The record-union., 1895-09-04
The ROAD COMMISSIONERS RETURN.
Official Visits of the Bureau of High
ways.
III Dorado. Alpine, Amador, Merced.
Calaveras and StanIslaus
Counties Visited.

Commissioners Manson and Irvine,
two members of the State Bureau of
Highways, returned last evening from an
extended trip INTO several counties, under
the law which requires the board to hold
meeting once year in each county of
the State. They drove first to Placer
and gathered Inucn valuable infor-
NATION related TO their work. They
went next TO MarKleyville and met the
county officials and held a meeting that
was very satisfactory.
This is the third trip of mem bers of the
bureau. and they say that all conditions
considered, the sparseneSs Of the popula-
ton, the mountainous character OF the
country and the smallness OF the assess
ment roll, Alpine County has the best
built and maintained roads of any dis
trict yet visited.
They drove from Markleyville, gather
| ing data en- route, TO Jackson. Their ex
preston is that Amador has all to be
ashamed OF because of its road system.
/ 1t is by ali odds the worst yet seen by the
| Commissioners. They complain OF the
location of the highways, the idea still
| prevailing evidently that always the
! shortest way over a hill is to cross its
summit. They found that teaming is
| permitted on the roads with as many as
| seventy logs to a load, weig hing thirty
/ tons, placed on two lashed wagons and
/ drawn by seven teams, with narrow tires
/ on The vehicles as rule. AS a conse-
| quence the roads are cons tantly plowed
| up, and it would be a useless waste OF
money to build good highways, as such
/ usage would destroy the best. This county
/ has, however, adopted wIde-tire ordl-
nance To take eject next January, but it
mistak enly provides only for five and a
! half inch tire for ten tons or over. In
one district the Commissioners found the
! highway plowed out by teaming to a
depth of SIX feet below the grade. and to
| he converted into a veritaDle canal.
/ Out OF AuIador County they drove to
! san Andraas and had a good meeting.
From Iaera they went to Mokelumne
! liili and thence 20 Sonora, where very
| Satisfactory meeting WAS held and much
information OF valuable character
gained and impaired. Here they found
Ihas there are permitted Loads of l. 900
feet Of lumber 10 De drawn on the roads
| on three-inch tires, aud that 1t would be
| quite Impossible 10 construct good roads
without reform n this respect.
From sonora The Investigators went TO
! Maripos. and held meeting, but none
OF The County Supervisors put IN an APP
10 distant puduts on other business. Tne
criticisms OF Tie Commissioners OH the
/ Mar!Dosa system OF roads isseXtended
anu severe, out they believe that reform
OF methods Viii be effected in that
county. Already there has been ordered
a bond issue for new road from Bear
! Valley 10 Coulterville.
An iniormul but interesting conference
was had with the citizens ~ La Grange,
from WlIcn point Aierced Was reached,
/ " acre Il very successful meeting was
held by the Commissioners. They eX-
an,iiied new road III that county, con-
struc,ed on 10 per cent. grade over hills
Tor SIX mites. when In the same distance
better road could have been swung
around tile hills on low grade at nc
greater cost. AS 1t is, the new road
Is avoided Dy travel, and byways are Sc
looted instead nf IL because OF its mis-
placement. \ OF This costly road connects
with one OF the best roads in the state
built within The Crock err Huffman tract
by private supervision, and which is ell
graded and kcp.. i his Is on the line
from Merced 10 Uornitos. and the objeci
lesson the Is roads constitute is vau-
able though numiiialing one, say the
Commissioners.
Inoy proceeded next to Modesto, where
a fine meeting WAS held and much inter
est Was manifested by the people LII
| Merced the Commissioners examined
into The ''strawiBg" OF sandy roads
where from S5O 10 500 year are expended
per mile In strawing and restraining
roadways, that the Commissioners are
convinced can he made more serviceabIe
Tor the same or less money If sprinklipe
plants were only established.
The travellers came from Modesto direc
to Sacramento, en- route gathering muci
| data, and making many valuable exam
nations for future use In the work of the
bureau.