Imperial Valley press., 1927-07-11
Jh(;CMbA
HAS GALA
PROGRAM
Dedication Of Mountain
Springs Grade Largely
attended.
WORK IS PRAISED
Speakers Eli. phasize the
Importance Of Highway
20 Tourist Travel. 4

Beginning early yesterday morn.
ing and continuing until late last
night thousands Of persons from San
Diego. ali points of Imperial VAL
ley and as for cas-. as Tucson, Ariz.,
joined hands in celebrating the open.
ing of the Mountain Springs grade
highway. Sports events of all kinds,
, speeches end dencing marked the
gala occasion. Although program
| had been arranged marking the
time for the opening Of the celebrate
ion at 1o O'Clock, time was hardly
co"sldered by these gathered for
the occasion.
tbs opening of the grade had
been awaited for SO long a time by
all and the magnitude Of the
wonderful engineering feat accom-.
p.ished in The creation of the great
strip of concrete that winds it way
over the PISS Ead created so deep
all impression that the formal cele.
,, bra.ion of its opening FAR surpas.
sed IT,, expectations of those in
charge of the event. Those attend.
ing began as early as 8 o'clock in
he morning 70 celebrate, time only
being considered by the officials in
charger in seeing that the events
scheduled would begin promptly.
The dedication services began,
promptly at noon, Walter Clement
| of JacuIba taking the speakers
stand and explaining briefly the
meaning of the celebration and what
tie opening of the highway means
to Southerl. California and Aria.
ona. He then introduced Mayol
Harry c. Clark of san Diego.
The mayor taxed briefly on th<
tr-endship between San Diego and
Imperial counties. de 'laring that
tie friendship was now closer bound
than ever by the pavingt of the
grade. He added that this band Of
friendship EXTENDED across tho
burning sands to Yuma.
Highway To Greater De eds
Howard Worth, president Of the
San. piegoj chamber OF. commerce..
was ne2r speake., and 'talke1 upon
the ,wonde}ful opportunities which
were oi ned by the completion Of
tn rev h;ghway. He spoke Of the
new road as ssfiighway to a greater
w"rk and to noble deeds TO be ac.
, complished in Southern California
| from now on.
Saro Porter Of San Diego, one of
the greatest workers for good roads
in the state, was the next speaker
and gave the principal address Of
the day. 't.s '---
lowing:
"TAe word viii spread more rap.
idly than you can imagine that the
mountain trail between Ell Centre
/ ard Jacumba and San Diego has
Zee, practically spanned with q.
concrete paved road" q
''The thousands Of automobile"
travellers passing westward or east!'
ward through Imperial and San Di-.
| ego counties cannot be other than
deeply impre ssed By the knowledge
that here are communities whose,
citizens have sparled the rugged
mountains, reclaimed the desert
lands and harne 3sed water FOR irri-
CATION and power."
IN closing he paid tribute to the
highway commission Of the state
and the officials who accomplished
tne great ieat of scaling the noun.
| tain, leaving in their wake q
broad pavement OF cement.
W.nfield Barkley snd George
Mayne of San Diego followed with
brief talks.
Praises Engineers
Romeo Smith, P,esileat of the
Board of Supervisors Of Imperial
County. was next to take the plat
form and stressed the point of the
great work done by the engineers
n the construction Of the highway.
E. A. Hornbeck, PRESIDENT Of the
'IContinuel on page o) -.