The San Francisco call., 1910-07-18

"GOOD ROADS, IS
CAMPAIGN SLOGAN
Contra Costa County Enthuses
Over Purpose OF Proposed
Bond Issue

MARTINEZ. July 16.-With all poIit-
ical and civic factions united in favor
of the good roads movement, the cam
paign for the $1,460,0O0 road bonds in
Contra Costa county has been launched
with marked enthusiasm, and there
is every prospect that the election,
which has been called by the board
of supervisors of that county for Au-
gust 2 will favor the bonds by a big
majority. The good roads league of
Contra Costa county has appointed a
boosters committee and the entire
county las been canvassed by that or
ganization with gratifying results to
those who have indorsed the project to
construct 124 miles of rock road
through the entire length of the bay
county. That the necessary two-thirds
vote will be returned is not doubted by
any of those who have interested them
selves
Today the boosters committee which
toured the country in automobiles re-
turned to this place with highly salts
factory reports. Concord, Black Dia-
mond, Cornwall, Pacheco, Byron. Brent
wood and Oakley We're all visited, a
Byron Hot Springs. The committee,
composed OF w. II. McBryde, f. c.
King, E. X. Smith, Judge Armsby, w.
r. Sharkey, w. A Rugg, Fabian Joost,
o. Loverich and j. E. Mccormick, tested
sentiment with straw votes and found a
unanimous sentiment for the big bond
issue.
CAMPAIGN BEGINNING
The campaign for good roads began
after the special highway commission,
appointed by the board of supervisors
had submitted its report condemning
the present poor condition of the coun-
ty highways and recommending a
sweeping Improvement of roads by the
issuance of bonds as provided for by a
recent act of the legislature.
The cost of the improvements will be
S1,46O,000 to be distributed over a bond
issue of 40 years. All of the heavily
travelled roads Will be fitted out with
solid beds of hard rock and macadam.
In the detailed system of road improve
ments submitted by the highway COM
mission 125 miles of roads are provided
for.
A perfect network of paved highways
will traverse the county, capable of re-
sisting hard traffic for many years to
come, if the voters indorse the bond
issue at the special election. All of the
large towns of the country are con-
nected, and the main arteries of travel
leading to adjoining counties are also
included in the highways to be i'm
proved.
The commission pointed out in the
report that the question to be consid-
cred was not the cost of improved
highways, but rather the cost to the
county and its people of the present
unimproved and unsightly roads. These
were said to be filed with mudholes
and ruts in the winter and with dust
and soft earth in the summer.
1t is also said that the county as one
of the foremost. agricultural sections,
It.
facilities for it's farmers. In this re-
spect alone the commission asserts
that the value to each producing acre
will be upward of SO if the highways
are bettered.
PLAN FOR "CAMINO REAL
The Canine rear to Lake Tahoe
takes its way through Contra Costa
county. 1t is proposed to pave it's
entire length through the county with
hard macadamized rock. This will make
it dustless and smooth and do much to
increase it's popularity.
Following the call for the special
election issued by the board of super
visors the Good Roads league initiated
its campaign to secure the passage of
the bond issue. The county has been
flooded with literature showing the
great benefit to be derived from good,
clean hard and smooth roads and the
sentiment throughout the county seems
to favor the expenditure.
One of the features that appeals
strongly to the popular mind is that 80
per cent of the $1,460,000 will go di-
rectly to labor. The material and ma
chinery necessary will be obtained in
the county, so that the greater part of
the money will revert to the people of
the county.
The rate of interest fixed on the
bonds is ~ per cent. and the general
belief is that they will meet with a
ready sale, as the county has but a
small bonded Indebtedness.
Experts on the subject say that with
the construction of the roads along the
lines recommended by the commission.
Contra Costa will have the finest sys-
tenn of highways of any county in the
state. The progressive theory of hav-
ing the roads of the farmer as COM
Portable and easy to drive upon as the
streets of the city dweller will be real
lied if Contra Costas bond issue goes
through.
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