The Coconino sun., 1927-10-07
SALE OF BRIGHT ANGEL
AND BUILDING APPROACH
ROAD BY u. S. ASKED BY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CONTINUED from page y

| mas been only one eXcept10n--the I ell
| lowstone-and at that time the road
was built there from Cody because of
military squadron stationed within
the park.
"Others of the 18 national parks
| have asked the government to build
approach roads and have been re-
| fused.
"The federal government will ap-
propriate no money for approach
roads to national parks unless some
excuse is offered that will permit it
to build the road without establishing
precedent that would be seized upon
| by every other national park in ask
| ing for government-built approach
roads. In the case of Grand Canyon
national park there is such an excuse
the Bright Angel trail, the only
trail in a national park not federal
! owned.
'eTwo years ago 100000 was in
cluded in the congressional budget,
| half for purchase of Bright Angel
trail, the understanding being that if
| the trail was sold by the county to
| the government the entire 100000
would be applied to building an ap-
proach road, which at that time and
under the standards proposed would
have cost in the neighborhood of $780,
900. 1t was proposed to appropriate
| 100000 a year until the road was
completed. The secretary Of the in
terror was authorized to build the ap-
proach road. But the people of the
county voted against selling the trail
~ I, o1a+ a11A Q100 000 nf the
appropriation reverted to the treasury
and the other 100000 was used on
trails within the park.
"In Denver ! met Congressman
Lewis c. Cramton of Michigan, chair
man of the house subcommittee on
appropriations, which governs all ap-
preparations for the interior depart
ment, under the jurisdiction of which
would come the building of an ap-
proach road. Congressman Taylor of
Colorado and Congressman French Of
Idaho were also there. They comprise
three of the five members of the ap-
preparations subcommittee. Mr.
Cramton told me they have included
in the budget five million dollars each
year for the next 10 years for road
and other improvements entirely with
in national parks. Congress IS sold
on national parks and the desirability
of improving them.
"The appropriations committee
knows that nine-tenths Of Coconino
county is federal owned. 1t knows
neither this county nor this state can
afford to build the road to Grand Can
yon. 1t knows the road is not so
much for the benefit of the people of
this county and state as for the peo-
pie of the whole United States.
"The committee doesn't dispute
these facts. But, the members say:
Though in justice the federal road
should be built by the government, we
cannot build it unless you give US an
excuse so that building the road will
not establish precedent
"Until the people of this county are
united" MIR. Hayden said, "there will
be no approach road built by the gov
ernment. Mr.. Cramton says: Two
years ago we worked out what we
thought was fair plan. Coconino
county rejected it, "
In speaking of the prospects for
the approach road being completed
at an early date, Mr.. Hayden said
that with the adoption of the budget
of $5,000,000 year for improvements
to roads within national parks, if
$1,375,000 were diverted from the first
years appropriation for building the
approach road to Grand Canyon ma
tional park-Coconino county having
in the meantime agreed to part with
the trail-such diversion would not be-
unfair because it would not increase
the budget. Mr.. Hayden said that the
less time taken to build the road, the
more economical it would be, reducing
the overhead cost that would be en-
tailed if the building occupied several
years. Therefore he inclined toward
the belief that once building began, it
would be rushed through in as short
time as possible.
'sThe agreement reached few
weeks ago." Mr.. Hayden said, "be
tween the directors of the Flagstaff
and Williams chambers of commerce
that the trail should be turned over
to the United States and that the ap-
proaeh road built in consideration
thereof should be on the location es-
tablished by the u. S. bureau of pub
lie roads, was, as / wired this cham
Der of commerce, the wisest course
to follow in securing the road. The
bureau of public roads was given in
structions from Washington to locate
the road along the shortest and most
direct route from Ell Tovar hotel to
the Old Trails. 1t was located entirely |
from federal point of view. l be-
lieve if the bureau of public roads /
was to make another survey, it would
locate the road just where it did be-
fore. I have talked with the regional |
director of the bureau and others
among its officials and they assured
me that as the survey was the short
est, saving at least five miles under
either of the present roads, there
could be no reason, from federal
standpoint, of changing that location.
me OBJECT of the bureau is to make /
the distance as short as possible for
the travelling public, rather than to be /
swayed by local preferences.
Considering expense of building
the road, if the government adopted
some other route, say five miles long
ar, it would cost the government at
least $125,O00 more tc build it, would
cost more to- maintain it, would cost
the tourist driving over it more"