The record-union., 1896-08-05
INTEREST In GOOD ROADS.
The People Are Being Educated on the
Subject.
An Interesting Interview With State
Highways Commissioner
J. L. Maude.

Commissioner J. L. Maude Of the
state Bureau of Highways returned to
Sacramento yesterday evening for the
purpose of attending the monthly meet
ing OF the board
For the past month Mr.. Maude has
been making q tour of inspection of
the northern part of the San Joaquin
Valley and the counties along the coast
between San Francisco and Los An
geles.
Mr.. Maude stated that he would be
in Sacramento for but few days-only
sufficient time to attend to routine mat
ters in the Office, and that he would
then go to Los Angeles and continue
his inspection Of the counties south of
Tehachapi Pass. 1t will take him an
other month to complete the present
work
Since leaving Sacramento have trav-
eled by team about 625 miles," he said
10 Record Union" reporter last even
Ing. THE trip was an exceedingly Sc
we're one on man and beast. One day at
Newman the Thermometer registered as
high as 119. In number of the coun-
ties which have visited found mark
ed evidence Of a desire to improve the
roads. I noticed this particularly by
comparison, having traversed the same
section about eight months ago.
For example, Supervisor Irvine of
Monterey County has, by practicing rig
Id economy with his road fund, saved
enough money to purchase a small
rock-crushing plant and secure a quar-
~ Of f1rst-class limestone. This has ex-
hausted his fund of the past year, but
a dc, 4.
available shortly, and Mr. Irvine thinks
that he will be able to macadamize be-
tween two and four miles Of road In
Supervisor Fields district of the same
county five miles of macadam has been
built during the past year.
These, of course, are but small be-
ginnings, but when one appreciates the
fact that heretofore there had been no
effort made at permanent road-building
Ill the county, and that the present I'm
provements were inaugurated directly
after the visit Of the Bureau of High
ways to that county last December. and
are in large measure the outgrowth
of suggestions then made, we feel con-
siderable satisfaction in observing the
improvements, and I think Supervisor
Irvine particularly should be commend
ed for the interest he takes and the
energy he has shown in these matters.
In San Luis Obispo County I found
what I think is the best mountain
grade in the State. 1t is over Cresta
Pass. had the opportunity Of driving
over 1T last winter during the wet sea-
son and through a driving rainstorm.
/ found the road then free from mud.
and the drainage so well designed that
there were no serious washouts.
then remarked: This road Is all right in
winter, but I wish to see It in summer
My trip over 1t this time was, of course.
In the driest season, when, If there ever
we're going to be any dust or ruts, they
would be found. But the road was as
free from dust and ruts then as 1t had
previously been free from mud and
washes
/ also found in San Luis Obispo that
since my last visit Supervisor Mitchell
has contributed a sprinl1ing plant, and
is sprinklfng some six miles of road.
This Is the first road sprinkling in the
county. The Cuesta grade, Of which
4 have just spoken, is also in Mr. Mitch
elPs district. I consider Mr. Mitchell.
as far as road matters are concerned.
one Of the most efficient Supervisors in
the State. He is ably seconded in the
same board by Mr.. Waite, who is his
equal in intelligent and Industrious ad-
1ninistration of road matters.
In Santa Barbara I found a splendid
piece of road work leading out of the
city Of Santa Barbara. In that city
they are doing some very effective
work in the way of asphaltic paving,
the asphaltum being laid directly on
the earth, there being no concrete foun-
oation whatever. The same thing has
been done in my own city Of Riverside.