The record-union., 1897-10-05

Government 30 construct at once one
good road, a high class. indeed a model
road, not to buy and maintain four
streaks of dust and mud, which the
Government would never macadamize,
build stone bridges upon, drain or cul-
vert because of the enormous cost in
volved
Let us secure one thoroughly high
class road, built by the Government,
and the possibility of having. it repeat
the operation along other routes will
be brought greatly nearer. But if Gov
eminent money is wasted in buying up
four old roads, not one of which gives
US what the people now demand, and
to which they are entitled. it win estop
appeals involving quadrupled appropri-
alton to make the four high grade
roads.
The petitions now being signed by
the people for a free Government road
of high class on low grades and ac-
cessible to all the people, and which
is unanimously advocated by the press
of the State, proceeds upon the plan of
a really good road, a permanent road
of macadam, or similar, with stone
bridges, watering plants, stone culverts,
admirable drainage and protection
against torrential waters, and to be
cared for and maintained by the Gov
ernment. The idea is to get at least
one high-class, swift, low grade, per-
model to all the State, stimulate tour
ist travel into the valley and enable
the poorest to go in as easily as the
richest; to secure a road that may be
wheeled over more months in the year
than any other that may be watered
with economy, and maintained with
least possible expenditure.
This road will of course. not go be-
yond the bounds Of the Government
reservation. It will scarcely exceed
sixty miles in length in all probability,
though no one can now say what its
route will be. 1t is, therefore, the hight
Of unwisdom to oppose this commend
able movement by interjection of the
old road purchase scheme. The Govern
ment officials viii reply to us if we
wrestle with each other precisely as
they have to Californians time and
again: when you are agreed upon
what you want, come back; until then
waste no time upon propositions before
the Government departments.
1t seems to be fated that California
shall for all time suffer and lose be-
cause of its inability to know it's own
mind. We have neither favorite sons
to promote, nor agreed schemes to for
ward When intelligence, genius and
mastery present to us the opportunity
to forward the States interests by pro-
noting a chosen son there is sure to
rise up an unworthy opposition that
depriyes us Of adequate representation
in the councils of our brethren of the
East and excites their contempt for US.
If we have a great and needed work
to forward, such as river reclamation,
road construction or the like, a work
the Government by it's policy has been
committed these many years, as GER
tainly as the rise of the sun some sec
ton of the State rises up in selfish an
tagonism to the scheme because of its
is a unit, and that whatever benefits
one section inures to the common good.
Let it not be said that California is to
fail in this Yosemite road business by
falling between two stools
Los Angeles is in the throes of great
trouble over the condition of her chief
streets. Boastful of everything else
southern the press of that city with
unanimity admit that the streets are
"horrid," and some of the papers by
vivid Illustrations show outsiders what
they mean by such an expletive 1t
would seem that one of the growls is be-
cause of the hills and dales, the ups and
downs in the bituminized street sur
faces, which make riding over the street
worse than over Western corduroy
roads. We have not seen the streets of
Los Angeles lately, but would be willing
to wager that the difficulty is mainly
in the substructure. Neither sufficient
in depth nor properly laid-that is the
trouble we will guarantee with most of
the bumped up bituminized streets of
Los Anoalec Whore Straat c,1rfocoe of
that material are laid upon properly
prepared underpinning, there will be very
little complaint. What is needed in put
ting in such street pavement is much
and hard rolling. after much pudding.
Then the grouting or substructure needs
to be put in thick and with the best
quality of cement, and with finer broken
stone than is employed in most places in
California Then must follow such
tamping and compacting as is unusual
by our contractors. 1t must be beaten
down until the water fairly rises out of
and stands over it. 1t will then. in
and will take surfacing that will remain
smooth and level. They know how to do
this sort Of work in Europe. where elbow
grease is put into the work without
stint.
There is reason to believe that this
time there is no mistake about the re-
call of General Weyler from command
in Cuba. Not because the dispatches
so announce, but because the logic of