The record-union., 1894-06-27
IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD ROADS.
Meeting Held at the Courthouse Last
Night.
a Company TO Crush Cobbles for Mac
adamized Roads VIII Prob
ably be Formed.


being present.
The Vice-President of the Executive
Committee called the meeting to order in
the absence of the President, William
johnston, who came in later.
R. G. Irvine stated that the meeting had
been called for the purpose of allowing ID.
4. Fairman to place before the people his
ideas upon the subject Of good roads ana
how to make them we'll and cheaply. Ihe
railroad company had signified its Will
ingness TO aid in the undertaking by
helping to make material cheaper. Now
is the time to move III the matter, and
push it on to a successful issue and bene-
lit the county.
The Chair gave brief account of the
good roads movement from its inception,
and the action of the Board of Supervis-
ors when the matter was brought before
them, with which everyone is familiar.
Mr.. Fairman said that his plan en-
braced the formation of a stock company
to crush rock, the stock, S0O, 200, to be
subscribed by citizens. The object is to
furnish material for the roads at about
actual cost. The place where the rock
would be crushed is near Natoma station,
this side of Folsom, where there is an
ample supply Of cobbles. The crusher,
of which he presented the plans, would
be so contrived as to crush all cobbles
within 1000 feet without moving. 1t Will
be run by electric power, at cost for
electricity of 81 per month tor each horse
power used.
The stones will be conveyed to the
crusher by means of water, at the same
time washing them clean and making
the cost Of moving them very light. The
whole plant will cost about S2o,0 ,000 The
rock will run from the crusher into the
cars and be weighed at the same time. 1t
is estimated that the cost of the crushed
rock will be 81 30 per ton. A yard OF
rock as it comes from the crusher Will
weigh about ls tons on an average, taking
all sizes together.
be had recently met quite number OF
the farming community, who, he had
been told, were formerly opposed to the
movement, because they feared the cost
would be too great. After finding that
siXteen-foot track could be constructed
for about 81, 900 mile they had changed
their minds, and now are in favor of II.
They formerly feared it would cost so
much that the money would all be used
up before the road got to their farms.
r. G. Irvine said that this was matter
of great importance to the county, and
now was the time to carry it out.
William Johnston said that half the
amount of material mentioned by Mr..
Fairman would build better roads than
there are anywhere in the State. He
thought an elght-foot road would accom-
modate nine-tenths of the travel of the
county. It does not need to be sixteen
feet wide, and will cost much less ii it is
only single-track road, practically
meeting all needs.
d. Lindley said that when the move
ment started he had thought that it might
be carried out by the formation of a COM
pany such as is now proposed. on the
same line as the old Improvement AS
sociation. He had examined Mr..
Eairman's plans and the estimates made
by him and had satisfied himself that
they were correct.
lie found several years ago that it was
hard work to get the streets of this city
improved, as the property-owners feared
that il would amount TO virtual confisca-
tion Of their property, and he did not
know but they were nearly right. When
bids for improving the streets came in, it
was found that they were so high that
many property-owners took advantage
of the ten-day clause and determined to
do the work themselves. The Street I'm
provement Company was formed and
great reduction made in the cost of the
work.
People are many of them afraid of
Boards of Supervisors and of voting
bonds, for fear that they will not get the
that the proposed company can be formed
and furnish material at nearly cost, very
economically. MIR. Fairman can canvass
the county and explain the plan to the
people so that they can understand it,
and he believed that they would then
favor it and a new pressure could be
brought on the Supervisors.
Instead OF people being afraid that the
money viii be expended in building a
few miles of road, which would not reach
TO the other end of the county, if this
company is organized and shows that the
rock can be crushed cheaply enough to
build the roads clear through the county,
people will go TO the Board of Super
VisOrs and ask for the roads who have
never felt like doing so.
The Chair said that the present law
made each Supervisor the Road Commits
sioner of his district, and they would not
feel like surrendering their right to over
see and direct the construction OF the
roads into the hands of an engineer. This
was a stumbling block, as was shown
when the matter was brought before the
board, and viii have to be overcome. He
believed the formation of this company
would be great step forward, and would
have an influence on the board; when they
found that a company of citizens had
been formed TO furnish material for lit
tie more than cost they will probably
look on it with different eyes.
Mr.. FaiIman said that rock crushed in
other parts of the State is comprised of
several kinds of rock, good and poor, and
does not run evenly. The cobbles will
run evenly and is the best of material
c. G. Howell said that the people here
seem to have the same trouble with re-
gard to good roads that the people had in
Michigan. Ten years ago they began at
Muskegon TO agitate the subject OF good
roads, 1t was hard work to get the citi-
to bScrib tn build the roads
Four years ago they managed to get
enough to build five miles ofroad. The
effect was such that now there are
seven roads built leading out of
the town, and they are extending all
over the county, and nothing else
that has been done has resulted
in building up the town as these
good roads have DONE He believed
that this plan under discussion would
work like result. A few miles of roads
built would arouse such feeling that the
Supervisors would favor the movement.
He believed that the formation of this
company would strike the key note OF
progress. He instanced the roads OF
Santa Clara County and thelmproyement
in the value of property theretrom.
Mr. Lindley thought that if this COM
pany is formed there is plenty of work in
this city to keep 1t busy for a year, even
If the Supervisors do nothing. When
property-ow nerS appreciate its value he
thought that they would want the streets
macadamized and made good. One street
after another would be fixed with il until
the city streets will all be macadamized.
r. NJ. Hawley said Ii seemed to him
that if this company is formed and does
its work inside the city. within wear the
Board of Supervisors would be brought
around, and ii members of the board are
onposed TO it, the people will elect others
-, d17a time to till their places Who aro Il,