Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-06-12
GOOD HIGHWAYS.
An Argument for Improvement in Now
York State whfoh Applies Elsewhere.

York State Which Applies Elsewhere.
The Improvement Of country roads is |
subject that concerns everybody. 1t |
il important to transportation interests |
Ivy land and by water, as well as to |
farmers, manufacturers and traders
The development of the American rail
way system and of facilities for water
carriage has been 80 rapid and so attrac-
tive to investors that too little attention
has been paid to the means of delivering
freight from farm or workshop ut dock
or station.
There is little in the novelties of
modern traffic to vary the old rule that
tho character of the roads of a country
should afford fair test of its prosperity.
Especially where region Is per1neated
by water courses, as is the state of New
York, with its rivers and canals, or
Louisiana with its bavous, the parity
between ancient and modern conditions
in this respect remains substantially I'M
impaired.
The facilities that lie close to the hands
Of producers are the most important to
the welfare Of a community. 1t is Of no
greater convenience to the farmer to
have cheap freight from the station near
est his farm to a great market than to be
able 10 carry his crops cheaply to the
shipping point. Eo may have a choice
between competing frcightace routes by
land or water, but he must haul his
products over his nciChborhoOd high
way. The cost of delivery ut wharf or
depot falls directly upon him, aud if the
hu1 hot h, - III .l Ca,
spend much money for repair Of vehicles.
and lose much time and wear ont ami
mails in slow and hard travel, his profit -
greatly diminished before the property
his labor has created passes out of his
hands
Tho New YORK State Association for
the Improvement Of 2oads has been in
session recently at Syracuse. It's pur-
pose is 10 promote Il system Of common
roads under the auspices Of the state.
New York, with farms valued at 81 ,O00.-
00) 900, producing annually crops worth
$3.50, 600 900 more by onc-haf than the
worth Of the entire agricultural product
Of New EnSland-is in respect TO coun-
try roads the most backward of all the
old northern states of the Union. The
association asks the expenditure of $40
900, 900 for road Improvement on the
system contemplated by the Richardson
bill of last session The taxation for the
outlay is to be extended over a period Of
/ eighteen years, and thc agricultural
/ population OF the state is to bear only it.,
propOrtluuate share Of the cost.
The association seems to regard the
] t,4r Il {.
/ point. II fact, 1t concerns all other in
dustrics Of the state as well. The slow
| growth of manufactures in the interior
OF New York has been generally ascribed
! to the effect of the low rates of through
| transportation lines. The picture has
been overtlrawn. The neglect of com
mon highways has been responsible for
! the check to our manufacturers in al
most equal degree with the preference
| given to long haul railway freiShtage.
1t is always we'll to deal with an evil at
its root, and the origin of the extrava-
giant outlay required for New York
manufacturers lies in the initial expense
Of transporting materials and supplies 10
the mill or SHOP, and finished products
thence to the freight depot.
The advantage Of better facilities for
light travel on business or pleasure, and
the new demand created by the rapid
development Of bicycling, are perhaps
minor considerations in the road qucs-
ton, but they are well worthy Of atten-
ton. indeed, American wucelmen may
be counted on as active and efficient mis-
sionaries in the cause of highway i'm
provement.
At one session of the Road Improve
ment association there were shown
photographs representing respectively
the condition Of an ordinary country
road III France after a storm and that of
one Of the best roads in the state Of
Pennsylvania under similar circu1n-
stances. Photographic representation of
vehicles that travelled over those high
ways under like conditions We're also ex-
hibited, This object Lesson Of the value
of well kept road to the producer was
followed by the passage Of a resolution
urging the enactment Of a measure
known as Senate bill No. 80, which sub
stantially embodies the provisions Of the
Richardson bill of 1890.
The question Of country highway i'm
propementshouldb eseriously considered
by metropolitan commercial bodies de-
voted TO trade and transportation. These
organizations have given much attention
10 discussion Of canal, river and railway
transport. They have an equal concern
in the more primitive but always neces-
sary carriage over the common roads
that are feeders to the rail and water
routes. New York Recorder.
Hamilton observed in his report on
the manufactures: There is perhaps
scarcely anything which has assisted the
manufacturers of Great Britain better
than the melioration of the public roads
of that kingdom and the great progress
which has been of late made in canals
OF the former the United States stand.
much In need. There can certainly be
no object more worthy of the cares OF
the local administrations, and it were t.
be wished that there was no doubt OF
the power of tho national government tc
l. 1