The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-26
EAGER TO BEGIN WORK,
The Bureau of Highways APP
peaIS to the Attorney
General.
INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW.
A Boulevard From Oakland to San
Jose One of Their
Plans.

The three men who were appointed by
Governor Budd to act as Bureau of High
ways have since their appointment become
anxious to assume their duties. As such a
bureau the Governor appointed Marsden
Manson of this city, who was for years
chief engineer of the Board of State Har-
Dor Commissioners; R. G.. Irvine of Sacra-
mento and J. L. Maude of San Bernardino.
| Under the act the sum of $31, 900 was ap-
| portioned for the expenses OF the bureau,
and provision was made that one-haH OF
the same shall be available during the COM
| ing fiscal year, beginning next July, and
the other half during the next fiscal year.
| The three gentlemen who were ap-
pointed by the Governor are well-known
men of energy and ability, and various
ideas as to the improvement of public
roads which have occurred to them have
caused them to become impatient as to the
delay until July II, which is implied in
the act. After several consultations they
have concluded that the act needs little
Interpretation. They think that while the
appropriation is not available until next
July, there is no reason why they should
not be able to begin their duties at once.
In speaking of the matter yesterday Mr..
| IhdHSOH Sdlu IudG lI1eIe was 81 IiuCu p1C-
| liminary work to be done that 1T was alb
solutely necessary that no time should be
| lost.
This is new matter in this State,
| said Mr.. Manson, land it is incumbent
upon US to educate the people up to our
idea as well as to do the work. Everything
! depends upon the spirit of the people
along the routes where we may project
improvements. We want the people with
us; we want to show them the advantages
of carrying out our plans. In order to do
this there is no reason why we should
waste the months of May and June. We
want to do the preliminary work now, and
then follow it up with the practical work.
"In order to do this we have written a
| letter to the Attorney-G General asking him
to give US broad Interpretation of the
law, so that we can proceed in legal way
and systematic our work.
There is more work to be performed in
| a conscientious manner than you have any
idea of, and we cannot begin too soon. We
must go through the various counties and
study the geology of each county, the
water supply, the rock deposits and their
| advantages as to utilization. 1t was our
purpose to devote three days to each
county with this object in view, and then
we will know Just how to proceed and lay
out our plans. In addition to this we want
to talk to property-owners and prominent
men in the different sections. l do not see
why we cannot begin work at once, and
do not anticipate an unfavorable reply
! from the Attorney-General."
| When asked as to any definite plans
which had been formed, Mr.. Manson and
Mr.. Irvine both said that no definite ones
had been arranged for, but one which
would be taken up was that for boule-
ward from Oakland to San Jose similar in
style to the one proposed from San Fran
cisco to the Garden City.
1--WE have selected no route yet, and
have done nothing other than discuss it,
said Mr.. Manson, "but our idea is to have
a grand boulevard go down the other side
of the bay, which will meet the one from
here at San Jose, the two forming V, and
then continuing as main line from there
south through the valley with possible
offshoots. There is a big field for us to go
over, and much work to do, and the main
thing is TO get started as early as possible.
That is why we have written to the Attor-
neyGeneral and asked for an interpreta-
ton of the law"