The record-union., 1896-06-07

opened near Folsom yesterday.
A few years ago the need for better
country roads as means to make rural
living more desirable, to reduce the cost
Of produce movement by road, and les
sen the time between farm and mar
ket. became impressed upon the minds
of a few citizens of the State. These
began an agitation in favor of good
read promotion that for considerable
time was an uphill business.
Finally, by dint of persistence, such
interest was awakened that State
Road Convention was called through
the agency of the Sacramento County
Humane Society and the first Capital
City Wheelmen's Club and the call was
approved and given official sanction by
Governor Markham, and by him the
convention was called to order.
That meeting was not all that was
desired, but it was highly representa-
tive and served to broaden the agita-
ton greatly Prominent in these early
movements was ]. L. Maude, then of
San Bernardino, and r. c. Irvine Of
Sacramento, both now of the State Bu-
reau of Highways. second State
convention was held in San Francisco
tended the third, however, held dur
ing the session of the last Legislature,
and in this city, was a large and enthu-
siastic body, and it managed to so
impress the Legislature with the i'm
portance of good road promotion that
the Bureau of Highways was estab-
ished and the rock crushing plant or
Gered erected.
HISTORY OF THE PLANT.
Shortly after the adjournment of the
first State Road Convention two County
Road Conventions were held in Sacra-
mento. They erected an Executive
Committee to plead with the Supervis-
ors to submit a 100000 plan for good
roads to the people of the county. Dur
ing that work Thomas Mcconnell, one
of the committee, went to Folsom and
called upon Warden Charles Aull to
ascertain how far stone then cut at the
prison could be made available for
road building. The Warden told him
that the stone then worked was useless
for road purposes, but that beneath the
soil just around the turn of the road
from the prison there was blue trap
rock enough hidden to macadamiZe the
State of California, If some provision
could be made to open the quarry and
crush the stone. Mr.. Mcconnell rode
back to Sacramento filled with the
suggestion and reported to the Execu-
tive Committee what he had heard
That particular spot referred to by
Warden Aull is now the location OF the
State rock plant, and the conversation
between the farmer and the Warden
was really the beginning Of the move
ment that resulted in yesterdays ex-
cursion and formal dedication OF the
plant.
Through the exertions of number or
earnest men devoted to the good roads
cause, General Roy Stone, Engineer-in-
Charge of the Office of Road Inquiry,
Department of Agriculture, Washing
ton, was induced to come out to Cali
fornia and attend the last State Road
Convention While here Gen. Stone, at
the invitation of citizens of Sacramento
and members of the Highway Commit
fees of the Senate and Assembly, Wis
tied Folsom Prison to inspect the trap
rock ouarries at that point. The in
stant he saw the deposits and the sit
uation. and understood the conditions
as to power, labor and material, he said
to the committees: Gentlemen, in no
State in the Union can there be built
good roads so well as here; climatic con-
ditions are all in your favor. Now here,
at Folsom, you have idle labor, idle
power, idle trap rock. Apply the power
and the labor to the rock and give
the people road metal at cost and thus
conserve free labor and good roads. by
employing convict labor, State power
a
seconded in this proposition by Cap
tain Charles Aull, Warden Of the Fol
som Prison, who has ever since stood
by the scheme as it's firm friend. Gov
ernor Budd approved the suggestion
and exerted his influence in its be-
half.
That idea General Stone subsequently
elaborated before the Legislature and
its committees, and the result was that
after a long and arduous effort on the
part of the friends of good roads
movements, the rock-crushing plant was
provided for, and its construction or
dered to proceed under direction of the
Governor, the State Prison Directors
and the Bureau of Highways, and yes
ferday the opening and the fruition of the
hopes OF the friends of the scheme were
the occasions Of the excursion and some
joyous ceremonial.
1t is proper to remark, however, at
this point, that prior to the coming of
General Stone to this coast, and prior
tc any action by the State convention,
or any suggestion relative to trap
rock crushing by the State, a number
of citizens of Sacramento conceived the
idea of setting up a rock-crushing
plant at or near Folsom to crush cob
bles, which are there in enormous
quantities and which are genuine trap.
for road metal, and about one-half the
necessary capital stock. or $4,000,
was subscribed, when the State took
hold of the matter, and the promoters
of the scheme gladly turned all their
energies to putting the State plan
through.
Foremost among those who thus
brought forward the idea of preparing
trap rock for road metal and putting
Il at the command of the people a. a
nominal cost were Road Engineer Fair
man, d. A. Lindley, A. A. Van VOORHEES,.
X. c. Irvine, w. d. Lawton, c. A.
Iuhrs, H. Weinstock and a number of
others whose names escape us now.
1t is, however. simple justice to say
that had not Engineers Maude and
Fairman stayed by the proposition of
General Stone. remaining the entire
session at the Legislature and present
ing the scheme to the members day
and night, and serving without fee or
reward as engineers to the Legislative
Joint Commission on Highways, we
would not to-day have the rock crush
ing plant delivering road metal to