Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-08-30
RIO be Continued.l
Importarc, of Roads.

We are not aware that any estimate
has ever been made. Of the actual cost
of the public roads oi the United States,
or that the expense OF providing them
has ever been attempted by any bureau
of statistics. but we make the rough es-
innate that they have cost ut least seven
hundred million probably
much morc-whilc unknown millions
are annually expended in attempting 10
keep them in repair. Ii the money
were only well applied. it would he m
expenditure OF great profit and ccono-
my, rs everything which the farmer
does off his own land is greatly affected
by their condition. All his many loads
of surplus farm products are drawn
over them. and it makes some differ
ence to him and to his horses whether
those loads are conveyed easily over
hard. smooth surfaces, or dragged
through mud and against stones with
severe labor to the team. fatigue TO the
driver, and wear and breakage TO the
wagon. Every week he and his family,
more or less, 60 TO the village for num-
berless errands, or TO church on the
Sabbath and the good or bad condition
of the roads seems TO affect every fiber,
pleasantly or unpleasantly, of their
feeling of nervous sensations. On an
average, there is at least twenty miles
of travelling each week for the members
of single family. 1t would make q
difference of five dollars n week, every
thing counted, whether this teamng
and travelling is done over y nice. COM
Portable road, or through mud holes,
sloughs, ruts, and unbridrpd streams,
or against stones. Five dollars 4 week
amounts to $3.50 n year. II snug little
sum to tax the farmer with; aud when
this sum Is multiplied 10y al least five
million owners or drivers Of horses, car
riagcs, wagons. heavy Teams, ETC., the
aggregate cost would hc something
over n billion dollars. Does Inv one
say this is too large an estimate? Then
proceed in detail ami show in what
particulars; but do not blindly and ig-
norantly say il is wrong without care
full examination. suppose. however,
we admit that it is double the reality, is
not the six hundred millions every year,
expended directly or indirectly by our
people. worthy OF more attention on the
part of patriots, 81 atcsmcn, politicians,
Office seekers, public spirited men,
writers for newspapers, agricultural
journalists, and in fact of every one
who passes over q road9
So long rs our public highways in
most parts of the country are made and
repaired with so little interest and so
little thought. we must suffer an cnor-
nous loss. We would like TO ask how
many of our readers, who drive or ride
over the common roads, never see n
loose stone, or fixed stone, to strike,
Jolt and batter every passing wheel. or
who does not sec hundreds of them
which might be removed with the en-
penditure of small portion of the road
tax? How many never saw sods and
muck scraped into the road bed, to
form highway or turnpike. which
would be excellent for corn and pota-
toes, but which when worked into q
mass of mud, or cut into ruts foot
deep. constitute q strange object TO be
called n ''roado" How many never
saw along the roadsides, thrifty patches
of thistles, burdocks. mullcirs. John
wort, ncttlcs, etc, etc, ready To- seed
all the neighbors' fields? Until we can
find such happy persons in the majori-
ty, we hope more attention may he
given 10 correcting these evils. although
we would not lessen the praiscworthy
attention which is now freely accorded
TO enterprises aud interests of almost
infinitely less importance, but good in
their small way. Country Gentleman.
An electric journal describes n species