The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-19
Comparison Of European
and American Roads.
What History Says.

cf the State Good Roads assoclssion
aud contains some use:ol information
With the Introduction of orokeo
ssole roadvays in the early psrs Of
the present century commenced a PEE
riod Of great activity io road building
throughout Europe. American travel
ers who have written about European
roads are filled with admiration and
wonder at the ex,en. Of she system
and the high degree of perfection at
uetsid. There the farmer markets his
crops aud transports his snpplies with
greater ease than would be possible
even on our city streets, while travel
ing for pleasure end social Intercourse
is rendered easy aud delightful. The
roads are equally good at all seasons
and in all weathers. aud in consequence
the farmer reserves his hauling for
rainy days, and employs his teams and
men iu profitable farm work on every
good day.
Il is nos essential to the object of
this paper to enter into any desorip-
tiop of these roads. but some COMPARE
tive figures will serve to show their i'm.
mense superiority over our Own The
average working load of team is man.
ifestly the practical test of the efficiency
of the roads II the United States the
average load for team of two horses
is 1000 pounds, and in the cotton
States, only 1897 pounds In Bel
GUM a pair Of horses will draw 4.408
pounds to market. di,taoce of 10
miles, aud resurn with au equal load in
one day. 10 Eoglaod 2-horse team
will take 4,50O pounds 10 miles and
back per day for sis days IN sbe week.
To France it is rot uncommon to load
one horse With 1000 pouods, while
two will of course draw twice as
much In Gernany the average load
for .wo horses is 6 600 pounds. aud she
average haul eight miles. while load
of 12. GOO pounds for distance of IL
miles is reported. In Italy the average
load is 10,700 pounds aod the haul
eight miles. In Sicily the load is 3 1000
pounds and the haul 20 miles 10
Switzerland the average haul is 10
miles and the load 5000 pounds. The
ratio of 1000 to 5000 fairly represents
the efficiency of American and Euro
pean roads.
As to the exteus Of the road system
in European countries, have been un-
able TO get any exact figures except for
France. which. vita an area OF
204, 900 square miles. is credited With
over l00. 600 miles Of public highways,
or one nile Of road to every ne-half
mile Of territory. About halt of this
mileage is the finest type of stone
roads and all are maintained IN the
highest state of perfection The sum
of S6.8oo. 900 is expended yearly 10
buildings pew roads and renewing old
ooes. and -$32. 600. 900 is expended in
maiusepancs aud inspection
We. ere inclined to excuse she poor
showing We make in this comparison
on the plea that our couosry Is new
aod ,Dferior in wealth TO she Euro
peao countries But it must be re-.
membered that the work of modern
road building did not commence in
Europe until the beginning Of this Geo.
.ury, and that it has not beeo ooo-
6oed BY auy means to the rich and
powerful nations. Switzerland, which
is particularly barren of resources. is
secood only to France in the excel
ience of her roads, some of which
have cost as much for single mile as
We would be wiling to spend for a
whole county. And destitute and im-
poverished Greece is building and
maintaining system of modern roads
that would be revelation to any
American State These European
countries have learned the lesson that
we must learo, that. rich or poor, shey
cannot afford to be without good
roads, not because they are delight
ful luxury. but business necessity;
jus. as the successful farmer has
learned that be oanoot afford to do
without good implements, machinery
aud wagons.
Most Of these countries. and pasticu-
iarly England, have tried as We have
done, the various expedienis for build
iog roads without taxation. but all
have long since realized the universal
truth thar to gcs anything worth bav-
ing It must be paid for. and it is uow
the universal custom to carry On road
work 10 the same manner as other
gseat public enterprises
In America scarcely beginning
has been made in scientific road
building. Massachusetts was the
first State to adopt advanced meth
ods. and in 1892 the State assumed
ond ovDonoo NJ tho