Gunnison news-champion., 1923-07-20
MAY GRAVEL
CERRO HILL

Owing to slick roads on the IN
surfaced top of Cerro Hill, Major
Blauvel, and party of road officials
were unable 20 get up into Gunnison
county this trip, but very likely the
mud they encountered on the other
wise perfect roads along the Rainbow
Route will result in the great I'M
proyement of securing state funds to
gravel large portion of the road be-
tween here and Montrose. The Daily
Press of Montrose speaks of Major
Blauyelt's visit as follows:
prominent state officials passed
thru Montrose Sunday. They were
Major L. d. Blauvelt, head of the
State Highway Department, accom-
panied by Mrs. Blauvelt, J. A. Clay,
member of the State Highway COM
mission from the Durango district;
VIM. Weiser, of the Grand Junction
district; II. A. Donavan, of the Long
mont district, and Edward Mitchell.
They phoned County Clerk Mcneil
from Delta, and upon their arrival,
here he accompanied them over some
of the roads and to Cerro and back.
The party then went TO Ouray TO look
over the Ouray -Silverton road work.
The party was well pleased with
the gravelled roads in Montrose coun-
ty, which has more gravelled roads
than any other county in the state,
and especially more county gravelied
roads than miles of gravelled state
roads, showing greater activity in
road work here.
The road from Delta to Montrose
pleased them, as did the work on the
Rainbow Route to Cerro.
They intended to have gone on to
the Half Way House, but rain in the
Cerro section proved the ungravelled
roads so slick that they turned back
and will visit the work Of the Half
Way House later. The rain demon
strated the value of gravel
Major Blauvelt felt that the gravel
ling of Cerro Hill would proceed this
winter, if it can be financed, and that
the work of the steam shovel should
proceed, which with the work being
done by the Gunnison county commits
sioners, will make the Rainbow Route
one of the distinctively good roads of
the state.
The visitors expressed much salts
faction with the use of the road
money on the Western Slope that
Major Blauvelt declared the fight
against Denver to get some money
here was more than justified, and more
money should be forthcoming for the
where where it was put to such good
use.
They felt that graveled roads were
a great improvement, especially con-
sidering the cost They travelled over
paved roads in Utah costing $57 ,0O0
mile, which were little better than
the gravelied roads here, costing
s., 900 a mile on the Cerro branch,
and $500 for the wider road toward
Delta.
Mr.. Blauvelt gave very graphic
description of the contrast between the
Colorado and Utah roads. He says
there is no necessity for marking the
state line, for the tourist will recog-
nize it when he comes to it by the con-
trast in the road. when you hit
the state line going West" said Mr..
Blauvelt, you break spring. When
you hit it going East, you go to
Sleep"
The roads are little more than
trails in Utah. Mr.. Blauvelt said
they passed one rig that seemed best
adapted to negotiate the Utah roads
successfully. It was a four-wheeled
vehicle drawn by four burros and
stayed right in the middle Of the
road.
These gentlemen had conference
with the state commission Of Utah.
The result of the conference was that
Utah will plan to improve the roads
connecting with Colorado roads as
fast rs they can handle it. 1t is not
likely that much can be done this
season.