The San Francisco call., 1910-10-23

in California, is yet too large a sum to
intrust to any authority to expend
without determining in advance the
character of the work by a careful
ngineering examination and by fully
testing the fitness of those who have
charge of the expenditures"
Mr.. Ellery, state engineer, who has
had considerable experience in road
building and who has given the matter
great amount of careful study, ad-
vised this office that suitable roads in
this state could be constructed on an
average of $4,000 per mile; S1S,000,000
viii, therefore, build 5000 miles of road,
pretty good starter for highway
system in this state.
Mr.. Eddy finds fault that there was
not made in advance a careful engineer
ing examination of the character of the
work, and by fully testing those to
have charge of the expenditures. To
have made a careful survey of all the
highways to be newly constructed or
improved, and the character of mate
rial to be used in the building and
repair of each or of the different por-
! tions thereof, and estimating the cost,
would have involved the expediture of
many thousands of dollars, which would
have been a loss in the event that the
bond issue was defeated. The roads
will be built in our valleys, along the
I
probable cost can be fairly well esti
mated, and the necessary surveying and
examinations referred to by Mr.. Eddy
can better be made after it has been
decided to build the roads Certainly
there can be nothing very difficult in
the way of engineering problems in
building wagon roads in our valleys.
FOURTH-Mr. Eddy complains be-
cause the bill provides that each
county shall be assessed for the inter
est due on, the money actually expended
within the county.
This. is a very fair and just provi-
sion. If no money is expended within
a county, then 1t is only called upon
to pay its proportion of the principal
sum of S1S,000.000. This. because of
the indirect beneft<ft will derive from
the general Improvement In the state.
But if 100000, for instance, be ex-
pended within a county, then its people
are not only benefited indirectly the
same as county where no road is built.
but lis directly benefited by having
within it's confines for the daily use
of its people splendid highway built
and maintained by the state, which
highway will increase the value, of all
property within its vicinity and save
many dollars daily to the people usin G
it in transporting their products. For
all these advantages why should they
not be willing to pay the interest. If
they built the road themselves they
would have to pay both principal and
interest and maintain it.
San Francisco will have no state
highways within its boundaries, still
1t will be called upon to pay it's pro-
portion of the bonds 1t will get it's
returns from the general building up
of the state, because 1t must depend
upon the population and prosperity Of
the rest OF the state for It's future
growth. This is equally true of the
splendid city of Los Angeles. Both of
these cities are deeply concerned in
the developing of the resources of the
state and in the settling of our valleys
and mountains.
FIFTH-Mr. Eddy SAYS: There is no
provision in the law for compensating g
these counties which have through
their progress and enterprise created
vast county Indebtedness to construct
permanent thoroughfares which the
state may proceed under the proposed
law to appropriate"
This statement is misleading The
law reads as follows: with the excep-
ton Of those public highways which
have been permanently improved under
county or permanent road division bond
issues within three years prior to the
adoption of this act, all public high
ways within this state lying within the
right of way of said state highway
determined and adopted by the depart
ment of engineering shall be and the
same shall become part of the right
of way of said state highway without
compensation being paid therefor
The legislature can provide for pay
ing counties for moneys expended by
them in making permanent highways
that meet the plans, specifications and
requirements of a state highway as