ARIZONA HIGHWAY COMMISSION NOTES

Arizona Monuments

(Continued from Page 9) "The Wickenburg massacre occurred when a band of Apache-Mohaves attacked a stage coach a few miles out from Wickenburg. This occured November 5, 1871. Six people were killed at the time and one at last died later from wounds received during the attack.

"The Oatman massacre did not occur at the mining town of that name. The mining town of Oatman was named for Olive Oatman, one of the victims. This massacre occurred in what is now Maricopa county, and some 80 miles west of Phoenix, not far from U. S. 80, somewhat north and east of the present village of Gila Bend. This occurred on March 28, 1851, before Arizona became a territory.

"There was an old overland route which followed fairly close to the Gila river. A man by the name of Royce Oatman, his wife and five children were attacked by a band of Apache-Mohave Indians. A boy of about 15 was left for dead, but finally revived and made his escape. Two girls were taken captive. The younger girl after about a year died. The older girl was sold to another band of Indians, and was rescued about five years later. There are conflicting stories as to what became of her. The most authentic is that she finally married and moved to Texas. There is perhaps no particular reason for naming the town of Oatman after this girl, except that while in captivity she was held by the Mohave Indians who occupied much of the country in that vicinity.

ies as to what became of her. The most authentic is that she finally married and moved to Texas. There is perhaps no particular reason for naming the town of Oatman after this girl, except that while in captivity she was held by the Mohave Indians who occupied much of the country in that vicinity.

"Tombstone is one of the oldest mining towns in southern Arizona. It is said that the miner who eventually found the rich silver mines, starting out on his prospecting trip told a man he was looking for stones. Because of the activity of the Indians, the man to whom he made the remark, said that what he would find would be tombstones. He remembered this and gave the name to the settlement around his mine.

"Those were wild days and the mining towns attracted a wild element. There were a number of murders in Tombstone and most of the victims were buried as they fell, with their boots on, hence the name Boot Hill Cemetery. It is said the stories "Wolfville Days" originated from events that took place in Charleston, nothing of which is left but a few crumbling walls. Tombstone was the "Red Dog" of the Wolfville series.

"Superstition Mountain was given its name because of the numerous legends of the Pima Indians living along the Gila river to the west. The legends are based on the superstition that the mountain was peopled by spirits and ghosts and it is said no Pima Indian would go willingly into that range of mountains. They also have a rather vague legend of the flood, and the white quartz rock clearly seen, according to their belief, was the foam of the water at the height of the flood.

"There are a number of books on various phases of Arizona. Probably you will find them in some large library, possibly in Chattanooga, most certainly in Atlanta. There are several by George Wharton James. There are two authentic histories of Arizona, one by Farrish, eight volumes, and one by Col. James H. McClintock, three volumes. Your library may have these. They would be almost certain to have the complete library of H. H. Bancroft, one volume of which is on Arizona and New Mexico.

"There are also numerous reports by the United States department of Ethnology, Smithsonian Institute, which have reference to Indian life in Arizona, also a great deal on the archaeology and ethnology of the state."

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Arizona Highway Commission Notes

JULY 28, 1937. The Arizona State Highway Commission met in special session at 10:00 A. М., July 28, 1937. Those present were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Angle, Commissioners Langmade, Scott, and Seale, also the State Engineer and Assistant Attorney General A. R. Lynch. Mr. H. C. Hatcher, Statistical Engineer, acted in place of the Secretary, Mr. M. L. Wheeler, during his absence. State Engineer O'Connell, having re-ceived written concurrence from the Bu-reau of Public Roads in awarding of the contract on the Safford-State Line High-way-FA 88-A, 2nd Reo. (1937) AFE 7006, Solomonville-Duncan Highway-FA 77, 2nd Reo. (1937) Sch. 1-AFE 7003, to the low bidder, Geo. W. Orr,in the amount of $99,528.08, recommend-ed that the contract be awarded to Geo. W. Orr, in the amount of $99,528.08. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the rec-ommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell recommend-ed that the contract on the Holbrook-Lupton Highway, Non F. A. 83-C and G, AFE 6669, be awarded to the low bidder, the Southern California Roads Company, in the amount of $7,284.40. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the rec-ommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

State Engineer O'Connell, having re-ceived verbal concurrence from the Bu-reau of Public Roads in awarding of the contract on the Prescott-Flagstaff High-way FAP 96-E (1937) AFE 7928, to the low bidder, the Fisher Contracting Com-pany, in the amount of $75,409.12, rec-ommended that the contract be awarded to the Fisher Contracting Company. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the rec-ommendation of the State Engineer be accepted.

Awarding of bids received on one Motor Patrol, Diesel Powered. Purchasing Agent M. G. Pratt appeared before the Commission and presented a letter in regard to the bids received on the Motor Patrol, signed by F. N. Grant, District Engineer, requesting that when buying this piece of equipment that consideration be given to the type of con-trols, whether power or hydraulic, stating that the power controls are much to be preferred, and requesting, if possible, the purchase of the "Caterpillar." After consideration of bids received and the recommendation of the District Engineer, Mr. F. N. Grant, it was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Langmade, and carried, Commissioners Angle and Dowell voting "No," that the contract be awarded to the Crawford Tractor Company, of Phoenix, on their bid Caterpillar Diesel No. 11, in the amount of $5,445.00.

The Secretary pro tem read a letter from A. J. Barnes, superintendent of the Arizona State Prison, stating that in compliance with a conversation held with the State Engineer, he had sent a truck to the wash just north of Oracle Junction and taken certain pieces of Bridge Timber, property of the Arizona State Highway Department, to be used in placing a foundation under the State Prison water tank. These timbers will be returned to any point designated as soon as they have completed their purpose. The State Engineer informed the Commission that these timbers were used some ten years ago to repair the dip at Walnut wash and have been there ever since. They are of no immediate value to the Department and therefore, he had granted Mr. Barnes' request and loaned them to the prison. The Commission approved the action of the State Engineer.

Heads International Highway Committee

Appointment of T. S. O'Connell, Arizona state highway engineer, as chairman of the committee on inter-national highway relations of the American Association of State Highway Officals, one of the organization's key committee posts, was announced last month. The appointment was made by T. H. Cutler of Kentucky, president of the association, and Mr. O'Connell was notified of the appointment by W. E. Markham, executive secretary of the association. Mr. O'Connell said he would accept the post.

A letter from Mr. R. B. Sanders, Ass't. Right of Way Agent, pertaining to right of way through the J. J. Mackey estate, on the Superior-Miami Highway, was presented. Mr. Sanders recommended the amount of $1,500 be settled upon for the right of way; the costs of moving all encroachments to be borne by the Mackey Estate. Mr. J. D. Sheley, Right of Way Agent, informed the Commission that Mr. Williams, a house mover, had given the price of $1,100 for the removal of the buildings, the balance, $400, is for the land involved, which amounts to 4.98 acres. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Com-missioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that Mr. Sanders' recommendation be approved.

A letter was presented from Malcolm M. Bridgwater, General Superintendent of the Arizona Power Corporation, Pres-cott, Arizona, enclosing a Highway Light-ing Contract, in triplicate, for the in-stallation of a sodium vapor light at the junction of the highways known as "Alternate Route" Highway 89 and Whipple Road, the exact location for the light to be selected by the Traffic En-gineer of the Arizona Highway Depart-ment. It was regularly moved by Com-missioner Seale, seconded by Commis-sioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the contract be entered into and the installation of the Sodium Vapor Light be authorized.

The Secretary pro tem read a letter dated July 21, 1937, from the Bureau of Public Roads, signed by R. M. Rutledge, Assistant Highway Engineer, stating he was in receipt of a telegram from Mr. Sweetser, dated July 19th, advising that the new wage scale and board deduction, submitted by the State Engineer for ap-proval on July 10, 1037, is satisfactory.

A communication from Mr. J. S. Mills, Estimating Engineer, concerning the date on which the new wage scale is to be effective, was also read. Mr. Mills stated it would eliminate confusion in payrolls, etc., if the new scale went into effect on August 1, 1937, and also that assurance has been received from the Secretary of the Phoenix Building Trades Council that it will be entirely satis-factory to them to make the new rates effective August 1st. All projects re-leased for advertising after August 1st would carry the new wage scale, and going contracts and jobs released for advertising or awarded prior to August 1st, would carry the old scale. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the wage scale as approved by the Bureau of Public Roads be made effective as of August 1st, in accordance with the recommenda-tion received.

A request from Mr. Geo. C. Curtis, of Mesa, Arizona, to purchase the old buildings and fence buildings meaning house, oil house, and small shed-near Apache Junction, in the amount of $25.00, was presented to the Commis-sion. A report recommending the sale to Mr. Curtis was also presented from District Engineer R. C. Perkins. It was regularly moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the offer of Mr. Curtis be accepted, providing he cleans up the premises in a manner satisfactory to the District Engineer. It was regularly moved by Commis-sioner Langmade, seconded by Commis-sioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the application for permit from the

Bridges from the Beginning

(Continued from Page 35) However, most of the bridges of ancient times were temporary structures, or at least with removable road-beds, so that they might be hastily dismantled by their builders, when danger threatened from without. Half history and half tradition is the story of one such bridge, built by order of Queen Semiramus. Thirty-five feet wide and six hundred feet long, it spanned the Euphrates on the outskirts of Babylon. A contemporary writer states that the piers were made of hewn stone, fastened together with chains and melted lead. On these piers were laid removable platforms of wood, with a highly decorated superstructure, in keeping with the magnificence of the rest of the city. These were taken in every night, and it is the only instance on record where a bridge was cared for with such solicitude. Evidently Queen Semiramus prized it highly, not only for its esthetic properties, but for its military and commercial worth. Her armies marched out across it to conquest, and returned over it to triumph and feasting. It was the artery of commerce for the city, and all the pomp and magnificence of the East trod its groaning timbers. So completely has Babylon passed away that no trace of this structure has ever been discovered.

Traces of Structure Lost Rome's Great Builders

The great builders were the Romans. Their intention was to found an empire that would last forever, and they built their bridges accordingly. Throughout Continental Europe, and even in Britain, Africa, and parts of Asia, they stand today, many of them still in use. Noble structures, they were built with strict adherence to engineering principles. In this, as in all things, the ancient Roman believed in the supremacy of law, whether it was natural or man-made.

They depended on weight and mass for the strength of their bridges. Very rarely did they build a span longer than 70 feet, and their piers were extremely thick, measuring sometimes as much as one-third the width of the adjoining openings. Their first bridges were very simple and plain, but as their power and wealth increased, they ornamented them more and more with carvings, statues, and decorations of many kinds. The Romans had the same urge as we have to get quickly from place to place. Arrogant in their power, and to protect themselves, they built bridges everywhere, and marvelous highways to connect these bridges. In the city of Rome, alone, there are eight bridges crossing the Tiber. No doubt they were needed to relieve the congestion of traffic, for there was considerable going to and fro in Rome, armies marching here and there, many triumphal processions, and on circus day, if the historians are to be credited, the population rose en masse and went somewhere else. They were not a stay-at-home people, and bridges were as necessary to them as automobiles are to us.

One of the oldest of these bridges, and one that is still in use, is the Pons Melvius. It was built about 100 B.C., and is part of the famous road known as the Flaminian Way. Over it the Cataline conspirators fled when their plots were discovered. It has seven spans, varying in length from 50 to 70 feet, and the total length of the bridge is 413 feet. Its roadway is 28 feet, nine inches wide, a truly noble width when it is remembered that the traffic passing over it consisted only of chariots and pedestrians. Like almost all of the Roman bridges, it was built of tufa, faced with blocks of travertine.

The Roman bridge about which history clings in the richest abundance is a very ancient structure known as the Pons Sublicus. It was an important part of the defense of Rome, and seems to have had, from the earliest times, a sacred character. It was built on piles and, in order not to offend the River God, no nails or metal of any kind was used in its construction. It was given over to the priests to care for, and, though necessarily many times renewed, its wooden construction was rigidly adhered to, even in imperial times.

In the early days of Rome human sac-rifices were made on the Pons Sublicus to propitiate the River God, the bodies of the victims afterward being thrown into the Tiber. As Rome became more civilized this began to appear a bit bar-baric, so rush images were used instead of human sacrifices. But the old pagan ceremonial was enacted each year on the Pons Sublicus as long as Rome endured.

It is interesting to note that this is the structure immortalized by Lord Macaulay in his "Horatius at the Bridge," a poetical account of the time when the brave Horatius and his two companions held the bridge against the Tuscan army and saved Rome. Some of the piling of this memorable structure endured until 1877, when they were removed to clear the river channel.

As Rome grew she came to recognize more and more that highways and bridges were the foundation of empire. As her power and wealth multiplied she built for permanence. Feeling powerful enough to protect as well as defend her bridges, she built them to last. The Roman manner of insuring the quality of workmanship in their bridges was very practical as well as being highly characteristic. They required the builder to keep his work in repair for forty years, and part of the payments were withheld until the expiration of that time.

The later ones were constructed, almost without exception, under the direction of military leaders, and as part of military campaigns. Not much theoretical knowledge was available. They depended almost altogether on judgment and common sense, two qualities with which the great minds of Rome seem to have been well supplied.

They used stone almost entirely, which they held together with iron clamps. They distrusted mortar and rarely used it. Their ambition, as was said before, was to build for all time. How nearly they came to doing so is attested by the fact that twenty of their bridges still remain in use after the wars, earthquakes, and the natural wear and tear of two thousand years.Another Roman bridge that has seen and helped to make much history is the (Continued on Page 31)