The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-06-02
$1S,OOO,OOO
FOR ROADS IS
GI[LFTPSPLAN
Governor Would Build 5000
Miles of Highways With
Funds of State
Cet Counties Pay Interest and
.. Commonwealth Principal
Is His Plan
First Convention TO Organize
Permanent Association TO
Further Work
SPECIAL DISPATCH 10 THE CALL

7ctt5IlAL DlcBAIGH TIE CALL
STOCKTON, June For the first
time in the history of the west state
good roads convention was officially
called to order at 80 o'clock this aft
ernoon in the state chamber of COM
ulerCe rooms, in which delegations
from every portion of California, in
Guiding Governor James N. Gillett,
United States Engineer R. M. Morton,
United States Superintendent of Con-
structon George M. Cooley, State
Engineer Nat Ellery and Charles D.
Daggett, president of the Los Angeles
highway commission. were in attend
anee.
John N. Perry Of the Stockton cham
=. Der called the convention to order, and
yielded the gaveI to Charles d. Dag
Sett Of Los Angeles, who was selected
permanent chairman. After thanking
the delegates for the tribute they had
paid to the people Of Los Angeles for
The leadership which they have taken
in the good roads movement in this
who made a strong address in favor of
state good roads and state bonding
lie said. in part:
GILLETT URGES ACTION
I'm my inaugural address I strongly
advocated good roads. My opinion has
rot changed. II we merely talk and
resolve we VIII accomplish nothing.
= we 4aust decide upon a practical plan
and get into the harness and see that
The plan is pat into action and carried
10 successful completion. There are
.nany rich counties in this state which
Can well afford to improve their high
ways The south can afford it. Ala
Ineda can improve her highways and
you can do likewise.
i am satisfied that the state can
3ild 5000 miles Of good macadamized
roads and never miss the money. We
can construct highways from Redding
10 Los Angeles, another from Tehama
10 Vallejo. from san Francisco to Los
Angeles and on to san Diego. Every
zslley in the state can have its high
ways with such a quantity OF road
construction the cost per mile viii
range from $1,000 to $4,000. costing the
eutire state but sIs.O0o.oOo.
STATE TO AID COUNTIES
san Francisco recently voted sls,-
100000 FOR municipal improvements;
Los Angeles raised s25.ooo.oOO for an
improved water system. The people
of the state should vote bonds for i'm
proved highways The state can not do
il ALL but It can vote for bonds and
construct 1900 miles and never feel
THE expense to which 1t has been sub
jected. Let each county pay its pro-
portion OF the interest on the money
expended and the state may pay the
principal IN this way no one will be
loser.
Il VIII at all times do all I can to bet
ter the highways. want to encourage
improvements in road construction We
may meet with some opposition in the
legislature and elsewhere. but the
pulse OF the people IS most promising
ii every portion OF California"
The suggestion OF bonding the state
. ~
sersaI approval and sounded the key
Aote of the convention. It viii be
urged tomorrow that committees be
appointed to take up this matter with
The people OF the north, south and val
ley sections. with a view TO urging
tbe legislature to call an election for
:1he bonding Of the state for s1S,oo0,-
coo or q larger sum, should the state
engineer deem it necessary.
TALKS On OBJECT LESSONS
George l. Cooley. superintendent of
construction from the department. of
agriculture. in charge OF the object
lesson road being constructed in this
COUNTY. addressed the convention on
.Qbject Lessons. In speaking of the
Office of public roads, OF which he is
sn engineer, he said that it was in
taguabIe as a source OF general in
formation regarding land values in
Tie United States.
.--rhis division Of information" he
said. Investigates, collects and dis
seninates information regarding the
many features. conditions and statistics
of roads and road construction.
Through this division we learn that
the: percentage Of improved roads in
Arkansas is seven-hundredths of 1 per
.ent. while the average land value is
1867 per acre; improved roads in In
-. llama S5 per cent, land values s54.91
DER acre; improved roads in Mississippi
sS-IOe Of ] per cent, land values s15.54
per acre; improved roads in Ohio SS per
cent and land values s5f.4S per acre.
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