The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-13
THERE IS MONEY IN GOOD ROADS.
How Improved Highways In Indiana Have
Enhanced Farm Values.

How Improved Highways In Indiana Have
Enhanced Farm Values.
Many persons are accustomed, when
approached with a project for road i'm
provement, to put the matter off as they
would a luxury-''until better times" I"
While they acknowledge that better pub
lie highways would be very nice thing
at certain seasons of the year, it never
seems to have dswned upon them that
10 improve the roads would be an in
vestment just like raising higher grade
stock or using improved and labor saw
ing machinery. which would soon pay
for itself. Unfortunately this class Of
people has been in the majority both in
town and country, where solid roads are
most needed, and their want Of progress
has seriously clogged many an enter
prise of value to the community.
IL has long been known in a general
way that no better outlay of few hun
dred dollars could be made by the farm
er or country merchant than in building
rock OF gravel roads, but attempts to re-
duce the practical value TO @ellars and
cents have seldom been made. A gen.
tleman in northern Indiana recently un-
dertook to find out what the farmers
themselves thought Of the matter. In
answer TO his inquiries letters were re.
ceived from farmers in 40 counties Of the
state, some Of which were provided with
turnpikes and some not. Some of them
took very pessimistio view of the road
improvement, and some were unduly
elate dover the Possession of splendid
highways. The average was taken on
the various propositions. however, Just
as the replies came in, and the result is
extremely interesting.
The farmers estimated that by reason
of the roads already improved their lands
had increased in value an average of
$6.4s an acre, one enthusiast placing il
at 100 per cent. IL all roads were i'm
proved, the increase was estimated at so
an acre. SO the increase of value alone
on each section Of land would amount to
$500, or enough to macadamize four
miles, which is twice as much road as a
section contains. That is one phase OF
the question. The annual loss due to
poor roads was placed at 76 is cents an
acre, which is manifestly too low. Ac-
cepting it as correct, however, the loss
from poor roads in five years would
amount to $2,432 for each section. or
enough to build two miles Of good road
at $1,216 each, which il considerably
moro than the average cost per mile in
Indiana. The actual money value. of
good roads, obtained by adding the loss
for not having them to the gain il you
did, is 90. 900 for every $40 acres, and in
creases by nearly $500 every year.
These are facts. ice cold and not pos
sible to contest. With good roads the
farmer would make a great economy Of
time and force in transportation between
farm and market. He would be able to
tako advantage Of market fluctuations
in buying and selling. He could do the
hauling Of farm products and purchased
commodities in the time Of greatest lei
sure. The wear and tear upon horses.
harness and vehicles would be greatly
reduced. The market value Of his farm
would be greatly enhanced, so that, at
the lowest estimate, his 800 acres would
be worth q, $50 moro, while at least $3.50
would be saved every year. These are
the facts brought out by Mr.. W. G. Lat
Ia in the journal known as Paving, and
they are worthy the closest attention by
farmer and townsman alike.