The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-30

heavy army wagons were conveyed over
these roads, much to their detriment, in
a rapid galop. 1t is true that citizens
tributary to these roads anu the
people generally who use them would
rather pay a higher toll than return to
the primitive time of slow and heavy
draft through the deep sand, yet equity
will in time require their acquisition by
the county in order that they may be
thrown open to the public free Of charge.
1t must be borne in mind that the amount
of load that can be calculated upon 10 be
drawn over road is only as much as
can be drawn over las worst part. No
exact figures can of course be given, be-
cause the condition of roads differ but in
asmuch as ours are probably as poor as
any elsewhere, those given below may as
well apply to Chatham county as to Mas
saChusetts Prof. Ely says poor roads
cost the farmers an average of at least
SIS per horse" In referring to the smith
field Pike north from Providence, Prof.
Stone SAYS the loss on wagons and
horse flesh and harness is more than $l.65
per day per mile, and yet that sum rep
resents 4 per cent. on $780, which is what 1
estimate a mile of good macadam road
would cost 500 per year per mile as a
sinking fund, and 500 per year per mile
for repairs"
Clemens Herschel says: The English
horse employed in the streets of a city or
on the roads of the country, does twice
as much work as the American horse sim
ilarly employed in America This is the
patent undeniable fact
The simple ex plantation of this is that
the Englishman has invested in perfect
and permanent reads what the American
eXpends in perishable horses that require
to be fed.
From table compiled from the Engin-
eering and Building Record by Rudolph
Herring it appears that lit requires twelve
and half horses to haul the same load
over a sand road that can be hauled by
81 horses over a good Telford or ma
cadam road" 1t is self-evident, therefore,
that if one horse can haul ga times as
much over good road as over bad one,
when we have good roads in Chatham the
truck farmer may transport his crop from
the extreme limits of the county to the
steamship wharves, with the same facility
as If his farm were located within two
miles of the limits of the city. AS good
roads exert the same progressive, develop
ing influence as railroads now too distant
to be useful will be brought under culti-
walton, be enhanced in value and tend to
reduce the general rate of taxation and
contribute to the general prosperity.
The advocates of efficient drainage and
of improved roads are in favor of the issue
of bonds because they believe it to be the
only fair and equitable way of providing
the means to realize these essentials to the
The beneficial effects of drainage, though
only partial. upon the sanitary condition
of the population have been before the
public for three quarters of a century.
From the committee of council on dry
culture dated Jan. 49, 1924, and signed by
w c. Daniel, f. S. Fell and Moses Her
bert, is extracted the astounding results
shown below from copy of the Savannah
Republican of May 4, 1924 (kindly fur
nished by Col. John Screven). These
figures refer to the white population
alone.
MORTUARY REPORT
Wet culture-1S15, one in every 10; 1916,
one in every IS; 1917, one in every 2-5.
Dry culture-1S21, one in every 81; 1922,
one in every 80 As; 1923, one in every 81 1-3.
1t has been only after the recent drain
age operations that truck farmers and
their families have been enabled to reside
during the entire year on the lands west
of the city. Drainage is also a prerequl-
site of good roads. l consider the matter
paramount Importance to the future pros
of such paramount Importance TO
the future prosperity of the COM
munity that am not in favor
of submitting the question of bonds
to the public under any unpropitious cir
cumstances. If bonds are issued l coin
eide with a previous contributor that the
work should be entrusted to a board
of public works simply because the
county commissioners could not give it
such personal supervision as would in
sure efficient and Inexpensive construc-
ton.
l would favor the expenditure of only
a part of the funds at first on a part of
the roads, and then await the results, and
and this might be made condition of the
issue.
While advocating generally the use of
the best material for the metal" or
superficial covering, which is "syenite,"
the hard hornblende here displacing the
softer mica of common granite, a small
section of ebert or other material might
be tried for future guidance.
A Oemler.