The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1923-10-17

Interesting correspondence be
tween Henry C. Wallace, secretar.
of agriculture, and the Lincoln High
way Association, in which the former
suggests that the association adopt
the Wendover route through Utah
and Nevada, or otherwise relocate
its highway to Salt Lake City, has
just been made public. In reply to
the suggestion the Lincoln Highway
Association has reiterated its former
declarations that such changes are
unwarranted by circumstances and
will not be made.
The association, through Henry b.
Joy, its vice president, also repeats
its charge that Utah has violated its
contract for the construction of the
Lincoln way from Salt Lake City tc
Ibapah, and intimates that a change
in the state administration of Utah
may bring about different attitude
upon the part of that state.
Two Routes Unnecessary
Declaring that a "selectiye pro-
cess" must be employed in the desig-
nation of Interstate highways Seere-
tary Wallace states in his letter that
he hoped the Lincoln Highway Asso-
citation would accept the necessary
consequences of the situation which
made II advisable for the department
TO adopt the Wendoyer route, and
continues:
Such consequences seem now to
Buggest clearly the high desirability
of consideration by the Lincoln High
way Association of the re-routing of
that portion of the Lincoln highway
previously designated west of Sat
Lake City. Such recounting might.
for example. be over the Wendover
cutoff and by way of Wells, Winno-
mueca and Wadsworth to Reno, and
thence either by way of Carson City
and through Placerville to Sacra-
mento and San Francisco, or by way
of Auburn to the same point.
II firmly believe that SHOULD the
Lincoln Highway Association imme-
diately adapt itself to the conse
quences of the larger situation there
would be no loss of prestige, but on
the contrary a great respect for the
organization throughout the west.
Il should call your attention to
the large federal contributions of
highway construction in Nevada
which impose upon the federal gov
ernment a corresponding duty to be
very careful in deciding to accept or
reject routes proposed by the state
highway department of that state.
We have had this fact in mind in
making the present decision.
II trust that have indicated above
the ways in which your association
can be most helpul in bringing sat
iofactory conclusion OF the situation.
Suggests Alternate Route
"rhere are other possibilities for
connections from Salt Lake City
westward by way of Delta or New
house. thence to Baker. New, and on
TO Ely, which connections probably
have merit.
I'm respect to your inquiry con-
oerning my being out of sympathy
with any movement commissting the
government TO unavoidable eXpendi-
lures, | would not, IL 1t we're in my
power, care to compel Utah to build
two roads from Salt Lake City west
ward through the desert IL it were
possible to achieve approximately
the same service by considerably less
total construction by way of Wend
over to Ely. Modern highway con-
struction involves commitments for
a more extended period in the future
than ever in the past and experience
has clearly demonstrated that we pay
bitterly for mistakes in the initial
conception of the plan and design OF
our highways. The emphasis is,
therefore. not necessarily upon the
question of making a road passable
for automobile tourists, but rather
one of constructing highways for all
time"
Plans Not Acceptable
Replying to Secretary Wallace,
Henry IL. JOY, vice president OF inc
Lincoln Highway Association, states
that expediency has never been con-
sidered by his associates in the loca-
ton of their route, and that it would
not be entertained now. Comment
ing directly upon the suggested
changes offered by Secretary Wal
lace he says:
I'VE can see neither logic, wisdom
nor justice in accepting your sugges
tions which would now require us to
abandon our wise basic principles,
to abandon our eo-operators In Ne
vada and Utah, TO repudiate our chief
supporters, the press and the public,
by asserting to the eyanescent and