Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-14
NEED OF GOOD ROADS.
The Cost Would he Enormous, hut
Bad Roads Are More Expensive.

Bad Roads Are More Expensive.
From the New York World.
The agitation Of the question Of public
highways improvement in America has
reached a stage where the desirability OF
the object sought has been pretty fully es-
tahlished. Stin there are many who enter
tain doubts as to the feasibility OF a plan
which contemplates the building of a sys-
tenn Of stone roads throughout the country,
and they meet a plea for better wagonways
with Yes; but can we afford to build
them?
This question should be answered by ask
ing another: Can We afford to be without
good roads?"
1t has been estimated that, in addition to
the good roads already possessed, in order
that a system equal to the best In Europe
may be had. 1t would be necessary to build
or rebuild about one million miles. a rea-
sonable estimate Of the cost of which is
$4,000 mile, or $4,000, OOO.0OO for the whole
country. Enormous as must be the cost Of
constructing a system of frst-class high
ways. 1t would appear that. in their pres
ent deplorable condition, the roads are ex-
pensive almost beyond comparison. Ac-
cording to the census bureau. there were in
the country June 1. 1890. 14.976.Ol7 horses,
nent authority gives Is cents day his
estimate of the cost Of feed for each ami
NAL Taking this as basis. the expense
of feeding this vast number for a single
day aggregates over s431S,OOO. or more than
81, $40, O0O, UOO in one year.
1t is said that ON the smooth stone roads
of certain European countries a dog can
move a heavier load than is drawn en- an
average in this country by q horse. and that
a horse there pulls easily three times as
heavy loads as equally good American ami
mails move with difficulty. conclusion
which many. no doubt, win draw from this
is that about one-third of the present num-
Der Of horses would give better service with
first-class wagon roads than is now en-
joyed. However, in view of the fact that
a considerable share of these animals Is
owned in the cities, where there are more
or less Of good pavements, the number
could be reduced only one-half instead or
two-thirds. This would mean a lessening
of the feed expense Of s7Ss,000,O0O year.
The average earnings OF capital in the
United States are about per cent. On this
basis the unnecessary expense Of $7SS,OOO,-
600 in maintaining what would, with good
roads. be surplus stock, represents the In
terest on an average investment Of more
than s26 COZ, 000,000. This is more than six
times the investment required for the build
ing Of 1,0OO,00O miles Of good stone roads at
a cost of $4,000 a mile.
can be entertained for q moment that the
construction and maintenance of highways
can be safely tntrusted to individuals or
private corporations for gain. Only a little
in advance of this. 1t Is declared, however,
is the so-called subdistrict road supervisor
system. County control, as q rule. shows
still a marked improvement over the two
plans named, and wherever the states have
entered into the field Of road building with
effective legislation an even greater i'm
provement Is noted. But of all roads ever
constructed in the United States those
which the national government has built
unquestionably are or have been the best.
A striking illustration OF the comparative
merits of national and local management
of public roads is to be found in Germany.
The best roads Of that country were built
by the states which now constitute the en-
pire while they were yet Independent king
doms, and were thus the creations OF ma
tional governments. Absorbed into the en-
pire the states were no longer distinct ma
TONS What had been national before to
them now sunk to the rank of the provin-
cial. The roads had been constantly i'm
proved previous to the formation Of the en-
pire. Now narrower and cheaper roads are
built. and the highways Of the fatherland.
excellent as they are, do not compare ia
vorably with those OF France, over which
national authority is exercised.
There was q time when England's wagon
ways were abominable. Their wretched
condition Lord Macauley considered to have
been due to the state Of the law, which
COmpelleu edCn parish 10 MAINTAIN It's own
roads with statute labor" Again local au-
thorities failed in the management OF an
enterprise In the conduct of which a ma
| tionai government proved itself marked
success.
Until recently the inhabitants Of cities in
this country have generally regarded the
building of country roads as an undertake
ing which belonged to the farmer alone,
the expense of which he should bear. or
late, through natural causes and the gen.
| eral agitation of the question. a better I'M
Outstanding has been reached. The mud
blockades in various sections of the coun-
try in the last few years have served to
bring merchants of towns and smaller cit
les to a realizing sense Of what bad roads
mean. Three years ago the merchants OF
an Ohio city of 10000 Inhabitants lost, on
account Of muddy roads, in two weeks of
the holiday season over 100000 of trade.
Smaller cities and towns, of course, suf-
fered still more in proportion, being more
directly dependent upon the trade which
the farmers supplied.
The subdistrict and township plans of
building and maintaining roads have been
| given ample trial and have sadly disap-
pointed those who have favored them. In
| the light Of experience there is a desire to
know If 1t is not time to forsake these
worse than wasteful plans and adopt a sys-
| tenn which others have proved eminently
| successful. The quickest and most salts
| factory, and in fact the only sure way to
secure good public highways throughout
| the country, in the opinion of many, is for
the national government to step in and ex-
ercise its rightful authority. There exists
| in the country strong sentiment adverse
| to the issuing of additional national bonds
| Can the roads be built without running the
| government into debt? By building a rea-
| sonable portion Of the roads each year un-
| til all shall have been constructed, and by
| apportioning the expense among the ma
| ton, the states and territories, the coun.
| ties, and possibly the townships, 1t is be-
lieved 1t will be found possible to secure
| the coveted good roads without issuing
| bonds. Twenty years would be q reason.
| ably short period for the building of l,OO0,-
600 miles Of suitable highways. This would
require the construction of $4,000 miles pei
year. Two hundred millions of dollars
venient supposition that the nation at large
should bear one-haf and that the states
and territories, together with the counties
and towns, should bear the balance, the
| general government would be compelled &C
| appropriate annually $10O,OO,OOO. This
would not represent very considerable
| additional burden, for now three -fourths OF
that amount is expended by the Postal DE.
partment on highways OF the remaining
SOS 100000 a large share, say $1O,OOOOOO
| could be wiped out by employing regular
| army forces on the roads in those sections
| where their presence is required. AS 9
| rule It may be said, no less than 2OOl
men, who now find army life irksome be-
cause of its idle monotony. could be en-
ployed to good account on the highways.
| The majority of the state governments
as well as the counties and townships, 1t is
believed, could also SO provide for the ex
pense which they would be expected tc