The record-union., 1897-11-07
FOLSOM MACADAM ROAD
Some Facts for the People of the County to
Read and Consider.
An Address the Subject of Good Roads Building by
the State Highway Commissioners

of Sacramento County is issued by the
State Highway Commissioners. 1t mas
special reference to the construction ol
the proposed model macadam road pc
tween Folsom and this city, for Whlch
the State has donated all the material,
but contains many facts in relation TO
the economy of good roads in general
which all taxpayers should read:
To the Citizens and Taxpayers OF
sacramento County: Imbued with the
spirit of scientific road construction.
which is happily becoming so prevalent
and waxing stronger each succeeding
year, and impressed with the necessity
Tor more and better highways in the
State, the last Legislature determined
to secure for the people of the State an
economical object lesson in road build
ing in the shape of a highway that
should at once be of the highest type of
road construction, and be located at
some central point where it's advanta-
ges might be impressed upon the great
est number of people interested in road
work. AS the outgrowth of this Senti-
ment. the Folsom highway bill was
framed by the Sacramento Representa-
fives in the Legislature and amid the
vicissitudes attending legislation of this
order, urged to a successful issue by
their untiring efforts and zeal.
The provisions of the bill are familiar
to all. Succinctly stated, they provided
for the construction of a road from
Sacramento to Folsom on the most di-
rect route, and upon the easiest grades; !;
the materials to consist of crushed
~ 81 ~ fota fyny
its crusher at Folsom prison, together
with the stone for bridges and culverts;
the whole work of construction to be
under the direction of the Folsom High
way Commission of three members, to
be appointed by the Governor.
The Governor promptly named as
commissioners three well-known ana
enterprisng citizens of Sacramento
County, Messrs. Chas. A. Luhrs, Philip
Cohn, and n H Lauridson, who imme-
diately proceeded to organize and carry
out the provisions of the Act.
The commissioners encountered Sc
riouS obstacle at the very outset. After
"A survey of the route and an estimate
of the cost by the County Surveyor and
the Commissioners of the Department
of Highways, the problem of securing
the necessary funds for the construction
of the road presented itself. The Act
provides for furnishing material free
of cost, but transportation and labor
We're almost as important factors ana
the expense must be met either by vol
untary subscriptions or through the ac-
fion of the Supervisors. The first course
was too fmpraet eticable to be attempted.
and an appeal to the Supervisors. While
it did not meet with disfavor, came into
conflict with the law. which as inter
preted by the District Attorney. pro-
h!bited the appropriation of money
from any fund for this purpose. and he
also maintained that direct tax could
not be levied for this purpose.
The Commissioners of the Department
of Highways then urged the issuance
of bonds to build the road. again the
District Attorney entered an objection
that the county had no authority TO is
sue bonds for road purposes. and that
property within municipalities is not IL
able for taxation for the payment OF
such county bonds if they should be is
sued The friends of the project were
in despair and it seemed that no plan
could be devised by which the road
could be constructed. but the Highway
Commissioners took issue with the DIS
trict Attorney, and maintained that
counties had authority TO issue such
bonds, and that cities within such coun-
ties were liable for taxation for the
payment of the bonds. A conference
was held between the commissioners
and the District Attorney, and it was
agreed to submit to the Attorney Cen
eral a series of questions calling for
opinions on all the problems involved.
After short delay the Attorney-G Gen
eral transmitted an opinion TO the COM
missioners in which he held that coun-
ties have the right to issue bonds for
road purposes. and that cities situated
within such counties are liable for the
payment of such bonds The District
Attorney. in Difference to the Attorney
General, withdrew all further opposition
and the Folsom Commissioners brought
the matter again before the Board of
Supervisors. with the result that a
proclamation has been issued for an
election to be held on Saturday, Decem-
Der 4th, of this year, when the citizens
of the county may record their verdict
and say whether or not bonds to the
amount of $4,000 shall be issued to pay
for the cost of the road Briefly given
this is the history of the agitation up
to the present time.
We find from an INSPECTION of the re-
FORT of the Bureau of Highways for
1896 that in the past ten years-that
is, from 1856 to 1895. inclusive-there
has been appropriated the enormous
sum of S424. .296 % for road purposes in
Sacramento County-enough money to
have built macadam roads from Ante
lope to Sacramento: to have built a ma
cadam road from the San Joaquin line
to Sacramento. and also to have macad-
amized the Folsom road and the lone
road TO the county line. From the same
report we read page 10: Improved:
three miles macadamized: fifty miles
graveled; seventy miles sprinkled; SOC
miles graded
This vast sum of money expended jul
diciously. with the facilities for obtain
ing road metal that are here presented
would have constructed 100 miles OF
macadam road of a width of not less
than sixteen feet and possibly twenty
feet. with Well constructed bridges. The
report gives fifty miles of graveled road
bed as result of the expenditure OF
this sum of road money, and when we
come to realize that Sacramento Coun-
~ is one of the earliest settlements in
our commonwealth. having been organ
azed for nearly half century. the query
naturally presents itself. How much
money has she expended for road pur-
poses. and what has she accomplished ?
We have not the data at hand to give
the correct figures. but judging from the
record as found in the past ten years.
we feel justified in presuming that not