The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-07-15
Roads and Horses.

country have a very direct economic
bearing upon the earning capacity and
the value Of horses aud ether dram ani-
mails. II horse can do one third more
work on a good road and be in good
working condition OBe-third longer than
he can on a bad road. then his eirning
capacity and hence hisyalne Is increased
lust one-third. This assumption is b.sed
upon a very low estimate. In all prob
ability il it were possible 20 make an
exact calculation it would be found that
the earning capacity and the total length
Of serviceable life would be more nearly
doubled than be increased only SSi per-
per cent The late census enumera-
tors found that there were in this cOun-
try l4,O56,75O horses, valued at S57 each,
and 2,206, ,532 mules, valued at s77 each.
This makes the total valuation Of the
horses and mules in the United States
1 Sl.IlS,6 ,632.214 All Of these horses and
mules work at some time on the roads,
and, indeed, much the greater part Of the
total work done by them is upon country
/ roads and city streets. II ali the work
done BY them was upon the roads, the
increased valuation, based upon the
above hypothesis Of earning capacity.
would be S372, ,S77, 400. Bat as al Of the
work is not done on the roads, suppose
we reduce this By one-half, and We would
have by q general improvement Of the
roads of the country our property in
horses and mules al once increased in
value over S1S0OO0OOO.
have not at hand any figures show
ing the value of carriages, buggies, and
other road vehicles in this country. To
put their value at s5O0,O000O0 would be
placing it so low that there would be no
chance to say that the estimate, or guess,
if you choose, was exaggerated. Iakiug
into consideration the cost Of the repairs
necessitated by reason Of bad rosds and
the shortened seryiceable life Of such We
hicles, l feel safe in assuming that with
good roads these vehicles would last one
half longer, and their value De therefore
increased at least S250,000010 Taking
these two sources Of increased Valuations
together We should have an enhanced
property valuation Of Sl3O000000, all
brought about by the improvement Of
the common rosds.
1t has been estimated by the aGthori-
ties Of the State Of New Ycrk that with
SlOOOO,OOO the roads Of the entire State
could be put in very good condition. The
roads in New York are not better than ia
other States they are a great deal worse
than in some Of the New England States,
for instance, and 1 therefore assume that
this estimate can be followed as a guide
in determining what would be needed
to build in the whole country excellent
roads, whicI, once constructed, could be
eheaply and easily maintained. Consid-
ering the area Of New York and the dem
sity Of population, and using these factors
in the problem, estimate that S400,Oo0,
600 would give Us a good system Of com
mon roads all Of the country. This is a
great deal of money, but it does not seem
great when compared with the values
which would be enhanced by its wise
expenditure.
In the two items of horses and vehicles,
as 1 have shown, theiincreased value Of
these properties would more than pay for
the improvements. But these are not
the greatest values by any means. The
effect upon the horses and vehicles used
upon the roads would be more immedi-
ate and more direct, and therefore have
called particular attention to this phase
of the subject. The enhancement Of the
value Of real estate would be so great
that the items l have mentioned world
seem 50 Insignificant as not to be worth
discussing. In one neighborhood alone,
that of Union county, y. J., the improve
ment Of the roads has changed values so
greatly that men who a few years age
were struggling farmers, with earnings 50
scant that it was difficult TO make two
ends meet, are now not only we!i-to-do
but absolutely rich. They can sell their
crops at good profits; they can raise more
profitable crops they can get these crops
quickly and cheaply to market, and
their lands, for which at low prices it
was formerly almost impossible TO find
purchasers are in demand at prices which,
compared with the old order Of things,
seem fabulous, aud the mere mention Of
which suggests q most unaccustomed
condition Of Opulence.
1t is hard to put any money estimate
upon the value Of an improved social
condition. Indeed, in this material
world, when our thoughts run too much
to concrete values, and dwell perhaps
too little upon that which is merely hu-
man, sentimental, OF aesthetic, it is very
well to be able, in considering the beue-
fits to be derived from an undertaking
such as the general improvement Of the
common roads and interior methods Of
communication, to put aside all but the
social aspects Of the situation. It has
often been said that the great intellect
ual work Of the world IS done in cities,
and this is accounted for from the fact
that the constant contact Of man upon
man brings out the best endeayOr Of each
and keeps the intellects acute. Life in
the country is said to be intellectual stag
nation, and certainly it Is so to some ex-
tent. With good roads neighboFhoods
would be brought more closely together,
there would be less stagnation Of intei-
lectual life, and the contact Of mind
against mind would create astimulus and
arouse intellectual activity.
But to return 10 the horse phase or the
question. Where there are good roads
in this country the value Of horses is
appreciated in another way. They are
bettey bred, and this improvement in the
strain Of blood Of c0urse makes the
horses much more valuable and Useful.
In Vermont, whence lcame the old and
famous Morgan stock, the roads are con-
parativelv excellent In the lr-Eamed
Bluegrass region Of Kentucky the roaCs
are very good indeed. If a neighborhocd
has good roads the farmer is apt 20 give
more enlightened attention % the breed