The record-union., 1895-02-14
FEASIBILITY OF MACADAM ROADS.
Last Nights Meeting of Legislators
and Engineers.
General Stone Advises With Them-A
bureau of Road Inquiry and
Aid Is Advised.

The joint Senate and Assembly Com
mittee with it's advisors on the Road
System met last night. There were pres
ent Senator Shine chairman, Senator
Smith, Assemblyman Swisler and AS
semblyman Fassett. Engineers j. L.
Maude and H. e. Fairman. By invita-
ton, number or Senators and Assem-
blymen sat with the committee and took
active part.
by invitation General Roy Stone, Spe-
clal Agent and Engineer United States
Oflce of Road Inquiry, Department of
Agriculture, attended by permission of
Secretary of Agriculture j. Sterling Nor
ton and met with the committee for the
second time and addressed the meeting.
He spoke several times by request and
in response to many questions.
In brief, the sum off his remarks were:
That in no State, into tia. road conditions
of which he had examined, had he found
so great need for reform and the educa-
ton of the people upon road systems; in
no State had he learned OF better or
greater quantities of good material for
road metal, and no where is there finer
opportunity for good road building and
exceptionally cheap prOQuctlOn ana plac-
ing OF road metal.
In such State good roads are the first
great necessity to induce the coming in
of home builders, lessen taxation and
add to the value OF net production. He
lnstanced the examples of sections of
Massachusetts, New York, New jersey
and Ohio to prove the economy and
profit of good roads.
His conclusion was from all be could
learn and what he had seen, that
within the area bounded by 80 miles
around Sacramento stone roads can be
built for from $500 to 81 200 mile, instead
OF from $1,000 to $1,000 as has been sup
posed.
It could be done by utilizing convict
the prisons without cost to the State
above the original cost of a crushing
plant and the application OF power. The
State owns unlimited quantities of fine
trap rock at Folsom; it has idle convict
labor, idle power surpassed by no other
in the Union perhaps excepting one
place.
Finding that the rock can be crushed at
cost OF about 20 cents without outlay by
the State or cent OF new taxation for the
work, and furnished to the people at that
cost, he had, by request, advised with
transportation officials, and felt able to
say that arrangements could be made
at cost of haul il the State will furnish 1t
at cost of production and the people will
haul 1t from delivery depots.~ "a commu-
nifty, he said, that would.not do the:latter
did not deserve the blessings OF good
roads, which liz New Jersey and Canaan
dagua had made the people prosperous in
the midst OF hard times.
De believed the transportation arrange
ments could be made to extend to coun-
ties setting up their own crushers and
thus the larger portion of the State have
immediate benefit.
a commencement should be made now
that immediate object lessons could be
put before the people. Nothing is TO be
gained by waiting two years. This means
for California all that good roads had
done for France, and more. He also
favored the use of convict LABOR in cOun-
ties setting up crushing plants, and
pointed out how this could be done with
out cost to the State.
He favored the erection of a road bu-
reau at once to operate with the Prison
Directors and the Governor in inaugu-
rating the work. 1t is necessity as an
educational factor, to gather and dissent
nate information. and to instruct the peo-
pie in the economies of good road con-
struction, in which he found they are
wanting, as was confessed by all whom
he met.
He pronounced the late Road Couyen-
ton one of the most representative bod
les and most earnest and public-spirited
conversations he had ever seen or heard
of, and he should be proud TO report to
the Secretary OF Agriculture that fact, and
also that ali California seems to be awak-
ening to the new movement, and prom
ises to be a leader in it.
The proposed bureau bill was then read
by Engineer Maud. Then followed a gen.
eral discussion, full OF interest and in
formation and touching upon the entire
body of road laws, road conditions and
all remedies proposed. After long de-
bate, with but one voice as to need for
betterment OF conditions, the meeting
unanimously voted approval of the gem
aral scheme OF the bill, reServing judg-
ment as to details.
The joint committee then instructed
Engineers Mand and Fairman to make
new draft of the bill and submit it to-
night. There are eight other PROPOSE
tons before the committee, namely wide
tires, trunk lines, district local option.
general taxation for support of trunk
lines, permanent monuments, optional
county road engineer or skilled builders,
bridge construction, and district special
work.
1t is believed that the committee favors
these propositions, with some mOditica-
tons, and which propositions were petit
toned for by the late Road Convention,
but that the committee will not modify
the general plan OF the present road law,
except SO far as the new propositions go,
and these, it was thought, do not create
issues upon which there viii be much. if
any, division OF sentiment among Super
YisOrS or the people.
At the conclusion of the meeting Chair
man Shine, in behalf OF the Senate and
Assembly, thanked General Stone
warmly for his services to the committee.
and the entire company gave him a part
ing handshake and a God-speed. He
leaves this morning to attend the Houston
Tex Road Convention, and goes thence
to New Orleans, aud then to Washington
TO report to the department OF Agri-
culture.
THE OLD STORY