The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-20

II NJ ~ NS
CONTRA COSTA.

~ M W
IF IL were possible to devise a scheme
that would accomplish for counties Il
large tracts Of country generally Whas
present system Of street nomencla-
ture and numbering does for cities, ITS
benefits would not admit Of dispute. y
there were a further possibility OF I'M
provement upon city methods 10 the ap-
Dlication Of the plan on the larger scale,
it might become as easy a matter 20
find any single house in the county o.
Lewis and Clarke as it is to locate one
il the city Of Helena. At first sight, y
may readily be admitted, such 9 propo-
sition looks immensely difficult and
smacks Of the possibility OF heavy eX-
pense. But, as actual matter OF TACT,
TIE problem is already solved u Contra
Costa county, California, and solved
With a simplicity and an economy that
are no less admirable than its exhaust
iveness OF detail. Qualities. all OF them,
that are, Of course, essential to popular
success. """ *@"@
Briefly put, the main features OF the
Contra Costa plan are these: With an
accurate map Of the county and its
roads before him, the enumerator pro-
ceeds 10 number them all. In LOWS
and Clarke, for instance, he would be-
gin by listing the roads that lead out Of
Helena itself, the trunk roads from the
county seat, as We might style them.
His system Of numbering should begin
"a the east side Of a line extending due
north from the city. Facing outward
from the city and working from left to
right, be would gradually work round in
q circle, east, south, west, and SO back tc
his starting point. The numbering OF
the great roads completed, the turn OF
the branches would come. The Contra
Costan plan takes up in detail the left
hand branches and their su~b-branches
also on the left. These exhausted, an
enumeration Of all on the right would
complete the detail of every road and
by-road that communicated with the
county seat. The remaining trunk
roads of the county would then demanc
attention and, with their ramifica.
tions, would be numbered by the
method already described. Appropriate
names would be the next matter in OF
der, with natural features taking thu
preference. Contra Costan experience
protests against the confusion caused b,
the usage OF nanes of terminal point
and residents when applied to the roads
With every highway and byWay in tn,
county numbered and named, it is per
fectly plain that a number and a chen.
pocket map will be sufficient TO pilot a
entire stranger. A complete system c
guideboards at every junction and cross
ing will render q mistake almost ali iI
possibility. But only one half Of til
merits OF the system is already tole
Every mile OF road in the county is sui
divided into ten equal parts or imag
nary blocks, with q frontage Of thirty
two rods. Their depth, of course, is {
no account. To each Of these block
are assigned two numbers, the even or
on the right, the odd one on the lef
The distance Of the locality from tt
starting point of the road determine
the succession OF these block number
Tho advantage is obvious. With tr
numbers to avery block, division by tv
will give the total number OF blocl
from the beginning Of tho road, and
further division by ten will show the
tai distance III miles and tentlls at one
For example, a block with tbs numb
$40 on the right is 80 blocks from t.
beginning OF the road and twelve mil
distant from it. glance at the coun
map would show the shortest distan
to any given point.
Outside of the towns and villages, 0
house to one block is a very likely a
erage. But when this figure is exceedt
the difficulty is easily accounted +
Every house on the right or on the Ii
has the same block number, but each
distinguished from its neighbors 10y
appended letter of the alphabet.
way Of illustration q house might appe
in the county directory as 12Oc, Val.
Highway. The man who had busin,
there would drive five miles across /
Valley road, find block No. 100 at
corner, and ring the bell of the tn
house on the right. In such d case
that Of East Helena, where a popul,
place stands on the direct line of ro
the county block numbers would &c
at its entrance and be resumed as
town limits on the opposite side W
passed. due allowance being made
tho intervening space.
The value OF the system must be
prcciated by the most casual reader.
csn he used to rendily determine the
cation Of school, road and township
ti,,,ts, rs we'll as the rapid and accu.
calculation OF all kinds OF fees, and
dozen other different ways it's work
CLAIMS itt.elf. The assessed vaiuatio
Costa county ia sl0,0OO,0Oc. The en-
coat Of inaugurating and maintain