The herald., 1894-11-21
IMPROFED HIGH WHY'S.

city, Los Angeles is exceptionally well
supplied with paved and graded and
graveled streets. Not many cities in
the union can show more substantial
improvements in this line, and they are
for the most part kept in fairly good re-
pair. But it is different in tho county
at large. Out of 1000 miles OF road.
perhaps 200 miles may be described as
coed, and 200 more as fairly good, with
all the rest but little short OF villainous.
The roads OF Los Angeles county are
not worse than those OF the counties by
matter, they are no worse. and are per.
hal 8 better, than those OF the average
agricultural eections Of the middle
west and south. Given a limited
amount OF care, and road in the Cali.
fornia climate will keep in much better
condition than one to which greater
attention is devoted in some eastern
state. Relatively. therefore, we might
say that the roads OF Southern Cali
fornia are pretty good. Intrinsically,
however, they are bad. Being poorly
drained, in the wet season they tend to
mud-though rarely to the bottomless
mud of the eastern roads-and in the
dry season. as they are few OF them
sprinkled. they are beaten up into dust
and scour full OF dissgrseabls chug-
holes.
Peo Pile who have been used to bad
roads all their lives do not appreciate
what it means to have good ones, and
not few will be found to declare that
the bad roads are good enough. 1t is
sef.evident that nothing is good enoug b
which can be bettered to advantage.
and although the existing highways
may be said to be endurab!e. and are
not worse, but on the contrary perhaps
little better than the roads OF 10 years
ago, they, nevertheless, can be vastly
improved, and their improvement would
be to the advantage of every resident OF
the county.
Three classes of people use the coun-
try highways: Farmers hauling their
goods to the railway station or to the
city to market; people driving, or rid
ing bicycles for pleasure.
Let it be observed that the bicyclist
is now an important factor in the road
problem, In many sections OF the east
the bicycles now out>number the
buggies, and in New York state special
bicycle paths are being constru cted for
their use.
The farmer, who, most of all, ne eds
better roads. and needs them for his
business, seems to be the most half
hearted of all these three classes in de-
manding them. Making the trip sew
eral times week, perhaps. between his
ranch and the town over road full Of
holea, battering up his wagon, breaking
his harness, wearing out his horses, and
able at best to carry but small load,
he continues patiently ye after year
in the same old way and will much
rather talk about the silver question
than road reform. In some sections the
farmers have no. only refused to
interest themselves in any efforts
TO better the conditions OF the roads,
but they have even opposed
all movements in that direction.
Many OF thsm seem to regard good roads
aB sort of luxury. smackiug of capl.
talstic tendencies, with perhaps q slight
tendency toward monopoly. 4 good
road is q luxury in the came sense that
q gun is more OF luxury than bow
aud arrow, or a steamship luxurious ss
compared with an ancient galley. 1t ia
the luxury OF progress and OF prosperity,
OF comfort and happiness.
People who drive for business need
better roads, bat not 30 much as the farm.
er needs them. The more accessible the
farming districts are to all kinds of busi-
ness the more comfortable and the more
economical the farmers life will be.
In many sectiona the class of people
who drive or ride wheels merely for
pleasure might be entitled to receive
little consideration at ths hands of the
taxpayer; but such ia not the
case in Sjuthern California. The
thousands of tourists who visit this
country every year must be provided
with every means OF amusement, that
their stay may be rendered agreeable.
A largo part OF the present inhabitants
OF Southern California came here first as
tourists, and being favorably impressed
with the country. returned to settle
permanently. The tourist is an i'm
portant factor in the welfare of the
country, and must not be overlooked.
Ii the country were threaded with
broad, even, well-drained and dustesa
roads, penetrating into every section OF
the horticultural lands, and even up
into the mountains, the fame OF Los
Angeles would sprend throughout the
east for that fact alone, and the in
crease in the tourist travel would il a
few years pay ell the expenses OF the
i'm provement. Nowhere else can people
ride or drive 30 much of the year
without annoyance from rain or cold,
and if good roads connected the main
cities of Southern California, many
strangers would visit the country for the
pleasure of coaching from one place to
another.
The county spends from $4,000 to
$4,000 q year in patching the existing
roads and in occasionally building few
miles OF a new one. AS far as actual re.
suits go, a great part OF this money is