Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-05-14


road it would cost at least cents per
mile to haul it, The saving Oh bushel
of wheat with good roads for distance
of tH;e miles would be about equivalent
= that of 600 miles of transportation by
steamer or canalboat, or of 375 miles by
railroad One mile of good roads would
make a saving equal to IS miles of rail-
road transportation. Thus every mile Of
good roads places the producer 10 miles
by rail nearer to the markets. 1t is esti-
mated that the cost of hauling 800, O0O,-
600 tons OF farm produce to market is
S2 per ton, or just about $1,000, 000,-
600. 1t is also estimated that about 60
per cent of this last amount, or $780,
600, 900, would be saved each year if
farmers were able to do this hauling
over good roads.
We have demonstrated by building
numerous stone highways under the
state aid law that we can have good
roads without overlooking with taxes
this class of smallest income. The farm
ers' returns are paratively small
compared with those i'll other pursuits; !;
therefore at first they hesitated to sub
scribe for the building of these improved
highways, but they are rapidly learning
that by the use Of these they can very
much add to their net returns by the
lessened cost in serving the cities with
their products.
You can haul sos pounds more Oh
good, hard sandy roads with four inch
tire with the same amount of power eX-
erted than you can with one and a
half inch tire. You can haul All pounds
more on level gravel roads with four
inch tire with the same amount of pow
er exerted than you can with one and
half inch tire.
The object of all legislation should be
the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der. Therefore legislation should be
liberal toward good roads, as they are
more generally useful than any form of
public improvement.
Good roads in the end will not cost
as much money outlay as poor ones. No
tax is as great as one of bad roads. A
bad road is a heavy tax OH those who
use it, and the worse the road the heavier
the tax.
Improved roads bring better prices
for farms and farm products. Double
loads cheaper transportation.
Can market over good roads when
commodities are scarce; can always ship
despite the weather.
Rural homes are more sought after
along good roads.
Cannot sell lands advantageously
along poor roads. Good roads make
brisker demand for farms.
Bad roads cause decay of agricul-
ture. They impose the greatest of all
burdens on the farmer.
Bad roads cause people to gather into
cities.
Wagon highways are the greatest
arteries of commerce.
The splendid condition of the roads of
Switzerland and France is due to per.
petual attention.
Experience over series of years
demonstrates a stone road is cheaper
gravel is much less.
The trained roadbuilder is Just as
necessary as the trained doctor, manu-
facturer or educator.
Result of improved roads-tremen-
dous increase in value of farm property,
facilitates business, greater happiness
for farmer, wife, sons and daugh ers,
shortens distance to be travelled. He
who shortens his distance to market
gains great advantage.
Poor roads wear out the horses vsPy
rapidly, thus detracting very largely
from the profits of the farm.
Civilization is to be judged by the
condition of the roads.