Arizona Highway Commission Notes

September 1, 1936. The Arizona State Highway Commission met in special session in their offices in the Highway Building at 9:00A. M., September 1, 1936. Those present were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Angle, Commissioners Addams andSeale, also the State Engineer, the Secretary and Assistant Attorney General,A. I. Winsett. Commissioner Barth wasabsent.

State Engineer O'Connell informed theCommission that the Bureau of PublicRoads had concurred in the awarding ofthe contract on the Globe-SpringervilleHighway, F. A. 105-E (Cedar Canyonand Corduroy Creek Bridges) on whichproject no bids had been received for theAlternate.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureauof Public Roads that the contract on theGlobe-Showlow Highway-F. A. ProjectNo. 105-G, A. F. E. 6065, be awarded tothe low bidder, the Lee Moor Contracting Company, in the amount of$18,589.72. It was regularly moved byCommissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of theState Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended, subject to the approval of the Bureauof Public Roads, that the contract onthe Flagstaff-Fredonia Highway F. A.95-J (1937), A. F. E. 8963, be awardedto the low bidder, Ken Hodgman, in theamount of $73,861.41. It was regularlymoved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Seale, andunanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell informed theCommission that the bids on the Ash-fork-Kingman Highway, F. A. 118-B,A. F. E. 6674, were not opened on August 14th, the date for which they werefirst advertised, because of a technicalerror. In the special provisions, it saysthe bid on select material shall be basedon the cubic yard and in the biddingschedule sent out at that time, it wasbased on tons. Therefore, on the adviceof the Attorney General a second call forbids was issued inasmuch as it was hisopinion that the bids received were notlegal bids. He stated that in an effortto expedite matters, the second call wassent to the Arizona Republic, a localnewspaper, for publication and throughan oversight on their part, it was neverpublished. Consequently, when the Secretary of the Commission was notifiedby the Arizona Republic on August 28ththat they had failed to publish our noticecalling for bids on the 29th, a third callwas sent out for bids to be received onSeptember 12, 1936.

The State Engineer read a letter transmitted to him by Mr. Frank Pinkley,Superintendent of the National ParkService, Headquarters, SouthwesternMonuments, Coolidge, Arizona, from Mr.A. E. Demaray, Acting Director of theNational Park Service, Washington, concerning the parkway approach fromState Highway 81 to the Chiricahua Na-tional Monument. Inasmuch as Mr.Pinkley advised Mr. Demaray that Mr.O'Connell, State Highway Engineer, isprepared to make a survey with statefunds of the proposed location of theroad, Mr. Demaray requested Mr. Pink-ley to take the matter up with Mr.O'Connell and advise him that the Na-tional Park Service will be pleased tohave him make the survey, investigateprivate holdings, etc., with a view tomeeting parkway right-of-way require-ments and standards, now pending ap-proval by the Department. In Mr. Pink-ley's letter of transmittal to Mr. O'Con-nell, he stated that if he is advised justwhen the State is ready for the collabo-ration of Park Service Engineers andlandscape architects, he will endeavor tohave some one assigned to the project.

Mr. A. I. Winsett, Assistant AttorneyGeneral, in response to a request for in-formation concerning the clearing of theright of way in Tucson on what is called"Miracle Mile," reported that he hadbeen proceeding along the figure of$12,500, which was offered to the ownersinvolved in the O'Bannon property andwhich is the amount the Right-of-WayDivision approved and recommended tothe Highway Commission as necessaryfor the obtaining of the right of way andclearance of same, and he had dividedthe amount of $12,500 into $5,500 forthe lease holder's interest and $7,000 forthe owners of the land, the Middlestons.He stated he had a letter from Mr. RalphW. Bilby, of the firm Mathews and Bil-by, who are representing Mr. Ray O'Ban-non, accepting $5,500 upon the provisionthat the Highway Commission will allowthem to use the service station until itis actually needed for the ground andthen move whatever part of it that ismovable, and he also had a wire fromMessrs. R. G. Darrow and Ralph W.Bilby, accepting in behalf of Shirley H.Middleton, settlement in the amount of$7,000. The Commission, after hearingMr. Winsett's report, discussed the mat-ter and it was the consensus of opinionthat permission be given to Mr. O'Ban-non to continue with the operation ofthe service station, which is located atthe intersection of the Oracle and CasaGrande Roads north of Tucson, provid-ing, he agrees to move upon demand;such demand to be made immediatelyupon the contract on the project beingawarded.

Mr. A. I. Winsett, Assistant AttorneyGeneral, in response to a request for in-formation concerning the clearing of theright of way in Tucson on what is called"Miracle Mile," reported that he hadbeen proceeding along the figure of$12,500, which was offered to the ownersinvolved in the O'Bannon property andwhich is the amount the Right-of-WayDivision approved and recommended tothe Highway Commission as necessaryfor the obtaining of the right of way andclearance of same, and he had dividedthe amount of $12,500 into $5,500 forthe lease holder's interest and $7,000 for the owners of the land, the Middlestons.He stated he had a letter from Mr. RalphW. Bilby, of the firm Mathews and Bil-by, who are representing Mr. Ray O'Ban-non, accepting $5,500 upon the provisionthat the Highway Commission will allowthem to use the service station until itis actually needed for the ground andthen move whatever part of it that ismovable, and he also had a wire fromMessrs. R. G. Darrow and Ralph W.Bilby, accepting in behalf of Shirley H.Middleton, settlement in the amount of$7,000. The Commission, after hearingMr. Winsett's report, discussed the mat-ter and it was the consensus of opinionthat permission be given to Mr. O'Bannon to continue with the operation ofthe service station, which is located atthe intersection of the Oracle and CasaGrande Roads north of Tucson, provid-ing, he agrees to move upon demand;such demand to be made immediatelyupon the contract on the project beingawarded.

The Commission went into executivesession at 9:45 a. m., and met again inopen session at 10:00 a. m., all memberspresent except Commissioner Barth.

It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by CommissionerSeale and unanimously carried, that aresolution concerning the establishment,location and relocation and specific designation of that part designated as Federal Aid Project No. 9 of the Tucson-Florence Highway and No. 94-F of theFlorence-Tucson Highway, be adopted.

At this point Mr. Stanley Williamsonof Tucson requested a short letter to begiven him stating the action of the Commission on "Miracle Mile." Mr. A. C.Sieboth, Right-of-Way Engineer, ob-jected to the State paying for the moving of the service station, stating thatsome two months ago his Division madea proposition to both Mr. Middleton andMr. O'Bannon which gave them thebuildings and improvements but theywere to move them themselves. Commissioner Angle, in order to bring the matter to an issue, made a motion that theRight-of-Way Engineer and the StateEngineer be authorized to settle withMr. O'Bannon and Mr. Middleton on thebasis of the former offer made to themby Mr. A. C. Sieboth, in the amount of$12,500 and they be given any improve-ments on the ground to be moved upondemand, at their own expense. Beforethis motion was seconded Mr. L. Rocaand Mr. Stanley Williamson of Tucsonaddressed the Commission. Mr. Rocastated the building itself is movable andit did not cost but $8,800 to build, in-cluding the plumbing, and it was hisunderstanding it could be moved for approximately $200. At this point Chairman Dowell turned the chair over to

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS OCTOBER, 1936

Vice-Chairman Angle, and seconded Commissioner Angle's motion. On the call of the roll the motion was lost, Commissioners Addams and Seale voting "No," Commissioners Angle and Dowell voting "Yes." Commissioner Addams asked Messrs. Roca and Williamson if their men in Tucson would assume the responsibility of having the building and tanks moved from the service station ground for an amount of $250 and they more or less agreed that they would; whereupon, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, seconded by Commissioner Seale and unanimously carried, that the proposition originally suggested by Mr.

A. C. Sieboth, Right-of-Way Engineer, which would not exceed the amount of $12,500 be made as a fair offer; that the letter and wire received by the At torney General from Mr. Ralph W. Bil by and from Darrow and Bilby, re spectively, be disregarded; and further, that they be offered in addition to $12, 500 the sum of $250 with the provision that they vacate the property and move the equipment on it at our request, they assuming all liability. Mr. A. C. Sieboth, Right-of-Way Engineer, reported that he and Mr. W.

L. Carpenter, Superintendent of Equipment, had been in touch with officials of the Indian Service relative to the use of the South Navajo Springs near Marble Canyon and they have promised the State their full co-operation. They also approve of the Highway Department's plans and will grant us the use of that water. Mr. A. C. Sieboth, reporting on the amount of land owned by the state at Ehrenberg, stated he had shown Messrs. T. A. Blakely and B. F. Jacobs deeds and maps of the ground owned by the State. He also stated that a year or so ago the State purchased two parcels of land, each 150 feet wide and 800 feet long, within Lot 3, owned by James J. Fitzgerald of Los Angeles. Since then the State has condemned a tract of land 150 feet wide on each side of the center line from the end of the bridge to this point where the land was purchased on both sides and only half of that land is available because it is in the river bed. Mr. Sieboth said that about a month ago Mr. Fitzgerald gave the State a deed to the piece of land known as the "Old Cemetery." Mr. T. A. Blakely was present and he asked if it would not be possible for the State to get along with less than 150 feet, say about 50 feet, in order that he might go ahead and con tinue with the plans he had made for the development of his property at this point. Mr. Sieboth pointed out that if his request were granted, the Highway Patrolmen stationed at Ehrenberg would not have a clear vision of the vehicles coming across the bridge and entering Arizona. There was further discussion and examination of the map showing the land in question but no action was taken on the matter by the Commission. Mr. Ed. Gracey of the Industrial Com mission, and Mr. Ernest Mitchell of the Truck Drivers' Organization, Local Union No. 274, appeared before the Commission requesting the Commission to concur in the raising of the minimum wage scale, on hourly rates, for Conmitted a copy of a letter addressed to the Industrial Commission, a copy of which was sent also to the Highway Commission a short time ago, setting forth the wage scale requested accord ing to classification. He stated the raise on intermediate trucks amounted to 61-4 cents per hour and on trucks of three yard 83-4 cents per hour. Also, that the contractors have been paying this scale, as submitted, for about two years and his organization feels the Highway Commission and the Industrial Commission should adopt it, especially for the reason that when the original scale was adopted, it was done on the basis of an eight-hour day, whereas, now it is down to a five-hour day on some jobs and sometimes the truck drivers do not make as much as the laborers on the project. Mr. Gracey stated that on July 1stand on July 6th the Unions of Prescott and Phoenix sent in a request for a raise in wages for their members and he had been instructed by the Industrial Commission to advise the Highway Commission that any action taken in this matter would meet with their approval. He brought out that it is his understand ing that this raise of wages is not to Affect contracts already let or any proj ects for which the specifications and plans have been drawn. For instance on a job to be let next month, the raise would be effective only in future work. Mr. Mitchell concurred in this statement made by Mr. Gracey and after consid eration it was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commis sioner Angle and unanimously carried, that a study be given to this request and the State Engineer and the Attorney General, representing the Highway Department, meet with a representative of the Industrial Commission and a repre sentative of the Truck Drivers' Organi-zation for the purpose of holding a con ference in order to go over the matter and see what might be done. The Secretary read a letter from Mr.

J. B. Smith of Kingman, Arizona, stat ing that the record of the Will Rogers Highway Association discloses that they have accepted a designation of U. S. 66 as Will Rogers Highway, and it is their understanding the same has been ac-cepted and a resolution covering this matter has been passed by the Arizona Highway Commission. State Engin er O'Connell brought out that the authority to designate highways was invested by Gard to the Stone Avenue Underpass. Mr. Elias Romley appeared in behalf of Mr. Sundt and after a thorough discus sion of the matter, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Addams, sec onded by Commissioner Seale and car-red, that Mr. Sundt, be offered $3,086.45 as a compromise settlement of his case and if it is not accepted, the matter be taken into Court There being no further business to come before the Commission they ad journed at 12:45 p. m. September 1, 1936, to meet again at the call of the Chair.

September 14, 1936.

The Arizona State Highway Commis sion met in special session in their of fices in the Highway Building at 9:00 a. m., September 14, 1936. Those pres ent were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chair man Angle, Commissioners Barth and Seale, also the State Engineer, the Sec retary, and Assistant Attorney General A. I. Winsett. Commissioner Addams came in at 9:50 a. m., at the time when Mr. E. M. Carrow appeared before the Commission.

State Engineer O'Connell recom mended, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the con tract on the Prescott-Jerome Highway, F. A. 96-C Reo. (1937) A. F. E. 7922, be awarded to the low bidder, Geo. W. Orr, in the amount of $69,172.20. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that the rec ommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

Awarding of bids received on three thirty-ton Platform Scales was next in order.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended ed that the award on the three thirty ton Platform Scales be made to the low bidder, Jules L. Vermeersch for the Fairbanks-Morse Scale, in the total amount of $3,849.00. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Barth, sec onded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the recom mendation of the State Engineer be ac cepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommended ed, subject to the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that the contract on the Ashfork-Kingman Highway, F. A. 118-B-A. F. E. 6674, be awarded to the low bidder, Geo. W. Orr, in the amount of $57,646.61. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Barth, and unanimously carried, that the recommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

In presenting a resolution transfer ring funds in the amount of $8,200.00, State Engineer O'Connell explained that the item of $2,100.00 designated for F. A. P. 8-A. F. E. 8009, Tempe-Mesa is a roadside improvement in Mesa, which cannot be started until the proj ect is constructed, so that the money