Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1892-10-07
THE ROAD CONVENTION.
A Letter From Commissioner M. F.
Locke on This Important Subject.

10 the editor OF Inc Afkansas btAetle.
If the deople of the State of Arkan-
sas are interested in any one thing
more than another, it is the improve
ment of our highways or public roads
Double the number of horses, mules
and oxen have to be kept on hand
with twice the necessary expense to
their owners, in order to haul the same
number of pounds or loads to market
on our present mud roads than would
be required on good and substantial
highways and one-half the teams and
much less than halfthe expense, would
be necessary.
Teams and vehicles last less than
half as long as they should, and $40
are paid for repairs on road vehicles
now, where one would be required on
turnpikes. Farmers cannot bring
their product to market at the time
when they sell at the best price, be-
cause of impossible roads; the supply
becomes unequal to the demand, and
the trader sends abroad rather than
buy at rates to which home products
have advanced because teams can
seldom haul more than eight or ten
bushels of corn, potatoes and the like,
at one load while on good roads they
could haul four times as much. Thus
it is seen that for the farmer to pro-
duce supplies for home markets is of
little value, unless he could place them
on the market at less cost to himself,
and realize something from their value.
For it is evident that team hauling
ten bushels of corn in the shuck,
weighing 740 pounds, over our win
ter and spring roads has heavy load,
and may have to haul the distance of
twenty miles, which requires at least
three days for trip, The time being
worth two dollars per dav, or six dol
lars, and sixty Gently being ordina-
rily' fine price for corn;
it costs such q farmer as | have de-
scribed just as much to haul his load
to market and he has the wear and
tear Of himself, team and wagon to
count as profit or loss on the trip.
Bad roads show want Of good
taste, and of State, county and neigh
borhood pride, want of economical
thrift, of business sense and propriety,
and the home-seeker seldom locates
where himself and family will be inn
prisoned by mud holes, quagmires and
their accompanying evils. Volumes
might be filled in showing what Ar
kansas has lost and is losing by poor
roads.
But, Mr.. Editor, the main object Of
this appeal is to call your attention
and that of other newspaper men, on
whom the country is so much depen-
dent for aid in such things, to the
road convention, and to ask you and
your many exchanges to awaken the
people all over the S ate to this inn
portant interest for our State. The
railroad companies, have rsason to
believe, will generally reduce their
fares, ana when all are heard from,
notice will be given, by your permits
sion, through yonr columns.
should be much pleased to hear
from every county in the State what
is being done, either from the County
Judge, or any other who is interested
in good roads, and / know no one who
is not.
Please, gentlemen Of the press, keep
the subject before the people. / have
received number OF favorable re-
sponses from able and practical men,
who promise to come and read well
prepared papers. ] also expect the
best modern read machinery from
Aurora, ILL.,, ST. Louis and other
places. Very respectfully,
M. f. LOCKE,
Commissioner Mines, Manufactures