Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-11-02
FARM AND GARDEN.
WILL GOOD ROADS PAY7
The Figures In This Article Give nm
Affirmative Answer.


whether it is advisable to improve our
roads in a permanent and systematic
manner, but will we profit by thu in
vestmentP Will such road, pay their
first cost and subsequent maintenance?
AS an illustration of this we submit an
estimate which we have prepared for
improving l75 miles, being the road
mileage, at the present maintained, in
the township of Yarmouth, in the
county of Elgin, which is. the closest
to us:
l75 miles cost 81 800 per mile S3l5, 900 90
Equal annual payments per cent,
~ years OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1b,2lb 40
Maintenance 500 per mile ........... $500 90
Total yearly payment. ........,,.... 21,716 As
Present system, including statute la
Dor at vi per day ..................... 1900 90
Thirty years actual yearly rate....., 1915 45
g21,71s 45
Total acreage, in township, 10000
Assessed value, 50, roc, 900; per 100 acres,
49, $50 Estimated actual value, $4,-
100000 Extra rate required for annual
payment, AZ mills. Estimated increase
in value of property, 10 per cent,
s400 0O0
In constructing IT'S miles of stone
road, so per cent. of Sl57,50O would
be expended for labor that could be
performed by the ratepayers; this
would equal 1925 for each 100 acres.
The roads would cost $4,000, of
which $l57,500 would be spent in the
township The property would be In
creased in value 100000. Taking
township would be benefited to the
extent of S242, 800 over and above the
cost of construction of the road. In
estimating the increased value, we are
satisfied that we have placed it at a
very low figure, furnishing, as the
roads will, sure means of transporta-
ton every day in the year, which must
prove the profit of the investment to
the farmer, to the merchant and to the
commerce of the world.
The reasons for this are many and
various Fertility being constant, it
is the accessibility of market that fixes
the value of tillable land. 1t is the
facilities for transportation afforded
by her network OF railways that has
given Ontario her wealth of agricul-
ture, Without such means the vast
resources of our country would be al
most valueless. And so we claim that
the same law by which railroad
gives value to real estate will also
hold when a hard road completes the
transportation system from farm tc
shipping station. For all practical
purposes, that piece of land has beer
moved several miles nearer the mar
kets of the world, and at times it ha:
been rescued from the dead sea of des
olation and anchored to present civ
ilization. Its fortunate possessor, nc
longer at the mercy of the barometer
can go where he pleases and come
when he gets ready. His produce h,
can sell when the prices are best, anC
is not like his mud-bound brethren
compelled to wait the pleasure of sun
shine and shower, and then in som,
halcyon days, when the roads ar
good, is not like him compelled t,
force his product upon an unwilling
market at whatever price crowde,
warehouse, elevator or railroad ma,
dictate. His teams, instead of being
heavy expense, and of little use iron
four to six months in the year can b
profitably employed every day, an,
that, too, with less wear and tear o
vehicles, less loss of time, and les
danger of crippled horses than in at
tempting to fathom bottomless some
) thing sometimes called public high
way. True, you can sometimes hau
in winter on dirt roads just as well a
any other, but the benefits to be dc
rived from this arc largely offset b
the fact that such q state of affairs
SO uncommon, so unlocked for tina
you are totally unprepared to take &C
vantage of it, Besides. it is only
question of a few degrees of the thel
mometer, when the hard frozen dir
rHturns to its original Elasticity
and the SO called road become
neither thing of beauty nor Joy fol-
D ever, nor even fit associate to tn
progress, the civilization and til
: christianity of the nineteenth century
But with the change to solid roads a.
uncertainty vanishes. The distance I
market is constant factor every da
in the year. No paralysis of business
tions, because the farmer is stuck
S the mud. He has taken his right,
r place in the business world, and is il
creasing profits by decreasing cost {
/ production. His hauling is done whe
r crops do not need, or on account of tn
e weather, cannot receive his attention
1t is done at less expense as the lcaC
Q are larger and are hauled in less tim
He receives for the product of his ski
# and toll that price allotted by tn,
IS supreme law of finance, supply and &
mand, and is no longer at the mercy
e greedy spectators, and glutted ms
kets. And If the cost of these roads
d not in excess of what is absolutel
u necessary, and be at all fairly Gi
tributed among those benefited, It
2 our firm belief that many miles eou
y be constructed at direct finanei
70 profit to say nothing of the mental al
moral improvement which might ari
u from the closer association of villa,
u and country life, to say nothing of Il
i fact too often forgotten in this rus
a. ing age, that man is not a mere N
chine successful most, as most
10 gains, and boards OF gold, but is ma,
G. to live in the fullest sense of that ter
to enjoy the sights and sounds Of n
a, ture, to love the beautiful, to reve
10 his Maker not alone with selfish sil
q but with that broadened view viii,
ie most rejoices when Others are the mo
70 rlnA A ~ Cnrnr,holl q L In, Ii