The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-16

the various articles and reducing the total
10 tons Of 1900 pounds, we have total
weight OF farm products for the year 1885
OF 2l9,S24,227 tons.
Comparing the amounts by states. Iowa
reads with z4,2S7.000 tons; Illinois comes
next with p, 10000 tons; Kansas with H.
4O,O00; Missouri, New York, Ohio and Ne
praska with u, 900, 600 TO 13,O00.O 90 tons; In
diana and Pennsylvania about 10000, 900
tons; Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin,
GOyO,Oo0 TO 100000 tons; and Texas, Colo
rado, Kentucky and Tennessee. 1900, 900 TO
100000 tons.
No information is available as to the
amount OF hay and grain consumed upon
the farms where they are raised. nor is
there any return of largs classes of ma
teriais moved over the country roads,
among which are: Building materials, in
Guiding stone, lumber brick, lime and
sand; fencing materials, road materials
gravel stone, ETC.; fertiliZers-commerci
and domestic, lime and plaster; coal, ore
and metals; straw and fodder; home
killed meats and animals driven to mar
ket; garden products and grass seeds,
poultry and eggs; merchandise. farm ma
1t is deemed safe. however, to offset
these various items against home-con-
sumed hay and grain, and so as to count
the equivalent of the total farm prod
uct as being hauled on the public roads.
The division of forestry of the depart
ment furnishes an estimate of forest
fuel, 100000, 600 cubic feet mill prod
uets 1900 1900 cubic feet; total, $1,000
O00 900 cubic feet.
The chief of the forestry makes the
$3.50, 900, 900 cubic feet, is hauled over the
public roads. Adding timber used for
railroad construction, 4S5 100000 cubic feet,
30 pounds per cubic foot, gives So, 525, oOO
tons of 1000 pounds. Adding this TO the
total farm product gives 3l3, 1927 tons,
which at the average cost above stated
SOP per ton, makes a. grand total for the
annual cost of haulage on the public
roads of 1916, 414. SOS "a.
The immensely of this charge will be
best realized by comparing it with the
values of all farm products in the United
States for the year 1902, 4SO, l70. 454,
which values have probably diminished
since that date.
What portion of the total cost of haul
age is chargeable to bad roads can be
better ascertained when the report from
American consuls abroad regarding the
cost of haulage on good roads is re-
| ceived. This information has been asked
| for from the state department by the
| Secretary of Agriculture in a recent COM
munication.
The Increase in cost Of haulage actually
done is by no means the only loss by bad
/ for want of access to market; the failure
| TO reach market when prices are good, and
| the failure to cultivate products which
would be marketable if markets were al
/ ways accessible, add many millions to the
actual tax of bad roads. Moreover, the
enforced idleness of millions of men and
| the year, is a loss not always taken into
| account in estimating the cost Of work
actually done.
Information already in possession of the
| Office of road inquiry indicates that, all
| things being considered, nearly, If not
! quite two-thirds of this vast expense may
be saved by road improvement, and this
at a total cost not exceeding the losses
of three or, at the most, four years, by
/ bad roads.
There is at least enough in these facts
I fngfifV M
/ League for Good Roads, Endorsed by the
| chamber of commerce of the state of New
| York, that THE movement for good roads
/ deeply concerns every commercial and
! financial interest in the land. We are
| handicapped in all the markets of the
/ world by an enormous waste of labor In
/ the primary transportation of our pro-
| ducts and manufactures, while our home
markets are restricted by difficulties in
rural distribution which not infrequently
| trade and finance