Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-29
Good Roads and Bad.

If the road congress. which is to meet in
Atlanta on the 2Sth of October, accom-
pliSheS no other result, the mere fact that it
| assemblies will show that public interest in
this important matter is growing and in
creasing. The congress will undoubtedly
accomplish much more than this. 1t may
be impossible to seize on and point out the
practical results that will ensue, but once
the people are thoroughly aroused on the
Subject-once they can be brought to see
that the whole movement has for its pur-
pose the saving of thousands of dollars to
neighborhoods and individuals, to say moth
ing OF the enhancement of land values and
the increase of the conveniences of farm
life-once they can be induced 10 examine
the subject in all its bearing-they will not
fail to realize the vital Importance to their
own interests of improved roads.
1t is true that habit and custom have
dulled the public mind in the matter of
roads. Those that we have in Georgia
and Georgia is no worse Off in this respect
than the other states-are an inheritance
from colonial times. Our method Of making
roads and of keeping them in repair is also
an inheritance. There has been no mate
rial improvement in this method for hun
bred years. and if an attempt were made to
show in figures what this method has cost
the peopleple of Georgia alone, to say moth
ing of the rest of the country, with no re-
suit whatever to show for the outlay, the
amount would be q startling one. Ii to the
cost We're added the loss that has accrued
by reason of bad roads, the figures would
be almost past belief But the estimate is
very simple one, and any intelligent
farmer can figure it out to suit his own
case. If, on good road, one horse can haul
as much as two horses on a bad road if
one two-horse wagon can make two trips
on coed roads with less inconvenience than
one trip could be made on bad roads--the
difference can very easily be set down in
figures.
1t is claimed, and with good reason, that
in the matter of progress and development,
the farming industry has not kept pace with
the other industries of the country. This is
partly accounted for by the vicious Repub-
lican legislation of the last quarter of CEN
fury, but the main reason is to be found in
the fact that the farmers, except in spe-
cially favored regions, are handicapped by
the wretched system of roads which inter
venes between farm and market. When
the intelligent farmers of Georgia thor
oughly realize this fact we shall have
change. In the nature Of things it will be
gradual change, but the results thereof
will be none the less obvious.
1t is not the cost of good roads that has
kept the farmers from agitating this ques-
tion. When the cost of good roads is COM
pared with the cost Of the wretched ones
that are now in use, the element of econo-
my is altogether with the former. 1t would
cost the farmers less to have good roads
than it does to make a pretense of keeping
up the present bar5arous system, taking
into account, of course, the wear and tear
of stock and vehicles, and the lost time
The cost of hauling ar average load over
the roads as they exist is not less than three
times what it would be if the roads were
good, or even tolerably good. 1t is This ele-
ment of cost-the extravaagnt waste that
is constantly going on under the present
system-that will finally convince the farm
ers of the necessity of making radical
change in the character of the public roads
and the method OF mendine them.