Arizona Highway Commission Notes

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Arizona Highway Commission Notes

November 6, 1935.

The Arizona State Highway Commis-sion met in regular session in their of-fices in the Highway Building at 10:00A. M., November 6, 1935. Those pres-ent were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Angle, Commissioners Ad-dams, Barth and Seale, also, the StateEngineer, the Secretary and AssistantAttorney General A. I. Winsett.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bu-reau of Public Roads, that the contracton the Winslow Streets, F.A.P. 20-Reo,& F.A.P. 22-Reo., A.F.E. 543, be award-ed to the low bidder, E. L. Yeager, inthe amount of $38,791.20. It was regu-larly moved by Commissioner Addams,seconded by Commission Barth andunanimously carried, that the recom-mendation of the State Engineer be ac-cepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bu-reau of Public Roads, that the contracton the Benson-Douglas Highway (LowellStreets) F.A.P. 79-I, Sch. 1, A.F.E.8057, be awarded to the low bidder, thePhoenix-Tempe Stone Company, in theamount of $41,882.07. It was regularlymoved by Commissioner Addams, sec-onded by Commissioner Barth, andunanimously carried, that the recom-mendation of the State Engineer be ac-cepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bu-reau of Public Roads, that the contracton the Ft. Huachuca-Bisbee Highway,W.P.S.O. 108-B, A.F.E. 613, be awardedto the low bidder, the Pleasant-HaslerCompany, in the amount of $187,873.85.It was regularly moved by CommissionerAngle, seconded by Commissioner Addams, and unanimously carried, that therecommendation of the State Engineerbe accepted.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried,that a resolution authorizing Mr. Al-fred C. Sieboth, Right of Way Agent, toexecute all applications for leases andrights of way before the State LandCommissioner of Arizona in behalf ofthe Arizona State Highway Department,subject to their further approval by theState Highway Engineer, be adopted.

Commissioner Addams read into therecord a traffic count showing that onHighway 89 at Congress Junction thereare 495 cars per day; on Highway 60at Vulture Junction, outside of Wickenburg, there are 622 cars per day and hepointed out that the difference in countmeans that, in the event of the construction of the underpass on Sauls Wash,Wickenburg will lose a great deal moretraffic than if the structure is constructed on Center Street.

It was regularly moved, seconded andcarried, that Mr. C. R. McDowell, Superintendent of the Highway Patrol, beauthorized to send the "Safety Announcing car" to Bisbee on ArmisticeDay, and the request of the BisbeeChamber of Commerce that the loud speaker be used in the dedication of aMiners Monument on that day, begranted.

Mr. McDowell was requested by theHighway Commission to give a reporton his trip to the Interstate Crime Conference held at Trenton, New Jersey, athis earliest convenience.

An application for permission to lay a water line on the south side of thepavement running East 1320 feet from24th Street, Phoenix, signed by Wm. L.Sparkman, 321 Heard Building, Phoenix, was presented. The application wasrefused by the Commission, inasmuch asthey have gone on record that no encroachments are to be allowed on ourright of way. It was regularly moved by Commis-sioner Addams, seconded by Commis-sioner Barth and unanimously carried,that a resolution of condemnation beadopted. The land described in the reso-lution, is located in the vicinity ofJacobs Lake and consists of 3.07 acresof land more or less, and the acquiringof same, will give the Department waterrights to the only water in the vicinityof Jacobs Lake.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Angle and Seale, and unanimously carried, that the followingequipment, as suggested by DeputyState Engineer Smyth, be purchased:Three line cars, three coupes, two maintenancecoupes and two small trucks.

It was regularly moved, seconded, andcarried, that the Commission adjourn at2:50 P. M., November 6, 1935, to meetagain at 10:00 A. M., November 16,1935.

November 16, 1935. The Arizona State Highway Commission met in regular session in their offices in the Highway Building at 10:00A. M., November 16, 1935. Those present were: Chairman Dowell, ViceChairman Angle, Commissioners Ad-ams, Barth and Seale, also, the StateEngineer, the Secretary and AssistantAttorney General A. I. Winsett.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the contracton the Phoenix-Yuma Highway (MohawkLine Change), F. A. 55-2nd Reo., A.F.E.8040, be awarded to the low bidder, theTiffany Construction Company, in theamount of $38,115.48. It was regularlymoved by Commissioner Barth, 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 contracton the Prescott-Jerome Highway, W.P.-M.H. 12-A.F.E. 7914, be awarded tothe low bidder, the All Arizona Engineering and Construction Company, inthe amount of $70,709.38. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Barth,seconded by Commissioner Seale, andunanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell explainedto the Commission that the Ajo-TucsonHighway, W.P.S.O. 110-C, A.F.E. No.623, is off the State Highway Systemand there is only $150,000 set up for theconstruction and engineering and StateFunds cannot be placed on it, therefore,under the low bid, which although it isunder our estimate, it runs, with engineering, in excess of the amount set upand the project will have to be cut backin length to fit the amount programmed. Mr. J. S. Mills, Estimating Engineer, said they would like to reduce theproject in order to carry a $2,000 contingency to take care of some ditchesthat may have to be dug. State Engineer O'Connell asked the contractor,Mr. Paul Correll, to realize that the manhours would have to be figured to theproject when reduced and that the hours may be reduced in the same proportion as the quantities.

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS DECEMBER, 1935.

Contingent on the adjusting of man hours and cutting down on the programmed amount, State Engineer O'Connell recommended that the contract on the Ajo-Tucson Highway, W.P.S.O. 110-C, A.F.E. No. 623, be awarded to the Borderland Construction Company with the following provisos: Subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads. Subject to the contractor agreeing to accept the unit price on the lesser amount of the contract, as cut down by this Department. Subject to the contractor using the number of man hours, as required by the Arizona Highway Department and the Bureau of Public Roads for the lesser contract.It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Addams, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted. Mr. Paul Correll, of the Borderland Construction Company, agreed to accept the adjustment of the man hours and the length of the project.

State Engineer O'Connell recommend-ed, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the contract on the Holbrook-St. Johns Highway, F.A. 78-G, A.F.E. 2654, be awarded to the low bidder, R. C. Tanner Company, in the amount of $102,846.61. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Barth, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell presented a communication from the Bureau of Public Roads transmitting blank authorization forms to be used by the State Highway Department in designating officials to sign vouchers claiming reimbursement from Federal funds; said forms to be signed by a majority of the Members of the State Highway Commission. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Seale and unanimously carried, that on the advice of the Attorney General, a resolution, submitted by the Bureau of Public Roads, be adopted and State Engineer T. S. O'Connell, Deputy State Engineer Sid Smyth, and Statistical Engineer, H. C. Hatcher, be designated as the authorized officials to sign vouchers in behalf of the Highway Department for reimbursement of amounts earned on highway projects improved in whole or in part with Fed eral Funds.

Mr. B. F. Thum, headed a delegation from Florence consisting of Mrs. B. I. Freeman, Messrs. John Hubbard, R. W. Taylor, C. H. Southworth, Claud Navarra, Louis Fiscel and Clarence Nolan, who appeared before the Commission. Mr. Thum spoke of a report he had heard that a portion of the $90,000 set up to be expended on Highway 80 out of Florence is to be diverted from that project and he asked to be advised the status of this money, and also to be informed as to when they may expect bids to be called on the continuation of the oiling. Chairman Dowell advised the delegation that this fund is set up in the "B" Program, which is being held up subject to the allocation of further funds by the President, and the differ-ence between the "A" and "B" Programs was explained. Mr. Thum stated that they are vitally interested in High-way 80 for the reason that it means more to them as a Town than any other road and he requested that some work be done on it as soon as possible. Other members of the delegation addressed the Commission on this subject and Mrs. Freeman, in the course of her talk, pointed out that the paved and oiled roads of the state are being ruined by the traffic over them of heavily loaded trucks and she suggested that, wherever possible, these trucks be rounted over certain designated highways.

Commissioner Addams called the attention of the Commission that, according to a newspaper article carried in a local paper, the Town Council of Wickenburg has gone on record to the effect that they will not give the Highway Department any right of way through the Town of Wickenburg unless the proposed underpass is constructed at Barnette's Dairy and he suggested that in order to prevent any controversy, the Attorney General be instructed to start proceed ings immediately to perfect title so as the underpass can be started. Commissioner Addams further advised that there were 94 signatures on the last petition submitted to the Commission, which protested the location of the proposed underpass on Center Street, however, since that time another petition favoring the location of the proposed underpass on Center Street has been placed in circulation and it is his under-standing that a large percentage of those who signed the first petition have changed over and are signing the second one and so far some 200 signatures have been obtained on the new petition.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams and seconded by Commissioner Barth that inasmuch as this is not going to cost the State of Arizona one dime, that the underpass terminate at the intersection of whatever street is on the termini of the Underpass at the West end and the Attorney General take the necessary steps to perfect title to the ground on which the underpass and approaches thereto will be constructed.

On discussing the motion, Chairman Dowell stated that he has always upheld the wishes of the recognized authorities in the town when it came to running a highway through the town, and he felt that in the absence of any notification to the Highway Commission to the contrary of what is already on record which is that the Town Council of Wickenburg desires the highway to go straight out Center Street that the Department should go ahead and prepare their plans for the underpass to go out Center Street.

Commissioner Angle calling attention to the petition filed with the Commission a short time ago, protesting the location of the proposed underpass on Center Street, stated that he would like further time for consideration before voting on the motion.

Commissioner Seale expressed himself by saying that the motion made by Commissioner Addams would be hastening matters and if passed by the Commission would be setting a precedent to which he did not care to give his consent, inasmuch as it would obligate the Highway Department for the mainten-ance of the highway inside the City Limits. He requested that no action be taken by the Highway Commission at this time.

Commissioner Barth declared that this crossing is one of the worst in the State and he felt that some action should be taken by the Commission, because judging by appearances, the Town of Wickenburg would never get together on the matter.

After lengthy discussion of the subject, Commissioner Addams asked Mr. Thomas G. Nairn, Attorney for the Santa Fe Railway Company, who with Mr. Ralph Jones, Engineer for the Railway Company, was present, if his company is desirous of having an underpass on Center Street, to which he replied that they were, and he further stated that from investigation, it is his understanding that the majority of the people in Wickenburg are in favor of the underpass being located on Center Street. Mr. Jones, giving his engineering viewpoint on the matter at the request of State Engineer O'Connell, stated that there is no question but that the underpass should go on Center Street as the other location is not a logical place to put an underpass.

After further consideration, Commissioner Addams, with the consent of his second, and on the advice of the Attorney General, changed his motion to read that the State Engineer be empowered to enter into any agreement that is necessary with the Bureau of Public Roads for the construction of this underpass, as previously designated.

The motion was seconded by Commissioner Barth and, on the call of the roll, Commissioner Addams voted "Yes", Commissioner Seale "No", Commissioner Barth "Yes", Commissioner Angle "No", and Commissioner Dowell "No". The motion was lost.

Afternoon Session

Chairman Dowell presented data he received from Mr. C. R. McDowell, Superintendent of the Arizona Highway Patrol, concerning his trip to the Interstate Conference on Crime held in Trenton, New Jersey, October 11 and 12, 1935, and requested that Mr. McDowell give the Commission a verbal report on the Conference at their next meeting. Discussion on the matter of soliciting funds from highway employees for the Community Chest was next taken up. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and carried, Commissioner Dowell voting "No", that the action passed by the Highway Commission on October 28, 1935, relating to the soliciting of funds from highway employees by Charity Organizations, be rescinded.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams that the Secretary of the Arizona Highway Commission be designated as the man appointed in the Highway Department to contact the Heads of the various Departments, who are to designate some one in their Department to solicit funds from the employees with no pressure whatsoever, and any monies voluntarily given to that person or the Department Head on the first collection only, be accepted and handed over together with the pledge cards to the Relief Organization, then after that further contacts concerning the pledges are to be made by the Organization. The

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

Elected by Commissioner Addams, and unanimously carried, that as soon as funds are allocated by the Federal Government for our B Program, that this proj ect be one of the first projects to start, and that the State Engineer be empowered to have the necessary plans and specifications ready for this work.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams that the printing of the highway magazine, beginning with the January issue, be given at the same price as it is now published, for the next six months to the Prescot Courier, Prescott, Arizona, W. P. Stuart, Editor.

Mr. McPhee pointed out that it is necessary for him to spend a great deal of time at the printer's during the period that the magazine is being set up and he felt that it would be physically impossible to edit it if it were published in Prescott. Furthermore, he did not believe his expense account would permit him to make the necessary trips to Prescott in the interest of the magazine each month. Commissioner Angle, stated that while he had no objection to the printing of the magazine by the Prescott Courier, he felt the matter should be thoroughly investigated as to expense and operation before making any change, and he therefore requested that action be deferred until the December meeting of the Commission, at which time, it could be determined whether Prescott would be the ideal place to which the printing of "Arizona Highways" should be transferred. After much discussion, Commissioner Addams' motion was seconded by Commissioners Barth and Seale and carried, with Commissioners Angle and Dowell not voting.

The Secretary read a letter from Mrs. Nellie T. Bush, State Senator, of Parker, Arizona, asking that a date be set for the dedication of the "Hi Jolly Monument" at Quartzsite, Arizona. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commission Angle and unanimously carried, that the date for said dedication be set for January 5, 1936.

A letter was read from the City of Prescott, signed by Mr. P. H. Miller, City Clerk, asking that an Engineer of the Department be sent to Prescott for the purpose of rerouting trucks, as a temporary measure over U. S. Highway 89 which runs out East Gurley, beginning at a point where West Gurley and Montezuma Streets intersect, going North to Willis Street, thence East on Willis to Cortez, thence North on Cortez to Sheldon and East on Sheldon to U. S. Highway 89, due to the fact that during the Winter, whenever there is snow or ice, the East Gurley Street hill is impassable. Commissioner Seale, who is familiar with the situation, explained the matter in detail and after consideration, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Addams, and unanimously carried, that Mr. Alfred C. Sieboth, Right of Way Engineer, be designated to comply with the request.

The Secretary read a letter from Mr. J. Hubert Smith, Secretary of the Good Roads Committee of the Mohave County Chamber of Commerce, Kingman, Arizona, transmitting communications from the Secretary of the Needles Chamber of Commerce and from the Representative from San Bernardino County, California, Ralph E. Swing, concerning the proposed Needles bridge, and requesting that a date convenient to the Highway Commission be set for a meeting at Needles early in December to discuss the matter of the proposed bridge. Commissioner Seale expressed himself by stating that he thought the suggestion of neighboring states getting together is a good one, however, he felt that the paving of Highways 66 and 89 should be finished before anything else is started. Commissioner Addams stated that he is in favor of finishing Highway 66 as soon as possible and other members of the Commission voiced Commissioner Seale's sentiments; however, they agreed that funds should be set up for a survey and the Highway Commission of Arizona should be represented at the proposed meeting. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Barth, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the Secretary answer the communication, listing the meetings of the Commission are scheduled to attend in the near future, and inform them that the Commission would like to cooperate, and any date after the first of January would be acceptable to them for the meeting.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle that the request of Mr. W. L. Sparkman, representing the Sherman Company, for permission to lay a pipe line on our right of way on Highway 80, between Phoenix and Tempe, from 24th Street 1320 feet east on the south side of the highway be granted, provided, the pipe line is laid near the southern edge of the right of way and the location is determined by the Highway Engineer, inasmuch as the right of way referred to was originally granted the Highway Department without charge by the party making the request. Mr. A. C. Siebath, on being summoned, advised the Commission that he had not been able to contact Mr. Sparkman during the day concerning this matter and it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams that on the recommendation of the Right of Way Engineer, this matter be held over until the next meeting. Commissioner Seale seconded Commissioner Addams' motion and it was unanimously carried.

It was regularly moved, seconded, and carried, that the Commission adjourn at 12:55 P. M., November 25, 1935, to meet again at the call of the Chairman.

A BULL BY THE TAIL

(Continued from Page 12) Ed as if to take out after the road runner. Idaho beat him on the jump, but even he was slow at the gun for the Queen was already kicking up a dust as her big fiddle boxes tore up the gravel in a real race for the prized bird.

"E-e-yow-ee!" the Queen would bawl as a catclaw tore at her flowing gingham skirts. But undaunted and halfnaked she plunged on, up and over the divide toward Mormon Flats. She was a fine imitation of one of the Gold DustTwins, man size, as she disappeared over the ridge in full flight. She weighed a little less than three hundred in her stockin' feet.

DECEMBER, 1935.

If Jim Bark reads this spasm he's sure to offer me the reward he had posted for the solution of the mystery of a lot of his white faces showin' up at the home ranch, bob-tailed, for it was gettin' kinda dark by the time the Queen hit the Flats and there bein' a lot of loco rattle weed she of course stumbled into it, took it for a nest of diamond backs and lit atop a big boulder alongside the Salt River. But not before she had collected about all the cholla balls on Mormon Flat.

Idaho came flounderin' onto the set about that time and swallerin' his embarrassment offered to pull the cholla balls out of her legs and elsewhere. The Queen would not listen to his offer for some time, but finally consented. It bein' dark by this time and thirsty whitefaced cattle came driftin' down the dry creekbed to the water in the Salt; their hooves clickin' on the loose rubble.

Suddenly a cougar screamed at the tail of the herd and the Queen came off the rock, straddle of Idaho's neck yelpin' "Indians!" at the top of her voice. The big cat's yowl started a small stampede which came in the general direction of Idaho and his black partner, in fact, it ran plum' over them, and the bull of the flock, one of Bark's prize Herfords in the drag. The Queen, thinkin' he was an Apache with a cow skull over his head, tangled with the frightened bovine, slid off his slick back where she had bounced, grabbed him by the tail and heaved the poor critter into Salt River. But the poor bull lost his tail in the scuffle. It came off by the roots in the Queen's big capable paws. Just then the Cougar gave another screetch and Idaho rose up from the ground where he'd been trampled a mite and grabbed the old girl for protection. The black Amazon swung on him with the bloody tail, floored him with one swipe and thinkin' he was just another broncho Apache she darned near beat him to death before he could get enough breath in his lungs to make himself heard above her screetches. Pore old Idaho. Some say he drifted down to South America where the women at the head of the Amazon are tame beside his partner in the Lost Dutchman Gold rush of '92. But at that, those he-women of the Amazon River had nothin' on the Black Queen.