Highway Commission Notes

Arizona Highway Commission Notes

November 21, 1934.

The Arizona State Highway Commission met in regular session in their offices in the Highway Building November 21, 1934, at 2:00 P. M. Those present were Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Vyne, Commissioners Addams, Barth and Mansfield, also, the State Engineer, Assistant Attorney General McDougall, and the Secretary.

Judge R. C. Stanford appeared before the Commission with reference to the Wickenburg bridge. He stated the people of Wickenburg would like the bridge to remain at its present site and that they are willing to cooperate in straightening out the line on this side of it, also, that they would like to be heard on the matter before any definite stand is taken by the Highway Commission.

Mr. Joseph Smith of Snowflake, Arizona, presented a claim dated 1932 in the amount of approximately $160, which covered groceries and clothes supplied in 1932 to men employed in Snowflake who were being paid out of the Governor's Unemployment Fund for work performed on the highways under the supervision of a Highway Department Maintenance Foreman. Mr. H. C. Hatcher, Statistical Engineer, advised the Commission that these men were employed on the highways under the Governor of Arizona and not under the Highway Department; that they were paid from funds donated to the Governor's Unemployment Fund by various state employees, and that the Highway Maintenance Foreman simply kept time for these men working.

Mr. Smith stated he felt the money should be paid and asked that the Commission recommend to the Legislature the passage of a bill covering the payment of this claim. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Vyne that the Highway Commission recommend to the incoming legislature that the claim of Mr. Smith against the former Governor's Unemployment Fund be investigated and paid inasmuch as the Highway Department has no legal way of taking care of this matter, and inasmuch as the work undoubtedly resulted upon state highway improvement. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Barth and after some discussion, Commissioner Vyne with the permission of his second, withdrew his motion.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Mansfield, seconded by Commissioner Vyne, and unanimously carried, that the State Engineer be requested to have the Engineering Department submit a complete report on the status of this case to the Highway Commission, together with the request from Mr. Smith for future action by the Legislature for relief.

The Secretary read the Tentative Minutes of November 15, 1934, and they were approved with the following amendment:

Page 3, Paragraph 3, Lines 3 and 4-After the words

"Buying from small dealers throughout the state" insert the words "On the Code price which allowed them a nice profit."

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the contract on the Tempe-Mesa Highway, U. S. Public Works Highway Project No. N. R.H. 8 (1935) A.F.E. No. 8059 be awarded to the low bidder, Clinton Campbell, Contractor, Inc., in the amount of $5,828.89. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Mansfield, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads that the contract on the Holbrook-St. Johns Highway, U. S. Public Works Highway Project No. N.R.H. 78-H (1935) A.F.E. No. 2655 be awarded to the low bidder, the Lee Moor Contracting Company, in the amount of $59,102.74. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Mansfield, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Mansfield, and unanimously carried, that a resolution transferring funds in the amount of $11,363.29, be adopted.

The State Engineer presented a wire received from Mr. Wm. Wilson of the Southern Pacific Railway Company stating there is a possibility of the Mar-icopa Branch between Maricopa and West Chandler being abandoned and asking if the State would be interested in acquiring the right of way, road bed and bridge over the Gila River for state highway purposes; also, asking if the State Engineer believed the Indian Agency would be interested and re-questing that he refer the communica-tion to them if the State is not inter-ested. State Engineer O'Connell, on being asked for his recommendation, stated the Department has no need of the right of way or the bridge at the present time and, under the present circumstances, he didn't believe that the Department would gain anything by ac-quiring them. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Mansfield, seconded by Commissioner Addams, and unan-imously carried, that the State En-gineer refer the wire to the Indian Agency, and advise Mr. Wilson that the Department is not in need of the right of way or bridge referred to.

The State Engineer presented a letter received from Mr. F. R. Goodman, City Engineer of Winslow, stating that the City Council had discussed the idea of erecting an arch with ERA labor at the entrance to the City on U. S. 66 at either side of the Town and painting the words "Welcome to Winslow", or some other appropriate wording on the arch. Mr. Goodman asked to be advised if the Commission would have any objection to such an idea. State Engineer O'Connell advised that he did not believe the Department had any jurisdiction in this matter unless we had a Maintenance Agreement with the City of Winslow. Attorney McDougall stated that all Maintenance Agreements with various cities provided that they shall keep the right of way clear of all obstructions. The communication was referred to the State Engineer for answer.

A resolution was read from the Apache County Board of Supervisors requesting the designation as a State Route of the Adamana road leading from the Petrified Forest Park Service road at the bridge over the Rio Puerco, thence west into Adamana, a distance of one mile, thence north from Adamana to Highway 66, a distance of four miles, making in all a distance of five miles of road. The resolution was ordered received and filed.

A letter from Mr. Tom Stewart Jr., addressed to the State Engineer concerning the furnishing of a complete appraisal of the several Highway Department buildings and maintenance houses together with all equipment for insurance purposes, was presented. The communication was ordered received and filed.

The Secretary read into the record a letter sent out to all County Assessors of Arizona by Mr. E. M. Whitworth, Superintendent of the Motor Vehicle Division, concerning the issuing of 1935 number plates. The communication was ordered received and filed.

A report was submitted by Mr. E. M. Whitworth, Motor Vehicle Superintendent, comparing the refund percentages based on distribution allowed over the period from July 1, 1933, to October 31, 1933, with those allowed over the same period in the year 1934. After considerable discussion on the matter of refunds, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Mansfield, and unanimously carried, that Mr. Whitworth be requested to make a breakdown of the report presented showing the percentages by counties, and that he also obtain sufficient information from other states on their refunds in order that the Commission may make comparisons and determine whether or not the percentage allowed on refunds by the State of Arizona is above or below that allowed by other states.

The Secretary read a letter from Mr. Charles Rogers, Attorney at Law, Safford, Arizona, stating that at a meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Pima, held November 7, 1934, the matter of getting Mr. Brooks Bryce to adjust his prices for his property in order that the project through the Town of Pima may be started, had been taken up. The letter also advised that Mr. Bryce had made the proposition that he would accept as complete damages, and give to the State Highway Department(Continued on Page 21)