EDITORIAL PAGE

Arizona Highways

Published in the Interest of Good Roads by the ARIZONA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

Vol. VIII MARCH, 1932 No. 3

ARIZONA STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION C. E. ADDAMS, Chairman, Phoenix JOHN B. HART, Vice-Chairman, Douglas JACOB BARTH, Commissioner, St. Johns MONTE MANSFIELD, Commissioner, Tucson SAMUEL R. TRENGOVE, Commissioner, Prescott GEO. W. COMPARET, Secretary, Phoenix GENERAL OFFICE T. S. O'CONNELL, State Highway Engineer C. C. SMALL Deputy State Engineer E. M. WHITWORTH Vehicle Superintendent R. A. HOFFMAN Bridge Engineer E. V. MILLER Engineer of Plans J. W. POWERS Engineer of Materials A. H. LIND Equipment Superintendent J. S. MILLS Engineer of Estimates H. C. HATCHER Statistical Engineer W. H. MURRAY Superintendent of Stores A. E. MANN Purchasing Agent M. C. HANKINS Chief Accountant JAMES M. HALL Patrol Superintendent FIELD ENGINEERS EORGE B. SHAFFER District Engineer R. C. PERKINS District Engineer District No. 3 W. R. HUTCHINS District No. 1 7. N. GRANT District Engineer District No. 4 District No. 2 PERCY JONES Chief Locating Engineer Subscription Rates: $1.00 Per Year. Single Copy: 10 Cents Advertising Rates on Request Address All Communications to Editor ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Arizona Highway Department Phoenix, Arizona

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BOOST

Arizona adopted a pure copper license plate this year for the purpose of boosting the use of copper. We believed if we could make a successful copper plate that other states that are copper producers, and some for the novelty of it, would adopt copper plates to help a national industry that is practically closed down. If a few of the larger states could be induced to use a copper plate it would consume several million pounds of copper annually, and a number of states have been seriously considering the use of copper plates.

The novelty of the copper plate has attracted a great deal of comment, and like anything new, especially at home, the anvil chorus must get to work. Because a copper plate is pliable, the wise ones, right at the beginning knew they would not last. It is true they bend a little easier than the iron plate, but they are easily straightened and they do not readily crystalize. Besides, a license plate is not intended to be a bumper on an automobile, but is supposed to be in a protected place.One of the editors in a small mining town of the state, who swings a mighty sledge hammer, got out his hammer soon after the plates appeared on the first of the year and beat himself out an editorial, probably meant to amuse his readers. The gist of the editorial was that the auto owners ought to nail the copper plates on a two-inch board before fastening the plates on their cars. What effect the editorial had on his readers we do not know, but in the course of time some clipping bureau came across it and sent it to a trade paper of the steel mills. Needless to say they seized upon it in glee and published it, and marked copies are making the rounds of all the states.The editor of the mining town may have many criticisms of this first copper plate, but he and about 60 per cent of the other citizens of Arizona are largely dependent upon the prosperity of the copper industry for their own livelihood. His fellow townsmen would probably be helping the state if they would steal his hammer and replace it with a flute.

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THE MAINTENANCE MAN'S JOB

The highway maintenance man is the modern minute man. He is on duty 24 hours a day. True he does not work that many hours, but let anything happen to hinder or endanger traffic over his section of highway and he must be on the job, whether it be in the middle of the night or noon, or both.

For the past four months, during one of the severest winters in many years, the maintenance men in the central and northern sections of the state have been battling snow and rain to keep the traffic arteries open. Since November the snow plows have never left the roads in some sections. Blizzards have followed them day after day laying down a blanket of snow and ice. With zero temperatures they have had to carry on while the wind whirled the blinding snow in their faces. Their task is to keep the road open no matter what their discomfort may be; save their section of road from the wrath of the elements, help the traffic out of trouble that its own foolish mistakes have often caused.

In the south these men will soon be working under blazing sun, or drenching rains, fighting the deluges that follow cloudbursts in the mountains. Yet while the elements are doing everything in their power to destroy them, they must keep the highways in as perfect condition as possible.

When the road is a little rough or you hit a bump that should not be there, give it a thought before you call down the wrath of the gods upon them.

IMPROVEMENT MUST NOT STOP In 1931 Arizona greatly reduced automobile accident fatalities over the year 1930. It is true that 1930, the first year that an accurate check of deaths from auto accidents was kept, greatly exceeded former years. Considering these circumstances, still it was gratifying to know that the state as a whole showed a nice percentage of decrease in this most needless form of public slaughter. However, to date the fatalities in 1932 are keep-ing apace with last year. Surely we have not reached the ultimate in the reduction of auto accidents. We must not be content, we must continue our safety campaigns and education of the drivers in Arizona so this great toll of human life each year can be further reduced.

Every public agency in the state should constantly be on the alert to check all forms of recklessness on the highways. Constant vigilance is needed to reduce auto accidents. The drivers must be made and kept safety conscious all the time if we are going to save more lives this year, lives that otherwise will be wasted in traffic accidents.