Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-05-26

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR RURAL COM.
MUNiTlES TO CONSIDER.


Worth of Improved Highways to Farm
ers A Most Convincing Statement.
The following paper upon "The
Value of Good koRds to Farmers" was
written by Professor Latta of Purdue
university, Indiana: That good roads
have a money value to farmers will be
granted by all That the money value
OF improved highways is alone sutfi-
cient to justify the cost of their con-
structioa, will be confidentially
claimed or readily admitted by many
farmers, questioned by others, and
denied by not few.
In view of the financial and many
other advantages Of good roads, ma
jolity of the farmers OF the state would,
doubtless, favor their construction as
rapidly as practicable under some eff
ficient, economical and equitable sys-
tenn of highway improvement. But
there is a considerable proportion of
the farmers-doubtless one-ffth and
possibly onefourth-who have little
knowledge or appreciation of the bene-
fits of good roads and who, therefore,
highway improvement. The farmers
of this class know what they will have
to bear their full share of the burden
of such mprovements; they discredit
mot wholly without reason) the state
ments and conclusions of many public
writers as to the losses and gains to
farmers from poor and good roads re-
spectively; hence they view with ap-
prehension the general agitation in
favor OF improved highways. Ignor-
ing or undertaking the educational
and social advantages, as well as the
comfort and enjoyment of good roads,
or feeling unable to pay the price of
such benefits, these farmers regard
with distrust and disfavor measures
for highway improvement; and they
are likely to oppose efforts for the bet
terment of our roads unless they can
first be convinced that good roads will
prove paying financial investment.
Speaking, therefore, in behalf of those
who for any reason are not intluenceds
by the higher considerations in favor
of improved highways, 1 raise the
question. Will it pay the farmers in
dollars and cents to improve their
public roads?
Before attempting to answer this
question, let US consider in what ways
permanently good roads will prove
financially beneficial to farmers. All
will agree, l think that a good road
will
l. Economic time and force in
transportation between farm and
market.
.. Enable the farmer to take ad-
vantage of market fluctuations in
buying and selling.
B. Permit transportation of farm
products and purchasing commodities
during times of comparative leisure.
/. Reduce the wear and tear on
horses, harness and vehicles.
>. Enhance the market value of
real estate.
But while it is easy to enumerate
the ways in which improved roads
Will be financially advantageous to
farmers, it is very difficult to esti-
mate, in dollars and cents, the benefits
to accrue therefrom. Distrusting my
own judgment in the premises and
fearing, also, that my opinions would
have little weight with others, 1 sought
the advice of the farmers themselves.
Letters of inquiry were sent to sixty
of the most intelligent farmers in forty
counties located in the central and
northern parts of the state. The sub
stance OF these letters is given here
with:
l. About what proportion of the
public highways in your county are
now good gravel roads?
>. Please estimate the average in
crease in dollars and cents in the
selling price per acre of land through
on the c?..2ty, as the result of such
gravel reads. --.r--
3. If all the public roads in your
county were converted into improved
highways, how much, in your iudg-
ment, would it increase the average
selling price per acre of land through
out your county?
A. What would be fair estimate
of the cost per mile of converting our
common dirt roads as they now exist
into good gravel roads, provided, OF
course, the work were to be performed
economically under some competent,
general supervision, and not ham
pered by legal restrictions?
5. Supposing that your county
were divided into 100-acre farms and
that the average distance of each farm
from market were five miles, what. in
your Judgment, would be the average
annual cost lin dollars and cents to
each farmer Of our unimproved high
ways?
In answering the fifth question
please take into account the reduced
loads, increased time, extra wear and
tear, and loss in sales from inability
to deliver products when the mark Ell
is best.
Over forty replies to these queries
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