The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-09-20
GOOD ROADS.
What They Have Done for MeckIen-
: burg Farmers.

L
From the Charlotte Observer
Capt. Audrey read the following
excellent paper on What Have Our
Good Roads Done for the Farmers
of Mecklenburg County?'
cit is difficult" said he, "to esti-
mate the value of good roads to the
farmers or to the community. for the
benefits or returns come Indirectly
and not directly in dollars and cents,
and, therefore, canDot be easily
counted, and owing to the late
are now having, it is difficult to
properly estimate the value of i'm
provements, and they are so numer-
Gus that it is difficult to estimate
them, and only a few can be noticed
in this article.
Good roads have improved our
farmers morally, socially and intelli
gently, by bringing them in closer
contact with each other, and imprOv-
the facilities for attending church
and schools, extending the the circle
of society, and charging the meas
ure of our acquaintance. They i'm
prove commerce by bringing the
people nearer to market and render
ing transportation easier and cheap
CT, making it easier and less expense
to transport two tons than one, or
two bales of cotton than one The
difference here is about one to four.
One horse or mule can draw on the
macadamized roads four bales. of
cotton with as much eGse as he can
al Ir Ia
saved thousands OF dollars to the
farmers in the way of minor pro-
ducts. On the old roads tcost more
to market wood eight or ten miles
than it would bring on the market
So also, our fruits and vegetables
have been lost until our roads were
improved. Our farmers have sold
thousands of dollars Of wood,
melons, fruits, vegetables and other
products that would not pay to
transport over bad roads, and here
tofore have been lost; and the easier
and cheaper marketing of these
products has encouraged diversified
which brings money to the
farmer in all seasons of the year and
makes his living at home better.
Good roads have enhanced the value
of the land, invited new settlers,
new life and energy in the
citizens. The farmers take more
pride in keeping good stock and
good vehicles, for it is real pleasure
to drive a good tenn over good
DAD. 1T excites the pride of even
our colored teamsters. Good roads
have slim ulated the farmers to i'm
prove their lands and premises, be
cause they are brought more into
notice; for we do not like for our
lands to appear poor and our houses
dila pidated, and for the same reason
they have encouraged improved
farming and stock raising. The
roads have brought about
u better social feeling and closer
business relations between the citi-
zens of Charlotte and the country by
offering better facilities for the PEG
pie of the city 90 visit their friends in
the country and vice versa and if all
our roads were macadamized, many
Of our wealthy citizens of the city |
would delight in owning farms in the |
country, and our farmers would bt |
better satisfied with their country |
homes and their surroundings.
''All the above is evidenced by a
unanimous appeal from the people |
to the county commissioners to |
speed on the work and make all the |
loads in the county good. Every |
man wants his road worked first, |
and also by a willingness to pay the
'oad taxes, for we have no complaint |
low, and the pressure is so great |
that the justices and commissioners
will be forced to drive some new
method to increase the work as was
at the last meeting of the |
county commissioners as there were
i've delegations representing five of
he leading roads from Charlotte,
epresenting about fifty or seventy
i've of the best farmers in the county.
pleading with the commissioners to /
end the conyicts immediately to
heir roads, that the macadam be
attended on their roads promising
o deliver rock gratuitously, and
,ther inviting propositions.
The advantages of good roads in
his county has proven to be SO
.reat and che profits SO lucrative
hat the once strongest opponents
# the new system have become it's
trongest advocates, and now &
unanimous appeal comes from all
Iasses and conditions of our citizens
Dr. good roads.