The Coconino sun., 1926-01-22
APPROACH ROAD TO
CANYON UP TO VOTERS
SAYS CONGRESSMAN

SAYS CONGRESSMAN
/ Unless Coconino county citizens
vote to transfer the Bright Angel
J. trail at the Grand Canyon to the
federal government it will not be pos
| slble for the government to improve
the highway approach to the canyon,
Congressman Louis c. Cramton of
Michigan told Arizona representatives
who sought inclusion in the budget
OF an amount necessary to improve
the highway. A report of Cramton's
remarks in the House of Represen-
tatives is contained in the Congress-
ionat Record of January II. He ex-
presses hope that people of the
county will reverse their recent act
ion by which they turned down an
opportunity of having 100000 spen:
on this road.
1T Is not case Of a threat to the
county," Cramton said, but without
some reason to take that road out
of the general rule Of approach roads
the government cannot afford to take
! it over"
There is a great deal in the APP
peal of the gentleman from Arizona,
for the county has not the money to
build this road" said Mr.. Cramton.
1T has very small amount of prop
erty subject to taxation-about 80
percent of the land is. taken up with
Indian reservations, public lands, and
national forests. The road is needed
for the accommodation of the automo-
bile tourists of the country who de-
sire to visit that park, to bring them
from the Santa Fe trail up so miles
or go miles into the park. have re-
ceived some letters criticizing the
government because there was not a
better approach road.
'This should be known, however,
that we have not heretofore been
building approach roads to reach ma
tional parks, and we could not afford
to start that practice. Once we start
the practice, there would be no end
to it.
"The situation at Grand Canyon is
very compelling one. When the
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Car
ter) and myself we're in conference
with the people interested, two years
ago, they wanted to sell US the Bright
Angel Trail, of which the house has
heard something heretofore. The trail
runs from the rim into the floor of
the canyon and belongs to the county,
from which they derive net profit
of about $4,000 year. AT that time
we worked out an agreement that the
federal government would take over
and improve that road. The Forest
Service sometime will improve the
greater part of it, but it will be quite
a number of years. Eventually the
national government will spend the
money for it through the Forest Ser
vice.
"But, as say, we made an agree
ment that we would recommend that
the government take over this road
and appropriate 100000 for its I'M
provement, to. be followed by further
appropriations contingent on the trail
being turned over to the government.
The trail is of some Importance to
the government. When the committee
went there, there were some compllca-
tions attending the Bright Angel
trail that made it desirable that we
should have it. That was agreeable
to the officers of the county, but the
agreement was not carried out. as
the electors of the county voted 1t
down. If they had agreed to it, $780,
600 would have been expended last
wear. and a second 100000 would
have been expended on this road the
current year, for such an item naa
been recommended by the department
and approved by the budget a year
ago. When the result of the election
BECAME known it was thrown out OF
the budget.
bright Angel Trail should cease
IN he a private toll trail and become
free to all. 1t requires considerable
expenditure to be made safe and cas-
Ter to travel, The county Coconino
cannot afford to spend the money
necessary; the federal government
annot spend the money on a private
-algAIId e no 6auom eql pu7ds 4ouuso
Of the county will give US the excuse
we have sought for improvement q
the approach road from the Santa re
trail to the park by turning the
Bright Angel trail over to the govern
ment. When they do will be delight
ed to cooperate with the gentleman
from Arizona along lines OF ms
amendment as mir. Carter and some.
time ago agreed with the Officials oi
Coconino county"
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