The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-12-18
eons Raada ouestiou Again.

From The Harrisburg Telegraph
The subject of good roads has been
steadily agitaied i'm recent years, and it
is now discussed at every farmers insti-
tu.e held in Pennsylvania. Other States
have taken up the subject, and New Jer-
sey has been benefited TO great extent
10y the agitation-so much so that the
roads in that State have been improved
very much. Mr.. Edward Burroughs,
president of the New Jersey State Board
of Agriculture, tells some interesting
things relating 10 the value of good roads.
He says that the average load upon the
old New Jersey roads, before the turn
pixies were built, consisted of twenty-five
baskets of potatoes. After the turnpike
had been built, fifty or sixty baskets were
considered no more of load than the
twenty-five baskets had been on the old
reads a few years before. When the
stone road was built the ordinary load
grew to eighty-five or one hundred bas-
kets, practically four times what had
been hauled on the old road. When
figures such as these are presented, what
is the wonder that progressive and think
ing farmers should all be coming for
ward rs staunch supporters OF the good
roads movement?
The depression in the price offarm pro-
ducts and Of faIm lands necessitates
lessening Of the cost of production, and
the saving of time and labor in drawing
load 10 or from market is an import
ant item. And there is no simpler way
TO lessen the cost of hauling than to
build good roads, roads that will make
it possible to market farm produce when
the farmer can best spare the time. As
it is he can go TO market only in good
weather, and he must wait just as long
for his roads to dry up again after
rain, and often longer, as he does for
his fields to dry up so that he can con-
opportunity for the profitable sale of
farm products in the spring. when prices
are at their best, and when the farmer
has the time to go to market with them.
But this is just the time of the year
when he is kept stalled on his farm, on
account o:the bottomlessness OF his road to
market; 1t is difficult to estimate what
a loss this means 10 the farmers of the
United States. 4 good market AZ hand
within few miles, his products in the
granary ready for disposal. his horses
and wagon in the barn, idle, but costing
him just rs much per DAY for feed, bat
no means of access to market. Prices
60 higher and higher, as the supply in
the towns is decreased, and the farmer
grows desperate. Just as soon as the
sun has made the roads half passable
there IS a stampede Of all the farmers in
the neighborhood, each trying 10 get his
crop TO market before the ether, and be-
fore prices change; but a day or two of
this marketing Of crops brings such an
abundance to the town that prices drop
wonderfully, and many of those who
have brought their products return home
sorely disappointed.
No one in the world is TO blame for
such n condition of affairs bat the
farmers themselves. They are the mas
ters of the situation, and it is for them
TO build just such roads as they want.
The trouble in many places is that no
one gives a thought to the matter. Road
building is neglected because no one
makes it his particular business, and the
politicians holding the town Offices col
lect town taxes and county taxes ard DO
nothing in return that will give him bet
ter roads. The old system of working
out'f road taxes often makes matters
worse still. for there is rarely road
oversecr who attends 10 his business as
he should and sees that honest work is
done. There are always those whom the
rold ovorseer favors and whom he lets
OF with a half days negligent, careless
work, or no work at all. whore the town
was entitled TO a fair day Of labor. faith
fully performed and done in the right
spirit.