The herald., 1897-02-24
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY ~. 1897.
STATE BUREAU OF HIGHWAYS

The state bureau of highways, that
was appointed two years ago py GOV
Budd, has done a great deal OF gooo
work. Previous to the creation OF this
bureau there had been no systematic,
consistent effort at getting good roads
all over the state. A few counties had
done some good worll-that is, work in
accord with the best plans of road build
ing in this country.
The state bureau of highways collected
the data from all over the state, and
shows in what counties they had no data
That in itself is important, as, no doubt,
some people were in ignorance of just
how poorly some of their officers had
kept the books of their respective coun-
ties.
The bureau suggests uniform system
Of books, with the record of the roads
In each county and the cost o. ;he same.
Again, members of the bureau have
Travelled all over the state and found
the good and recommended ii to others;
condemned the bad and showed how it
could be bettered.
But, more than all, they have mapped
out state system of roads that, if the
people of California see fl to adopt it,
will make it the first state in the United
States in the matter of good roads.
They have outlined a system on the
most beneficial lines, and showed where
they would do the most good and why.
Every part of the state is covered by
their plans, and each citizen in the state
can feel that he is getting or will get
some benefit thereby.
The bureaus theory is that taxa ton
for roads should be spent for the benefit
of the whole people, and not for the ben
eft of the few who pay or should pay
the most tax That is another thing that
should commend itself to thinking peo-
pie.
Citizens of this county doubtless re-
member a meeting called by the cham
Der of commerce a few years ago to talk
over the plan of bonding the county for
$75o,00o TO build some roads. They will
also remember that the city of Los An
eeles wanted the money all spent on
bouevards running from Los Angeles
to Pasadena, Los Angeles to Santa
Monica, and to fix up the roads in and
around the city of Los Angeles. The
carmers Wanted trunk lines of rosG
from Los Angeles Ia the limits Of tle
county, and fought for them OF the
ground that they should be built for the
benefit of the whole county, not for any
particular place. The upshot of the
controversy was that neither side Won.
The state bureau of highways aims to
build for the whole people a system OF
state roads, and then let the counties
and districts look after their own. The
state board would be better able to say
where a road should be run than any
one else, as it is better qualified TO Judge
from its knowledge of the facts. In the
last ten years the state Of California
has spent $40 900 900 on roads. and TODAY
there is hardly anything to show for If
Cheap wooden bridges that are more
costly in the end than stone or iron.
wooden culverts, instead of vitrified
pips; roads run some places on grade
and at others all out of proportion to the
main plan, and roads run on section
lines, as though the eternal hills were
made by surveyors compass after
consultation with the land office.
These are few, and only few of the
faults. The expenditure of 500, 600, 900 in
zen years is q large outlay, but if It