Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-08-07

each; Indiana and pennsylvania, ABOUT
100000 tons each; Michigan, Mime
sofa, and Wisconsin 7,000,0 900 to 100000
tons; and Texas, Colorado, Kentucky,
and Tennessee 100000 to 5000, 900 tons.
The forestry division of the department
estimates the weight of forest products
to pass over the public roads in 1885 to
have been 93,525,O00 tons, and this,
added to the farm product, gives the i'm
mense total of 313, 349, 227 tons, which,
at the average cost of S3.02 per ton, AS
above stated, makes the grand total for
the annual cost of haulage on the public
roads S946, Ala, GG5.54.
Regarding these figures General Stone
says: "rhe immensely of this charge
will be best realized by comparing it
with values of all farm products in the
United States for the year 1S90-S2, $780,
170, 454-which values have probably
diminished since that date"
Were good roads universal, the aver
age haul, instead of being 2,002 pounds
as at present, would be from six to eight
thousand pounds. This is demonstrated
by the actual results obtained from the
roads in Chester Township, Burlington
county, n. j. 1t also proves that the
contention of the bureau-that nearly
two-thirds of the present cost of haulage
could be saved-is individually correct.
When, therefore, such vast results for
good can be obtained is it ally wonder
that the question of good roads is re-
garded as one of paramount importanceg
The bureau of Road Inquiry has
demonstrated beyond all peradventure
that the country at large sustains such
tremendous annual loss through the
condition of its roads as to fully Justify
the assertion of the national league for
good roads, indorsed by the chamber of
commerce of this State, that "the move
ment 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 transport
tation of our products and manufactures,
while our home markets are restricted by
difficulties in rural distribution which
not infrequently clog all the channels
of transportation, trade, and finance.
/ Appended to General Stones circular is
number of opinions from representa-
tive men who reside in localities where
! good roads have been constructed.
Mr.. A. j. Cassatt, one of Philadel'
phia's most prominent horsemen, says
"a ton was about as much as they could
| formerly haul. Now they carry as much
as two tons of hay or straw, and bring
back all the manure they can pile on 1
two horse wagon"
Mr.. Emmor Roberts of Fellowship
y. j., says "We have expected thai
we could accomplish just about double
the work with the stone roads that we
did with the gravel turnpikes and nearly
double with the turnpkes in good order
that we could with the ordinary country
roads,"
Mr.. w. w. Mitchell, Paris, Ky, re
ports that "The average load haulet
over our pixies with the horses is
1000 pounds"
The astounding benefits derived from
the construction of stone roads IN Bur
lington county, n. j., is thus stated by
Mr.. Clayton Conrow: Before the con
struetion of stone roads in Burlington
county it cost - cents per basket tt
market truck; now it costs cents
Mr.. George Banfied's (Johnstown
Pa.) experience is: son our good road
in town two horses will make good time
with 1000 pounds. 1t will cost 6 cent.
per bushel on bad road to haul whea
10 miles; on a good road it can b,
hauled for 3 cents per bushel 10 miles.
According to Mr.. Amos Ebert, Ash
land, n. j., has been greatly benefited
by good roads: "We haul about the
same loads now with less fatigue will
two horses than formerly with three
and four, with an average saving of II
per cent"
MI l<' l. t1Hull VI l[tAluSlOll, N y -
says: During the summer months
when we haul our wheat, we never put
on team less than 100 bushels. This is
easily hauled on our best roads; were
| compelled to pay the average price
Us cents per ton per mile) as reporte d
by you, | would be compelled to close
business and leave
Mr.. c. V. w. Fonda of Paterson, n.
j., declares that "The cost of hauling
since the macadam roads were construed
has been reduced from 30, cents per mile
to about 10 cents
These opinions might be multiplied
indefinitely, but enough have been cited
to fully bear out the contention of the
bureau OF Road Inquiry, and to impress
the public generally with the exceeding