The weekly intelligencer., 1892-04-23

keep MS tedlllS DuSy on lne IafHl, anu
take advantage of rainy days in making
trips to and from market, for his road
is firm and smooth nj all times. b, on
the contrary, will have to waste much
valuable time in hauling, rs his road is
unfit for use except in good weather.
Moreover, in foul weather his farm
hands and horses will necessarily stand
idle, consuming provisions, and earn
ing nothing. Hence, since B has to do
both work and hauling in good wealth
er, he will be compelled to own nearly
double the number of horses, if he
keeps his farm up to the standard of
AS. Especially is this true when it
has been carefully estimated that on Il
macadamized road one horse can pull
on other roads, even when they are
dry. AT least fifteen or twenty dollars
(per headD is wasted each year in SIM
ply feeding them while idle, in addition
to the expense OF buying other horses.
Again. prices tiuctuate from time 10
time, therefore, the man who can plaC g
his products on the market at the timS
~
vantage over the one that is dependent
upon the condition of the roads. We
see plainly that the amount thus lost
each yea, is no trifiing sum. The state
ment that poor roads keep the farmer
from prospecting is not theoretical or
fanciiul, but sober fact drawn from the
actual experience and observation of
many men. Compare, ii you please,
Il he farmers of this country with those
of Italy, France and other European
countries. Statistics go to prove that
in those lands the farming industry
compares most fayorably with other
pursuits, and their farmers are among
the happlest, most contented people in
the world. The natural advantages are
very much the same as they are here,
when compared to other industries.
Wherein then lies the great difference
between the same class of people? ?
Here is the answer: European coun-
tries are threaded with the finest of
hard roads The farmer there does his
work ON economic principles, realizing
that ''the best is the cheapest" Some
one urges that because of the dense
population, these people are more able
than we to construct good roads; but
investigation shows that their country
districts are no more thickly populated
than our well settled western states. In
some parts of our own country, hard
roads have been made, and wherever
the good work begins it will continue,
for one mile of good road teaches y
lesson none can fail to learn. Take a
concrete example. Union county, New
Jersey, few years ago could boast OF
but very poor roads. Some of its peo-
pie, however, had witnessed the hene-
iical effects of good roads and by the
influence of these few, the people at
large were induced to take steps
toward the desired end Meetings were
held, work was started IN earnest, and
in few years their roads were either
macadam or Telford You ask the
result? Did it pay in every sense OF
the wordP Let us see. Property rose
at almost a bound to double its former
value, and suburban farms were in de,
mand Notwithstanding the increased
prices. Why? Because funds put in
farm lands was money well invested
farming paid. A general wave of pros.
perily swept over that entire section OF
country, and so it would be every.
where if our plan were only tested. II
will perhaps be objected that the cost
of constructing these roads is toe
great. A little reckoning, we think
will prove that money enough would
be saved in few years by good roads
to make them pay for themselves
During at least SIX weeks of the ycal
bad weather prevents over five thou,
sand farm horses in this one county
from working. Assume that it costs
only twenty-five cents per day To feed
stable and otherwise care for these
horses, and the amount is $50, 900, 90
So much would he saved our county
the loss of time by the farmer and hi.
hired help, the cost of repairing wag
ons, carriages, harness, etc, the mum
ber of extra horses that bad roads make
necessary, and the sum will reacl
800, 100000 for each year. Consider
also, how much is spent in repairing
dirt roads, remembering that less than
one per cent of ITS original cost vii
keep hard road in good condition
and we see that macadamized road,
would save much money and time
The people of Union county, n. j..
testify that their roads paid for them
selves in simply advertising the coun
try. People are willing to pay a rea
sOnable toll for the benefit and pleas
ure ACQUIRING from good roads, thougl
by many this is not considered best, IA.
it does not place the tax equally on th'
persons benefited. Ii is, however, no
one class alone that desire and neeC
better roads. The value of il mill, o.
manufacturing site, depends largely ol
the means of transportation, that is, ol
the condition of dirt roads, for all pro
duce sent from, or brought TO, The
local market by rail, is, more or less
first or last carried over the ordinary
road. AS the farmer prospers, il
that proportion does the merchant !
business flourish Physicians and Othe
professional men will be likewise beue
fitted, as they go and come in all sorts
of weather and at all times. We hay,
spoken only of the effect upon trades
professions ard business of all kinds
but we think the gain derived merel,
from the greater possibilities of socia