The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-01-16
LOSS BY BAD ROADS.
Enormous Waste of Labor in Trans
porting PRODUCTS.

the aid Of the division of statistics
of the department, reports have
been gathered frcm about 1900
counties, giving the average length
of haul in miles from farms to mar
ket or shipping points, the average
weight of loads hauled, and the
average cost per ton per mile, and
from this is deducted the average
cost per ton for the whole length Of
haul.
These returns have been arranged
in groups of states, and the result
shows that the average length Of
haul IN the eastern states 5. 8 miles
in the northern states 6. miles, in
the middle states 8. s miles, in the
Gotten states 1916 miles, in the prairie
states 6.S miles, in the Pacific coast
and mountain states %. 5 miles
and in the United States u. 1
miles.
The average weight of load for
two horses in the eastern states is
2,2l6 pounds; northern states, O.
1876 pounds; middle southern states
1869 pounds; cotton states, 1897
pounds; prairie states, 2, 400 pounds;
Pacific coast and mountain states,
2,197 pounds; and the United States
1902 pounds. The average cost
per ton Of 1000 pounds per mile in
the eastern states is 50 cents; north
ern states, ~ cents; middle south
ern states, 81 cents; cotton states,
rs cents; prairie states, p cents;
Pacific coast and mountain states,
% cents; and the United States,
% cents. The average total cost
per ton for the whole length of
hauls in the eastern states, $1.S9;
northern states Sc; middle south
err states 81. ~; cotton states, So. 05;
prairie states, SI94; Pacific coast
and mountain states, $5.12, and
the United States, $500.
With these data it becomes posi-
bic to obtain approximately the
total cost Of the entire movement
Of farm products and other classes
of materials over country roads.
The chief of the forestry makes the
very safe estimate that's 75O, 900, 900
cubic feet are hauled overthe public
roads annually. Adding timber
used for railroad construction
ass, 100000 cubic feet-making a
total 6,235, 100000 which, at 80
pounds per cubic foot, gives 90, 525,
900 tons of 1000 pounds. Adding
this to the total farm product gives
313, $40, p Z tons, which at the aver
age cost above stated, $500 per ton
makes a grand total for the annual
cost of haulage on the public roads
of $94G, Ala, 6G5,54.
The immensely of the charge will
be best realized by comparing 1t with
the value of all farm products in
the United States for the year 1890
So, 400, 100, 454. That portion OF
the total cost Of haulage chargeable
to bad roads can be better ascer-
tanned when the report from our
consuls abroad regarding the cost
of haulage on good roads is re-
ceived.
The information has been asked
for from the state department by
secretary of agriculture in a recent
communication. The actual in
crease in cost of haulage done is by
no means the only loss by bad roads.
The loss of pcrishable products for
want of access to market, the fail
ure to reach market when prices are
good, and the failure to cultivate
products that would be marketable
were markets accessible all the year
add many millions to the actual tax
of bad roads.
Moreover, the enforced idleness
of millions of men and animals dur
ing large portions of the year is a
loss not always taken into account
in estimating the cost of work &C
tually done. Information already
in possession of the Office of road
inquiry indicates that, all things
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