Yours Sincerely

Yours Sincerely CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT:

I have just read, with interest, your article on the Central Arizona Project which appeared in the April issue of your publication. It was very enlightening and I sincerely hope you will give this issue further publicity in future articles. The future development of agriculture in Arizona depends on this or any such project that might come up in the years ahead, and they should be fathered by every citizen and friend of the state until their passage is assured. If any of the state organizations backing the Project feel the need of out-of-state help, I would consider it an honor to be able to help in any way they deem necessary...

John W. Harmon Colorado Springs, Colorado

GUARD RAILS:

Every time ARIZONA HIGHWAYS arrives Mrs. Davis and I pore over it and live again the ideal winter of 1940-1941 we spent on a ranch near Phoenix and roamed almost over the entire state, but, alack and alas, not to Grand Canyon, because, every time we picked up the Airzona Republic, to ascertain the weather at the Canyon, there always were from four to ten feet of snow, usually from "Prescott Hill" all the way to the Canyon. By the way, after we had been there awhile (we took a Lincoln-Zephyr on the Santa Fe and drove it back home), I asked at the Zephyr Agency: "How is the road to Grand Canyon?" "Fine, concrete, two-way road all the way." "Any grades?" "Grades all the way-1100 feet altitude here, 7,000 ft. at the Canyon." "Guard rails along the edges of the highway?" "A guard rail here and there, if the drop is more than 2,000 feet, but if the drop is only 2,000 ft., or less, they consider it just a roll and they don't bother with a guard rail."

Robert H. Davis Rockport, Mass.

OF COVER PICTURES:

Reference is made to a letter published in the April edition of your beautiful magazine. Mr. Levich writing from San Diego, California, insists that ALL should be of a botanical nature, consisting mostly of desert flowers. Now, such cover pictures are quite pretty and fascinating indeed, but in the opinion of a native Texan, they do not surpass nor even equal the picture of the mountain lion which appeared on your March magazine! Would it be asking too much to insist that you give us an animal study on at least every third issue of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS?

C. E. Green San Angelo, Texas

"AUTUMN TOUCHES THE ASPEN" BY RAY J. MANLEY.

This photograph was taken near the North Rim of Grand Canyon, where the mighty Kaibab and the Canyon meet. Camera data: 4x5 Graphic View Camera, Daylight Ektachrome, 8½ inch Commercial Ektar Lens, Weston meter reading 250, 1/5th second at f18. The light falling on foreground objects read about 250 but because the scene was nearly backlighted about 2/3rd f stop more exposure was given to allow some shadow detail to show and yet not lose too much of the brilliant yellow in the leaves. Of his autumn adventure in the Kaibab and on the North Rim, Ray Manley says: "The whole trip was exciting, but the perfect picture I could have gotten was lost. It happened this way: I was photographing a scene not far from Jacob Lake, and near the highway. I had set up my camera and was focus-ing on the scene which included seven beautiful deer. This would be the picture to end all pictures, I thought. Just as I had every-thing ready a car turned the corner of the road, a loud horn was blown and my deer were gone. But such is life of a photographer."

Arizona elk in color, but apparently, elks do not like to have their picture taken. We'll try!

PICTURE LANGUAGE:

About two years ago some displaced persons from Latvia and Esthonia were working on my holdings and during the lunch break I lent them some of the ARIZONA HIGHWAYS magazines that continue to come so generously from my friends in U.S.A. These persons could speak no English and no one spoke their languages; so signs and the language of pic-tures were the only means of communication. That the results were successful the picture shows. They were so happy and splendid workers. I forget the number of such persons that we have in England. It runs into hundreds of thousands, if not more. They have been wel-comed here since 1945, besides the many who could not go back home to Europe and who stayed here. A German, once a P.O.W., has settled happily on a local farm where his work and himself is much appreciated and I under-stand he is happy, too.

I hope you will like this photo. It is nice to have something to send you for the magazines are very much enjoyed by everyone. Only today, I took a number to the men who are tarring this section of our lane. They did appreciate them, during their dinner hour, as they sat in the shade in the field on the other side of the hedge that you see in this picture.

AUTUMN SPLENDOR

Maples blush along the canyon. Gilded aspen are more bold. Now the mountain wears a breast pin Of red rubies set in gold.

IN PRAISE OF QUIET

The sweetest things in life are quiet things. That hushed suspense before the poised bird sings, Those breathless moments of an autumn day, When summer seems to linger, almost stay. Great clouds, that deeply shadow thirsty lands, Lake waters, lapping low on shallow sands; The wind's caress on fields of growing grain, Tall, sweetly-scented pine trees after rain. The wonder held in childish, questing eyes, When first they glimpse the glory of night skies, And see the new moon's slender, silver arc Suspended 'midst the radiant star-flamed dark The quiet things of earth, serene and stillThey soothe a weary spirit's every ill.

LITTLE RANCH DOG

There's an empty dish by the kitchen door, Where a little dog used to eat; And a rug in the living room near my chair, Where she curled up close by my feet. Each day she seems so near to me, With her soft, brown eyes aglow; Sharing in all of my travels And tasks, wherever I go. At night when my work is finished, There seems to be one thing more I should do and then I remember She will not wait again by my door.

There's a little, rock mound by a pine tree, Where they laid her last summer to sleep; But she is not there I am perfectly sureShe is snuggled up here at my feet.

Ida Smith

BACK COVER-"AN AUTUMN SCENE" BY BILL SEARS. Bill Sears is one of a number of fine photographers who make Tucson their base

of operations. "This photograph," he says, "was taken in Redfield Canyon about ten miles east of the point where the canyon joins the San Pedro at Redington. I used a 4x5 Pacemaker Speed Graphic, 6 inch Ektar Lens (152mm) with exposure 1/5th second at F18. The photograph was made about midday during the second week of November." The photograph illustrates the beauty of autumn in comparative desert country. As beautiful as the aspen are in the high mountains when they feel the first touches of autumn, they are no more beautiful than the sycamore and the cottonwood trees in the desert valleys turning from green to gold and bronze when they first feel the bite of the frost.