The San Francisco call., 1897-11-23
First Meeting in Outlying
Townships a Great
Success.
County Highway c. nmission Is
sues S irrirg Address
10 Voters.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL.

G. A. Luhrs n Lauridson and Charles
Hughes, secretary of the County Com
mission, visited the people OF the Amer
lean River Grange Saturday night, and
were given hearty and enthusiastic re-
ception. After the addresses were made
vote was taken of those present, and out
of the entire audience which filled the
nall to the doors there was not one single
ballot cast against the Folsom boulevard.
Committees were appointed to canvass
the immediate neighborhood. alter which
the meeting adjourned, and a general dis
cussion was carried on by those who still
fingered in the hall and felt the lmpor-
tance of what has been offered the people
of Sacramento by the State. The County
Com mi,sion has issued an address which
is rs follows:
To the Citizens and Taxpayers Of Sdcramento
County: We take this opportunity OF address
ing YOU on the subject OF the FOLSOM nigh
way and the special election to be held on
Saturday, Decem ber 4. 1897, for the issuance
OF $4,000 Ill county bonds to be USED IN de-
fraying the cost of the construction OF tins
highway. You have heretofore been ad-
dressed on this subject by the State Depart
ment OF Highways, in which address we con-
CURED.
The bill introduced in the Legislature by
our Senator, ellis Doty. and passed through
the energy of the Senator ana our Assemo v
men, provides for the construction OF model
mucadamized road from Sacramento TO Fol
som, and before any work is done or materials
are furnished upon the roadway the necessary
legal right of way is required TO be rs vested
in the State OF California.
1t Is further prov ded that the road shall be
built under the direction of three Commits
sioners designated Folsom Highway Com
m mlssioners, and that they serve without COM
pepsatiou; that the roadway be built in ac-
cordance with the most approved methods OF
modern highway construction, ana upon tHe
| easiest grades, with proper drains culverts
and bridges; that the width should not e1-
| cet twenty leet.
| Tue Fo,som Highway Commits sioners are
| directed to cause the work to be done by con-
! tract or days work they deem best. The
! rock and granite nece essary for this road and
| bridge woJk is drec .eu 10 be furnished TO this
commission by the stete Prison Directors from
| the State rock-crushing plant and quarry at
Folsom, aud so much of materials are appro-
priated as will be necessary 10 complete the
work
1t is further provided that accurate accounts
of every item of expense paid. incurred or
contracted be kept, aud hat the road be COM
pleted before the next session OF the I4egisla-
ture, so that The road may be exhibited TO
them as a sample Of modern and improved
highway construction.
The Governor appointed the undersigned, c.
A. Luhrs, resident in Sacramento city: Philip
c. Conn, resident al Folsom, and n. A. Laufid-
SON. res ident at Hangtown Crossing, Folsom
Highway Commissioners. We have accepted
out OF true spirit OF progress and that this
county NAV resp the advantages on red by
the Legislature in appropFiating this ROCK
We have d voted our me and our energy to
the accom- pl1shment of this road construction
as we would have done for any other road had
a similar provision been made by the Legisie-
ture, and we would ann will as wililngy work
for the construc ton of good roads in every
section of the county.
We have decided that this roadway shall be
twenty feet wide and the macadam at least
fnnV thaf a n
spriukling be constructed and maintained;
that trees be planted upon each side of the
roadway and a thorough system OF drainage
be established.
We recognize the source from which the
money necessary to construct this road is to
come, and have, therefore, decided that sacra-
mento County contractors, teams and laborers
will be given the work to the exclusion OF
nonresident contractors and help we have
decided to construct substantial stone bridges
across the three creeks on the road, and,
Wherever necessary, stone cuiVerls Will be
placed
The appropriation in rock and granite is es
timated at $50 00O but since no money was
appropriated or The construction OF TINS roao
there is only one pace from when such
fund can be obtained, and that is from the
county. We are, therefore, called upon TO re-
quest the citizens OF our county to raise the
sum necessary TO avnil ourselves OF this rock
appropriation and TO profit by the advantage
this opportunity affords obtain for the eX-
penditure of $40, 600 road when, under
other circumstances, would cost nearly tWlce
that sum.
This commission appeared before the Board
of Supervisors on several occasions ana asked
that the fund be ed by direct taxation
upon the property OF So nno County. The
board directed the County Surveyor 10 make
an estimate OF the cost OF this work and soil
cited the cooperation OF the Commissioners OF
the Department OF Highways. The JOINT est-
mate was that such road could be CON
structed contemplated by the Legisla-
ture for $75 000
On the advice of the District Attorney the
board refused TO levy direct tax. In the
opini ion of the District Attorney the city could
not be taxed for road purposes ana the boaFd
did moi desire % p ace the whole oil tnls pnr-
den OF SO, 900 on the county alone we then
asked that they call special election Tor the
! suunce of bonds in this amount aud the
bard acting under the opinion Of the Attor
ney-General, on the 27tn day OF october de-
cided To eail an election tor saturday, Decem-
Der 4, 1897 aud therein submit 10 the people
OF the ,nnty the question whether they
would authorize the issuance or bonds IN the
amount of $75, 900. running Tor term
period OF twenty years, redee NAB eiter ule
expiration of tea years, and bearing interest
at Per cent per annum, the funo 10 De used
IN the construction OF this road.
standpoint. When we analyze the proposition
we find that many advantages Will resuI from
this particular bond issuance, but we arc not
to be understood as being n 1ayor oil al ponu
Issuance. Here is case where the mater can
only be reached by an issu nee OF bonds ana
where the good that results more than offsets
! the amount invested including the payment
| OF in teTest for the full period. Now the value
| OF property IN tins county. as shown bythe as
sessmen roll of 1895, is $50 O00, 900 and we use
| this valuation Tor the reason property Will
not decrease in the coming lwenty years. ana
in the course OF progress will increase.
| The bonds will be of the denomination OF
$1,000 each, the payment to commence at the
end of the tenth year, and the law provides
| for the redemption of ut least one bond OF this
| character each year alter the termination oil
one-half the PEI iod of the bonds. The inter
est on $4,000 at per cent Tor the first ten
| years Will bo $4,000 per year For the hrst ten
| wears then the annual rale OF taxation Will be
80 cents on $4,000
| At the end OF The tenth year your taxes will
be increased so OBJ on S10Q, or $3 10 on &c.,
600, because the iund to be raised VIII include
botn the interest (S3000l aud the first bond
| redemption fund CS750O), making a total OF
$4,000 At the end OF the twentieth year
| your tax will be SO 90 on each 800.
Now, at a low estimate, in the co ming twenty
years il VIII cost more than $4,000 yearly 10
sprinkle and repair this road and II this road
way is constructed. as is here proposed, then
The county saves this expenditure, or more
Than the 0O00 in twenty years, ior the
reason the State will maintain, repair, spr n
kle and care for the road after Its construc-
tion by us. Were the county 10 pay this the
payment would be made, rs ii is now, out OF
the general county fund, which is the fund
raised by the taxation OF the entire property
in the county. What are known as road funds
raised hy cOuntrV property taxation, ana