The record-union., 1893-11-22
see and acknowledge the wisdom of the


see and acknowledge the wisdom of the
plan.
MIR. Coleman favored three or four man
lines only. Sacramento mad started this
road movement. The State Convention
came of Sacramento effort, and the
County Convention was born OF it, and
now the whole State is looking on to see
how we will work as well as talk, for let
ters had been sent all over the State urg-
ing road activity. He favored recon-
slderlng the vote whereby seven routes
had been advised, and he SO moved TO
reconsider
Mr.. Irvine said he really favored few
roads of some length as object lessons.
once built. there need be no fear about
the good cause stopping. 'But we want
votes to get a start. and if we get them we
must please as many as possible, and SO
we had better stick to the seven lines"
Mr.. Mcconnell said what we would
lose at one point we would gain at an
other. Ii the city people are true to their
promise, and know when their interests
are best conserved, they will vote for the
longer roads. and he believed they would,
and as they have two votes TO one for the
country, it means much.
Here it developed, after little figuring,
that seven roads meant probably nine
mile stretches, while four roads meant
hfteen-mlle stretches, possibly twenty
miles, on a basis OF u, 900 and s., 600 a mile.
Mr.. Lawton believed, from his study of
cost, that material could be laid down at
5000 a mile, and the labor could be
placed at 81 900 or 81. 500. 1t all depends
on the cost of that basalt rock.
Mr.. Weinstock was divided in opinion.
Weighing both sides, however, and draw
ing the case of a voter off of road con-
sidering how he would vote, he came at
last to the conclusion that, as matter Of
policy. the seven-route plan had better be
adhered to.
Mr.. Coleman was surprised at Mr..
Weinstock; SO was Mr.. Mcdonnell, and
they both pointed out that policy was not
the thing. but the placing of trust in the
people, on strong proposition, we'll pre-
sented. With the seven-route plan the
opponents of bonds would have the ar
gument that the city is TO have all the
benefits, when in fact the clty'S best inter-
est is county prosperity.
Mr.. Mcconnell said Mr.. Weinstock's
argument proved that his judgment was
in favor of the few long roads, but policy
swayed him. WAS that broad business
view? Vote for the few long roads, see
the railroad people, urge the opening of
the basalt quarry, organize a citizens
company to take contracts at cost, as was
done in this city, and the people will see
there is to be no maiadministration and
waste and they will vote right. Trust
them for that"
Mr.. Irvine produced Eastern authorI-
ties to show that with steam power at the
East the rock breakers crush at thequarry
for fifty and sixty cents a ton. With
water power and at Folsom it will be
greatly less.
Mr.. Butler said if the Supervisors
would go out and macadamize the road to
Brighton and let the people see what it
meant the vote would be overwhelmingly
in the affirmative tor the proposed work.
He had been asked by friends to say that
cobbles for breaking could be had along
the American River free of cost. But he
saw that basalt was better and cheaper.
Mr.. Woodson said the cobble breaking
meant twice handling of the material
Mr.. Butler agreed to that and Withdrew
the cobble plan.
Mr.. Beckley favored consideration of
the matter with a full COMMITTEES; he
moved to postpone the whole subject
matter for one week.
Mr. Flint seconded the motion. "Let
us go slow on this" he said; sit is the
most important matter the committee
will have before it, He declared his be-
lief that the three-line proposition meant
the death Of the whole scheme. He had
lately been studying and was amazed at
his own ignorance of the road question.
1t is a big matter. The people, he had
found, did not understand it. They must
be instructed. He told how he had rid
den out to the Slough House recently and
studied the road conditions, and what
conclusions he had arrived at. One was
that there is plenty of material all along
that road-gravel. Then he described
road building as he saw it in Chicago and
in many places in the East, and added
''I tell you, we don't know anything
about it out here. We are away behind"
He described road repairing also, as prac-
ticed at the East, as he saw few years
ago.
Mr.. Mcconnell said Mr.. Flint had de-
scribed the best order of macadam road
just that and nothing more. AS to re-
pairing, machinery has made it much
cheaper now, as 1t had construction, also.
Mr.. Lawton said Mr.. FlinFs gravel ON
the Slough-H.ouse road was deceit.
Mr.. Dixon said that the committee
should outline five routes-one toward
Folsom, one toward the Sutter line, one
on the Jackson road and two on the
Stockton roads. This omitted the river
route entirely, which several members
said must be dropped. Along the river
cannot be called trunk line. The lower
Stock ton road is the real trunk line for
the river section. When the river roads
are up to permanent hight and protected,
then permanent road on them will be
wise.
Finally the motion to postpone pre-
vailed, and committee, consisting of
Messrs. Mcconnell and Weinstock, was
named to call on the railroad authorities
on the question of transportation.
The committee then adjourned for one
week.