Highway Commission Notes

Arizona Highway Commission Notes Meet the 'Baby' Commissioner

A MAN whose chief pleasure is work and whose favorite pastime is more work became the "baby" member of the Arizona State Highway Commis sion when he was named in March by Governor B. B. Moeur. The new member is Dr. E. C. Seale of Pres cott, whose "Doc" prefix has followed him from medical practice days at Ft. Whipple up to the present time. Doctor Seale started out in this world on November 2, 1887, near Gloster, Mississippi. He is a son of D. E. and Aletha (Butler) Seale both of whom are direct descendants of Civil War veterans.

The public schools of his native state furnished him with early schooling and when seventeen years of age "Doc" went to Tennessee and advanced fur ther in his school work until 1916 when he graduated from the medical depart ment of Vanderbilt University with the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

Doctor Seale was married in 1914 to Miss Clara Godbold who was a teacher in his native state, and to that union has come two children: Enoch, who is a student in Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff, and Evelyn, who is a student in the city schools of Pres cott.

After Doctor Seale finished medical school he was made resident physician and assistant superintendent of the Tennessee Industrial School, at Nash ville, Tenn., which place he held until September, 1917, when he went into the army for duty in the World War. Doctor Seale was discharged as a cap tain in the medical corps in 1920. He then was made a past assistant surgeon in the United States Public Health Serv ice and was ordered to Whipple bar racks for duty. After a short stay in Whipple barracks he was made execu tive officer in the United States Public Health Service Hospital No. 50 at Whip ple and he served in that capacity until June, 1923, when he resigned the posi tion and went into the service station and automobile supply business for himself in Prescott. Success was with him in his new business from the start.

He is courteous in his relations, posi tive and dependable in his dealings, and firm in his convictions.

He enjoys hunting and says he has been on the golf course a few times but has not been able to spare the time for either for the last few years.

In January, 1927, he was elected mayor of Prescott in one of the warm est elections the city had known for years. After serving two years as mayor he was re-elected with an in creased majority. It is a conceded and recognized fact that he left Pres cott in better condition than he found it. The bonded indebtedness was re duced and a sizeable sinking fund was turned to his successor.

After several years in the service station and automobile supply business he enlarged his business and in 1932 he purchased a fuel yard and in spite of the times and with hard work and close management he is making a suc cess of that business.

Dr. Seale is a Democrat by birth and it has been easy for adoption. When Doctor B. B. Moeur was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Gov ernor in 1932 he had Dr. Seale's sup port and backing. He has constantly admired Governor Mouer's frankness and has been a faithful supporter in all The campaigns. The late Doctor John Kelly Moeur was his warm and personal friend.

Dr. Seale is not a "yes" man, but he is loyal and fair and he can be depended upon to give his fellow commissioners, the administration, and the state at large the best within his power.

May 16, 1935 The Arizona State Highway Commission met in special session in their offices in the Highway Building, May 16, 1935 at 10:00 a. m. Those present were Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Angle, Commissioners Addams, Barth and Seale; also, the state engineer, the Secretary and Assistant Attorney-General J. W. Murphy.

The Secretary read the Tentative Minutes of April 23, 1935, and they were approved with the following amendment: Page 9, last paragraph, line 2: The words "The Commission adjourned at 7:00 p. m." are to be amended to read, "The Commission reconvened in open session and adjourned at 7:40 p. m."

Awarding of bids received by the Purchasing Agent April 30, 1935, at 3:00 p. m., on Bridge Timbers and Piling to be used on the Duncan-Clifton Highway Project NRS 13-A, A.F.E. 7505.

It was regularly moved by Commis sioner Angle, seconded by Commission er Barth, and unanimously carried, that the bid on bridge Timbers and Piling be awarded, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, to the low bidder, the Baskett Lumber Com pany, Phoenix, Arizona, in the amount of $7,336.22.

The Secretary presented a resolution designating as a State Highway that certain road or highway along Green shaw Street or the Buckeye Road ex tending from 19th Avenue Easterly to 17th Avenue, and thence Northerly along 17th Avenue to Jefferson Street, all in the immediate vicinity of Phoenix, Arizona.

It was regularly moved by Commis sioner Addams that the resolution be received and filed. The motion was lost for lack of a second.

The Secretary read a petition, con taining forty-four signatures, protest ing the removing of U. S. Highway 80 from Nineteenth Avenue to Seventeenth Avenue, and urging the Commission, in conjunction with the Bureau of Pub lic Roads, to construct an underpass on Nineteenth Avenue, where the said Avenue intersects the Southern Pacific tracks, and requesting that money be provided for the improvement of Nine teenth Avenue from Van Buren Street to Buckeye Road.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and carried, Commissioner Addams voting "No", that the foregoing resolution designating as a State

June, 1935

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

Highway, that road or highway along Greenhaw Street or the Buckeye Road extending from 19th Avenue Easterly to 17th Avenue, and thence Northerly along 17th Avenue to Jefferson Street, in the vicinity of Phoenix, be adopted. State Engineer O'Connell informed the Commission that six bids had been received on the Ajo-Tucson Highway, N.R.S. Project No. 110-B (1935), A.F. E. 604, the lowest of which had been submitted by the Borderland Construc-tion Company in the amount of $125,-209.05, which is over the Department's estimate. He explained that the De-partment's estimate amounted to $106,667.00, however, there is an acknowl-edged error by the Department in the estimate on the Mineral Aggregate and concurred in by the Bureau of Public Roads, of $7,000, which taken into con-sideration would increase the estimate to $113,667.00; further, that due to new rules and regulations of the Fed-eral Government requiring the making up of payrolls every week, a labor charge should be added to the estimate. State Engineer O'Connell pointed out that this project is not on the State Highway System, and therefore State Highway funds cannot be spent upon it, however, if the contractor will agree to cut down the mileage of the project, so its cost will not exceed the amount of money available, and providing the Bureau of Public Roads approves such an agreement, he recommended the contract be awarded to the low bidder, the Borderland Construction Company. It was regularly moved by Commis-sioner Angle that subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted and the contract be awarded on the Ajo-Tucson Highway, N.R.S. Project No. 110-B (1935) A.F.E. 604, to the low bidder, the Borderland Construction Company, on the basis set forth by State Engineer O'Connell in the preceding paragraph.

Commissioner Addams asked Attorney Murphy to render an opinion on this matter to the Commission and Attorney Murphy, advising he was not in a position to give an immediate opinion, asked the Commission to defer awarding this contract until later in the day. Due to the request of Attorney Mur-phy, Commissioner Angle withdrew his motion on the awarding of this contract.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads that the contract on the Tucson-Florence Highway, N.R.S. 111-B (1935) A.F.E. 8063, be awarded to the low bidder, R. E. Martin and Company, in the amount of $24,222.88. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, 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 Prescott-Jerome Highway, N.R.H. Project No. 17 (1935) A.F.E. 7910, be awarded to the low bidder, Pearson and Dickerson, in the amount of $119,865.80. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Barth, seconded by Commissioner Addams, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that a resolution respecting the establishment, location and relocation and specific designation of that part of the Douglas-Safford Highway, designated as Federal Aid Project No. 115-A, be adopted.

The Secretary read a letter signed by Mr. R. D. Cochran, Chairman of the Committee of the American Legion Post No. 54, Coolidge, Arizona, re-questing permission to beautify and make useful by the construction and operation of a community swimming pool and recreation park, that small triangular piece of land, purchased by the State for right-of-way purposes, on State Highway 287, near Coolidge, Arizona. Mr. Cochran stated that it is his understanding that plans are being made to landscape such plots along the highways and he felt the project, as suggested, would fit into such a program and asked if it would be advisable to have one of the engineers of the HighState Highway 287, near Coolidge, Arizona. Mr. Cochran stated that it is his understanding that plans are being made to landscape such plots along the highways and he felt the project, as suggested, would fit into such a program and asked if it would be advisable to have one of the engineers of the High-way Department plan and landscape the entire plot for this reason. Commissioner Angle requested that the District Engineer be instructed to carefully go over the project and submit a clear and detailed report and sketch covering the entire subject. Commissioner Angle's request was so ordered.

After discussion, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that inasmuch as the City of Mesa has shown that they want to cooperate in every regard and that they are agreeable to the agreeAfter discussion, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that inasmuch as the City of Mesa has shown that they want to cooperate in every regard and that they are agreeable to the agree-ment already drawn up, the Sta'e Engineer be instructed to re-submit to the Bureau of Public Roads, plans on the grade separation on the MesaChandler project. It was regularly moved, seconded, and carried, that the Commission recess at 12:25 p. m., May 16, 1935, to reconvene again at 1:30 p. m., the same date.

Afternoon Session

The Commission reconvened at 1:40 p. m., May 16, 1935, all members present.

State Engineer O'Connell advised the Commission that the State Treasurer had requested the use of a Calculating Machine for full time, and, in asking the Commission what their wishes were in regard to the request, he pointed out that since the establishment of the Highway Trust Fund, the State Treasurer's Office has been caused some inconvenience and additional work. After consideration, and after being advised by Attorney Murphy that the matter would have to be treated as a loan and the granting of the request would be simply extending a courtesy, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Com-missioners Barth and Angle and carried, Commissioner Addams not voting, that the request of the State Treasurer be granted and he be loaned a Calculat-ing Machine for full time use.

Attorney Murphy, on rendering a verbal opinion concerning the award-ing of the contract on the Ajo-Tucson Highway, N.R.S. 110-B (1935) Α.Γ.Ε. 604, stated that he had examined the plans and specifications in addi ion to the general specifications, and the following special provision appeared several times and also appeared in the notice to contractors calling for bids on the project: "In the event contract uni prices indicate a total cost of the proj-ect as planned in excess of the amount of funds programmed for the project, the length of the proj-ect will be shortened, if necessary, to keep the cost of the work with-in the funds allotted thereto."

He stated there is also an additional feature concerning the Commission's rights to change the contract and it was within the discretion of the Highway Commission as to whether they instruct the Engineer to let the contract subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, however, in his opin-ion, the contract could be awarded.

On the advice of the Attorney General, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted and the contract be awarded subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads to the low bidder, the Borderland Construction Company, providing, the mileage of 'he project is cut down so the entire c-st of the project will not exceed the amount of funds available.

State Engineer O'Connell submitted a letter from the City of Globe, dated April 5, 1935, signed by Mr. B. Y. Brewer, City Clerk, advising that the City of Globe has obtained permission from Mr. G. L. McLane, of the Bureau of Public Rads, to use any or all of the three spans of the old bridge across the Gila River, provided, the Arizona Highway Commission would also give their permission. The let er further stated the City of Globe planned using the spans on a bridge structure within the City of Globe. State Engineer Letter O'Connell also presented a letter from Mr. R. A. Hoffman, Bridge Engineer, stating the spans, on account of federal regulations on participation in the construction of bridges on secondary routes, are not of sufficient roadway width or loading to permit their use on any secondary route under federal participation, and the only place in which they could be used would be on strictly state construction, none of which is contemplated at the present time. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that the City of Globe be granted permission to use any or all three spans of the old bridge across the Gila River.

Mr. Harlow Akers, an attorney, appeared and protested in behalf of property owners of 19th Avenue in Phoenix, the re-routing of Highway 80 down South 17th Avenue. He asked that the grade separation be constructed on 19th Avenue instead of on 17th Avenue in view of the large invest-ments made by property owners there. He advised the Commission that the people of 19th Avenue have agreed to donate the State any necessary right