Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-03-24

do all the hauling between farm and market If
only the principal roads were brought 70 8 good
condition. II you estimate that al these horses
are fed an ordinary army ration Of hay and oats
it requires "a 900 tons OF hay fodder and 49,
900 bushels Of oats per day 70 feed these I'M
necessary animals, which themselves have
money value OF $40. 100000. The value OF hay
and oats fed to these horses per day is about
tSOQ.O00 or something like STA 100000 per year.
These are large figures. Now let Us see what
1t would cost to DO the necessary work 80 that
such savings could be inside. II has been esti-
mated by the authorities OF the State Of New
York that with $4,000 900 the roads in the entire
State could be put in very COED condition The
roads In New York are not better than they are
In other States. They are great deal worse
than in some Of the New England states, for
instance, and therefore assume that this esti-
mate can be followed az guide in determining
what would be needed TO complete in the whole
country excellent roads. which, once constructed
could be cheaply and easily maintained. Con
sidering the area Of New York and the density OF
population, and using these figures in the
problem. ] estimate that $4,000, 900 would give
us a good system Of common roads all over the
q
doesn't seem great compared with the values
which would be enhanced By It's wise expen-
diture And right here It may be noted that the
cost Of maintaining and repairing highway
properly constructed IN the first instance ought
never TO be greater for year than one per cent.
OF its fret cost. In the two items OF horses and
vehicles. a. have shown, the increased value o:
these properties would more than pay for the
Improvement; but II is not the greatest value, by
any means. The effect upon the horses and
vehicles used on roads would be more immediate
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 I have men
toned would seem so insignificant as not TO be
worth discussing In one neghborhood alone
that OF Union County, New Jersey-the improve
ment OF the roads has changed values so greatly
that men who a few years ago were struggling
farmers. with earnings 80 scant that il was diff
cult to make two ends meet, are now not only
weto-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 1t was formerly almost i'm
possible to fluid purchasers, are now in demand
at prices which. compared with the old order Of
thngs. seem fabulous. and the mere mention OF
which suggests most unaccustomcd condition
Of opnlence.
This OF course is treating the subject
in a national light, but every commun-
ity would enjoy its share of profit from
good roads Take it right here in Ian
caster and many can point to direct
financial loss from tho recent bad roads.
The Potosi stage. for instance. had to
run four horses where two were sufi-
Gent under ordinary circumstances,
and then could only carry tight loads.
Other stage lines suffered similarly and
some could take nothing but mail,
thus Utterly burning the candle very
rapidly at both ends Broken wagons.
carriages and harness are without num-
Der, and everybody would doubtless be
willing to do much to prevent so much
disaster in the future.
But the HERALD does not believe in
waiting for the government to do some
thing. Every tax payer "worKs on the
road or pays to have it done some time
during the year. A great deal is spent
on the roads annually. but it is not
wisely spent. AS constant dropping of
water will wear away stone. so will
a perfect system be formed by
thoroughly making each year strip of
road. Where bad mile needs heavy
rock ballast with stone culverts, let n
hundred men and teams concentrate
their labor on it until finished, instead
of each devoting their time to smearing
mud from the ditch to the center of his |
own particular strip, only to be washed
off by the first hard rain.
What is most needed is practical |
knowledge and then applying it. 1t
would be we'll for the state to furnish
engineers in connection with the farmers
institutes, to visit localities aDd explain
at the meetings what is required and
how to do it effectually. Once made
the cost of keeping in repair would not
be near that of our present annual out
lay.