YOURS SINCERELY AND SINCERELY TO YOU

HIGHWAYS GOES TO SCHOOL: At present I am teaching the natural resources and natural wonders of our western states to a group of wideeyed listeners. Of course, I am dwelling at length on Arizona, there seems to be so much of interest within its boundaries. The many varieties of cacti, the unique Joshua trees, the Petrified forests, Painted Desert, Boulder dam, Grand Canyon, Indian hogans, all so common to you folks, but of such outstanding interest to us easterners, and all made so vivid to me again through the pictures of "Highways." Needless to say, my pupils, I believe, are deriving much valuable information as well as valuable enjoyment from my copies of the magazine. They even ask when the next one is coming Miss Margaret D. Scully, 117 E. Garfield Ave., Wildwood, N. J.

We are happy to know Arizona Highways is welcomed in an eastern schoolroom. Trying, as we are, to picture the industrial, agricultural, historical and scenic views of Arizona, Arizona Highways has found its way into many Arizona schoolrooms.

I presume you receive a good many complimentary observations, but that one more will not annoy you. The members of my family and I scan this beautiful magazine with great interest each month. The editorial make-up, the charm of the photographic and other illustrations, and the informative material give us great pleasure. It so happens that I have spent a good deal of time in Arizona, and thus I am again brought close to a wonderful part of our country. We will greatly miss this compelling visitor if it should cease to come Watson B. Miller, Director, National Rehabilitation Committee, Washington, D. C.

Arizona Highways will continue to be a regular visitor to the home of Legionnaire Miller, and to that we wish to add our appreciation for thoughtful comment. The only way we can determine whether we earn our keep is by letters from friends. You are editing a splendid publication and I enjoy reading it each month. In fact I pass each copy on to some friend here. Your "Arizona Sketch Book" department is especially creditable

ARIZONA SKETCH BOOK:

Ollin Wineland, Editor and Publisher, Western Colorado and Eastern Utah, Grand Junction, Colorado. It is really a grand magazine, the photography, and interesting articles, and do please continue to give us "Arizona Sketch Book."

Mrs. Winifred Cooper, Edmonton, Alberta, Dominion of Canada. The Arizona Sketch Book will continue to be a regular feature of Arizona Highways. Arizona is a grand land for the painter and the sketcher, and there is much, much talent in this state that we will present from time to time.

BOULDER DAM AND LAKE MEAD:

I would like very much to point out to you the great importance of this Boulder Dam development to Arizona. As you will find, I am sure on investigation that approximately 60% of the people visiting this area enter it from the north. This means that the majority of the people would be visitors from this area to Arizona and not the other way Claud F. Harmon, C. P. A., The Harmon Auditing Co., Prescott, Arizona.

In your April issue, we were particularly interested in the article, "Sailing on Lake Mead." It seems that a little piece on the Boulder Dam recreational area, featuring Lake Mead's booming attraction for sailors has a place in one of your summer issues.

We must add that your magazine is one of the most unique publications we have seen in a long time. After reading several copies of it, one cannot help but become decidedly Arizona minded. There can be no doubt about its effectiveness in publicizing your state's scenic and cultural attractions David V. Cleary, The BUICK Magazine, Detroit, Michigan.

The Boulder Dam Recreational area, featuring Lake Mead, is becoming a renowned attraction for travelers. A motor boat ride on Lake Mead up Grand Canyon is to us one of the most spectacular scenic delights in the west. For the excellent Buick Magazine, we are preparing a story on Boulder Dam recreational area.

SAYS THE GOVERNOR OF COLORADO:

I enjoyed the magazine with the picture of the Democrat on the front page very much. He is growing more intelligent, if you ask me. The art section of the magazine compares favorably with the best in the country. The stories about the Southwest warmed my heart. I am a desert rat or a mountain coyote or something. Anything which has to do with this country appeals to me because I have the country in my blood. I think we will subscribe for the magazine. It is too good to miss Ralph L. Carr, Governor of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

So wrote Governor Carr in a letter to his friend, A. S. Hanson of Phoenix, who had previously sent him March issue with "Democrat" Smokey, Desert Scotty's burro, on the cover page. We borrowed the excerpts from Governor Carr's lettter to Mr. Hanson, and at Mr. Hanson's request we placed the Colorado executive on our mailing list.

However, our own Governor, Bob Jones, has had the magazine sent to all U. S. governors as monthly greetings from Arizona. (P. S. We are glad Governor Carr, a good Republican, enjoyed our portrait of Smokey, a good Democrat.)

DOWN TEXAS WAY:

The magazine is highly attractive from every standpoint and it undoubtedly is one of Arizona's "Best Sellers." It makes the reader Arizona conscious. My young assistant, Dawson Duncan, is sold on it and will tour the state later this summer W. M. Thornton, Chief of Austin Bureau, The Dallas Morning News, Austin, Texas.

Newsman Duncan will have a grand summer, as will anyone spending a summer vacation in Arizona. And should his journey take him through Phoenix, we would be happy to have him drop in the office and "talk shop."

GOD'S COUNTRY:

I feel your magazine is a great accessory to my boosting of Arizona, which is something I have done with lavish extravagance for many years. Whenever Arizona Highways comes, I feel like kicking over the traces and going back to God's country Helen Schuster, Los Angeles, Calif.

I only wish California had as good a state publication as Arizona Highways. Every copy is passed around and kept for future reference. The stories and the pictures all are first rate a credit to you and Arizona.

W. W. Robinson, Title Guarantee and Trust Co. Los Angeles, Calif.

GREETINGS FROM CANADA:

You may be interested to know that last season, I used a number of Arizona subjects in my Canadian radio broadcasts. Historic episodes about Tombstone, Bisbee, Douglas, the Painted Desert, Wonderland of Rocks, the Yuma prison and others that lend themselves admirably to dramatic radio presentations. I was very gratified at the public response to these and received many inquiries about Arizona from listeners who have never visited the state or who had passed through it, unaware of the many attractions it holds for every one. If the gods decree, we hope to travel your splendid highways again next year. Perhaps the attraction that lures us back most is the friendships we made there Dick Bird, A.R.P.S., F.Z.S., "Camera Trails", Radio Feature, Regina, Saskatchewan, Dominion of Canada.

Canadian Radio Commentator Dick Bird is an Arizona enthusiast, keeps up with the state through the pages of Arizona Highways. His radio feature is a popular one on Canadian airwaves.

ARIZONIQUES

The first instance of prospecting in Arizona was in 1583 when Antonio Espejo found rich silver ore near what is now Prescott.

The first visitor to the Grand Can-yon of Arizona was Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, one of the captains of the Coronado expedition, who arrived there in 1540. Looking for gold and mineral riches, Don Garcia was not impressed by what has come to be known as the most spectacular scenic area in the world.

Arizona's first newspaper, The Weekly Arizonian, was established in Tubac in March, 1859.

Eighty per cent of the Arizona state highway system is paved with asphaltic oil mix. The remaining 20 per cent is gravel and concrete paved road.

The Verde river, which has been harnessed for reclamation purposes by Bartlett dam, 54 miles northeast of Phoenix, drains 5,600 square miles of earth's surface, varying from semi-tropical desert to high mountains.

The first trip down the Colorado river was made in 1869 by Major J. W. Powell, the second director of the Geological survey, whose party traversed the Green and Colorado rivers from Green River, Utah, to the mouth of the Virgin River.

One of the most remarkable trips ever made down the Colorado river by boat was made by Buzz Holm-strum in 1937, who went from Green River, Wyo., to Boulder Dam in 52 days. He made the trip alone.

The Salt River Valley Water Users' association operates and maintains four reservoirs on the Salt River, which have a total storage capacity of 1,900,000 acre feet of water.

In January, 1877, Governor Safford of Arizona told the territorial legislature that business men and citizens of Grant County, New Mexico, had petitioned to be annexed to Arizona. The Governor suggested that the legislature ask Congress to approve the petition but nothing ever came of it.

Blooming peach trees is an annual spring spectacle in Canyon de Chelly, in remote Navajo land. The first trees were brought from Spain by Franciscans for the Hopis. During a severe drought in Hopiland, the Hopis planted peach seedlings in the fertile floor of Canyon de Chelly. And a failure of crops has never been known.

Tumacacori Mission, a national monument, was founded in 1691 by the famous Jesuit priest, missionary and explorer, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino.

In the year 1929, Arizona produced over 800 million pounds of copper valued at $100,000,000. For over a quarter of a century, Arizona has produced about 40 per cent of all copper mined in the United States.

General John J. Pershing served as a second lieutenant under General Miles in the Indian campaign in Arizona during 1885 and 1886.

The Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at Mesa is one of the most imposing edifices in the west. It was built at a cost of about one million dollars. The building is 55 feet high, 129 feet north and south and 184 feet east and west.

Authorities differ on the spelling of the word "Navajo." Some claim it should be spelled "Navaho." Congressional appropriation bills for the Navajo Indians spell the word with the "j." Scientists and ethnologists generally spell the word with "h." When Navajo county was created by the Territorial Legislature at midnight, March 21, 1895, the author of the bill, Will C. Barnes, insisted on the word as "Navajo." Arizona Highways will continue to spell it "Navajo."

The 800-acre botanical garden being developed in Papago State Park east of Phoenix will be the only one of its kind in the world-several thousand exclusively desert plants, featuring cacti are being planted in this natural setting of desert beauty.

Colossal Cave, between Benson and Tucson, has been explored for 39 miles. It is without moisture and the temperature never varies from 72 degrees the year around.