
said. the highway, with the exception
of the widening of three miles of
county road running west from Mi
ami. would have been completed
While the epidemic was raging, Mr.
Maddox stated, as high as two
thirds of the forces employed on the
highway were laid up and unable to
work. The work also was delayed
some by the late snow storms in the
vicinity of Superior and east of that
point.
Most of the men have gotten over
the "flu'' and the work Is going nicely
now. Mr.. Maddox declared. The
highway department is beginning to
ship back the equipment used in the
construction OF the highway and is
making arrangements to transfer the
men from the Superior Miami high
way to the Apache trail where work
is to be started soon.
The state highway forces which are
being paid by Gila county have begun
the work of widening the three mile
stretch of county road running from
Miami west to the point where the
Superior Miami highway as a. state
highway ends. A camp has been es-
tablished in the bali park at Miami.
The state is being assisted In the
work by the Inspiration Copper COM
pany, who has rented the department
some necessary equipment at very
low prices.
In order to keep the highway open
clear through for traffic, a detour
around the three mile stretch which
is being widened has been opened and
marked, so that when the rocky
points along the road are being shot
down, traffic will not be out of the
use of the Superior Miami highway.
This portion of the county road also
is being Strengthened out and the
grades are being reduced so that the
three miles of county road Will be as
good as the remainder of the high
way. When finished. the Superior
Miami highway will be one of the
best pieces of road work in the state.
According TO a report made to the
highway department, rain has settled
the road for a distance of nine miles
out of Florence toward Tucson which
was recently built by the department
with caterpillar tractors and heavy
blades. The department has opened
a new road from the old one so that
if the rains do not come to solidify
the new embankment. the old road
will be able to carry the traffic until
the solidification takes place.
AS a measure of economy. Thomas
Maddox, state engineer. has consoli-
dated the purchasing department of
the state highday department with
the right of way department and
Charles Price, who has been in charge
of the right of way department will
have charge of both departments. Mr..
Price will do the purchasing for the
department. He formerly lived in
Mesa and at one time was secretary
Of the state fair commission.
c. c. Small, chief locating engineer
Of the highway department. is leaving