The herald., 1894-05-12
POINTS ON Los ANGELES ROADS,
The Need for Intelligent High
way Makers Here.
Large Sums Expended to Small
Advantage.
A Quarter of a Million Dollars Pat Int o
tho Ground Under Old Fashioned
Out OF Date systsms-Work
OF Road Convention.


calling on the board of supervisors to
provide for the holding of an election by
the people to decide on the issue OF
county bonds fe: the purpose of build
ing boulevard to Pasadena and posi-
bly, to other points, have an important
undertaking before them.
1t is virtually the question as to
whether the people ara ready to expend
the money on the main travelled roads
or go along in the old way Of tinkering
here and there and in reality accom-
plishing but little toward the establish.
ment of main arteries OF travel thor
oughly and substantially built that will
last for sill time. While progress has
been made in almost every branch Of
civic work, the old fashioned bach woods
methods OF construction of roads with
out any correct engineering ideas other
than to build long dust patch or mud
drain between two given points is still
extant, and the amount'of money that
has been expended in the United States
at large and in Southern California in
particular, is something appalling, espe-
cially when it is considered that the work
ia of a fimsy character taken az q
whole. and has to be constantly re-
newed every year. at an expense almost
equaling the original outlay for con-
struction.
When one bears in mind the admira-
BILE work OF ancient civilization, as ex-
emplified in the Appian Way, or the
equally substantial works in road build
ing of the almost prehistoric Psruvians,
which are still in practical use after the
lapse Of centuries, there is decided
lack OF confidence in the spirit of pro-
gress of the present epoch of civiliza-
ton in the matter OF road building. No
country in the world today spends as
much money on road building az the
United States, and it is equally true
that no country in the world has such
bad roads as a return for this enormous
outlay of coin.
Los Angeles county has been a heavy
investor in road building, and in the
past 10 years the county has paid out
over $3.50, 0o8 for 500 miles of road. The
iigures Tor the past four years are
1926, ll1.24. but the six years previous
were marked by even more lavish out
lays, for those were the days OF the
trolling road fund.-" when moneys
raised by taxes were joggled about
in most marvellous manner, One
OF the causes for large expsnd-
itures was the opening of many
cross roadn between unimportsnt points
when the funds should have been con-
centrsted on the main arteries until
they were thoroughly built. The pre-
sent scheme OF road building ia to toss
up the soil into confused heaps of dust
in summer and mud wallows in winter
during the rainy season. In 1890, the
county spent s7l, 1854; in 1891, $685..
56s.5s; in 1892, s76, 1883; and in 1893.
So, 27S.23.
In round figures this means that over
$500 per mile has been expended by the
county on its roads for four years. Ger
tsinly this is high enough average to
make roadways that will surpasa those
of England, France and Germany, pro-
vided the meney were honestly and in
diligently expended. The present
board OF supervisors made a saving OF
S24, 900 "a compared with the previous
year, and the policy OF the board seems
to be laid on conservative limos. They
have taken tae work of supervision out
OF the hands of ths old road overaeers and
are acting in that capacity Themselves
with measurhbly good results in certain
localities, but there 10 need of radical
change in the system of road building
pursued in this country. What is
needed 10 the adoption of a plan of sci
entific road building in accord with the
advanced ideas which have recently
been adopted in the New England and
middle states, the great point being
that when road is built it should be
built substantially, to last for 10 or %
years with but little repairing. BY put
ting the money into the road in an in
teligent manner at the outset, this con-
tinual tinkering with the roads ia obvi-
ated.
Another point il the education OF the
road employees as to the care of the
roads, ard this assumes the careful Sc
lection of men of intelligence and judg-
ment for tba work. A glazing in
stance Of had Judgment can be
found on the San Gabriel road near
the Robinson stock farm and above on
the Savannah road. Here through bad
Judgment in ploughing up tho roads
there is bed of one loot OF fine adobe
dust TO greet all who drive along those
thoroughferes. The ssLae mistakes can
be found all oyer the county, and the
unsubstantial character OF the roads can
be judged thereby, Why not build
roads that do rot require to be ploughed
up?
great deal, however, is expected
from the present board OF supervisors as
soon as they determine what plan to fol-
low. for road building is cheaper b ere
than in any other part of America, and
it is easier to maiStain the thorough
fares. Let the supervisors 20 to the road
convention today, and in the event
of deciding on q bond election, APP
point commission of five of the
representative citizens of Los Angeles
county who will cooperate with them in
the srperintendence of the construction
of bouevsrds that will not only be an
attraction to the thousands of tourists
who come to Los Angeles, but what is
equally or moro Important, give the
farmers good lines of communication to
caeaply move their productions to the
markets. There 10 no doubt but that the
present supervisors will gladly cooperate
with such committee Of citizsns in So