The record-union., 1893-12-13
COUNTY ROAD CONVENTION.
it Meets Again, and After a Hot Dis
CuSSl0n,
1t Resolves on Good Roads to the Ex-
tent of $1,000 and Bonds
for That sum.

IL
presiding, w. D. Lawton Secretary and
1l6 delegates present.
The Chair stated the purpose of the
session, to wit: To consider the question
whether the proposed road fund should
be $500. 900 or $3.50, 900. and such other
business as the convention might take up.
The convention resolved that the
former officers continue to serve the body.
A letter was received from Delegate
Mrs. Alice Valensin, who was absent
unavoidably. She indorsed the proposed
increase of the fund. She urged the con-
struction of trunk lines.
A letter was read from Albert Gallatin
indorsing the proposed road construc-
ton. and urging strengthening OF the
road from Perkins to Folsom. lie
pointed out that the town of Folsom is to
soon rapidly grow, and that the line Of
the road at one point makes an unneces-
sary divergence from true road line.
The Secretary then read the minutes OF
the first session of the convention and OF
the several meetings Of the Executive
Committee, so far as conclusions agreed
upon are concerned.
w. II. Nilms, w. E. Stickney, Charles
Aull, F. H. Harvey, W. w. Coons, +.
w. Pitcher. Mrs. L. Shields, Mrs. j. +;
Butler and Charles Camp were elected
members of the convention.
The committee on cost of bond issu-
ance for forty years reported through
Chairman Irvine that 1t had made caIcu-
lations of cost of the bonds at not to ex-
ceed per cent. for forty years on
$34, coo, GOO assessed values, and calling
in of 124 per cent. Of the bonds every five
years 1t had not taken into consideration
any increase in the assessment roll IN
forty years, or any decrease OF taxation
in forty years, or any gain or benefit be
cause of good roads being made possible
by use OF the capital proposed TO De bor-
rowed. It submitted this result:
Bonds issued and amount due at the
expiration of every five years in the fol-
lowing eight groups-S5OO,0 1000, SIS! 900,
1915, 900, S3l2, 500, SZ5O,0OO, Slo7,5UO, 9l25,-
600, S62. 800.
Amount OF interest to be raised every
five years-S125,0 600, Sl09,375, $50, S7o,-
125, S62, 500, $40 SO, s31, $50, Sl5,625; total,
$562, 500.
Sinking fund to be provided for every
five years-S62, 800, So, 800, $62, 500, <62. $40,
$62,500, S62,5O0, ST., 800, 1900; total,
100000.
Amount of bonds remaining unpaid
every five years-S437 800, 1915, 900, S3l2, 500,
$250, ,O0O, SlS7, 800, $4,000, $4,000.
pay interest and sinking fund every five
years-$l07, 500, S17l, l,675, Slot, $50, SI40.G
SlZ5, 600, Sl09,375, S93, $50, S78,l25; total,
Sl,062, 800.
Tax rate annually for five years-ll
cents, I0.I cents, 90 cents, S.3 cents, 7.3
cents, 6.5 cents; % cents, 4.6 cents.
Amount due every five years at the
rate given on the present valuation of
So, 900, 600 Slo7, ,000. Sill ,IO0 Sl56,4UO,
-IsI 1nH IDD SIN =0D $tt3 5(}0 <TS c(A3.
total. 81 .062, 900.
1t was addedsthat all these calculations
Were over rather than under-as tor in
stance. the assessment roll is really S34,-
sos, ,243.
Thomas Mcconnell moved the adoption
of the $500, ,0C0 proposition as substitute
for the S250,OOO plan, and that the original
resolution read ''at a rate Of interest not to
ecceed , per cent" the italicized words
showing the amendment
He spoke at length in support and said
he would later move to declare in favor
OF tive trunk lines. He pointed out what
would be the benefits 10 the county of
good roads.
Mr.. Routier spoke in favor of the mo-
tion of Mr.. Mcconnell, but wanted to de-
bate the question of what the trunk lines
should be.
William Boyne favored good roads, but
he opposed borrowing the money despite
the benefits he admitted that would ac-
crue. He said the county is paying in
terest already on a large sum, and that it
will cost $40, 900 to hold an election. He
said Sacramento County bonds of several
series of years are still unpaid amounting
to S5S4, 900, with interest from to a per
cent; that the interest we have and are to
pay amounts to $780, 900 more than the
principal. He stated as fact that mort
cages on the city and county people are
-, 332, 900. He referred to the city debt
and put up the total debt of city and the
people and the county at S6,31O,OOO, in
Guiding interest.
He said we need a new Jail and Court
house and the city new City Hall. We
must keep up leveeS by bond indebted
ness. He referred to railroad indebted
ness and over bonding, to Egypt and her
bondholders. He held also that bonds
could run for twenty bat not for forty
years.
Mr.. Boyne was replied to that he en-
tirely mistook the law and was blunder-
ing in his effort to quote it.
Mr.. Weinstock replied TO Mr.. BOyne
and said that gentleman had made the
strongest statement possible against the
proposition. But the conclusions he had
reached are unsoUnd. ii, as he says, we
owe 5000, 900, then we must have some
thing to show for it bridges, Hall OF
therefore 500, 200 better off than il we
had not spent or borrowed 5000, 600.
We had no safeguards for the records of
all titles; no protection for them against
fire or theft, either of which might have
entailed on us millions of loss. So we
borrowed money and built Hall of Rec
ords. Does anyone regret it?
II we are to issue $500, 000 bonds and get
nothing, then we should not do it. Ii we
are to get benefits worth it, and save also
by paving out less than now, then we
will be wise to borrow the money.
Here we have spent in ten years $780,.
GOO for roads, and what is there to show
for it? Shall we continue that policy and
have ten years hence only a bundle OF re-
ceipts to show for it? Laughter.
Here it is shown" he added, that we
will pay in the first five years IL cents
taxes for the road fund. We pay now .
cents; that will leave II cents for the
cross and unimproved roads, and il will
not cost that much for them. IApplause.l
The same law applying TO Mr.. Boyne
on his K-street improvement tax, that he
pays willingly, will apply in the country
with good roads.
suppose \ says it costs me $50 a month
to live, why in ten years that is nearly
$4,000; why pll stop eating. l can't al
ford IT; l haven't got q cent now; / can t
afford to live" [Laughter.l
Ihe speaker pointed to the experience
of civilization in assuming wise obiiga-
tions. 1T is said railroads are over
bonded; possibly, but look at the mill
ions benefited by building them and the
possibilities they opened up to the nation
and the people. Ii the railroads over
burdened themselves it simply proves
they abused their opportunity III were
proposed here to waste and abuse this
county road fund, then it would be un-
To nOrrONE- bIIt iS IN ba f7a1
and to be wisely disbursed.'
Mr.. Symonds spoke in opposition to
bonds. He said no farm business will be
;.s.-rnred along the lines Of innnrnxad