The San Francisco call., 1896-03-02
TIE ROADS CONVENTION.

The State convention called for to-mor-
row to consider the question OF gooo roaos
Will be one of the most important ever
held in California, as it will not only be
the occa sion for an expression OF observa-
tions and opinions by the State Bureau OF
Highways, but gathering of representa-
tives from all parts OF the State and from
all the interests directly concerned. Its
great educating value Will be to inform
the people of the heavy tax which bad
roads impose on their thrift. After that
is accomplished there will arise questions
of main routes and OF means for raising
money. The greatest difficulty will likely
be found in convincing the people that
bad roads are exceedingly expensive.
Farmers particularly are a conservative
class, and strong arguments will be re-
quired to show them that money invested
in good roads yields large profit.
"This desirable end,' says the Baden
Enterprise, 'can be best accomplished by
placing before the people plain facts and
figures from reliable sources. The last re-
port Of the Department of Agriculture
gives some very interesting and instruc-
tive data upon this subject. Reports to
the average haul from farm to market or
shipping point to be twelve miles, the
average load for two horses 1000 pounds,
and the average cost per ton per mile %
cents. On the basis of these figures it Is
estimated that the cost to the people OF the
country is s946, Al, ,665 per annum, or about
$13 for every man, woman and child In
the United States, and in consequence OF
bad roads it is estimated that more than
one-half this vast sum is wasted, or In
other words with good roads more than
$500, 100000 would be saved annually on
transportation to the people OF the United
States"
A patent difficulty which must be han
died with great care is one that the cycling
interests can avoid by the exercise of wis
dom. 1t is well understood that the move
ment for good roads has received its
strongest impulse from this source. As
the industrial uses of the bicycle have not
been developed to an extent at all com par
able with its employment for health and
recreation there is a remote danger OF an
tagonizing the rural population. And yet
the bicycle would undoubtedly become
one of the most valuable of industrial inn
plements useful to all classes, if the roads
were good. Already it has reduced the
price of common horses to less than half
and that means substantial gain to the
farmer. The demand of the bicycle for
good roads is based on common-sense
principles Identical with those which con-
Germ a farmers interests. Best of all, the
bicycle does not wear road to the small
est degree, and is the quickest of all ve-
hicles in detecting those faults which are
injurious to wagon transportation. Its
pneumatic tire is sufficient proof to any in
telligent farmer that the proper tire for
wagons is one that not only requires the
least draft power, but that also preserves
the road. 1t would not be wise to build
fine roads without governing the relation
between the weight of loads and the width
of tires.
The hoofs of horses are wearing agency
OF great i'm mportance. On bad roads horses
are necessary, and the cutting done by
their hoofs is matter of no great conse-
quence. Recent inventions III road trac-
ton machines point to the time when
draft horses may be superseded by these
inventions on good roads. That will mean
a great saving in the cost Of transporta-
ton as we'll as the maintenance of roads.