Arizona Highway Commission Notes

The Arizona State Highway Commission met in special session in their office in the Highway Building at 9:15a. m., February 18, 1936. Those present were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-chairman Angle, and Commissioner Seale; also, the State Engineer, the Secretary and Assistant Attorney General A. I. Winsett. Commissioners Addams and Barth were absent.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the contract on the Phoenix-Prescott Highway, N.R.M. 59(1935) A.F.E.. 545, be awarded to the low bidder, the Phoenix-Tempe Stone Company, in the amount of $64,643.59. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and 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 Flagstaff-Fredonia Highway, W.P.H.95-J, A.F.E. 8932, be awarded to the low bidder, Ken Hodgman, in the amount of $106,871.99. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell presented a communication from Mr. E. V. Miller, Engineer of Plans, stating that requests for 1936 maps have been especially heavy and in the past 45 days there have been issued some 40,000 of the original order of 50,000. Mr. Miller also stated in his letter that the original cost of the 1936 maps was some $500 less than budgeted and 10,000 additional maps can be secured off the same plates for $482.50;and inasmuch as from 3,000 to 6,000 maps may be used at the San Diego Exposition this year, he recommended the purchase of an additional 10,000 maps. The matter was discussed with Mr. Miller and, after a period of time, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and carried, that the additional 10,000 maps be purchased for the price set forth in Mr. Miller's communication.

The commission recessed about 10 a. m. and reconvened again at 10:25 a. m., Commissioners Addams and Barth absent.

Mr. Harlie Cox, chairman of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, addressed the committee and presented a certified resolution adopted by the board on February 14, 1936, requesting the Highway Commission to designate the following as State routes: 1. (a) The certain county road known as the Bisbee-Fort Huachuca road, beginning at a point at the intersection ofU. S. Highway 80 with the Bisbee-Warren road near the eastern boundary ofthe unincorporated town of Lowell, Cochise County, Arizona, and thence in a westerly direction through the unincorporated villages of Don Luis and Palo-minas to a point on the eastern boundaryline of the United States Military Reservation in the unincorporated village of Garden Canyon.

(b) That certain road known as theFort Huachuca-Nogales road from a point on the northern boundary line ofthe United States Military Reservationat or near what is commonly known as the "Half-way House," to a connectionwith State Highway 82, approximatelyten miles in a westerly direction fromthe village of Fairbank, County of Cochise, Arizona.

2. That certain county road known as the Turkey Creek-Far Away Ranch road,beginning at a point on State Highway81, approximately thirty-seven miles in a northerly direction from the city ofDouglas, and running in a general north-easterly direction to the boundary line ofthe Wonderland of Rocks National Monument at a point where the National ParkHighway intersects said boundary line.

3. (a) That certain county road known as the Sunset Highway, beginning at a point on U. S. Highway 80, at or near the eastern boundary line of the incorporated town of Benson, Arizona, andrunning in a general easterly directionto a point connecting with State Highway81, in or near the unincorporated villageof Cochise, in Cochise County, State ofArizona.

(That certain county road known asthe Sunset Highway, beginning at a pointon State Highway 81, known as "BowieJunction," approximately seven miles ina westerly direction from the unincorporated town of Bowie, Cochise County,Arizona, and running thence in a generaleasterly direction through the unincor-porated towns of Bowie and San Simon,Cochise County, Arizona, to a point onthe Arizona-New Mexico State line nearSteins Pass.

Mr. Cox in his talk stated that theSteins Pass road has been endorsed by 89 per cent of the people in CochiseCounty and by four out of five Chambersof Commerce, and also that SouthernCochise County had at one time agreedthat when Highway 80 would be pavedthey would not object to the taking overof the Steins Pass Highway, but wouldhelp in any way they could. Mr. Cox incommenting upon the other roads,brought out the advantages of the roadsto the Wonderland of Rocks and to FortHuachuca from a governmental and military point of view respectively.

Chairman Dowell relinquished the chairto Vice-chairman Angle and made thefollowing remarks on the resolution presented by the chairman of the CochiseCounty Board of Supervisors: "The records will show that I have consistently fought one of the roads mentioned in the petition. I have always said that I would abide by the majority of the people in the southern end of the county and the records will show that I have done so consistently. Now, there has been presented to this commission and to me resolutions signed by the Chambers of Commerce of Bisbee, Willcox, Benson and Tombstone, by the city governments of Bisbee, Benson and Willcox, and by the different service clubs such as the Rotary and the Kiwanis clubs of the dif-ferent towns, favoring the Steins Pass Highway, as well as a petition from Bis-bee citizens, in which they ask that their names be withdrawn from the petition filed opposing the inclusion of this road. In addition, I have volunteer wires and communications; a wire signed by the Haymore Mercantile Company, Douglas, and one signed by several citizens of Bowie, Arizona; letters are from Mike E. Simon Company, wholesale grocer; the Coca-Cola Retailing Works; John B. Dannelley Service Station, all located in Douglas, urging the adoption of the Steins Pass Highway. I have been requested verbally by practically all of the professional men of Douglas to see that some satisfactory adjustment is made on this road and I can vouch for the re-marks made by Chairman Harlie Cox, of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, that 80 per cent of all the taxpayers are represented. Therefore, the majority has spoken and, taking action on the petition hereby presented by the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, I offer the following motion: I hereby move that first, the Bisbee-Fort Huachuca road to the junction with U. S. Highway 80 and State Highway 82; second, the Wonder-land of Rocks road to the junction with State Highway 81; and third, from the junction near Benson, Arizona, on U. S. Highway 80 to Cochise, Arizona, and from Bowie Junction on State Highway 81, to the New Mexico line, be and the same are hereby designated as State Routes, and that the Assistant Attorney General and the State Engineer be in-structed to include in the next budget to be submitted to the commission these three State Routes as specifically desig-nated and accepted, as State Highways and ordered constructed and improved in accordance with the funds for their im-

MARCH, 1936 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

provement as contained in said budget." The motion was seconded by Commissioner Seale and when put to a vote by Acting Chairman Angle, was carried unanimously by the members present.

Mr. Dowell turned over to the secretary to be filed these communications he had received and mentioned in his remarks, and resumed the chair.

Delegates present who verbally endorsed the action of the commission were: Messrs. E. L. Whiting and Grover Udall of Apache County; P. P. Page, member of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, and Dave Adams, former member of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors; Stuart Bailey and John Udall of Maricopa County; and Monte Mansfield, former member of the Arizona Highway Commission, of Pima County.

Mr. Harlie Cox again addressed the commission and after thanking them for the action taken on the resolution presented, submitted another certified resolution, adopted by the Cochise County Board of Supervisors February 17, 1936, in which they waive the giving of a notice of intention to designate as a state highway the state routes already petitioned to be taken over as state highways; namely, the Bisbee-Fort Huachuca Road, the Wonderland of Rocks Road and the Steins Pass Highway, and in which they give their consent that this petition may be acted upon by the Highway Commission without giving any notice of hearing. The resolution was accepted by the Commission.

At this point the commission had a fifteen-minute recess and, meeting again open session, all members present except Commissioners Addams and Barth, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and carried, that resolution transferring funds in the amount of $24,868.77, be adopted.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle and carried, that a resolution transferring funds in the amount of $62,956.42, be adopted.

State Engineer O'Connell informed the commission that the department had been requested by the Bureau of Public Roads to allow the Forest Service to use the three spans of the old bridge across the Gila River in the construction of their road into Perkinsville. It was pointed out that the commission had given these spans to the city of Globe by a motion adopted May 16, 1935, however, the city of Globe had never used them and had advised the Highway Department that they would relinquish them. State Engineer O'Connell also informed the commission that the matter has been discussed with the Bridge Engineer and the spans are of no value to the department. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and carried, that the Forest Service be given any or all three of the spans of the old bridge across the Gila River if and when the City of Globe relinquishes its right to them, and the Forest Service be given permission to move the bridge to Perkinsville in compliance with the Bureau of Public Roads' request.

The Secretary presented a letter from Mr. John C. McPhee and family thanking the commission for the resolution of respect adopted at their last meeting.

Resolutions transmitted by Mr. A. C. Taylor, secretary of the Arizona Good Roads Association, which were adopted at their convention, held in Globe, Arizona, January 24, 1936, were ordered received and filed.

Mr. A. C. Sieboth, Right of Way Engineer, presented an application from Mr. A. P. Brady, residing on the Buckeye Road westerly from 19th Avenue near 23rdl Avenue, requesting permission to use the right of way for the purpose of piping water in from a pipe line existing three or four hundred feet from his property line which serves several of his neighbors. Mr. Sieboth stated that Mr. Brady had put in a well to serve his own use but found the water to be contaminated and it could not be used for domestic purposes. After consideration of the request, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle and carried, that the request be granted provided the line is put in under the supervision and inspection of the Division Engineer.

Mr. Ralph Jones, Assistant Superintendent of the Santa Fe Railway Company, appeared before the Commission and requested the commission to give consideration in the matter of creating a detour by closing Grand Avenue at Six Points, in Phoenix, and routing traffic north on 19th Avenue and west on the first street intersecting Grand Avenue northwest of Six Points, for a period of three days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, for the purpose of completing track work in connection with track changes in the Union Oil Company's plant across Grand Avenue and in connection witn the paving of Grand Avenue. The matter was discussed and considered, after which, it was regularly carried, that in the interest of safety Grand Avenue be closed just northwest of Six Points for a period of three days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, and the traffic be routed from Six Points north over 19th Avenue and thence west on the first street intersecting Grand Avenue, in compliance with the request of Mr. Jones, and further, that the request be granted subject to the approval and under the supervision of the District Engineer, and in compliance with all regulations of the Safety Engineer. Mr. Jones assured the commission if it is possible to work out come system whereby they will not need the detour, they would do so.

There being no further business to come before the commission, it was regularly moved, seconded, and carried, that the commission adjourn at 11:30 a. m., February 16, 1936, to convene again at 10 a. m., February 28, 1936.

HIGHWAY HARVEST

(Continued from Page 8) It is surprising how close Wednesday traffic is to the average daily traffic. In this state it was found that Monday's traffic was 12.90 per cent of the week's traffic; Tuesday, 14.05 per cent; Thursday, 13.76 per cent; Friday, 12.96 per cent; Saturday, 16.61 per cent; Sunday, 15.49 per cent, and Wednesday, 14.23 per cent, compared with the average of 14.285.

Four months of the year, February, May, August and November, a 24-hour count is taken. The months in between, a 12-hour count is taken and raised to a 24-hour count by the ratio established at each station in the previous 24-hour count.

The census is taken by various workers of the maintenance crews, under the supervision of the maintenance foreman. Figuring hours actually spent, the cost of the traffic census is only $7,236.000 a year, a remarkably low cost for the information gained.

In taking the traffic census a sheet is used that is subdivided in three hour periods and shows the following classifications of traffic: Arizona passenger cars, Arizona trucks, busses, foreign passenger cars and foreign trucks. "Foreign" refers to cars bearing license plates other than the state of Arizona. Trailers are counted in a miscellaneous column and the count is not included in the volume of traffic. In this count no attempt is made to classify trucks by capacity.

The traffic census sheets, after the data required from them is compiled, are bound and filed away for future reference. Two charts are made from the information gathered one a monthly chart showing the count at each station, the other an annual chart showing the average daily flow over the highway system. The latter is the one accompanying this article. This chart was decided upon a few years ago to satisfy the numerous requests for only the information that is shown upon this chart,, that is, the volume of traffic and the amount of foreign traffic. These requests come mainly from four different sources, merchants dealing with the motoring public, advertising firms, hotels, and various chambers of commerce.

However, the above mentioned is only one of the many purposes for which the traffic census is used. Hardly a day passes without a request for traffic information relative to bettering or reconstructing the highway.

Inasmuch as roads are built for traffic, the volume of traffic a road may have should determine the type and expenditure. Consequently, the Highway Department places considerable value on the information gained from its traffic census.

MYSTERY OF THE MUDHEN

(Continued from Page 13) I know whereof I speak.

It took Jim and his man Friday a couple of weeks before they discovered where the gold had gone, then Jim decided to turn the water out of that creek and in that way circumvent the plans of the tadpoles, but he reckoned without the law of retribution and recompence; for while wading around in the icy water he got rheumatism so bad he was laid on the shelf for weeks. But lying on his back did not affect his fertile brain one whit. He formulated a nefarious plan to play even with the tadpoles and straightway detailed Friday to carry it out.

First on the program Friday caught, after many weary, cold days at the Dells, a mudhen of the common helldiver variety. This innocent bird was planted in the creek with the tadpoles who were busily engaged in transporting the gold from crevice to cranny in their adopted creek so that Jim and his partner would not find it. It was a dirty trick to feed the innocent little fellers soap, so we can't blame them too much for retaliating in kind.

But Jim's plan back-fired with a big bang. The helldiver gobbled so many gold-laden tadpoles that he sank in deep water, never to rise again, and the secret of his whereabouts was never known, nor the cause of his demise, until last July, when the missus and me were summering in the Mile-High city. I was digging into an illuvial bank that looked like it might have been placed there by a freshet years ago, and it being likely looking gravel, I explored deeper than usual to find, among some badly chalked, tiny bones a little tough leather poke full of nuggets. I kept the nuggets and sent the poke to the Smithsonian Institute only to learn that the poke was the age-old and thoroughly tanned gizzard of Jim's helldiver. The mystery of that bird's disappearance is now, I hope, explained to the satisfaction of all curious and concerned. Quien Sabe?

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS HIGHWAY ADVENTURE

Continued from Page 5) vigil over southern Arizona near Tucson.

The last four miles of paved highway before arriving at Superior passes through Queen Creek canyon and is the most spectacular piece of mountain highway in Arizona. Queen Creek has gouged an almost vertical walled canyon out of the ancient tufa and lime stone formation at this point. It was the most natural and shortest way to get to Globe so the State of Arizona simply went to work and built a road up Queen Creek under overhanging cliffs and through jutting knife edges of rock..

The Claypool Tunnel about two hundred feet long pierces the wall of the canyon at a cliff that blocked any attempt to go around it.

Just before reaching the Claypool Tunnel a small side gulch contributes a nice little water fall after a rain, cascading down from the high cliffs and showering the edge of the highway with its spray.

As the car emerges from out of the tunnel the road below unfolds itself in a snakey fashion, turns around a big water tank and disappears between the walls of the Queen Creek canyon just before entering Superior.

Superior with its ever yellow smoke coming out of the smelter stack is at the bottom of the grade, and the road from here on gradually becomes less curving until about ten miles west of the mining town it rounds the last sharp turn and the open desert lies before, with the far distant mountains of southern Arizona melting away in the grey haze.

Ahead is a little more than half of Arizona still to see on Highway 70. Behind are the mountains, the canyons and the grades. Still to be seen are the green fields and orange groves of the Salt River valley, Phoenix and its up-todate sky scrapers and wide streets.

The broad desert, the wide, level and smooth pavement is too tempting to the new speedy cars. It is time to speed her up, and how they do speed. In the words of our friend Charley Bond, as he grabs his hat blown off by the wind of a passing car "Another of those-- ---Goin' some where to whittle.."

Now in effect SPECIAL SUNDAY RATES AND REDUCED PERSON-TO-PERSON RATES

REDUCED Long Distance rates which apply on station-to-station calls after 7 p. m. each evening are now extended to include all hours on Sundays.

Rates on person-to-person calls are also reduced from 7 p. m. to 4:30 a. m. every night and the same lower rate applies at all hours Sundays.

(This generally includes all calls on which the day station-to-station rate is more than 35 cents)

MARCH, 1936 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS 17 Arizona's Unheralded Resource

Continued from Page 9 of wealth for the people of Arizona.

The predominating timber type in the National Forests of the state is the ponderosa pine and is not only used for lumber and dimensional material, but also for railroad ties, construction timbers, mine props, and many other purposes for which a high grade wood is desired.

The sawtimber forest occurs from the 7,000 foot level to about 11,500 feet where the timber line begins. Ponderosa pine predominates at 7,000 to 8,000 feet, furnishing about 80 per cent of the volume of the timber stands. The remainder of the stand consists of Douglas fir, limber pine, blue spruce, with Engelmann spruce occupying the highest regions of the mountain ranges.

Some of these trees attain considerable size. Occasionally pines have been found to measure seventy inches in diameter. The average diameter of the sawtimber species is approximately 24 inches.

There is another value derived from the forested areas of the state which is equally as important as that of the timber industry, but which is not appreciated nor understood nearly as well by the majority of the people. It is that intangible, little publicized value of watershed protection.

Forest lands of the state are the headwaters of the permanent streams which supply water for irrigation and domestic use and the cover is an important factor in regulating this stream flow.

Removal of this cover by fire, exploitation, disease, or any other destroying factor would probably result in much more serious flood conditions than have ever before been experienced. The forests are the home of wild life, and beast and bird alike would cease to exist if the cover of the mountains was removed. Trout streams, under the same condition, would be a thing of the past. And last, but not least, the people of the state would be out millions of dollars in the years to come, actual money from their own pockets.

The trees and shrubbery hold back the annual precipitation to such an extent that the soil has the opportunity of absorbing the moisture and distributing the run-off on a steady basis instead of shooting down the mountain sides, like it would do if there were no cover, and causing flood conditions in the valleys below.

When the forests are conserved, with only the surplus ripe crop removed, ample natural cover remains to insure, under most conditions, reasonably steady stream flow. Numerous cities in the state use these streams originating in the National Forests for their water supply, and it is well to preserve the source. Power is also another important use for which this steady stream flow provides.

It is in view of these values of the National Forests that the Forest Service rules governing the protection of the forests, both from fire and other causes, are probably the strictest rules under which a forest ranger must work.

That is why a ranger drops everything that he is doing when he receives a fire call, and proceeds with all speed to the burning area. That is the reason for the considerable expenditure of money by the Federal government on lookout towers, roads giving quicker access to fires, phone lines furnishing better means of communication, and even a systematized method of weather reporting in order to warn forest officers of approaching, dangerous fire weather. That is the reason for the large number of CCCs located in the National Forests of the state.

During the past two and one-half years the CCC has done the majority of the improvement and construction work on the National Forest areas. They also have furnished a considerable amount of disease and rodent control work. All of which was done for the protection and improvement of these valuable forest lands, and will, in years to come, be realized as a profit in actual dollars and cents by the people of Arizona.

EDITORIAL

(Continued from Page 11) Then road or trail, if you do not wish to travel too much; each week and sometimes twice a week a new flower will predominate the roadside. I think of one stretch near McNary, and perhaps my memory will fail me badly, but I remember different weeks: once it was blue iris; next purple locust, much like wistaria; then the bracken fern, soon mingled with thousands of pink roses; then the strange pink of the false mallow mingled with giant marigolds; then a sudden blue of harebells, followed all too soon by a semblance of fire as penstemon and gilia came into bloom. The changes are endless, but the senses are never surfeited by the work of the Master Artist.

Then, if you have time, you can leave the roads and climb upwards toward the peaks where the forest lookouts are. Doing this, one day I found acres and acres of the white Canada violets; another day I walked further back among these and found orchids hidden away from the sunlight; another day I broke into an upland meadow, or "Cienega," as they call them, and was dazzled by about forty or fifty acres of blue-the blue of violets. Along the edges in wetter ground was an appropriate fringe of a strange variant of the marsh marigold, creamy white.

The most stupendous flower spectacles are in the wild uplands of the White Mountains, but the garden continues in its riot of colors all along the Rim past Payson and Flagstaff and on to Prescott. Back in the higher levels near Ord and Baldy are other alpine types strange hues against the banked firs and aspens. There is a hidden valley up there they call, quite appropriately: Paradise. I took a professional botanist up there not long since a man whose home is California. He grew in a very fever of excitement: this species did not belong in Arizona, nor this, nor this! That day he found nine species of fern, just for an illustration. By evening he had the back of the car full of specimens.

This man made a statement that might astonish some of our all too modest Arizonans. He said that the flora of Arizona was richer than that of any neighboring state, including his much advertised home; that we had it all over them both as to quantities and acreages of flowers and as to varieties. He said: "Why, in other states they have flowers in spots, here and there, but in Arizona you find them everywhere!"

The aftermath of the months of flowers comes when frost comes to the hills. Overnight, the aspens turn yellow, and the sumacs red and the oaks leaves a golden brown, and there never was such a riot of color. They are opening a road now along the Mogollon Rim, for miles and miles, and in October any artist driving over it will come close to losing his reason.

Lay them end to end, and but never mind that. The argument must draw to a close. Believe it or not, Arizona has more natural beauty than any other state in the union, and if we would get busy and say so loudly enough, it would be the making of our Arizona.

(To L. C. Bolles, congratulations for a masterpiece of description. -Ed).

PHOENIX BLUE PRINT CO.

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THAT ROADSIDE JOB

(Continued from Page 6) of shoots and suckers emanates from the Exposed stubs, necessitating further slashing the following year-a constant round of maintenance on an unsightly tree that must die prematurely. Contrast this with careful, skilled trimming. The cuts are all made flush with the trunk, allowing easy healing of the wound. Large cuts should be painted and sealed with a preparation of Bordeaux mixture and linseed oil to keep out spores and insect pests. The main leaders remain, while small suckers and dead growth are removed to produce a beautiful, open "umbrella," offering small wind resistance and providing a maximum of shade. Naturally, the inherent characteristics of the different types of trees should be preserved. The photographs of the project now under way on Grand avenue, near Phoenix, show a row of cottonwoods before and after proper trimming. Many of these trees had been previously topped, and were filled with sucker growth. Others bore large, rotten stubs which were removed in order to form balanced, well shaped trees. Ash, elms and similar types should never be topped, cottonwoods only in extreme cases, and evergreens only when used as an ornamental shrub in a formal garden. The photograph of the row of eucalyptus shows a number of trees properly trimmed for wire clearance. It is noteworthy to call attention to the fact that good tree trimming is not obvious. The various garden clubs have sponsored a splendid program for the scattering of wild flower seeds along the roadside. If people as a whole would only fall in step, and throw seeds instead of garbage out of their car windows, our spring rain seasons would develop a desert full of beautiful blooms, much on the order of the far famed wild flower fields of California. Further more, these seeds in most cases will germinate after a dormant period of as much as six years, so that in a season of drought the efforts of those sowing seeds will not be wasted, but will bear fruit the following rainy season. Let us all give our whole-hearted cooperation in this worthwhile undertaking. The State Highway department is also planning and maintaining miles of new trees to augment existing growth, and provide shade, so necessary during the hot summer months.

In the field of borrow pit elimination and backsloping, considerable headway has been made. This year's budget contains several such projects, while the maintenance division is devoting all of its spare time to the blending and flattening of existing slopes. Evidence of this type of work is very noticeable on sections of the Phoenix-Yuma highway, the road between Picacho and Coolidge, and sections between Phoenix and Pres cott, and Apache Junction and Superior. Our new construction standards provide for thoroughly flattened and blended fills and backslopes, laying the ground for future planting where such is necessary. In many localities the roadside will return to a natural condition in a few years, obviating the need for additional planting. The backsloping shown in this article is part of a project on the Phoenix-Yuma highway, just south of Arlington. Notice the absence of deep roadside ditches, and the greater sight distance permitted by the flattened and rounded slopes in the foreground, as compared with the steeper ones in the distance. An article in an early issue will be devoted to the development of roadside parks, points of interest and the erection of directional monuments, to guide the travcler to our natural wonders.

THE BATTLE OF CIBECUE

Moved the faster is not known, but the two hunters moved all right. Later on, when we gathered at the foot of the cliff and I got my heart back into its proper place, there came another roar. One of our mules was responsible for the noise and his unearthly "He Haw" had fooled even the veteran "Dead Shot." How that old fellow did laugh. "Dzan Dazen! Dzan Dazen" he would say over and over again; "Shosh (bear) nada, Dzan Dazen." "Mule, mule; No bear." As a matter of fact practically every Apache I have ever come in contact with was mortally afraid of bears, especially grizzlies. Poor old "Dead Shot." He died game, calm and unemotional to the very last. On the day of his execution at Fort Grant his squaw hanged herself to a tree at San Carlos agency. Suicide among the Apaches was an unheard of tragedy. It was probably her only way of showing her grief. She left behind her at Apache two small boys, one about six, the other perhaps a year older, say seven or eight. They were bright kids and I had often brought them candy or other little presents when visiting "Dead Shot" at his camp not far from the post.

They now had no relatives and as but few Apaches were camped near the post, they found their way to my telegraph office, two half-naked, wild-eyed Indian kids, who hadn't had a meal in two weeks. I went to Lieutenant Gatewood, Sixth Cavalry, then in charge of the Apaches near the post, and appealed to him for help. Gatewood, one of the finest and bravest army officers that ever wore shoulder straps, got busy at once. He issued orders for rations for the two boys and asked me to act as a sort of godfather to them, as he, Gatewood, was just about ready to leave the post for a long scout into Old Mexico.

Thus it was that I found myself in charge of two lively Apache kids. They hung round my telegraph office most of the time, but went out every evening to their father's old camp, where they continued to live. I drew their rations and served them out to them in small quantities. Soon after this I became interested in the cattle business and bought several small bunches of cattle, which I was allowed to graze on the réservation a few miles from the post. The two boys were crazy to go and live at the cow camp, where two cowboys looked after the cat-tle. I asked Gatewood about it. He had me sign a bond for $500, in which I agreed to care for the youngsters and return them to the agency whenever called upon to do so.

MARCH, 1936 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS 19

They were very handy about the camp and as happy as larks to have a pony to ride and plenty to eat. The elder we named "Riley," his Apache name being out of the question. Nobody could pro-nounce it. The younger one was at first nicknamed "Flaherty," but his Indian name "Na-pas" was so easily remembered and pronounced that he was always called by that name. In full it was "Es-Kin-e-wah Ua-pas," a descriptive name which freely translated meant, "Boy with a scar on his head." "Dead Shot" once explained the frightful wound or scar on the child's head: When a baby, lying in a basket on the ground, some Indians got to quarreling. In the melee, a blow with a huge club, struck at an Indian, missed its mark, landed against the child's head, making an awful wound. The left side of his face; the theek bone, was crushed in, leaving a bad scar. Such a blow would have killed instantly any white child. But these Apaches are hardy specimens.

Some renegade Apaches finally raided our cow camp north of Apache, scattered our cattle, and ran off our saddle horses and generally wrecked the place. So we decided to move. One of the cowboys was Bill Lee, son of John D. Lee, the man who ran the Lee ferry on the Big Colorado River. After the father's ex-ecution by the government his mother, known as "Emma Bennett," Lee's last and favorite wife, moved with half a dozen children down on the Little Colo-rado River not far from the present city of Winslow. They drifted up to Fort Apache, where I engaged Bill.

Bill told me of a fine location about 125 miles to the north on the Little Colo-rado River, at the mouth of what was known as the "Chevellons Fork of the Little Colorado." A hasty trip down there proved it to be all we could ask for. Neighbors were scarce, the range excellent, and there was a series of fine springs-although the water was very alkali-surrounded by a grand meadow or vega, which, fenced, would make us a wonderful horse pasture as well as a hay producing area. The cowboys drove the cattle down there by easy marches, the two Apache boys going with them. I was discharged later from the army, my enlistment having expired on September 15, 1883, and went at once to the new ranch, which we named "Esperanza Ranch."

When we had finished a suitable ranch-house of adobes, which we made right in the ground, my mother came out from California in the spring of 1884 to make her home with her eldest son.

Of good, old-fashioned Presbyterian stock, she believed in education, both secular and religious. The ignorance of those young Apaches rather shocked her. "These little savages must be taught as are white children," she declared soon after her arrival. Mother went at their education systematically. No matter what was going on at the ranch, her school opened every week day at 10 a. m.and for two hours she kept them hard at work.

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS MARCH, 1936

Not only this, but she had Sunday school each Sabbath day, where the gospels were expounded to them in words of one syllable. Under such conditions the two boys made wonderful progress. They learned to read, write, figure and study. Na-pas was very much of a student and loved books. Riley cared little for study as such, but was wild to do things with tools. His was a mechanical mind. Give him tools of any kind and he was supremely happy. We always had three or four milch cows around, their calves being held in the pasture during the day. We located the house about a thousand feet from the springs on account of mosquitoes in the cienega. Water was hauled from the spring to the house by means of a large barrel mounted on a rough sled. Mostly it was done each morning by some one who dragged it up from the spring by the saddle horn.

One day we found the two boys had made a small ox yoke and were training two of the largest "milk-pen" calves to work. The boys taught them the meaning of "Gee," "Whoa," and "Haw," and it was great fun to watch them handle these trained calves. Eventually every barrel of water was dragged up from the spring by the little animals.

One day Riley, the older boy, asked me if he could go back to Apache to see their people. Civilization as represented by an Arizona cattle ranch in the late 80s was apparently palling on them both. As a matter of fact they were beginning to be rather a problem to me in several ways, and I was more than willing to see them go. Mother fixed up their wardrobe, etc., and I gave each a pony, a saddle and grub for the trip. A packhorse carried their belongings, and we heard nothing from them for over a month. One evening, sitting in the house before the fireplace, we heard a whistling outside; bugle calls and such. Mother at once recognized who was coming. "There are those Apaches back again." And, sure enough, the wanderers had returned. They were minus horses, pack animal, saddle equipment and clothes, which they had gambled off among their Apache relatives and friends. All they had in the way of dress was the usual Apache raiment, "Gstring" and moccasins. Nothing more except the band of red flannel around their foreheads to indicate they were not hostiles. Mother was surely disgusted and scandalized.

But the taste of their old life had changed their ideas. In about a month Riley again broached the subject of returning to the reservation. "We can both get a position as interpreters at good salaries," he explained, which was of course a fact, for good interpreters were always in demand on the reservation. Once more they started for Apache. This time, however, I decided I would see to it that they got to the post and were turned over to the agent at ApacheLieutenant Gatewood's regiment having left Arizona-and my bond relieved.

So we hitched up the ranch buckboard and with some new clothes which mother insisted on their having - we drove them up to Holbrook, from which point all the freight for the agency and the military post was hauled by contract freighters, mostly Mormons, all of whom I knew very well.

I went to one whom I knew would play fair with me and paid him to take them through and turn them over to the authorities. I told the boys they were to report to the agency office. This they did and my bond was cancelled and returned to me.

We did not see either of them again until about 1896, when I took a party of Phoenix friends on a fishing excursion to the Reservation and the White Mountains.

One day an Indian came into our camp, about three miles from the post, asking for me. It turned out to be Na-pas, who by this time was an out-and-out Apache with a young wife and a couple of small children. He and his family hung round our camp for some time and ate dinner with us. The four young ladies with my party had the time of their lives talking to Na-pas and his wife, playing with the babies and coaxing out of their father the story of his life since he had left our tender care. Mother, who was with us, was delighted to see Na-pas again. He seemed to be prospering, said he was receiving a salary of $50 a month and rations, which was pretty fair for an Indian. Riley, he said, was off somewhere on the reservation on a scout with troops, and we didn't see him.

It was not until the year 1934 that I again heard of the boys. That winter the Arizona Republic, Arizona's leading newspaper, sent what they called a "scout car" on an exploring trip all over the state. With the car went an excellent photographer and a couple of reporters to write up their experiences.

Each week the Sunday issue of the paper contained a complete resume of what they had seen and heard and a reproduction of the pictures they took. At Fort Huachuca, on the Mexican border, and one of the remaining military posts in the state, they wrote of a company of Apache scouts which was stationed there: "the only company of Indian scouts left in the whole United States army, where once there were probably fifty or more."

Of this organization the reporter wrote: "The sergeant of this Indian scout company is a full-blooded Apache by the name of Riley. He is the son of an old Apache scout of the days when Geronimo rode, and a very interesting character," etc., etc.

Naturally this aroused my curiosity. Could this possibly be my old Apache boy? A letter to the commanding officer at Huachuca, detailing the circumstances of my "adoption" of the two sons of "Dead Shot" and asking him to inquire if the Sergeant Riley of 1934 happened to be my old Riley or his son, brought me a prompt response: "Sergeant Riley of the Indian Scout troop is the son of your boy Riley - the grandson of old "Dead Shot." He wants very much to see you and learn something of his parentage, early life, etc."

In the spring of 1935 we drove back to the city of Washington, going via the southern route especially to have a looksee at Sergeant Riley. A letter to the commanding officer preceded our arrival. When we rolled up to the adjutant's office at Huachuca and spoke to the young officer in charge; he said Riley was at his camp. A messenger was sent for him to his camp, where the scouts lived in regular Apache style - brush wickie-up, dogs, naked kids, etc.After quite a visit, during which he was told just how and when his father and uncle Na-paz, sons of the old scout "Dead Shot," happened to come under my care, together with some information as to his grandfather, "Dead Shot," and his unfortunate ending, we stood him up and took several photographs of him.

About a year later, on February 22, 1936, when the city of Phoenix celebrated Washington's Birthday, the commanding officer at Huachuca brought the entire force at his post to Phoenix, where they were given the post of honor in the parade and marched through the city with the sidewalks crowded with spectators.

With the command came the scout company, all mounted on their wiry little ponies, all in soldierly array. At their head was my Apache friend, Sergeant Sinew L. Riley, just about the proudest Apache that ever lived. We hunted them up in the line as they formed for the parade and shook hands with every one of them.

As they passed us I wished that my dear little mother could have been there to see the fruits of her teaching. She certainly would have been very proud and happy over the results of her labors.