The record-union., 1897-12-03

ed some of their roads with a view
to permanency. He told them to vote
for this measure, and in very short
time every road in the county would
be built in the same manner.
The Chairman appointed John Ellis,
Ed. Westlake, William Ford, Mr. Coy
and Frank Jones a committee for the
purpose of making complete can
vass of the district. Not one dissent
ing voice was heard upon a call for
approval or disapproval of the meas
ure.
UNION HOUSE MEETING.
No frost on the Folsom highway prop
osition exists at Union House The
electors there are in favor of the meas
ure and those present at a meeting held
there last evening told Of their wishes
for the success of the election in no un
certain expressions.
A good crowd was present and the at
tention with which they followed the
speakers demonstrated that they saw
in this election an ultimate good to re-
suit to their district.
The Messrs. Korn had provided a
Korn, in Introducing Charles T. Hughes.
said he could give no better news to the
good thinking people of the county than
to say he was in favor of the measure,
would vote for it and would try to get
others in his district TO do the same.
Charles T. Hughes told those assem-
bled that their taxes would not be in
creased, nor would they be COM
70
after out of the road or general
funds to maintain this road. Why, he
asked, should anyone living in the coun
ty object to raising $4,000 and getting
in exchange ten-fold benefits therefrom?
Why should men oppose measure
wherein the road funds of the county
will gain and their taxation be lowered?
The cry had gone forth from some por-
tions of this road district that material
increase in taxation would result-that
the burden of this taxation would be
greater than the benefits to be derived.
This position, he told them, was based
on presumptions unfounded in theory
and not supported by the county ex-
penditures.
In figures he told them they were
asked to raise S15, 900 for this road-by
bonds it is true-but since no other
avenue is open to action then with the
payment of the bonds and the interest
Sacramento County would derive dl-
rect financial benefit. The country peo-
pie are at present asked to pay S33, 900
to construct this road which will be a
monument to progressiveness and the
accomplishment of thorough road con-
struction. He showed that they pay
now at the rate of s., 200 per year for
sprinkling and repairing, and that they
will continue to do so as long as the
road remains a county highway. This
would in twenty years amount to more
than the interest on these bonds, and
he asked them to look at the PROPOSE
ton in this light.
This being so, in their estimate of the
increase or decrease in taxation they
had then to concern themselves With the
$4,000, and eliminate from their con-
sideration the matter of interest, for it is
Offset with the amount they would pay
for sprinkling and repairs.
How much he asked, did they now
pay to construct the road? And he
called attention to the fact that 30
per cent of the amount raised for road
purposes was apportioned into the gen.
eral road fund; that the property own
er in the Fifth Road District paid for
constructing every main road in the
county. This fund is intended to be
expended upon main thoroughfares and
TO remove one such thoroughfare from
eating into this fund allowed more TO
be spent on other roads.
If the Supervisors continue their
present plan of road construction it
will cost at least $4,000, or $4,000 per
mile to place crushed rock upon the
roadway, of this amount. The gen.
eral road fund would at least be called
upon for 80 per cent. of this amount, or
s., 200 What, then, would be the diff
ference whether they pay the S32, 900
under the present plan, or S33, 900 under
the bonds?
In no way can ii be said they are to
be taxed for something they do not all
ready pay What is the ultimate good
to be derived? Who can say he would
like to prevent the road in front Of
his property from being improved ?
And yet that is what some are doing
i by opposing the measure. How Will
this result? Start the work and see
the result. Sacramento City started to
improve one street in proper way,
and now 1t is fairly Well supplied with
good streets. Start, then, this work,
and it will help men in every station
in life, and farmers viii get a road
through their own districts. This will
occur, for no body Of men will sit idly
by and see but one good road to the
Capital City.
Commissioner William Ashe next ad-
dressed the meeting. He told those
present they could not afford to do
other than vote in favor of the propo-