The San Francisco call., 1897-11-23
q ha Ii, cnrrn IL font

necessity be constructed deep span bridge OF
probably seventy feet.
The Department OF Highways has estim ated
that these bridges, at the lowest will cost So
Ooo, but to place the cost at'$25, GOO would De
nearer the actual cost. And we may say here
that over each creek we intend building such
bridge as VIII last until ali OF US are dt-
parted. Now, bridges are paid for out OF the
general county fund. but in theory they
should be paid for out of the road funds, the
provision of the law being that by vote oil
two-thirds Of the Supervisors such cons;ruc-
ton can be paid Tor out OF this fund Inc
procedure, however, has been in the main 10
expend the moneys in the general county
fund upon bridges, and 10 take little Tor tnat
purpose out OF the road funds.
But in this deduction of tax rates we will
leave this element of taxation out OF consider
a1on, ana the reason we do so is that there Is
no way By which we can estimate the expendl-
lures Tor this purpose, from the fact we do not
Know whether the Supervisors will construct
these bridges out OF This fuld or leave The
matter OF the improvement OF some particular
road go for period OF years and devote the
tunds to the bridge construction. This can be
done by the Supervisors, but they have acteo
upon the policy that the county at large is as
much in Interested III bridge construction as are
the country people.
we Will lake, therefore, only the $1,000 per
year estimated cost CT sprinBling, winch is
PAID out of the general fund, aud in the
twenty wears this vii. amount to S44, 600. 10
raise this sum would necessitate u tax levy OF
therefore, in the first ten years your tax rate
would be increased only .O024. ms lead of :0O9
on each Sl0O, or "a on each $40 0OO, ana Tor
the tenth year .02l instead OF .021 on the
500, or So 10 on $4,000 and the reduction
Tor the rest of the period OF twenty years
would be at the same rate. The increase In
the tax raj" averaged per year would not Tar
exceed .015 on 500 per year, or 81 % on
$4,000.
This, as is stated above, is based on the cost
OF sprinkling and repairs only, but instead OF
"a f.,,A - -, turn "
years. If we place the figures ut $75, 900, 1t
viii reach nearer the actual expenditures that
viii accrue, and we may here sta te that in the
year 1886 $40, 900 was expended from the
general county fund Tor brluge purposes ana
$1,000 for sprinkliug, while SO far IN this year
5000 has been expended from this account
for sprinkling.
But what will be the benefits accrung for
this increase OF tax rates? Let US enumerate
some. If this roadway is maintained by the
state the general road fund and the district
road Iunds Will b. relieved OF the entire eX-
penditures now made upon them, and there
fore those funds Will be applied, out OF the
district road fund, to the improvement OF the
roads IN that dis trict, anc out OF the general
road fund to the improvement OF all the ROADS
in the county. Ii this results, and there is no
other procedure governing the expenditure
OF funds, then good roads will be made win
this money, at least some other road will
be AS much more improved, as The district ana
general road funds are relieved OF The burden
OF expenditures on this road.
Then, gain, good roads increase the valua-
ton OF the property of the country and OF the
city, and If the building OF this road will cause
ali other roads in the county to be improved,
then there is reason for voting for tnf' partlc-
ular measure. 1t is known fact that among
the legislators strong objection is urged 10 the
maintenance of the rocK-crushlng plant at the
Folsom prison. If, therefore. by the construc-
ton OF this road we can demonstrate to the
egislators that this plant is none y-say1ng
establishment what will resultP
One thimg-and that good resulting to the
benefit of Sacramento County more than TO
any other county, substantial reduction III
the price Of broken rock. For by this plant
we now receive our crushed or broken rock
for very little more than one-haif the former
cost, and as q result our street and road con-
tracts are pToportionally less. What would
this mean TO our county? TO sacramento CITY
alone it would mean mora than $lOO,OOO
>aved IN twenty years and to the county out
side an equal amount in one-th1rd the time.
Can the residents OF Sacramento City doubt
but that this road means much beneht to the
city? Let them but ask the hotel men, the
livery men, and all others who come in con-
tact with our visitors, and they will be con-
vinced that the construction OF such high
way means very mucn TO the city Inc gooa
resulting would not clone beneht the toWn
m ore than the country, Tor among our Vlsltors
those who upon favora BILE impression oil
the country, would permanently locate In Inc
country; whereas, now, nothing can lnduce
such a person TO take a ride over such dusty
anu ill-kept roads we have in the country.
Lei there be at least one good, substanti and
serv ceable road in the county, and others will
soon follow.
This election will cost but little; the services
of the eie elton Off icers and the pulling places
in the First, Sc ecoud, Third the most part OF
the Fourth, and some OF the Fifth Supervisor
District precincts have been donated to the
cause of this good road construction.
c. A. LUHRS,
z. G. COIN,
n II. LAURIDSoN,
Folsom Highway Commissioners.
CHARLES T. HUGHES, Secretary.