The Winslow mail., 1926-07-09
To Expend S75,OOO.OO
On Bettering States
Most Scenic Route
By GERTRUDE BRYAN LEEPER
In Arizona Gazette

best state highways in the world" !"
said P. T. Robertson, of Yuma,
president Of the Arizona Good
Roads association on Saturday in
Flagstaff. The mileage stands as
a monument to the indomitable
spirit of progress of Arizona and
the courage with which the state
has overcome each obstacle
"The total mileage includes 1,498
miles of the federal aid, per cent
system" he said, ''and the roads
form an unbroken chain running
approximately the length and the
breadth Of the state"
interviewing the president of the
association can never become a
sterotyped thing, provided the pres
ident always remains P. T. Robert
son. He believes in demonstrating
his theories concerning good roads,
and in showing his interviewer the
roads in question. After a ride out
Oak Greek canyon, through miles
of rolling, sloping hills covered
with giant pines, it was an easy
matter to see that he is a non-sec-
tional president of the organiza-
tion, and that Coconino and Mo-
have county are as close to his
heart as his own beloved Yuma
Mr.. Robertson had negotiated the
Oak Creek canyon hill on his trip
to Flagstaff for the convention, and
knew each foot Of the way around
the treacherous curves. The only
difference on the trip Saturday lay
in the fact that it was a daylight
one and that on the way up the hill
as he came to the convention he
made it at night with one headlight
On the blink.
No wonder the traveller raves
over Oak Greek canyon. 1t is bit
terly hard on the nerves of a
squeamish woman, as it bursts so
unexpectedly into view on the trail
and as the car poises directly over
1900-foot sheer drop into one
of the most amazing canyons ever
conceived by the Creator, one won
derS if the descent will be made
around the curves or if one will be
transported more swiftly in a roll
tumbling car to the foot of the
hills.
Through miles of dense growth
made up Of ferns and columbines,
with wild grape vines over-hang
ing the road, through other miles
of tall, straight oaks and pines
standing with toes dipped deep into
mountain stream, where trout
dart unafraid into the lights and
shadows, the road runs close at
last to the gate of Tioga Lodge,
better known to AriZonans as the
Thomas ranch.
Cherries Are Ripe
The Lodge forms splendid
terminal if one cared to explore no
further Tall cherry trees, laden
with rich, red fruit was too much
of temptation to the president of
the Good Roads, and he carried off
the spoils of his encounter with
them, in. long bending branches.
Apple trees were STOPPING under
their load, and blackberry hedges
lifted their fruit up for inspection
The canyon is hard to realize 1t
is a honey, comfortable place, one
with which the traveller can be-
come chummy and one which calls
out a "God-speed" as the motorist
departs.
The road to the canyon runs
through an area of the biggest con-
tinuous forest of pine trees on the
continent, and the biggest in the
world, with the exception of the
only recently accessible forests of
pines in Siberia. Mr.. Robertson
forgot most of the time that he was
beign interviewed, and because of
that fact, just what he thinks of
creeds and doctrines, sociology and
candidates, cabbage and cornbeef,
wine, women and song, is better
left untold. He did divulge, how
ever, that he believes in Arizona!
Not the south of her, not the
north of her, or the east or the
west, but the amazing Wilderness
of the state, and that, with the help
of his efficient organization no
state in the Union will forge ahead
faster on the good roads program
To Better Roads
An authorization of $4,000 of
forest money set aside by the fed
eral government for use beginning
the fiscal year of July 1, 1927, will
be used to construct better road
through Oak Creek canyon, and
with it's construction, a stretch of
country embodying every phase of
Arizona's northern beauty will be
easily accessible to the tourist.
During the convention Of the
Good Roads association in Flag
staff, run was made up San Fran
cisco Peaks, and to those lately
from the low lying valleys of the
south, the sudden raise to 1890
feet altitude, with the resultant
difference in temperature, the
change came with much the same
effect as an electrical shock.
The trip up the peaks was made
over the Weatherford road, being
built as a private enterprise by
Colonel Weatherford. Miles of
smooth, rolling road runs through
the forests of pine and fir trees,
over acres of buffalo grass, and