The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08

n NCE more the cry for good high
ways and roads has been raised.
" And, what is more to the point,
raised with a vengeance. for
California is just beginning to realize
that she is far behind her sisters in this
respect.
But, fortunately for us all, the tide
has turned and the people who have
need Of roads have begun to realize
that good highways are not only
source Of great pleasure and comfort.
but real, positive source of wealth ass
well, and that it is within their control
and reach.
Just about the time the industrial de-
velopment Of this State had nearly
reached the limit possible with bad
roads Governor Budd signed a bill for
the institution of a Bureau of High
ways. This was made a law in 1890
This first bureau was composed Of a
committee of three-R. c. Irvine. Mars
den Manson and j. L. Maude-who
were appointed for a term of two years
After an investigation they made re-
port that for the fiscal year CT 1894
and 1895 about two million dollars ha!
teen expended on the Improvement of
roads exclusive of cities and towns.
With all this the roads were in ce-
plorable condition and that there was
absolutely no system in the way they
had been located and constructed
The remedy they offered was not a
series of changes in the law, but sys-
tematic plans that were to be followed
cut to the letter. AT the same time
they also recommended that the roads
.be classified into three divisions-State
highways, county thoroughfares and
district roads. To such an extent did
they follow up their suggestions THAI
bills were at once introduced into the
. Legislature to carry out their ideas
in brief, their recommendations were
that the maximum rate of taxation pro-
Scr1bed by law for road purposes
should be lowered from 40 cents to So
cents per 500 of assessed valuation.
That one-haif this reduction-namely'
212 cents-shouid be relevied on all
property within the State for the con-.
struction and maintenance of high+'
ways of State Importance That the,
roads be classified according to theirf
Importance to the State to the various
counties thereof and to the districts
which they served.
When the above measures came be-
fore the Legislature of 1897 the essen
tial principles were essentially modi-
fed. So much so. in fact, that the au-
thors had difficulty in recognizing them.
The Legislature passed bill Great
ing department of highways and at
the same time levied a tax of 21s cents
for Etata hiChvav pI1rnosoc Ty,ic
passed on to Governor Budd for his
signature and he promptly approved
the bill creating the Department of
Highways, but vetoed the bill creating
a State tax for road purposes. At the
same time the Legislature also passed
what Is known as the Clarke"
handling Of all road matters
out Of the hands Of the Supervisors
and placed 1t in the hands of
Trustees in the different road districts
OF the State. The bill was signed by
Governor Budd. but before 1t went into
operation the Supreme Court in the
case Of Davis VS.. Whidden declared it
illegal on account of the manner it had
been passed through the Legislature
The highway commissioners appointed
at this time were w. L. Ashe. Marsden
Manson and ]. R. Price. and it was
their duty to build State roads (they
being required to give heavy bonds)
with thu money the Legislature pro-
vided from the 21a-cent tax levy, which
bill the Governor vetoed.
After assuming Office the members
of the department of highways kept UP
the work of the Bureau Of High
ways, investigating the road conditions
and the expenditure Of money for road
purposes In May, 1898. they met with
the State convention OF the Supervis-
ors In Napa- After general discussion
between the Commissioners and the Su-
pervisors the Commissioners request
ed the Supervisors to appoint COM
mittee of five to confer with them and
the Code Commissioners to see what
could be done in the way OF bringing
system into the management OF the
roads of California. After much dis
cussion the Supervisors refused TO ap-
point a committee to confer with the
Highway Commissioners, but passed
resolution that they should adjourn to
meet in Sacramento and oppose any
legislation that the Highway Commfs-
sioners might suggest.
The department Of highways had
bills introduced In the Legislature
first, to classify the roads. and. Sec
ond, to so amend the road laws that
90 per cent Of all money raised for
road purposes should be spent for per-
manent road work and defined what
permanent road work should be. The
main reason the department of high
ways had for suggesting the 90 per cent
law was that they found that most Of
the money raised for road purposes
was spent for patchwork on wooden
structures and graveling roads that
were not properly drained.
The Supervisors met in Sacramento
during the session of the Legislature
to oppose these measures. but when
their committee appeared before the