The Message of Mt. Superstition

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD ROADS BY THE ARIZONA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ARIZONA STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION I. P. McBride, Chairman, Globe Jas. F. McDonald, Vice-Chairman, Bisbee W. R. Wayland, Commissioner, Phoenix M. C. Hankins, Commissioner, Tucson Samuel R. Trengove, Commissioner, Prescott Secretary, Phoenix

GENERAL OFFICE

W. W. Lane State Highway Engineer W. R. Hutchins, Office Engineer C. C. Small Deputy State Engineer M. H. Hasler, Equipment Engineer E. M. Whitworth, Vehicle Superintendent R. A. Hoffman, Engineer of Materials J. W. Powers, Bridge Engineer E. V. Miller, Engineer of Plans J. S. Mills, Engineer of Estimates J. P. Dillon Purchasing Agent Ira W. Wagnon, Right-of-Way Agent R. L. Jones, Chief Accountant A. H. Lind, Superintendent Stores

FIELD ENGINEERS

R. C. Perkins T. S. O'Connell, Construction Engineer Construction Engineer, Northern District Southern District F. N. Grant Percy Jones, Maintenance Engineer Maintenance Engineer, Northern District Southern District. Geo. B. Shaffer, Paving Engineer Subscription rates, $1.00 per year. Single copy 10 cents Advertising rates furnished on request Address All Communications to Editor ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

ARIZONA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PHOENIX, ARIZONA

MARS AND THE MOTOR

Although the huge rocket being made by a German scientist to establish inter-planetary communication may never reach Mars, its proposed destination, it has been the inspiration for certain interesting speculations by an enterprising statistician. He figures that motorists of the United States in 1930 will travel a distance over the highways equal to more than 4,000 times the distance to the red planet. This colossal distance totals more than 156,000,000,000 miles, computing at the rate of 6000 miles for each car in use during the year.

Then along come certain research workers at Iowa State College making public the result of a very careful analysis of the cost of operating automobiles on various types of roads.

They find that the owner of a light car saves 2.37 cents on every mile he travels on pavements instead of on low-type roads. In other words he can travel a distance of three hundred miles over a pavement seven dollars cheaper than he can over indiferent roads.

These analysts, considering all elements of car operation, found that it costs 8.62 cents a mile to drive over low-type roads, 7.38 over intermediate type and 6.25 over pavement. The cost and the saving are both larger with heavier cars, and of course smaller cars. The cost of a medium four is 7.42 cents on low type roads, 6.42 on intermediate roads and 5.44 on pavement.

If the saving in maintenance by paving is considered, and then the saving in operating costs to the car owners, those cars to travel 156,000,000,000 the coming year, it will be obvious that the building of any type of road but pavement is poor economy. Certainly Arizona could well afford to bond itself to pave every mile of highway where traffic has passed the point where the attempt to maintain gravel roads is economically practical.

Indeed, intelligently considered, Arizona cannot afford not to pave.

LAW IN GEORGIA

The sovereign state of Georgia has been conspicuous for two unique samples of jurisprudence.

A decision in the Georgia supreme court reversed precedent when recently it awarded the widow of a locomotive engineer $13,500 damages against the owner of an oil truck whose driver disregarded the law requiring a full stop before crossing the railroad tracks. The engineer was killed in the collision which followed, and the decision of holding the car owner is unique in legal circles.

Hitch-hiking is also under a ban in Georgia. In Athens, a town of tranquil beauty in a setting of tall pines and magnolias, and home of the University of Georgia, it is illegal for any person to hail a passing motorist and ask for a ride. It is also against the law for anyone by motion or gesture to indicate to a passing motorist that a lift would be acceptable. A fine of twenty-five dollars is provided as punishment for asking for a ride or giving one. This unique law was put into effect when citizens complained that college students had adopted the practice of holding up autoists for lifts to classes.

HIGHWAYS AID PROPERTY

North Carolina began her comprehensive state highway construction program in 1920. The realty values of the state at that time were $421,421,411. In 1924 her realty values were $1,672,540,000. Thus her realty taxable values were increased more than $1,000,000,000 in four years.

THE COVER PAGE

Our cover page this month is a section of the beautiful road between the El Tovar and Grand View hotels, Grand Canyon National Monument.

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