I30 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



character of the work being accomplished under the new regime. 

 We sincerely hope that Congress will materially increase the 

 annual appropriation for the park, but, in any event, the recession 

 of the Valley has been fully justified by the results already 

 accomplished. 



Extracts from Report of State Engineer, November 30, 1908. 



Present State Roads. — The State roads now owned by Cali- 

 fornia and under the control of this department all traverse the 

 mountainous districts. No valley roads or macadam highways 

 are under State supervision. To date, the policy of the State has 

 been to construct and maintain roads through territory where 

 construction is expensive and the counties through which they 

 run are too poor to properly care for a road. In cases of this 

 kind the assistance rendered by the State is proper and should be 

 extended. 



One may to-day attempt the trip of viewing the wonders of our 

 mountains and find himself blocked by being unable to travel 

 by road. The finest scenery of the Sierra Nevadas is inaccessible, 

 and would, if opened by road, prove a valuable asset to the State. 



Mono Lake Basin Road. — There has been appropriated a main- 

 tenance fund of $1,250 per annum for this road, but as I regret 

 to state the road is not yet wholly completed to its western 

 terminus, and consequently this money has been applied only 

 to the work finished under the first contract. 



When this road is completed in 1909 there should be some 

 action taken towards the improvement of the Tioga road proper. 

 This road extends from Crockers Station, in the Yosemite 

 National Park, to the lake at the head of Leevining Creek Canon, 

 or the western terminus of the State road. The Tioga road has 

 received little repairing, and consequently is in very poor shape 

 for travel. Nearly its whole distance is in the bounds of the 

 National Park, and should, therefore, be bought by the Federal 

 Government and repaired. Unless this is done, travel by this 

 route will be so badly handicapped as to make this beautiful 

 country inaccessible to a great many people. 



King's River Canon Road. — The appropriation of $25,000 by 

 the State, contingent upon the county of Fresno contributing 50 

 per cent as much, or $12,500, provided $37,500 for the survey, 

 location, and construction of this most important scenic highway 

 of the State. During the year 1906 a survey was made for the 

 first 20.1 miles to a point near Horseshoe Bend on the South 

 Fork of the King's River. In 1907 the survey was continued 

 under the charge of Mr. E. B. Henderson. He crossed the river 



