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

The HERALD has been asked TO give
space to the subject of our country
roads. It will be very glad to do so aud
specially invites those having practical
experience on road making in Grant
County to send in their views Of the
most feasible methods for this part Of
the state The subject is receiving wide
spread attention end it is even suggested
that the roads of the country be placed
under national supervision, with
national, state and county systems
built and maintained by each. This is
somewhat on the plan Of French roads
which are said to be the best in the
world. The following is an extract
from an article by JDo. Gilmer Speed
in Harper's Weekly of last week:
THE ECONOMIC ASPECT.
The condition Of the common roads has very
interesting economic bearing OF a direct nature
and an indirect one not less important In the
matter Of the earning capacity and valne Of
horses and other draught animals the common
third more work on a good road ard be in
working condition one-thrd longer than he can
on a bad road then his earning capacity. and
hence bis value, is increased just one-third.
This assumption Is based upon a cry low esti
mate. In al probability. II it were possible to
make an exaet calculations it would be found
that the earning capacity and the total length Of
serviceable life o. draught anlals would be
third. The census enumerators OF 1890 found
that there were in this country 1928, S87 horses
valued at S6S each; 2,38i09 mules, valued at SIS
each; and Sc sla,024 oxen, and other draught
animals, valued at SIS each-making total of
$3.50 SOS animals used on the roads at total
value Of S1,7el 585. t0s. All these horses and
mules work at some time OF the ROADS, aud in
deed much the eater part Of the total work
done by them is upon country roads and city
streets. II all the work done by them was upon
the roads the increased valuation. based upon
the above hypothesis OF earning capacity, would
he S513 St5. 2t6 hut as all the work is not done on
the roads, 1t is only fair to reduce this by one
half, and then we would have. by a general i'm.
provemop; of the roads Of The country. our
property in horses aud mules and other draught
animals increased in value s.. S66 922. 633. have
no figures showing The value of carriages buggies
and other road vehicles in this country. TO put
their value at S50oo0o,090 would be placing it
very low. and there would be no chance TO say
that the estimate or guess was exaggerated
Taking into consideration the cost Of repairs
necessitated by reason OF bad roads and the
shortened servceable life to such vehicles, feel
safe in assuming thar with good roads these
vehicles would last one-haf lorger. and their
value, therefore, he increased at least S250LO0,.
600. Taking these two sources of Increased valu-
alton together, we should have an enhanced
property valuation Of 1886, 9e2 s3a, all brought
about by the improvement Of the common roads
Mr.. Isaac Il. Potter, the chairman OF the National
Committee on Improvement Of the Highways OF
the League OF American Wheelmen, has assumed
in round numbers that the draught animals in
use in the United States are worth =, GOO o0o,0OO
He says:
Busy o. 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 invested at
per cent. interest Il would produce nearly
100000 per week Then you throw away
more than 10000 Geo Of horses and mules alone
and TO Feed an care for these it costs the modest
sum lf Is ,oeo coo per day, A little while ago a
very clever and intelligent citizen Of Indiana
estimated thar bad roads cost the farmer SIS per
year for each horse ANA mule in his service.
This means loss in the aggregate Of nearly
<250Ooo000 per year; add wear and tear Of
wagons aud harness SloQoo)0do, deprecated
value Of farm lands $4,000 400 009; total. S!.35o.
0lo.0aO.
Making the utmost allowance il favor u the
.a.