Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-08-21
The Economy of Good Roads.

We have pointed QUIT the wretchedly un-
improved condition of American compared
with European roads. The question this
naturally brings up is, do good roads pay ?
Is it more economical tb get along with our
old dirt roads than to SO to the expense of
matchmaking them 2 We have very little
experience of our own to go to for light,
because we have so few good roads, But
the experience of Europe is ample and con-
elusive. There is nowhere any doubt ex-
pressed in any nation OF the old world of the
wisdom and economy of liberal policy in
road building. No intelligent American can
doubt that this practice and belief rests up
on a sound foundation,
In many respects we have greater need of
hard-surfaced roads than has either France
or England. Our rainfall IS considerably
heavier than theirs, and our dirt roads for
weeks at a time are half as deep as they are
wide Farm traffic is suspended, and horses
are kept in idleness. Rn expert statistician +,
who has given this subj iect careful attention,
estimates that less than half the present
number of draft animals OF this country
would be sufficient to do all the hauling OF
farm produce carried in ttris country if even
the main roads were pu: in tirstclass con-
dition This would reduce the number by
little over 100000, and would effect
saving each day of about $4,000 tons of hay
to money value, equals 100000 per day, or
about $114,000,000 pc year. Add to this the
value of the animals, 10000, 900, and we
have a total of 1854, 100000 saved for the
first year. OF course these figures do not
represent the real loss entailed to our farm
ers by the use of dirt roads. That loss is
beyond computation; but in whatever way
the computation is directed, and wherever
the loss is susceptible OF calculation, the
same startling exhibit is bound to appear.
The economy Of good roads being con-
ceded, are we in financial condition to
stand the outlay their construction would in
volve? The writer we have already quoted
gives some facts that are interesting and in
structive on this point He shows from the
statistical returns of New York, New Jer-
sey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Con-
necticut, the population of these States per
square mile is more than so per cent greater
than that of Europe, From statistics lately
compiled by one of the great commercial
journals, il is further learned that the total
wealth of the United States is now more
than seventy-one thousand millions OF dol
lars, or about 81 900 fer each man, woman
and child in the entire country This is an
increase of about AZ Ser cent. within the last
decade According 70 the last accredited
statement this exceeds the wealth Of Eng
land by 1921 900, ,00CN00, and is about double
the wealth of the French Republic. The
per capita tax in England is almost twice
as large as in the United States. These
statistics could be carried out in several
other directions, all illustrative OF the ample
financial ability of our people to defray the
cost of road building.
The truth is that we cannot afford to
leave our roads in their present wretched
condition. The ecPuomies are all on one
side, and are SIM y overwhelming. There
will be nothing more heard OF abandoned
farms in New Jersey when we have put our
highways in decent trenton
Gazette