Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-05-05

value, therefore, be increased at least
$3.50, OOO,O 900. Taking these two sources
of increased valuation together, we
should have an enhanced property val
uation of 1886, 922 ,633, all brought about
by the Improvement of the common
roads Mr.. Isaac B. Potter, the chair
man of the National Committee on I'M
provement of the Highways of the
League of American Wheelmen, has
draught animals in use in the United
States are worth $4,000, 900, 900. He
says:
Busy or idle, these animals must be
fed and cared for every day. They are
boarders that you can't get rid of when
the busy season is over, and it stands
you in need to keep them at work. Two
billion dollars make a large sum in
vested at 5 per cent. interest. 1t would
produce nearly $4,000 per week.
Then you throw away more than l6,00O,-
600 of horses and mules alone, and to
feed and care for these it costs the mod
est sum Of $4,000, 900 per day. little
while ago very clever and intelligent
citizen of Indiana estimated that bad
roads cost the farmer SIS per year for
each horse and mule in his service.
This means a loss in the aggregate of
nearly $3.50, 900, 900 per year; add wear
and tear of wagons and harness, $780,
900, 600; deprecated value of farm
lands, s., 1000, 600, 900; total, S2,350 ,0O0,-
OOO
Making the utmost allowance in IA
vor of the farmer, and granting the
necessity of the liberal use of horse
power in the maintenance Of agricultur-
al traffic, it is easily certain that the
~ !, T. ,i11rc #
least 1900, 900 horses more than would
be necessary to do all the hauling be-
tween farm and market, if only the
principal roads were brought to a good
condition. If you estimate that all
these horses are fed an ordinary army
ration Of hay and oats, it requires l4,0Oo
tons of hay or fodder and 75O, 900 bushels
of oats per day to feed these unneces-
sary animals, which themselves have
money value Of Sl4O ,00O, 900. The value
of hay and oats fed to these horses per
day is about 100000, Or something like
$114 900, 900 per year.
These are large figures. Now let US
see what it would cost to do the neces-
sary work so that such savings could be
made. It has been estimated by the
authorities of the State of New York
that with $1O,0OO,O0O the roads in the
entire State could be put in a very good
condition. The roads in New York are
not better than they are in other States.
They are good deal worse than in
some of the New England States,
for instance, and [ therefore assume
that this estimate can be followed as a
guide in determining what would be
needed to complete in the whole country
excellent roads, which, once constructed,
could be cheaply and easily maintained.
Considering the area of New York and
the density of population, and using
these figures in the problem, estimate
that $500, 100000 would give us a good
system of common roads all over the
country. This is a great deal Of mon y,
but it doesn't seem great compared With
the values which would be enhanced by
it's wise expenditure. And right here it
may be noted that the cost of maintain
ing and repairing a highway properly
constructed in the first instance ought
never to be greater for year than per
cent of it's first cost. In the two items of
horses and vehicles, as | have shown,
the increased value of these properties
would more than pay for the improve
ment; but it is not the greatest value,
bv any means. The effect upon the
horses and vehicles used on roads would
be more immediate and more direct, and
therefore have called particular atten
ton to this phase Of the subject. The
enhancement of the value of real estate
would be SO great that the items | have
mentioned would seem SO insignificant
as not to be worth discussing. In one
neighborhood alone-that of Union
County, New Jersey-the Improvement
of the roads has changed values SO
greatly that men who few years ago
were struggling farmers, with earnings
so scant that it was difficult to make
two ends meet, are now not only we'll
TODD 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 it was formerly almost impossible
to find purchasers, are now in demand
at prices which, compared with the old
order of things, seems fabulous, and the
mere mention of which suggests a most
unaccustomed condition of opulence.
The Social Side.
These are few of the direct economic
problems in which the roads are fac
tors There is another one worthy of
mention Of even greater Importance. 1t
is hard to put any money estimate upon
the value of an improved social condi-
ton; indeed. it is impossible. But our
bad roads have SO serious an influence
upon country life and the happiness of
the men and women who lead rural
lives that in all probability purely
social aspect Of the case is more impor-
tant than any other One can scarcely
pick up newspaper nowadays without
reading that in farn>ing communities it
is most difficult to get competent and
trustworthy agricultural laborers. When
any thoughtful observer sees in the
great cities how the families of the men
who do what is called laborers' work
are lodged, when he sees them huddled
together in great, badly smelling tene-
ment houses, he marvels that they
should prefer this to life in the country,
where fresh air is free and wholesome
food is cheap, but there can be little
doubt there is a preference for
this kind Of existence in cities, even
though it be fact that work is harder
IN eYat there than in the country. and not /