The record-union., 1897-05-20
COUNTRY ROAD SPRINKLING.
II Will Cover About Eighty Miles This
Summer.
Except i'm Certain Districts, the Whole
May be Embraced in One
Contract.

The Board of Supervisors met yester-
day for the purpose of taking the nee
essary steps in the matter OF county
read sprinkling. The various stretches
OF road to be sprinkled figured up ABOUT
eighty miles.
Supervisor Morrison moved that the
Supervisors from the Fourth and Firth
Districts employ suitable persons 10
sprinkle the Oak Park. Highland PARK,
Gait and Franklin roads, and that the
others. some forty-five miles, be ad-
vertised for. If the people along the
Riverside road see fit, as heretofore, 10
accept the money and look after the
sprinkling, an arrangement can De
made.
Mr.. Morrison said that some mlser-
able work was done on some oil the
roads last summer and he was op-
posed to signing any more demands
for that kind of sprinkling. lie ia
vored the county owning its own Wag-
ons. and wanted contractors held to a
strict account and compelled to thor
oughly sprinkle the roads.
Mr.. Morrison moved that bids be
called for to sprinkle either the whole
or portions Of forty-seVen and three
quarters miles Of road: that the roads
must be sprinkled twelve feet in width
and to the perfect satisfaction of the
Board of Supervisors; that the clerk
advertise for these bids; that bidders
furnish bonds To 90 the work, and that
in localities where the county has no
wagon tanks new ones be procured.
Supervisor Curtis said that wagons
were of no use without water. In Au-
gust and September the windmills do
not turn for days at a time, and the
contractors cannot get water. What is
needed most are better facilities-more
windmlls and more tanks-rather than
expending much money for new
wagons.
Chairman Jenkins favored the county
owning its own sprinkling outfits. The
lack of these often prevent from bid
ding the very class of men whom it is
most desired to benefit.
Mr.. Curtis said he, too. would favor
the proposition if the county could af-
ford it, but he did not think it could
He was also opposed to allowing any
one man to bid on the entire sprinkling
of forty seven and three-quarters miles
of road. A city contractor might get
n
work divided among the country peo-
pie.
Mr.. Morrison declared that every
pump and every tank in the county
had been paid for out Of the general
fund of the county, and the road
sprinkling had been paid for in the
same manner. The people of Sacra-
mento City had put up right along their
ta.a
country. and the three city members
of the Board of Supervisor had al
ways stood in with the two country
members and given them everything
that was reasonable. He did not think
it right. therefore for the member
from the Fourth District to draw the
line and attempt to prevent citizens OF
this city from bidding on contracts that
would have to be paid out of the gen
eral fund.
Chairman jenkins spoke to the same
effect He said the city had always
been generous toward the country dis
tricts. Notwithstanding they pay more
than one-half the county taxes. and he
wanted every one to stand on an equal
footing when 1t comes to bidding on
contracts The country members of
the board could not afford to draw
lines between the city and the country
for the latter had to depend too much
on the city and the Hberality of its
Supervisors.
If. said Mr. Jenkins, a city man can
urderbid one from the country on road
sprinkling contracts, he should be al
lowed to do it. 1t would be easier to
hold one man responsible for the per
formance of a contract than a dozen.
Supervisor Mclaughlin expressed a
preference for dividing up the con-
tracts.
This road sprinkling business" said
Chairman jenkins, means a whole lot
of money to this county, and it should
not he made a farce, as has been done
\ man with two and one-half miles Of
road to sprinkle viii not give his time
to it-or il has not been done in the
past I prefer that the board deals
with one man. instead of twenty, and
then sees that he sprinkles the roads
Just as many times a day as may be
7equired-not once day. ana some
days not at all. as has been done in
the past"
After some further discussion of the
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