The record-union., 1893-01-19
GOOD COUNTRY ROADS.
They are Essential to the Develop
ment of the County.
An Observant Traveller Tells How
Other Countries Manage Their
Systems of Public Roads.

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: With the old
wear died out the race of Road Overseers
in this State. Peace to their ashes, and
may they never have official resurrec-
ton. Bitter memories of their inapt-
itude will long survive. The new road
law came in with the new year, but 1t
seems to be still-born. Twelve days
after it appeared the Board of Super
visors in solemn assembly declare the
law is impracticable and should be
sponged out. ALPS well that ends we'll.
The new members of the Board of Super
visors and the Legislature now in ses-
sian have a grand opportunity to render
themselves immortal by RELOCATING to the
past the present mode of road-making
and road repairing, and substituting the
rational mode of road construction fol-
lowed by the most advanced nations.
Roads reflect much of the civilization
of country; roads are essential to the de-
velopment of a country's resources;
roads are primary elements for the adj
vancement OF an agricultural district.
These statements are nowadays axio-
matte. Judged by them, the State of
California in general and the county OF
y
figure. Sectional and longitudinal
models, or photographs of our great
arteries of communication, put side by
side with the specimens of our natural
resources in the Worlds Fair, would
sorely reflect on the practical Intelligence
of our people.
A pile of money has been spent to make
the roads, and to keep them in so-called
repair the long suffering property-hold-
ers are heavily taxed. But these sums
have been intrusted TO and manipulated
by those who, with few exceptions, knew
nothing whatever about road making.
n o provision has been made for pedestrl-
ans; the alphabet of drainage has been
ignored; the little knowledge about
rounding up has been singularly danger
Gus, and the bridges are of the most
1iimsy and temporary character. 1t is
Impossible to find a single point worthy
OF commentator.
The greatest of ancient republics pre-
sents US with a system of the most per-
1ect and enduring road construction.
These level-headed, practical Romans
realized that for the conservation OF their
empire good roads were above all things
essential. Hence, to the military posts on
the furthermost boundaries solid high
ways were constructed. The famed
"Appian Way" mentioned in the New
Testament was $50 miles in length, and
walks, about eight feet wide; its paved
way for beast of burden, fifteen feet in
width; its milestones, and, at varying
distances, high blocks of stone for the
convenience of mounting on horseback.
1t was paved with polygonal blocks of
hewn hardstone fitting to each other with
great eXactltude and nicely. Where there
was not already base of hard rock, an
artificial foundation OF stone, rubble,
bricks and cement was built. This queen
of roads, SEQ years after its commence
ment, is mentioned by historians as being
in perfect repair throughout. That very
part trodden by st. Peter and St. Paul.
after two thousand years service, is per-
feet. On this model were the Roman
roads constructed. Till this day parts of
them are to be found wherever Roman
rule existed.
While it is not expected that California
Will construct roads so solid, STILL with
lnexhaustible sources of granite and hard,
tough stone on every side, why cannot
the State-and more especially our own
county-design good sectional plan of
road for man and beast, and then con-
struct on the Macadam or Telford sys-
tenn? The existing roads are of the very
nature contemplated by these two bene-
factors of mankind.
The greatest of modern European Re-
publics, France, has a thorough system
for keeping the highways in repair, we'll
worthy of the study of our people, In
no country of the world are there such
excellent and well-kept roads. They run
for miles perfectly straight. They have a
slightly convex center part for beasts of
burden; there are always one, and some
times two, sidewalks for pedestrians, and
on both sides, outside of these, into
which there is drainage under the side
walks, there are bitches to carry off sur
plus water. An hour after the heaviest
rainfall the roads are perfectly dry and
clean.
This result is obtained by a verv intel
Hgeut and economic system. The great
national routes are maintained by the
whole country, and are under the man
agement of the State Engineers The
departmental routes are in the care of the
County Councils, and are confided to a
body of uperintendents, with chief.
Under these uperintendents are staff of
resident cantouniers, with fixed salary
TO each of whom is intrusted a section of
the road to be kept in repair by daily
work. The material for such repairs is
duly placed at certain distances along the
road. The superintendents-a voyer
are regularly trained in the art of con-
structing roads, and of making the best
use of the material at their disposal.
They are supplied by the Government
with regular handbooks of instruction.
They have monthly review, in which
all questions connected with their work
are discussed.
Some such system could be introduced
here. OF course, all this means, in the
first instance, considerable outlay. But
money could not be better spent. Against
bond Indebtedness there is good reason to
be hostile. Yet, as in this case, the adj
vantage is for future generations. and
would be, if in any case, most UNSUITABLE,
Again, one of our convict prisons is sur
rounded by granite. There. at little cost.
with not very expensive machinery,
superabundance for macadamizing could
be rapidly prepared.
Much is said about SO much land in the
hands of the few being the great obstacle
TO the development of the Sacramento
Valley. Our own experience is that the
true stumbling block is the execrable
roads. Again and again during the past
eight years large property have
offered to cut up their lands, and desirable
immigrants have come to inspect, but re-
tired before the dreadful road communi-
cation. TIC
THE SCOTCHMEN