The record-union., 1897-05-23
THE STATE MODEL ROAD.
The Folsom Highway Commission Organ
izeS-0utline Of Action.
A Conference Arranged y what the
Road Will Probably Cost-Pro-
poses to Push Things.


Commission met yesterday morning al
the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce
and proceeded to organize. Commls-
sioner Cohn called them to order anu
placed in nomination for President OF
the commission c. A. Luhrs, ana py the
votes of Messrs. Cohn and Laurldsoh
Mr.. Luhrs was elected. on motloh Vi
Commissioner Lauridson, c. T. Hughes
was elected Secretary, with the unaer-
standing that for the present the com
mission would guarantee no compehsd-
tion. Mr.. Hughes said in accepting that
he would enter upon the work oul VI
public spirit so far as his time permit
ted. He was willing 10 trust to the out-
come for compensation so far as II
should be deserved.
The President then advanced the sub
ject of meeting rooms for the commls-
sion and stationery supplies, and on mo
tion of Mr. Cohn the Secretary was IN
structed to confer with the proper au-
thority at the Capitol on that subject,
with power to act, on report 10 the
Chairman.
The Act under which the commission
IS erected was then read and its pro-
visions generally considered. notably
that relative to the obtaining OF
title to the right of way, and
vesting that title in the State for the
lands to be used for the road. 1t was
the agreement finally that as the State
by the Act agrees to take the road IN
case a model highway is constructed,
an essential precedent is the obtaining
of title and deciding of the right of way
to the State. with the condition at
tached relative to the road being built.
Secretary Hughes said he had advised
with the District Attorney upon the
subject and there was some little queS-
tion as to which step is to be taken
first, getting and deciding title direct to
the State or getting the title IN the
county and then deciding to the state
His advice was that the Attorney-Gen-
eral be consulted, and the District At
torney also. He was authorized to con-
suit both officials and report 10 the
board. 1t was expressed, however, as
the general opinion that title is the
first requisite and that it must be clear
and be decided direct to the State, and
that would not affect the county in con-
tributing to the work of construction.
BY invitation of the Chairman num-
Der of citizens had been requested to
meet with the commission and lnfor-
mally discuss the whole question of the
road with il. OF these, j. q. Coleman,
Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce,
Frank Miller. Engineer j. l.. Moude
and ]. A. Woodson were present. These
We're called upon in order Mr.. Wood
son said that this road, if built, is to be
a model road Every detail of its cost
and construction is to be reported 10
the Legislature and serve as basis or
future computation in road building.
1t should therefore be constructed with
infinite care. 1t must be done under
the best procurabe road engineering
and construction advice and direction.
The State is TO take the road when
built 1t will thus become the
first State road in any of the valleys of
California. He urged that road engi-
neering skill be brought to the subject
at once. and an estimate made by it of
cost. Until that is done the commits
sion cannot know what to ask for A
preliminary survey, sufficient upon
which to base estimates and let con-
Struction could be made for about
81 800, as he had figured it.
Whatever was done that examination
would be worth that sum to either State
or county He believed the money could
be had for that expense if the county
would agree to carry IT into its Septem
Der estimates In that way an engi-
neering group could be put into the
field in tents and push the work of prep
aration to immediate completion.
That force should be the commissions
own, under its sole control and direc-
tion. and ii should be essentially a road
engineering force.
The only other suggestion he had to
make was that in considering the es-
Inmates the commission should include
a side path or two of them. The coun
try road that is a model has its walk
ways for pedestrians and hand and foot
vehicles as much as city and town
streets have their sidewalks. II will not
be model road Il the people have to
walk in the middle of the macadam
strip when either dry or sprinkled or
along fence lines in grass and weeds.
He believed that experience had
shown that a pathway costs less to
maintain than the cost of clearing the
roadsides of weeds and grass He
thanked the commission for the invita-
ton TO be present. and in conclusion ex-
pressed the thought that the people
would when the whole matter is laid
before them authorize the cost of con-
struction of the model road to be gen
eral 1t would in that way be very
light and If on the credit of the county.
that would be very little touched if it
was concluded to borrow the money.
But really. every section is TO be bene-
flied by this model road. and he be-
lieved that present opposition in more
distant districts would give way when
all the facts are laid before the people
In short, it would be money-saving and
economy to all the people to have the
small cost evenly distributed He beg
ged to recommend to the commission
j. l.. Maude, whom he knew to be an
experienced and educated road engi-
neer. to advise the board and make its
preliminary work. The commission
could we'll avail of the study that engi-
neer gave the subject last year. 1t
might be a good idea to ask him TO
take a week of reconnaissance and re-
port rough estimates.
The Chairman thanked the speaker
and said that was what the commits
sion wanted, frankly spoken expression
from all who wish to come before the
commission. He had invited a number
of citizens in the brief time since the
meeting had been agreed upon. and re-
GREETED that more had not appeared
Frank Miller next addressed the COM
mission, by invitation, saying that he
Endorsed all the last speaker had said.
He appeared as Chairman Of the Com
1nittee of the Chamber of Commerce
IL