St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-04-30
Good Roads.

LII tue value OF good roads WAS thor
oughly understood, we would have
| them wherever the population is suffi
Gent to do the work or bear the tx.
! pense.
In estimating the relative cost OF
good and bad roads, the short sighted
ness OF human nature is painfully ap-
parent. AS a rule, we can only see as
far as the end OF the current year, aud
often only as far as the expected end of
the present "spell of weather. all be-
yond beng misty field fit only for
speculation.
The question which ought to be con-
sluered is not whether proposed road
VIII cost $500 or $4,000 per mile, but
what Will be its cost, for given time,
compared with that Of the road it is pro,
posed to supplant for an equal time !?
For instance: 1t the actual cost of a
bad road, to those who use it and whose
property is affected by it, is $500 a mile
for certain period, and the proposed
Improvement would cost the same par
DIES r5 IL SATIRE tta bft 1886 9G nile, tie
question would be settled in favor of
letting wei! enough alone. But if it
can be concIuslvely shown that the cost
OF building good road between any
two given points, will he $1,000 a mile
and $50 mile annually thereafter for
repairs, and that the cost of the present
roads, everything considered, will be
three or tour times DIS much, then it is
plainly the duty OF those Interested to
get out of the mud.
ln estimating the cost of bad roads it
is necessary to take into account loss of
Time, wear, tear and breakage OF vehi-
ctts ana attachments, injury to team,
and the personal Inconvenience and ex-
posure Of the driver or Traveller: Also
the fact that travel and TRANSPORTATION
are often delayed or prohibited at a
time W hen they are most urgently de-
lhanded. 1t is stated by prominent
writer's Oh road making that tile life of
4 road vehicle is twice as long on good
rs on bad roads. Common observation
confirms this estimate. In the Texas
Olack-WaXy lands, the wear Incident to |
DAD roads would probably augment this |
Inference. Not only would good roads |
louole the lite OF the vehicle, but they
would enable it to haul twice as much
n a given time.
The effect Oh the value of real estate
s also an important factor in estilnat-
ng the value OF good roads. The value
II lanueu property Increases as its dis
ance from market decreases. Replace
he bad road with good one and the
Instance is practically shortened by
aif. Good roads shorten the distance
0 MAI ket and thereby greatly increase
he value OF farm property. There is
mother sautary advantage of good
Dads, that cannot be estimated in terms
1 dollars and cents, a moral and men
Al amelloration, which it is not oppro-
Ilons to say is much needed in country
re, bnt which is prohibited Just in the
repetition that mud-holes and boggy
ougils prevail. 1t is the superior adj
antaRes which town people have for
'clal intercourse, for attending public i
ctures, lyceums, public Libraries, DO !
tical and business meetings and the !.
lsy intercourse OF neighbors and !
lends, that gives to them their real or :
'parent superiority in general inteli- ..
snce ana personal polish. With good !
ads the people OF every rural commu- 7
~ would demand, attend, enjoy, prof I
Dy anu support such means of mental =
"a moral Improvement, ard would in
iise equally with others in social in
recourse and elevatiDg and instructive !,
ercises. q
1t is not difficult to conceive that good
aus considered only in relation to n
ese Objects would be a good invest b
nj IN any community. Il
The more we study this subject the Il
!re we are impressed that good arti- Y,
lat roads, whatever be their cost. are Al
cheapest, and unimproved roads, re
,ecially II naturally bad, the most L
stIy' 10 cause the Interested public Ii,
sec thls matter in its proper light is in
real difficulty to surmount-uot TO as
SO the money, secure the talent or bt
eicome the natural obstacles. 1t NAV tn
tilat the average farmer who paws tn
a year as a tribute to bA! roads, ii,
MA consider it unjustifiable extor- r,
n to tax him $40 a year to maintain
vi roads for bis use. The only wav
eradicate such false ideas of economy ";
o hammer away with pen and paper. III
printing press and the office ne
accomplish the needed great awak- 81
ng, a publication devoted especially Gil
his subject may accomplish mnch ;. Pc
it is necessary that the perjodicai la
ss throughout the country he also no
listed IN the work. Col. Albert A, wa
De, OF Boston, has done more. ner. GIT
IS, than any other person to bring on D,
question before the American neo7 sit
lie founded the Chair of Road tli'
lstructlon IN the Massachusetts NC
DOL OF technology, has written many p"
ctIcal treatises on the subject and DC
the Pope Manufacturing Co If MI
ci he is President. has offered I'D. COZ
worth OF bicycles for the best arti- MI
Oh the subject of " Good Roads y Inv
Dol boys, to he apportioned amonD
states according to POPULATION. The ! chi