The Coconino sun., 1927-07-01

Trail and Rainbow Trail highways.
4 Captain J. B. Wright Of Flagstaff
i said the fulfillment of the plan mus
come through cooperation of the
! communities interested in showing the
federal government how this road viii
be beneficial to the states and to the
Indians. He suggested a committee
to gather data for presentation tc
congress in asking for an appropria-
ton.
Mr.. Cameron said most Of the high.
way would be very easy and econom-
| ical to construct, along easy grades
I and curves, with only occasional
patches Of sand.
i M. r. Tillotson, superintendent
Grand Canyon national park, said the
Park to Park Highway association is
] intensely interested in linking all the
national parks together with a good
highway system, including the link
between the Mesa Verde and Grand
Canyon national parks. The proposed
highway would be the shortest con-
nection between these two parks.
'If there were no other reason,
would be greatly interested in the sue
cess of this project" Mr.. Tillotson
said, "'bccause it would link Mesa
| Verde with Grand Canyon, and also by
way Of Lees Ferry bridge with Zion
national park" He told of the big
road projects now under way in Grand
! Canyon and said that the most care
fully planned road systems within the
parks will not be of as much value un-
til there are more and better approach
| roads. During the preceding week
more than a thousand tourists day
visited Grand Canyon and to date the
increase in tourist travel over the
same period last year is 1860. If
the approach roads are brought up to
better standard, he said, the number
of people visiting there will increase
by leaps and bounds.
Mr. Tiliotson said he would place
the matter in the proper light before
the department Of the interior in an
attempt to secure its cooperation with
the Indian department and congress
to secure congressional appropriation.
'SThis day." he said, will go into his
tory as one very important IN the de-
velopment Of this country"
Mr.. Cameron brought out the fact
that the proposed road is at least a
hundred miles shorter than any other
route between the three national
parks above mentioned, and between
southeastern Utah and southern Colo
rado and Arizona and southern Cali
fornia.
]. B. Harris of Blanding, Utah, told
of three great natural bridges 40 miles
r. ~
mobile road will be completed this
fall. Government help was secured
because on this route IL miles west of
Blanding the Indians not long ago
gave a great deal Of trouble.
Frank Goodman Of Flagstaff said it
would be impossible without federal
congressional action to get the pro-
posed route included in Arizona s
seven per cent system. The best way
to get the money is through coopera-
tion between the communities most
interested, with the help of the In
dian and park departments. He said
1t IS not necessary to build an ex-
pensive road up to u. S. bureau of
public roads standards, and told about
the fine roads the forest service has
built at low cost in Coconino county. /
He said the government should be
greatly interested in the proposed +
road because of the better communi- /
cation it would give between the In I
dian schools as well as the national
parks.
The committee elected to get the
proposition in shape to ask for IN ap-
preparation are as follows: Heber
ET,.nnt ATc,,4taa5la TT+aL. ID II
Blanding, Utah; G. L. Walker, Tuba I
City; Major ]. 3. Wright, Flagstaff; /
]. 3. Channel, Durango, Colo; j. F. I
kurtz, Grand Junction, Utah.
John Wetherill Of Kayenta and DR..
A. e. Douglass Of Tucson said they
believe as soon as the road is I'M
proved enough to considerably IN
crease travel those who go over it
will use their influence with their
i'll favor Of an appropria- I
ton. Mr.. Weatherfll said it will be .
wise to lay stress on the national
along the proposed road {
in creating sentiment for an appro-
priation
Mr. NELSON, constructing engineer
Of the Utah highway department, said I
The road would cost between $3.50 aud 1
$500 mile, he believed, though others
more familiar with the character Of
the country it passes through believed
It would cost much less.
Mr. Redd, chairman Of San Juan
county commissioners, said he had
talked during the week with Cover
cor Hunt of Arizona when the latter
visited Monticello about the road and
hat the governor was greatly inter-
ssted
Superintendent Walker Of the
Western Navajo indian reservation
said that before he ever took the road
matter up with any Of those present Il
ae had taken it up with the Indian
The Indian commissioner
wrote him that after the project is
naugurated from outside the depart Il
nent will do all it can to support it.
Mr.. Walker said that the road
would greatly benefit at least 14,000 4
Indians. "The quicker we bring civil
ization to them, the better off they
will be- he said, 4and the sooner the
indian problem viii be solved The
building of this road would make them
more productive, useful and prosper
s1le If world advoaca tbnn1 moro