The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-04-01
VOL. XLIU---NO1
GOSPEL or coon ROADS.


! New jersey is famous throughout
the country for its roads. 1t is almost
/ equally famous for the enthusiasm of
it, farmers over them. They have
/ found that ihey ray. State aid to
/ building such reads, State organiZa-
! ton, aud a perpetual preaching of the
| gospel of good roads have brought it
! all about. The Commissioner of
! Public Roads believes in agitation.
! lie keeps at it all the time. Here are a
| few Of The arguments he uses. taken
| trcm his fourth annual report, which
! has jGSt been issued:
| 1t costs % ceuts per bushel TO ship
| wheat from Chicago to New York, a
! distance vi 800 miles; it costs cents
| busiIel to haul wheat on "a level road
| distance Of five miles, ana on sandy
! road it would cost ut least cents per
| mile to hauli it. The saving on a bush
eI OF wheat with good roads for dist
;Luce Of five miles would be about
equivalent TO that of 600 miles of trans
pUFtatiOn by steamer or canalboat, or
of 80 miles by railroad. One mile of
good roads would make Il saving
equal &c IS miles of railroad trans
nprtatiOn. Thus every mile of good
roads places the producer 20 miles by
raj! bearer - the markets. 1t is
estimated that the cost Of hauling,
$40, 900, 900 tons Of farm produce to
market is 50 per ton, or Just about
81, U0O, 600, OD0; it il also estimated that
about 60 per cent of this last amount, or
$500 coo, coo would be saved each year
II farmers were able to 20 this haul
ing 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
farmers returns are mparatively
small compared with those in other
pursuits; therefore, at first they hest
rateC TO subscribe 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 pro-
duets.
You can haul sos pounds more on
good, hard, sandy roads with q four
inch tire with the same amount of
power e3erted than you can with a
oneaMd a-half-inch tire. You can
haul All pounds more on level gravel
roads with Il fOurinch tire with the
same amount of power eXerted than
you can with a one-and-One-half-inch
tire.
The object of all legislation should
be the greatest good to the greatest
number; 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
u,
No tax is as great as one of bad roads.
y bad road is a heavy tax on those
who use it, and the worse the roads
the heavier the tax.
Improved roads bring better prices
for farm products. Double loads
cheaper trauspO rtation.
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 advantageousiy
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.
Tie SPLENDID condition Of the roads
Of Switzerland and France is due to
attention.
Experience over series of years
demonstrates stone road is cheaper
than gravel, although the first cost
Of gravel is much less.
The trained road builder is just as
necessary as the trained doctor, manu-
facturer, or educator.
Result of improved roads: Tremen-
lous increase in value OF farm proper
5y; facilitates business; greater happi-
ness for farmer, wife, sons and
shortens distance to be
travelled. He who shortens his dis
lance to market gains great advant-
age.
Poor roads wear out the horses very
rapidly, thus detracting very largely
from the profits of the farm.
Civilization is to be judged by the
condition of the roads