Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-02-10
VALUABLE TESTIMONY.
Long Island Farmers Don't Regret Money
Spent for Good Roads.

Spent for Good Roads.
The total issue of bonds in Queens
County within the past three years
and before tho improvements were pro
vided for, for roads and bridges on &C.
count of the county and towns
amounted to over $1,5OO,0O0 OF this
sum, about one half are county bonds
and the balance are bonds issued BY
the various towns.
The interest on these bonds Is In the
neighborhood Of! $lO,OOO,O 900 a year.
The question is, has it been good in
vestment for the taxpayersY A large
real estate owner at Lynbrook says.
II voted for the macadamized roads
in our town and they have proved a
fine investment. 1t was done most
opportunely, just as the bicycle came
into general use, and the Merrick road
has become famous route In conse.
quence. In the first place, 1t has led
to the investment of perhaps 800, 900
in the county for road houses, improve.
ments to old hotels, etc., and the best
of it 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 accommodate wheelmen.
Then wheelmen 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 en-
conraged carriage riding, and made
the town and country vastly more at.
tractve in all respects"
Capt. Abrams, an oyster dealer at
East Rockaway, says that one of the
results of the macadamized road is the
carting of large quantities of oysters
direct to the city. When we have
packed our 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 we can IL axe
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. 1--WE 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 fro N the
CITY," 1t is officially reported that
nearly 10000 market wagon loads of
vegetables were brought to Wallc bout
market alone last year. This WIN 1--WE
some idea of the saving in time and
horsehesh 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
ran between Oyster Bay and way sta
tions to the city. The wagons and
horses were taken to the train, the
charge for the round trip being four
dollars. An average train carried from
20 to 80 wagons, holding about three
tons each. Now the teams are driven
direct to the city, returning with
load of manure. AT a recent meeting
of the Farmers Club, the matter was
informally 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 ny trolly cars
and manure 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. Brooklyn
Eagle.