The record-union., 1897-05-23


affecting benefcially all interests in 1T,
but it's benefit to the State as an ex-
emplar.
He enlarged also upon the probable
general results of the proposed con-
struction and pointed out that no bet
ter selection could have been made for
the road because of three conditions
soil, contiguity to material and central
ity of location. He promised the COM
mission the aid and counsel of his COM
mittee, and felt that it was essential to
have the precedent data gathered at
once, that the matter may be laid be-
fore all the people intelligently, and the
facts presented to them fairly, with all
the accruing benefits of the proposition
stated clearly.
j. o. Coleman approved early entry
upon the work of inquiry, and the as
certainment of the necessary engineer
ing facts. He believed the Chamber of
Commerce and the Board of Supervis-
ors would be found in hearty accord
with the commission, and that the peo-
pie generally would fall into line on
having the road constructed at as early
date as possible.
On motion of Mr.. Cohn, it was re-
solved that the macadamized roadway
should be not less than twenty feet,
and on the understanding that the right
of way will probably be settled upon
as sixty feet. Commissioner Laurid-
son said the width of the present road
varies. He thought sixty feet for the
right Of way should be the rule.
Engineer Maude was then called upon.
Ha ba ho Ii yhat ], ,od
been said of him personally He had
made rood engineering a special study,
and had much experience in road ex-
animation officially, especially in the
last two years, and in construction and
engineering road work at the East also.
The road conditions and possibilities of
California, he thought, he understood.
He was willing, if the commission
wished it, to undertake to aid it in set
Ting the preliminaries. He felt deli
cate about being present under the cir
cumstances, but he had been asked to
come and give the results of his exam
ination. He had gone over the road
repeatedly and was familiar with it
and all that is involved.
In response to inquiries by the Com
missioners, Mr.. Coleman and others
present, he then made statements
which may be condensed as follows,
emitting much of engineering technical
detail. preliminary survey will fur
nish the data necessary for estimates,
and u0on which bids can be based.
Stakes would not be set at first, but
bench marks and side monuments pro-
vided, from which each cut and fill and
ora 10 .sfr in 70 h.,
determined to set the final stakes for
working uses. The difference in pro-
viding for this work. and that of es-
tablishing railroad grades and details
differs only in the fact that the rail
road grade is crowned by rails. The
railroad engineering proceeds upon
much the same lines as does wagon
road engineering in all preliminary
work.
The cost of preliminary engineering
work is usually found to be 3 per
cent, and of engineering supervision
in construction about per cent He
had made outline estimates of the
cost of this proposed model road, and
he fixed it at $4,000 OF this the
State pays in material about 40 per
cent. or a little more. That would
make the cost to the people something
less than $4,000. A remarkably low
cost for model high-class, permanent
road, of which he thought they would
be glad to avail themselves.
To make the survey economically, a
force should go into camp on the
ground, and not leave it until COM
pieted. In that way money and time
would be saved.
No, he did not think it would be
contributed work Builders could not
place that reliance upon it. or control
it, so as to bid safely and closely. The
better plan is TO let the work, and
then let those who have labor and
teams at command come in and work
under the builders and receive their
pay. That would be the businesslike
way of doing it; the way, evidently
that the State contemplates, because
the Act calls for every detail of cost of
every kind to be reported to the Leg
islature as a basis for future legisla-
tion and for information of the whole
State. That was clearly what was
meant by the action of the Legisla-
ture in adopting Senator Doty's bill
Yes, he thought $2,400 or 81, 800
would pay the cost of ascertainment of
the line and all preliminary data upon
which contracts could be let Of
course. the two bridges and the cul-
verts should be of stone. 1t would not
be a model road with anything short
of stonework in bridges and culverts.
They are eternal.
Commissioner Cohn said that granite
bridges and culverts should alone be
considered. The State has granite in
plenty. But outside of that there are
other cuarries which We're lying idle.
Now the construction stonework on
this road would tend largely to intro
duce stonework elsewhere in the State
on roads, and thus open UP idle quar-
ries and give employment to stone
workers.
President Luhrs and Commissioner
Lauridson fully concurred in the ex-
preston that only stone bridges and
culverts should be thought Of as they
are greatly the cheaper in the end.
In response TO further inquiries Engi-
neer Maude said ii was scarcely neces-
sary for him to make a reconnaissance
of the road. He could say now that the
result of reconnaissance would not
give the commission any more neces-
sary information than he had already
given it or could give if desired. for
present purposes. However. il was
agreed that President Luhrs and Mr..
Maude would at once wheel over the
road once more
In response to Commissioner I.aurid-
son and Mr. Coleman he said the Mats
and drawings of the preliminary survey
would show every detail of location, of
land affected generally where title is