The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-02-02
Our Public Highways.

generally to be in horrible condition.
North Carolina suffers a thousand
times more from its bad roads than
from the tax on apple jack and tobac-
Co.. Wilmington Star.
Right there. North Carolina sad
ly needs better system Of working
her public roads. The terrible con-
dition Of the roads in winter has
much to do with producing the power
ty that exists among our farmers.
Some legislation that will give us bet
ter country roads is a consummation
devoutly to be wished for. Speaking
on this subject the Greensboro Work.
man says:
There is no question Of internal i'm
provement Of equal importance to all
the people without regard to sex, or
wealth, or occupation or any other
feature Of distinction, as that of our
country roads, nor is there any other
question about which the people show
so little intelligent concern or make
so little effort to secure improvement.
DR.. Bcnbow remarked a few days
ago, upon his return from the North
west, that what struck him most tor
chilly in passing over the great State
Of Michigan was the superior country
roads everywhere. He saw two
horses drawing two cords of wood at
load over those roads! Only think
Of that, in comparison with the aver
age load Of wood that comes to
Greensboro over our winter roads.
with the mud fourteen inches deep.
'Fhe average load Of wood here is
about two -hths OF a cord, which is
jus, one fifth of a load drawn by
the teams in Michigan. Supposing
that the price of wood per cord is the
same as Michigan, and two loads are
hauled each day, the difference would
be six dollars in favor of Michigan; that
is to say, loads in Michigan would
fetch IS, while two loads here, over
our bad roads, would fetch $1-A
pretty large difference in one days
work with two horses and a wagon.
In six days the difference would be
$36. The hauling of wood furnishes
about as simple an example as we
could find for the purpose of showing
the advantages of good roads, and the
more so because it touches the interest
of both buyer and seller. We said
some time ago that the load Of wood
at dollar was dear both to him who
hauled it and to him who used it.
With good roads, such as they have ir
some places, the farmer would make
more profit on his woodat 81. per cord
than he now does at s.. and hau
only one load per dav where he now
hauls two. The difference is so grea
and so palpable in the particlar in
stance cited that the argument fol
good roads becomes overwhelming
: One Of the most unaccounuable fact
Of these times is that men will SO stanc
/ in their own light, and be content t
wear themselves out, their wagons ane
teams likewise only for lack Of bette
roads, which would pay better thar
any investment that could be made
! 1t is mistake also to conclude tha
t the railroads arc substitutes for goot
, country roads. They only make tn
: necessity for them the greater, becaus
E they increaae the amount Of freigh
. that must 60 out from the railroa'
stations as we'll as that which come
in for transportation.
We are clearly of the opinion tha
:. one Of the most important movement
1 to improve the farmers interests
6 the building of turnpike roads to tn
E market town, and we trust that tn
;. matter will receive due attention An
:, that right early.