The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-03-25
4 TAX ON FARMERS.
The Cost to Benton County of
Bad RoadS.-Prof. Skeletons
Figures.

The virtual tax On farmers OF
Benton county imposed by OuI
bad roads is tremendous. The
progressive agriculturists are be-
ginning to discover that much of
their profits is lost in the ruts
along the highways, and agitation
in favor of good roads is increas-
ing.
Prof. 6. V. Shelton, the head of
the department of mathematics
and engineering at the Oregon
gricultural College, has studied
the road question and is authority
for some startling, but thoroughly
reliacle figures. Permission has
been given TO publish the follow
ing extracts OF an address deliver
ed by him at the Tangent farmers
institute:
There are few, if any. ques-
tons before the people today that
will compare in Importance with
the great problem OF road consruc-
lion. The Oregon farmer is pay
| ing a greater tribute to poor roads,
and that too without amy return
whatever. than to the church, to
education and TO all branches ol
government combined. This is il
broad statement, but it can b.
iully substaatialcd by facts.
The agricultural d: apartment at
Washington has carefully coinpil-
ed data from which the following
facts are dcduced:
In the Pacific coast and noun
tain states the average length of
haul of farm products to market
or shipping point Is 23.3 miles; he
average weight OF load for Two
horses is 2,197 pounds; the average
cost of haalage per ton Of 1000
pounds is % cents. 1t is estima
ted that of eight leading staples
shipped out OF Benton county in
1897, the surplus amounted to %,
$50 ,ons valued at $6l4,6l5. Ii
we take thu average haul as six
miles instead of 233 We find the
cost of transportation at % cents
per ton mile to be $31, ,093.92.
But % cents is the cost OH the
average road of the west, which is
far ahead of the average Benton
county road. 10 this we might
add like amount to represent the
wood. building and fencing mater
ial, freight hauled i'll for home
consumption and other items not
included in the above, and we will
have the snug sum of $62, 1874.
1t is also estimated by the depart
ment of agriculture after ii very
careful study of the relative cost
pi transportation in localities hav-
ing COED roads and in those not
having them, that very nearly, If
not two. thirds OF this amount or
"a IL 1855, nearly seven per cent
of the value OF the entire surplus,
might have been saved TO the
farmer by good roads.
This estimate does not take in
to account the convenience and
comfort OF the farmer, the social |
and educational advantages of
good roads, the increase III the
value of real estate, the advantage
to the farmer of being able to
market his products when the
prices are best, or the advantage
to hin of being able to raise
crops that he cannot now get to
because the roads are i'm
passabIe' at the time for selling.
The Item of storage at two cents
per bushel upon the G31 900 bush
els "l wheat shipped out OF the
county amounted to $12.620. A
large part of this might be saved
to the tarmors by good roads.
Again | think it would be con-
coded by all that the increase i'll
the value of real estate would
amount 10 enough TO convert our
present poor roads into good
gravel ones.
eff, instead of wasting this $41,-
1886 per year, the county would
pay it into road fund it would
pay five per cent interest On $414,-
$3.50 and five p-r cent into a
fund, which, if kept i'll
vested at five per cent interest,
would pay off the principal in
less than Is years. This $4l4.5S5
would build aboat so miles OF the
best stone road or from 200 to 500
miles of good gravel road. The
would have the use of the
roads while paying for them and
IN Is years would own them and
be out of debt. The money and
abor now expended upon the
'oads would keep the gravel Or
stone roads in perfect repair. Is
It not time for agitation of the
'oad movement?"