Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-11-18
GOOD ROADS SAVING.
ECONOMY OF TIME AND FORCE IN
TRANSPORTATION.


Increased Facilities For Reaching Markets
and Reduction of Wear and Tear of
Horses, Wagons and Harness-Cost of
Maintenance Less.
The patent advantages of system of
good roads are economy of time and
force in transportation, to enable those
living out of the city to transport prod.
ucts and purchased articles at all sea-
sons of the year and at times when 1t
is practically impossible to accomplish
anything In this direction under the
present method of maintaining the coun-
ty highways; to reduce the wear and
tear on horses, vehicles, ETC.; to en-
nance the market value of the adjoining
land and for the land that may not bor-
der upon the improved way, but is so
situated that the owners can make use
of the road in getting to and from mar
ket.
A properly graded and filled road will
not only save time for the farmer, but
1t means a saving of from 30 to so per
cent in traction. He will be able to haul
two or three times as much to load as
/
do it in less time and with less incon-
venience. The saving that first
class system of roads would produce
cannot be accurately estimated in dol
lars and cents, but that the total for a
year would be very large is evident.
Good roads properly maintained are
always available for use. There is no
time in the year when it is impossible
for the farmer to go to town and take
whatever he has to market or bring
home whatever he may desire to pur-
chase, such as lumber or other heavy ar
ticles. Under the present system the
seasons of the year during which the
farmer is not busy and could do his
hauling with the greatest economy of
time the roads are least available. 1t is
estimated that the item of wear and
tear on vehicles and horses is enough to
pay for the maintenance of first class
roads when they have once been con-
structed.
Another advantage resulting from the
Improvement of the public highways,
aside from those of convenience and
utility, is the attendant increase in the
selling price of land in the vicinity Of
the Improvement. In Indiana the in.
crease in the price of land has been very
carefully estimated by a comparison of
large number of letters received from
the farmers in different parts of the
state, in response to an inquiry sent out
in regard to the subject. 1t is estimated
that the Increase in the selling price of
the land per acre, in consequence of the
building of improved roads, averages
Sc IS. The average, In many Instances,
includes all lands in counties where
good roads have been built, both those
contiguous and those remote from the
improvement. The estimated average
increase per acre that would result from
improving all public roads is 50. 1t is
estimated that the loss to the land every
five years occassioned by the lack of i'm
proved roads would pay for the con-
struction of the most improved high
ways, and that the present road tax,
which under existing laws, is largely
thrown away, would, under a proper
system of road maintenance, more than
keep improved highways in perfect re-
pair.
The agricultural department of the
government undertook to find out, as
nearly as possible, the amount of money
it costs the people of this country each
year to haul their products to market
From the replies received TO 10000 let
tiers, sent to all points in the country
they were able to arrive at conclusions
and to make estimates which are APP
proximately correct. The total for the
whole country is so large that it pro
duces no adequate effect upon the mine
of an ordinary man, and the figures fol
the one state of Minnesota alone are al
most incredible.
In investigating the traffic on thu
country roads the department finds tina
the average length of the haul varies II
different parts of the country. The aver
age distance that a load is hauled ovel
the country roads in the eastern state!
is go miles; in the northern states
| 60; in the middle states, s.8; in tn,
cotton states, 1876; In the prairie states
IS; in the Pacific coast and mountain
; states, 1873 miles, and for the whole o.
the United States, l2.1 miles.
The average weight of load varies
from 2,400 pounds in the prairie states
to 1897 pounds in the cotton states, an(
for the entire country 1t is ascertaineC
to be 1902 pounds.
The investigation of the government
developed that 1t costs 32 cents to hau
one ton one mile over the country roads
of the eastern states. The cost per tor
per mile is less in other states and il
cheapest in Minnesota and the prairie
states, where it costs but % cents.
To ENCOURAGE BUSINESS EDUCATION.
In order to encourage young men anG
| Npnmnn dnslrinn n nntnr hI1cinnnr Ito