Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-16
TESTIMONY.
Long leland Farmers Don't Regret Money
Spent for Good Roads.

Long Island Farmers Don't Regret Money
Spent for Good Roads.
The total issue of bonds in Queens
county within the past three years,
and before the present improvements
were provided for, for roads and
bridges on count of the county and
this sum, aDo~, one-ha.l are county
bonds and the balance are bonds issued
by the various towns.
The interest on these bonds Is in the
neighborhood of $4,000, 900 a year The
question is, has il been a good invest
ment for the taxpayers? A large real
estate owner at Lynbrook says: II
voted for the macadamized roads in our
town and they have proved "A fine in
vestment. 1t was done most oppor-
timely, just as the bicycle came into
general use, and the Merrick road has
become a famous route in consequence.
In the first place, il has led to the in
vestment of perhaps 100000 in the
county for road houses, improvements
to old hotels etc, and the best of 1t
is all these investments have proven
profitable, and there is every prospect
of the investment of as much more next
year, in club and road houses to ac-
commodate wheelmen. Then wheel
men spend an immense amount Of
Money in the town-some say as much
as $4,000 in one day, during the height
of the season. The macadamized roads
have also encouraged carriage riding,
and made the town and country vastly
more attractive in all respects"
Capt. Abrams, an oyster dealer at
East Rockaway, says that one of the
results Of the macadamized roads Is
the carting of large quantities Of oys'
ters direct to the city. When we have
packed u oysters in sacks or barrels,
taken them to the depot and paid the
freight or eXpressage upon them, there
is very little profit; but when we put
them into our wagons and cart them
direct to our customers W. can make a
little money at the business"
The farmers at Valley Stream and
Springfield say the macadamized roads
have extended the market garden re.
gion several miles further from the
city, and have vastly helped the bust.
ness. I'VE cam" said one, increase
the size of our load nearly one-third,
and at the same time save considerable
time in the round trip TO and from the
city" 1t is officially reported that
nearly 10000 market-wagon loads of
vegetables were brought to Wallabout
market alone last year. This will give
some idea of the saving in time and
horsetlesh to the farmers of Queens
county.
Along the north side of the island
one of the indirect results of the good
roads has been the abandonment of the
market-wagon train, which formerly
a between Oyster Bay and way sta
tions TO the city. The wagons and
horses were taken on the train, the
charge for the round trip being four
dollars. An average train carried from
% to 30 wagons, holding about three
tons each. Now the teams are driven
direct to the city, returning with a
load Of manure. At a recent meeting OF
the Farmers club, the matter was in.
formally discussed in connection with
the freight rates of the Long Island
railroad. 1t was the opinion of the
farmers present that, until market
produce could be carried by trolley ears
and returned in the same way.
the best way to market produce and
get fertilizers was by hauling with
horses, and this necessitates good mac
adamized or loaned roads.-BrooklyY
Eagle.