Arizona republican., 1922-04-27

| RNAile ldtA ACSCtl Vi FdllCe LOaNos
Within the next Is months the road
through the Gila valley in Graham
county should be paved for con-
| siderable distance and the remaining
portions improved in a first class
manner. In fact the entire road from
Phoenix to the state line will be in
first class shape by that time.
Difficult Projects
One OF the most difficult projects
to travel at the present time is the
road from Phoenix to Yuma forming
a connection with the California
highway system at that point. The
route extends from Phoenix via
Buckeye, Gillespie Dam, Gila Bend,
thence paralleling the Southern Pa
cific railroad to Yuma The portion
from Phoenix to Buckeye is now
paved. A fair road extends from
Buckeye to the Gillespie dam. The
highway department is now con-
structing "a miles OF road extending
| from the dam to Gila Bend No con-
| strucGon has so far been undertaken
| from ella Bend to Weilton. but funds
are in sight for practically the en-
tire distance. Construction is now
| In progress on ten mile section ex-
tending westward from Wellton,
From this point to Yuma, a distance
OF approximately so miles. the road
has been completed.
The road from TncSon to Nogales
Is in first class condition, nine miles
on the Tucson end being paved.
Construction Is In progress on the
road from Nogaies to Fairbanks and
will be completed during the present
year.
The Old Trails highway is approx
mately 10 per cent completed, most
OF the unimproyed portions being east
| OF Flagstaff No construction so far
has been undertaken between Phoe-
nix and Prescott, nor between Pres
colt and Ashfork, with the exception
OF four miles on the Prescott end,
which is now under construction.
However, funds are in sight for the
entire project from Phoenix to Ash
fork.
The highway department is now
assembling material and perfecting
an organization for the task of re-
pairing the Apache trail a route of
scenic grandeur connecting Phoenix
and Globe via the Roosevelt dam.
| The special session of the legisla-
ture which adjourned but few days
ago appropriated $4,000 for the con-
struction of a. road to the site Of the
| proposed Boulder Canyon dam on
the Colorado river, the county of
| Mohave to furnish an equal amount.
| System q Reality
Arizona's highway system, con-
ceived in 1909, promises to be a
/ reality in 1924. In short, this is the
record of our accomplishment in this
| great constructive work. and in good
faith my address should now termi-
nate. Pride in Arizona. the state Of
! my birth, however, actuates me to
| continue for a few minutes, even at
/ the risk of becoming wearisome in
order to dispel and dissipate some of
| the popular misconceptions concern
| ing this empire which an author eu-
| phoniously but enormously designat-
ed as "The Land God Forgot"
i Viewed from any and every angle,
| soil, climate, wealth, scenery, no
/ greater or unjust libel was ever per-
| petrated. Our mines, producing half
the copper for the world; the deserts
now smiling, productive fields, our
scenery, the finest on the continent,
are refutations which admit of no
| contravening argument. The Grand
/ Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified
| Forest and hundreds of other scenic
| nlarvels are duplicated no place on
the globe. Where is road compar-
able in scenic grandeur with the one
| running between Prescott ana Je-
rome? Where can more awe-inspir-
! ing and beautiful vistaS be found
| than on the Apache trail? In what
land or cline can be seen more
wonderful coloring, where the sun
deed a source of satisfaction to me
| that the truth of my words will be
| impressed upon you when you jour-
ney over the Superior Miami high
way next Saturday. In conclusion
permit me to sum up the whole mat
| ter, reduced to three succint state
| n1ents OF facts: J. the shortest route
from all points east of the Mississippi
\ river and from most points west OF
| the Mississippi to the Pacific coast
goes through Arizona. 2, the only
transcontinental route free from snow
for IL months Of the year traverses
| Arizona. Z, the most sublime scenery
in the world is in Arizona; the finest
climate in the world is in Arizona.
and the greatest opportunities in
America are in Arizona. THE Land
that God Remembered and Blessed. :
Mrs. 3. Frank Mebans
The next speaker was Mrs. B. Frank
Mebane of North Carolina, whose
subject was "Woman's Interest In
Good Roads" The gist of her re-
marks follows:
AS we all know, roads, particularly
good roads, are the product OF civ
/ ilization. In the very early years,
when our own country, America, was
occupied by Indians, there were only
trails: the Indians, being semi civ
| ilized, never made roads. Later on,
when the Indian was succeeded by
! the pioneer from various countries,
/ A. Ia hIfilt lilyA he
Roman roads, tits true, but they We're
roads--not trails. Rough though they
were and impossible in winter, they
served their generation, and estab-
| iished intercourse and con1munica-
| ton between. the earliest settlements.
Later still when your own great
West cast its spell far eastward,
with its lure of potential wealth, in
| Mother Earth, the trails were blazed
! by the most heroic of fearless souls
ana by degrees, and usage, made into
| the toughest wagon roads, over which
| the 49ers took their laborious way,
carrying their families and household
| goods in great prairie agons, feel
! ing that when ten miles a day had
been covered, it was a good average.
| 1t happens to have been my good
! fortune to travel over many OF the
/ best known roads of the world, from
the ancient Appian Way, leading out
of the Imperial City OF Rome, down
| to your own wonderful roads of Ari-
zona. This said all roads lead to
Rome. Though this great Roman
road was made 312 years before
Christ. and for a long distance from
/ the Eternal city, forms one of the
most notable memorials of antiquity,
bordered as it is by tombs and mon
umental buildings, many stretches OF
i the pavement remain perfect, and The
modern highway follows the ancient