The record-union., 1896-04-17
SACRAMENTOY OPPORTUNITY.
Will She Improve lit May bs
Her Last.
How We Can Secure Good Streets
Cheaply-The Serial Bond Sys-
tenn is Constitutional.

The Supreme Court has just decided
that serial street bonds are constitu
t1onal; that the Act of 1891 was properly
passed. and must stand. That puts one
objection raised in the Board of Trus-
tees last year against the serial system
out of the way.
Now, then, why not make one more
effort to induce the board to adopt the
serial system 1t surely will not resist
and defy the demand of the people. I'm
der the serial system Sacramento can
build more permanent streets this year
than she has in ten years past. She
will have host of men employed upon
her highways. She will have money in
plenty disbursed in the community that
otherwise will lie idle and unused.
With the cheap road metal ready for
delivery in very few weeks
at price that is practically but nomi-
nal. if we do not go into permanent
street-building this city will deserve the
curses it is sure to get next winter when
the Legislatur assemblies, and indeed
that it is now receiving from our own
people.
For the fact is. as every citizen knows
who walks or rides, since the alleged
cobbles and rocks are left, 1T is easier by
far to go five miles on vehicles or foot on
any roadway east of Thirty-first street
than it is to go half the distance on the
city streets to reach Thirty-frst street.
But these gravel streets have been ac-
cepted; the property-owners cannot
again be assessed to improve them
without their consent. The city has not
hp hand 10 the
streets, nor can she get it. How. then,
is the thing to be done?
Adopt the serial bond system, and the
property owners will gladly fall into
line and have the new macadam metal
brought here by the tens of thousands of
tens and placed. Especially, as it hap
pens that in gravel streets there lis now
very good substructure. Besides, these
streets have all established grades, are
curbed, and most of them have stone
cutters, SO that a large percentage of
original cost will not have to be re-
newed by improvement and change to
macadam.
There is nothing in the way If the city
shall determine in year or two to do as
it should and make the improve
ment common cost, to prevent her
Thus there is nothing standing in the
way now of splendid streets. and that
Immediately, if the Trustees come up to
the level of the realization of the neces-
sity for them. More than that, we will
have the cheapest built streets, too, un-
Ger the serial and macadam system,
that Is built for less money, than any
streets before laid anywhere in the
United States.
Under the serial system, where the
cost is not to exceed 50 front foot, and
it will not now reach nearly that,
bonds for the cost from one to ten years
issue, with interest at not to exceed
10 per cent, payable semi m-annuaIly,
may issue to contractors.
We have estimated thai. cost Of street
work herein suggested may be consid-
cred to range from 81 to 81 so, and
tables given below show how that will
be distributed under the serial system.
But the 'Record-Union" is authorized
by a competent road engineer to say
that 1t may be done for from eighty
five to ninety EIGHT cents. His calcu
lation Is that to macadamize Sacra-
mento streets now graveled (so-called),
the substructure beneath the stones be-
ing now excellently firm, the items
would be something like this:
For forty-eight feet of roadway in
width, with six inches of macadam, one
yard will give twelve linear inches, full
width with all allowance for wastage.
That the material will cost delivered on
the cars seventy cents. That 1t can be
delivered on the roadway at an aver
age cost of forty cents. For breaking
up and clearing out to present SUBJ
structure he allows thirty cents a cubic
yard. (IIe holds that the material taken
out can be made Of value to whoever
removes for filling) For placing, roll
ing and allowing for wear and tear
twenty cents. Total, 81 60, or eighty
cents per front foot. Allowing that
present cutters may be used, inter
section cost would add eight cents. II,