Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-11
cAl,Fosn,A,s r,sAsc,Es,re.

California. with about the same num-
Der OF people to pay the bill as are
living In Iowa, is building paved roads
all over the state with the proceeds Of
an s1S;o0o,oo0 state bond issue supple
mented with local county bond issue
which it is estimated, will equal if not
exceed the state money in amount.
And California is building her roads
with her own money, too, for in these
times of high interest rates her per
cent bonds will not sell at par in the
bond markets, and the people Of the
counties who want the state roads are
selling the bonds to their own people
by popular subscription.
California is the same in population
as Iowa. but she has three times the
area to traverse with roads. and yet
California does not hesitate to pave
part Of her roads. She expects to
register over 100000 autom obiles next
year, record which will almost be
equaled by Iowa and she will raise
an amount which is very soon to be
reached in Iowa, but California takes
half her auto money for the mainten-
ance of state roads giving the other
half to the counties for the mainten-
ance Of county roads. The building Of
a permanently paved road in California
is not attempted out of one years tax
money; it is built from money bor-
rowed to be paid back in equal annual
installments during the life Of the road.
Thus. in effect the people Of California
are building them today and selling
them on the easy payment plan to the
people who will use them for the next
fifty years.
And this money is not being wasted
in extravaganza as anyone knows who
has ever enjoyed a winter on Cali
fornias roads. California builds
concrete road four inches thick and
fifteen feet wide with three feet of
macadam or each side for $500 per
mile and carpets the concrete with half
an inch Of bituminous asphalt besides.
Such a road with somewhat thicker
concrete would cost $4,000 per mile in
Iowa or Michigan. Some 1905 miles
of such roads are to be built by the
state besides fully as much more to De
built in the vicinity of large cities by
the counties.
Nearly 500 miles OF macadam roads
with asphaltic surfaces are to be built
at an average cost Of $4,000 per mile.
The state roads Of California are TO
be principally the main trunk lines
traye-sing the length Of the state in
two parallel lines. one along the coast
and the other down the great Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin valleys. From
these trunk lines laterals will branch
off 10 the principal county seat towns
while the counties themselves will take
care Of the building of radii roads in
the vicnities Of their own cities and
towns.
But California, popped oy lO"onS,
financed by money made in Iowa, in
habited by about the same number Of
tax payers as in Iowa, riding in abou.
the same number of automobiles, and
owning farms of far less value are
spending s36,0oO.O00 Of state and coun-
ty bond money upon their roads. BY
using bond money they are getting
paved roads. At the present rate Of
nearly 100000 per annum which the
state of Iowa is spending upon her dirt
will be spent within the next five years
in Iowa and we will have nothing left
but the same Old mud of our corn fields.