The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-26

ENORMOUS COST OF BAD ROADS.
Moo Than Double tho Annual Road Tax
Sunk In tho Mud.

LEGISLATORS, members or the League OF
American Wheelmen, county and state
road improvement associations, and
farmers. editors, city and county Of
ficials, bankers and others at 813 cities
and towns in 2S states east Of the Rocky
mountains have sent replies to Brad
streets inquiry as to the condition of
neighboring country roads, the effects
of the same on prices Of agricultural
products and farm lands, on mercantile
collections, interests and discount rates.
and to kindred inquiries
AN attempt was made to arrive Mt q
uniform basis for reporting the per cap
tia country road tax in all states covered
by the report. but conditions underlying
the raising of funds for road improve
ment differ in so many instances that no
generalization from replies to this t,,,es-
ton is possible. 1t remains to be stated
that with direct county or state appro-
priations for country road Improvement,
such as prevail in some portions of the
east, the best class of roads are result
with little friction or disagreement. At
the south and southwest, where arc
found the farming out Of road improve
ment to tollgate companies, the system
of working county prisoners on country
roads, a direct road tax and the requir-
ing of men of from 81 to 90 years of ago
or thereabouts to work from two to six
days on the roads each year, or the pay
ment of what is regarded as an eouiva-
lent sum of money-where all these sys-
TENS of improving roads are employed
results shown are far from satisfactory.
~, t..T IT., -,
to Minnesota prices of farm products
have been advanced unduly because of
delays to interior wagon traffic by heavy
roads. In comparatively few instances
no advance is reported because good
roads have been i'll existence for num-
Der of Years, thus leading correspondents
to report mo effect" ON prices of agricul-
tural staples due TO bad roads. Quota
tons Tor potatoes hay, butter and eggs,
and almost all farm products, are includ-
ed among those specified. In many i'll
stances prices of these products have
been high i'll cities and towns, owing to
scarcity, and the farmer, if roads would
have permitted him to get to town and
sell his surplus, would have been able to
pay his road tax from the extra profit.
The effect of bad country roadways on
mercantile collections, interest and dis
count rates can no longer be questioned,
so many of the correspondents have
pointed out an extremely unfavorable
Influence Oh mercantile collections not
only during the past spring, but in the
spring and fall of preceding years. Many
bankers and others having financial deal
ings with country merchants explain
that rates of discount OH country paper
are largely influenced to the detriment
of makers by bad roads, and the tend
ency among banks is to get rcmunera-
ton for the annoyance of past due obi
cations, with a disposition to curtail ac-
commodations where prompt attention
is not given.
Perhaps the most ambitious question
among those sent out was that which
asked for the ''total direct and indirect
excess cost annually to farmers and
country merchants in your vicinity of
bad roads, because of delayed or irregular
wagon traffic in its effect on farm values.
discounts, collections etc. and it is sig
mticant TO note that while the number
or replies is comparatively few those
which have been received are from eX-
ceptionally we'll informed people in all
instances and lead to the conclusion that
most of the estimates which have here
tofore been made III public prints and
elsewhere as to the aggregate loss of this
character have been undcrstated rather
than exaggerated. In one instance four
independent replies to the question (from
Il single county, ranged within SIC, 900
of an alleged grand total direct and i'll
direct loss there amounting to 800. 900
per annum from causes as quoted above
The replies make it plain that one or
two years losses in this direction would
come near gridironing the country dis
tricts east of tho Missouri river with
roads which would compare fayorably
with the best macadamiZcd or telford
avenues of large cities anywhere in the
United States. The heretofore prevail
ing estimate of the total annual road tax
of $4,000, 900 IS therefore probably less
than one-half the total annual loss due
to bad country highways -New York
Sporting Times.
Kcpairing Roads With Road Scrapcr.
In ordinary repairs the road machine
plays an important part, its use being in
the main to give shape by dragging
back materials that have long since
ceased to DO of any value. So long as
roads are built of material that is loose
and ruts up, the road scraper will be of
great value i'll repairing. But tho result
cannot be considered satisfactory as a
road SO repaired will not increase tho
load per horse and will to but limited
extent shed water.