The Coconino sun., 1926-04-16
PRESIDENTS HIGHWAY
BILL STANDS NO CHANCE

On March Senator Cameron in
troduced bill authorizing an appro-
priation of $650,000 to construct
road from Maine, Ariz., to the Grand
Canyon national park. The bill was
referred to the department of agri-
culture and report has been made
which states that the location is In
correct, the sum of money is only
about half enough and that the pro-
posed appropriation is in conflict with
the presidents financial program.
The report makes reference to the
possible construction of this road from
forest highway funds, but the state
ment is made that to do so would re-
quire all of the money apportioned to
Arizona for at least five years, which
is about $3.50, 600 per annum. The de-
partment is now committed to the
construction of q number of other
roads within the national forests in
Arizona so that work on this road
can not be commenced for several
years under that plan.
The report made by Acting Secre-
tary Dunlap of the interior depart
ment to Senator Norris, chairman OF
the committee on agriculture and for
estry says:
"Reference is made to Senate bill
1886. which was referred to this de-
partment by the clerk of your COM
mittee by letter of March ,, for con-
sideration and report thereon.
This bill would authorize and di-
rect secretary of agriculture to con-
struct road from the National Old
Trails highway at Maine, Ariz., to
the south boundary of the Grand Can
Won national park, Ariz., such road
to be designated as "The Presidents
Highway" An appropriation of
$500 or so much thereof as may
be necessary, would be made by Sec
tion 2 to carry out the provisions of
the act, it's expenditure, however, be-
ing conditional on arrangements first
having been made for the construc-
ton by Arizona or Coconino county,
Ariz., or both, of so much of said road
as may be on state lands within Coco
nino county.
"The system of forest highways ap-
proved for the state of Arizona in
cludes a route selected with the view
of serving the same purpose as the
road to which this bill relates. If the
present annual appropriations Tor
forest road construction are continued
the Improvement Of this road will be
reached in the course of a few years,
although if the total annual appof-
tionment to Arizona from these ap-
propriations should be used on this
highway when reached it would take
at least five years to complete its I'M
provement. A survey of this route
has been completed by the bureau OF
public roads south from the south
boundary line of the Grand Canyon
national park, and the best location
as indicated by this survey lntersects
the National Old Trails highway not
far from, but not at, the town OF
Maine. Preliminary estimate figures
indicate that the cost of constructing
the road on the surveyed route will be
about S1.250,000. The appropriation
proposed by the bill, therefore, would
be adequate to meet only slightly
more than one-l1alf of what the pre-
Iminary estimate indicates it would
cost to construct the road on the sur
veved route if congress should au-
thorize and direct the department to
proceed with its construction.
"Upon reference of the matter to
the bureau of the burget, as required
bv Circular No. 40 Of that bureau, the
department is advised that the ex-
nenditure contemplated in this pro-
posed legislation at this time would
be in conflict with the financial pro-
gram of the president" J"