The San Francisco call., 1895-07-18
ALAMEDA COUNTY ROADS.
Supervisors Are Not Pleased
With the Commissioners
Criticisms.
MUCH MONEY WASTED YEARLY.
Irvine and Manson of the State
Bureau of Highways Give
Their Views.

Commissioners Irvine and Manson of
the State Bureau of Highways held con-
ference with the Alameda County Board OF
Supervisors yesterday afternoon. The
previous day County Clerk Jordan took
the Commissioners over the main county
roads, so that their advice was based on a
knowledge of facts.
Mr. Manson explained the purpose OF
their visit and said:
1.-The first thing necessary to be done is
to be sure that you have legal title to
your roads. In many instances suits are
brought against counties to determine title
to roads. In san Bernardino thirty suits
were brought and the county lost twenty
nine. After the title comes the question
of the best grades. 1t is not always best to
take the cheapest grade. Study the drain
age WE'LL this is of the greatest import
ance. Then consider what will make the
most permanent highways. The best rock
should be obtained and it should be put
down in the best manner.
"In this county / believe you have 464
miles of road. In five years you have
spent $38S, ,000, or nearly $500 mile. The
greater part of this is wasted because you
roads. The initial step toward good roads
has only just been taken by the establish
ment of this bureau. To attain this
county must work in harmony with
county.
"We entered Alameda through Milpitas
and Miles, and in many cases the roads
were far from being creditable. l would
recommend that you have county map
made showing the exact condition of each
hot or erlo uo ohI a
to tell exactly what was wanted and where
it was wanted when you are apportioning
your road money.
Yesterday we drove across to Ala
media, and the road along which we
drove was awfully poor and contrasted
strongly with the beautiful streets OF Ala
media"
speaker. alameda Supervisors, T" he said,
''do not comply with the law in the mat
ter of road districts. They still adhere to
the old road districts instead of dividing
the county into supervisorial districts. Do
not attempt to make too much new road,
but make it good. Alameda County has
need of such improvement in her roads.
1--WE were labor;ng under the delusion
that our county roads were the best in the
State. said Chairman Bayly. "We do
not like to be told that we have worse high
WAYS than Santa Clara County"
II saw the boulevard that is being built
around Lake Merritt" said Manson, land
if / were going to grow spring crop l
would not like the ground to be in softer
condition than that upon which the rock is
being laid. 1t is not rolled nearly enough
to insure good road"
Seth Mann said that Alameda contains
within her quarries the very best rock in
the State and that there is no reason why
she should not have the best roads.
Lyman Bridges referred to the valuable
quarry of first-class rock that is located on
the grounds of the County Infirmary that
could be worked to advantage.
A conversation followed on the value of
criticism, and the Supervisors showed
very plainly that they thought them
selves we'll able to take care of their own
roads. This caused Commissioner Irvine
to refer in clear language to the prevailing
indifference.
81 would like to hear from some one else
about good roads," Mr. Bayly said, as each
speaker sat down, and as he spoke he
smiled at his colleagues in manner that
plainly implied that the addresses OF the
Commissioners were something to be toler-
ated rather than appreciated.