Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-28

liminary work steadily forward. sent the
engineers over the ground and took bids
for the work, which was portioned into
sections. After the work was under way
the board was confronted with the fact
that $500, 900 would not complete the
work undertaken. The dilemma had
the usual two hoins--leave the work in
complete, or raise more money. The
opposition was strong, but they con-
cluded to raise the money and finish the
work as originally planned. 90 additional
bonds for $50, 900 were issued, making Q
total of $3.50 900. At.the extra issue OF
bonds the dissentere settled down in ei.
lent despair and waited for the result.
Now that the roads are built and have
been in use nearly q year, it is difficult
TO find farmer who opposed them.
When you do find one who admits 1t, he
bushes to acknowledge it. At all sea-
sons and at all times, the markets Of the
city have been accessible to him. If he
had anything to take to market, he was
not compelled to hurry it thither In poor
condition before the winter storms made
the roads impossible, or to hold it until
spripg, when there was no demand for
it. For the same reason the farmers
were not compelled to rush all their pro-
duce into market at the same time,
overstock the market, and consequently
run down prices. The eupply has not
overrun the demand, and for all kinds
of produce sold by the Union county
farmers in the markets of New York,
Newark, Elizabeth and Railway, prices
have been steadier and the general av-
erage higher the past year than before.
This statement is not made off-hand,
but ia based upon actual Investigation.
Then, the farmer has been benefited
again in the rise in the value OF prop.
erty. The good roads have proved an
attraction to class of residents who do
not look to the farm for q livelihood, but
are ready customers for farm products.
A man doing business in the city can
live two and three miles away from the
depot, when he knows that at all times
of the year he has q good, solid road
from his door to the depot. What is
three miles to an ordinary horse on
q macadamized road ? These roads
have made every part of the county de-
sirable as a place of residence for bus
mess men. Land, that before these
roads were constructed, went begging
for purchaser at 500 an acre, finds q
ready sale at $175 and 5000 an acre, and
there is not much offered even at that
figure. Farming is profitable now
where it was a losing business before.
The increase in land values alone would
pay the cost of the roads many times
over. Taxes are trifle higher, but no
reasonable man would object to paying
few dollars more tax, when his prop
erty has been doubled In value. / have
vet to find the man who says the roads
OF Union county are not the best invest
ment the county ever made. The roads
themselves are, strictly speaking, Tel
ford-macadam, the foundation being ac-
cording to Telford, and the finishing
Macadam. In laying the bed an exca-
vation was made Is inches deep and IL
feet wide. In this trench the founda-
tion stone was carefully placed by hand
by experienced workmen. Closely and
compactly over this q layer of coarse
crushed stone and sprinkling of earth
was placed, and the mass rolled COM
pactly. After this had been rolled
sufficiently, the topdressing of fine stone
was scattered on the road, rounded up
and rolled solid. This road withstands
the action of frost, and is always dry.
After it is laid, the cost of keeping it in
repair is nominal, fine crushed etone be-
ing put on the low and wornout parts
and then rolled. There is not so much
exaggeration in the statement of the old
farmer, that ''every one of Union
county's macadamized roads is worth
more than a railroad"