The record-union., 1899-02-16


be kept about one-half inch lower than
the bottom OF the rest of the frame. A
wheel about Is inches in diameter is adj
justed in the rear end of the frame with
q lever attachment SO as by lowering the
lever you drop the wheel and raise the
end of the frame SO as to pass over
bridges or places you do not want to cut.
The knives or plates cut off the high
places and the dirt drops in the low
bed 1t takes six to eight good horses to
haul one but you can smooth road very
fast with team when road is not too wet
or too dry and hard.
OIL, ETC
Last season / made arrangements with
a Mr.. De Camp to apply oil to about three
miles of road. portion of the road was
over heavy loan, a portion over mesa
land, clayey SOIL and part on light sandy
loauA The result was very satisfactory in
the main The sandy loan soil was cut
up and sandy when applied, and the oil
did not prevent its further cutting, though
it did in great measure keep down the
dust. On the heavy loan and on the
mesa soil the road was quite dusty when
the oil was applied, but from that day
through the season, not particle of dust
arose from that road. When the surface
of the road is smooth and hard, with
not more than two inches of dust, the oil
is perfect success, as it not only keeps
down the dust, but forms a mat or
cushion that seems to save the grinding
wear of wheels.
l desire to call the attention of the
convention. to the great need of most
of rubbish and garbage on the roads. 1t
is a common practice for many farmer,
is he isl pruning his orchard or hedge dig
ging up weeds, or gathering up rubbish,
to throw it over the fence Gf he has one)
into the road. 1t is a common thing to
find cabbage stumps, corn stubble, grape
vines and everything that ought not be
in the road; there to lay until removed
by the road foreman, stopping up the
water ways and making the roads I'M
slightly and materially damaging 1t.
Again, it is no uncommon thing, where
there is no fence, to find that the plow-
man has driven out onto the<road, filled
the gutter on the road side with dirt, and
sometimes the road bed itself is torn up.
All this kind of work is pure vandalism,
and l hope your honorable body will sug-
gest an amendment to Section 2737 Politi-
cal Code Iroad laws that will make this
thing troublesome to the fellow who shall
do it.
WAGON TIRES.
There is now on our statute books law
regulating the width of wagon tires. 1t
is provided TO go into effect in 1900 If this
law is permitted to stand and to go into
force it will, in my judgment, be Of in
calculable aid in the solution of the good
road question. There is no need to tell
you, gentlemen, who live in valleys at
least, of the destructive powers of mar
row wagon tires on roads. nor of how
beneficial it is to roads to have broad
tires roll over your roads with heavy
loads meshing down and packing the
earth. I am aware that the wagon max
ers do not desire this law to go into eff
feet. An effort will be made to repeal or
modify it. Stand firm for the law. 1t is
worth more to the people, if it may. go
into force than all the wagons in the
State. I hope that the convention will
do all it can to prevent the repeal of
this wise law.
Gentlemen, I regret very much that no
,ter Of hAo ~;
the expense of a trip to Sacramento TO
attend your convention. I know 1t is a
duty. / know the result of your meeting
will be productive of much good to the
people, and I do think that the peopie
would regard with favor law that would
provide for at least the railroad fare of
the Supervisors In attending these con-
ventions. I don't know, but presume you
will recommend such legislation.
A DISCUSSION.
Mr.. Ayers moved that a vote of
thanks be rendered to Supervisor Da-
Wis. and that the press be asked to
publish the paper. For his county, it
had passed an ordinance imposing
penalty on those who throw garbage
into the road.
Chairman Curtis stated that Sacra-
an ordinance.
lAC lltOliOll' w az
Mitchell of Alameda suggested that
the Secretary write Mr.. Davis and in
form him that the regulating of the
matter by law lies in the hands of the
He would like to hear the
paper discussed by those to whom the
road problem is of much interest.
D. Horn of Siskiyou said they had
in his county 700 miles of roads, and
they represented variety of material.
1t is a hard matter to give satisfac-
ton to the people, but he had found
that the limited amount of money
available will go much farther if pop
erly economical than it has in the
past
West of San Bernardino said that the
highway law would not do
for his county at all. They would OPP
pose taking the money from the coun-
ty and spending it in the valley coun-
ties. (Applause)
p Torney of Contra Costa thought
the present road law is all right. His
county does not care for the fine boule-
wards dilated on in the report of the
Bureau of Highways. He wanted the
money spent at home
Wells of Alameda was opposed to the
Bureau of Highways from start to
finish. He wanted to spend the money
at home.
Adams of Placer agreed with the
speaker If 80 per cent was
taken from his district he would have
left to build roads with.
Ayers said that it took 80 per cent.
of the road fund of Alameda County
last year to sprinkle the roads, and
did not want the money taken away.
1t was evident from the expressions
Of applause that the Bureau of High
ways was not in favor with the con-
vention, and when a member asked
those who were in favor of the pro-
posed road law to stand up, not one
arose
On motion of Snyder of Yolo, the
bill was read for the infor
nation of the convention by the Sec
rotary.
Mitchell of Alameda moved to refer
the blankety- blanked bill (Which con-
tains many blanks for dates and
to the Committee on Roads
and Highways.
The matter was then put over till
afternoon and made a special order
for 1870, on motion of Roeth of Ala
media.
COMMITTEE REPORT
The Committee on Roads and High
ways reported in the afternoon recon-
an amendment in the road
law of 1898. changing the word ''shalT'
to may in their discretion" so that
will not have to advertise
for bids on contracts involving the ex-
penditure of over $500; also, recon-
mending a change in the law so that
all licenses shall be turned into the
road fund instead of the gem