Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-30
GRADE.
KIND OF ROAD.
Macadamized Versus Clay Roads.

/ j.,
Newly worked, not muddy. - 900 80 l,luO
Macadamized Versus Clay Roads.
THE last census report gives the total guam
titles of the agricultural products of the country
In 1879. Converting those quantities into equiy2-
lent weights. omitting orchard and garden
products, which are given only in value. and
not IL quantity 1t appears that the total farm
products amounted to 6,5O00OO tons. OF this
amount about one-half is consumed upon the
farm, and the other half, OF 3.25OOpO tons, must
be hauled by wagon for distances varying from
one-half to 10. Il or more miles. The average
haul is probably not less than five miles.
We will assume that the hanl is i've miles,
aud that two loads a day are made by two
horse team at cost OF 81 80 per day. The cost
of moving the total market crops oyer clay
roads and macadamized roads will be as fol-
lows. both in average condition and with legal
grades
Clay Road. Macadam.
Load for twoIhorses. ipO lbs. 2,1SO lbs.
Number loads for 3,e5n, Goa
Cost, 81 IS per load 7uS. 80 g. 7s6 so
Difference. 977 SO
This is the excess cost annually entailed
upon the farm products Iy clay roads, COM
pared with turnpikes. 1t is enough to keep
5000 miles of turnpike in repair at an annual
expenditure OF S66 per mile. Looked at III an
other way, the figures given above represent
2,32l,5O0 DAYS work for man and two horses
nn clay roads, as against 81 400 0GO days on i'm
proved roads, loss of SSl. 600 DAYS labo-, which
might have been devoted TO other useful pur
poses.
From Other Points of View.
Besides the farm products, there is quite
large tonnage of other materials, such as mer-
chandise, machinery, coal. manufactured arti-
cles of all kinds. including farming infple-
ments etc, which must be carried to towns not
reached by railroads, or to the homes of the
people in the country districts. We have at
hand no data from which to estimate the
amount of this tonnage, but it must he large,
and Will swell the aggregate loss to the general
community to nearly double the sum already
estimated, or say. s., 00O, 00u.
MIR. Andrew Carnegie, in speaking of his re-
cent coaching trip i'll England, describes the
roads OF that country as being everywhere lm-
proved in the most complete manner and form
ing network which covers the whole country,
and whose ramiications extend into the minor
as well as important districts, and that these
roads are maintained in 4 condition of the
highest excellence, even exceeding those of
Central Park i'll New York.
This description of the roads of England is
confirmed by accounts from other sources. Mr..
w. II. Wheeler, NJ. lust. {. T.. writing in the
Sanitary Engineer. for 1887, (page SO, esti-
mates that the saving to the people of England,
by reason of the excellence OF their roads.
amounts to sl00 000. coo yearly, in cost OF trans
portatlon alone. This estimate is based not on
a comparison between turnpike and clay roads,
but between well-kept and neglected turn
equal to four horses on the latter.
The Roads in France
I'm 1885 France had 10 900 miles of road in bad
condition. An eminent French engineer of that
time. writing in advocacy of better methods
than were then in vogue, estimated that haul
ing the commerce of the country over these
roads cost $50 COO. of which one-third $780,
OOU,OOO, would be saved by putting the roads in
good order. Since then these roads have been
N a nf he IN.
est excellence. 1t would be difficult to estimate
how large factor these roads have been In
building up that financial prosperity which EN-
abled France to pay 100000 to Germany
without bankruptcy.
But the diminished cost of hauling is not the
only return which a community derives from
good roads At certain seasons of the year the
clay soil o. this State becomes impracticabIe
for loadAl vehicles. As r result of this the
crops must be marketed when the roads will
permit, and This in turn produces glutted
market, with prices AT the lowest ebD. Per
haps a few days or weeks later, change in the
weather breaks up the roads, and The honest
farmer is compelled to sit at home with folded
hands, while the prices of his products go
steadily higher and higher
A Simple Illustration Given.
In conclusion the committee says that the
amount of good hard cash which the farmers
of Pennsylvania lose every year in this way is
difficult to estimate. but it is enormous. The
hay crop IN the census year amounted to 2Sll-
5lT tons. of which about two-thirds was con-
sumed by farm stock and the remainder was
hauled to market. For the purpose OF illustra-
tion it may be assumed that the price of hay
has ranged between SO and SIS. and that owing
to the condition OF the roads S00p0O tons had
been sold at the lesser price and 100000 tons
only obtained the higher price. The total sum
then realized by the producers would be Sl0,-
000.0O0, or an average all around of $40 Il per
ton. But with good roads the supply would
have been more evenly regulated to the de-
m a nd. he n va hpaD
low nor the highest price So high, and there
would have been less difference i'll the uuanti-
ties sold at the extreme prices. To carry out
this illustration. suppose that 5000 tons had
been sold at Sl1 ana 10000 tons at Sl4. The
total result would then be Sll, 60 O00 or Sl2 IS
per ton. The total gaiE tn the producers being
in that case 81. $50 900. or quite snug sum lost
on a single item of farm product.
Building a turnpike, the committee saws,
does not make the adjoining lands produce
larger crops, but it enables these crops to be
marketed at better prices and less cost. Ii
a farmer can afford to pay 80 per cent more
for farms which have a turnpike outlet to
market, it is because on account OF the
cheapened cost OF hauling and better conf
mand of the market he is able to add more
than so per cent to the income desired from
the Iarm.
How 1t Is Done in Ohio.
The committee says: I'm those portions
of Ohio which have taken advantage of the
statutes provided, so per cent increased value
is not uncommon, and % per cent is the
least estimate placed upon such difference
of location. Moreover, the people of those
sections would not be deprived OF their good
roads at any price; nor would they consent
under any circumstances to 90 back to the
old system OF mud roads. They pay their
road tax in cash cheerfully, and without
any longing for the annual picnic, COM
monty called working the roads, which
they formerly regarded as an inestimable
right, and glorious holiday, second only to
the Fourth of July and Christuas.'
The following is summary Of the prin-
cipal points embodied In the proposed act:
Summary of the Proposed Law.
Roads to be divided into Two classes, roads
and highways.
Highway tax to be levied on all property in
the county.
State aid to be furnished each county for
highways.
Thirty per cent of State tax on corporations
and ~ per cent of State tax collected in each
county set apart for highways, and the portion
OF tax on corporations set apart for highways
to be distributed among the several counties in
proportion TO the highway and road tax col
lected in the same.
Counties to construct and maintain all high
ways within their respective limits under con-
troll of county officers.
Townships to construct and maintain all
roads within their limits, under control of
township road directors. with nominal compen-
satlon.
Road and highway tax to be paid in cash.
Provision for a more practicable and efficient
system Of road viewing.
A certain percentage of money contributed