Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-07-31
ROADS AND HORSES.
How Highway Improvement Would In
crease the Value of Live Stock.

crease the Value of Live Stock.
The conditions of common road of
country have very direct economic
bearing upon the earning capacity and
the value of horses and other draft ami
mails If horse can do one-third more
work ON a good road and be in good
working condition one-third longer than
he can on II bad road, then his earning
capacity and hence his value is increased
just one-third. This assumption is
based upon very low estimate. In all
probability if it were possible to 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 increased only 80
per cent. The United States census
enumerators of 1890 found that there
were in this country 14,056, $50 horses
valued at $67 each, and 2,296,53 mules
valued at &77 each. This makes the
total valuation of the horses and mules
in the United States 81, lis, 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. If all the work done by them
was upon the roads, the increased valua-
ton, based upon the above hypothesis of
earning capacity, would be 1872 1877 ,405.
But as all of the work is not done on the
roads, suppose we reduce this by one
half and we would have by a general
improvement of the roads of the country
our property in horses and mules at
once increased in value over $3.50, 600, 900.
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 $500, 100000 would be
placing it so low that there would be no
chance to say that the estimate, or guess
if you choose, was exaggerated. Taking
into consideration the cost of repairs
necessitated by reason of bad roads and
the shortened serviceable life of such We
hicles, feel safe in assuming that with
good roads these vehicles would last one
half longer, and their value be therefore
increased at least $3.50. 900. Taking
these two sources of increased valuations
together we should have an enhanced
property valuation of $3.50, 900, all
brought about by the improvement of
the common roads.
1t has been estimated by the authori-
ties of the state of New York that with
$4,000, 900 the roads in the entire state
could be put in very good condition.
The roads in New York are not better
than in other states; they are great deal
worse than in some of the New England
states, for instance, and | therefore as
sumo that this estimate can be followed
as a guide in determining what would
be needed to build in the whole country
excellent roads, which, once constructed,
could be cheaply and easily maintained.
Considering the area of New York and
the density Of population, and using
these factors in the problem, estimate
that $500, 600, 900 would give us good
system of common roads all over the
country. This is a great deal of money,
but it does not seem great when COM
pared with the values which would be
enhanced by its wise expenditure.
In the two items of horses and vehicles,
as ! have shown, the increased value of
these properties would more than pay
] IL
not the greatest values by any means.
The effect upon the horses and vehicles
used upon the roads would be more i'm
mediate 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 | have mentioned
would seem so insignificant as not to be
worth discussing In one neighborhood
alone, that of Union county n. j., the
| Improvement of the roads has changed
values so greatly that men, who few
years ago were struggling farmers with
earnings so scant that it was difficult to
make two ends meet, are now not only
well to do but absolutely rich They
can sell their crops at good profits; they
can grow 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 i'm
possible to find purchasers, are in de-
mand at prices which, compared with
the old order of things, seem fabulous,
and the mere mention of which suggests
a most unaccustomed condition of op-
ulence.
1t is hard to put any money estimate
upon the value Of an improved social con-
dition. Indeed, in this material world,
when our thoughts run too much to con-
crete values and dwell perhaps too little
upon that which is merely human senti-
mental or aesthetic, it is very well to be
able, in considering the benefits to be de-
rived from an undertaking such as the
general improvement of the common
roads and interior methods of communi-
cation, to put aside all but the social as
poets of the situation. 1t has often been
said that the great intellectual work of
the world is done in cities, and this is ac-
counted for from the fact that the con,
slant contact of man upon man brings out
the best endeavor of each and keeps the
intellects acute. Life in the country is
said to be intellectual stagnation, and
certainly it is SO to some extent. With
good roads neighborhoods would be
brought more closely together, there
would be less stagnation of intellectual