Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-09-05

X
ment ON the good roads proposition
In the sunflower state. / thought
some of the results of my observa-
tion of what is being done along that
tine here in southern California
might be OF interest and profit to
yer readers I "a o. ICED that
g. I .s.is .ts ~ seessities
il re, .ta.a ~. been
- z Ma IL" D 40 roads
e. much <, as sert 4 INT Of
49, ~ =: = - lis, trolley
III. te.es~ ana telephone lines,
3u1 A.any other things that have
1een pushed and installed and are
now considered necessities.
My observation has convinced me
that good roads contribute no small
amount to the prosperity. pleasure
and contentment Of the people and
that 3 contented people make for
good citizenship. The state. county
or community that fails to provide
good roads will find itself tagging
behind In development and in much
that goes to make satisfied and
contented citizenshiR. Here I'M
southern California, where good
roads have been developed to con-
dition as perhaps in no other place
in this country, the results there
from stand out so prominently that
even the doubling skeptic is con-
WINGED. The biggest boost Los An
geles county ever gave herself was
when she voted three and a half
million dollars for q system OF good
roads. Although the system Is not
completed enough is finished and In
use to justify any reasonable person.
who will take the trouble to. observe
the increase in property values and
the general tidying up and beautify-
ing schemes that are in evidence
along these good roads, that money
spent on good roads is good in
yestment. Good as the results are
from a money point of view, be-
lieve that the pleasure and salts
faction resulting from the use OF
them are worth more.
Possibly good roads mean more
to southern California than to any
other section of the country. At
any rate we are realizing that they
are one Of our strongest drawing
attractions. The good roads PROPOSE
ton is simply up to every community
to get in the swim If they want to
be known as ION the map" and in
the progressive ranks"
To give some idea OF what has
been done and what is being done
in California along the line of good
road building, perhaps the follow
ing may cause some Of your readers
to "sit UP and take notice" Up to
this time bonds have been voted in
the following amounts: By the
state OF California $4,000, 1000, Los
Angeles county $S,5OO,O00, San
Diego county $1,225,0OO San Bar
county $15e,OO0, Orange
county $4,000. Ventura county $780,
900.
Orange county win soon vote on
an additional issue Of $1,5OO,OOO.
and other counties are preparing to
fan in line. Understand these roads
are OF rock and oil construction and
cost anywhere, from $4,000 to $685.
900 per mile When the above
amounts shall have been expended
as planned, this state will have over
r2ON miles or good roads. and this
does not take into consideration what
may be Suilt in other counties in
the state. Los Angeles county and
southern California lead in good
roads as they do in many other
things, and this is how. they did it
on the good roads proposition. First
the sentiment, for good roads was
worked up as It IL being done In
the sunfiower state. Then the diff
ferent boards of trade, chambers Of
commerce Improvement associations,
etc., met with theiaboard OF super
visors and other OFFICIALS and plan
ned a system OF good roads aggre-
eating S05 miles, connecting all the
principal towns and cities in the
county.
It was then put up to the taxpay-
ers of the county to vote 8 X million
dollars in bonds to build the system
as outlined. The bonds carried by
a large majority about three years
ago.