The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-21
NEW JERSEYS GOOD ROADS
oHosBN ron ExPERLArBNT IN FREE
RURAL POSTAL DELITERH.

Read Ceuauaissioner Ruaa's Report declares
That Great work IL Goins On unaer the
Coed Roads Law-Oppositton Gives way 10
Ruthusinsus. and mech werk IL % ne pene.
TRENTON, Jan. 2o.-rhe New Jersey State
Road Improvement Association has selected q
route from Riverton to Cinnaminson, Moorcs-
town. stanwick, Bridgeboro, Riverside and back
TO Riverton, on which the Post ONCE Depart
ment will try the experiment OF = free delivery
system in rural districts. The designation
was made at the request of the department, and
New Jersey was selected because the State ia
recognized as in the lead in improved roads.
The annual report Of Road Commissions
Henry !. Budd for tho year ending Oct. 81, 1897,
shows that under the law Of 1895 there were
66h miles Of improved roads built in tho State,
for which the State will contribute 500, 900
and the counties and property owners will pay
about $780, 900. Specifications have boon pro.
pared for about 90 miles to DO built this year,
but TO complete the work the State appropria-
ton must be increased to $500, 900, and this the
Road Improvement Association recommends to
the Legislature and has appointed Q committee
10 secure an amendment Of the law increasing
the appropriation.
In 1893 and 1894 over "a miles Of now roads
were built; in 1895, over 48 miles; In 1906. over
81; making the total length Of the roads built
uhu Az AeW hboub goo hhloct VI WhiCh III
State spcnt e466, 500. 10 and tho counties and
property owners along the lines of roads over
81 ZOO, 900.
Burlington county leads in the extent Of i'm.
proved roads, having 81M miles, or moro than
ono-fourth Of tho total, and 1t 10 in this county
that tho rural mail delivery system is to be tried.
Middlesex county has 81 miles; Mercer, %;
Camden, 27; Atlantic. 22f; Gloucester, 1914;
Essex. II; Monmouth, sN; Somerset, en-;
Morris, 6h; Passaio, ~, and Salem, 2ss miles.
Most of the roads arc built Of macadam, but in
South Jersey gravel has been used.
Commissioner Budd says the average cost per
mile has been reduced fully one-third, some
roads having been built at from $1,000 to $4,000
q mile In neighborhoods where they have been
costing from S6,oo3 to $4,000 per mile, and the
c wearing S,s ability T dn,6 be Is great % ,S and 4 in a some %as
changed to enthusiasm in its favor. the Com
missioner reports, and more roads are being
under tho present. State appropriation. There
Is q great demand for the reports of the New
the s9Sbiect of good roads ia being considered r. IN
many other sstases.
Last year = largo, part Of the State appropEis.
viii make connected tboloushfares nom the
lower ond Of tho State through the principal
this year, when two or three more links are
completed, 1t win DO possible to travel on a mac
s sna% Pre e0sd Paterson fsS% 5s e sSo Gp5sE TO A' RiVsS. City,
Nearly all the larger cities and towns have
macadamized roads from their centres to the
Passaio have built many miles Of road under
the county. law, but are now embracing the
perienco that tho increascd taxes sit LIGHTLY
upon them and are a small expense compared
n with tss s az tSs, made SIed BY the to mare %srke easy ab tSa ms
inducement 1t offers to city people to locate in
The Commissions says tho Office of Road
INQUIRY at Washington Is urging New Jersey
farmers to try steel tTecks for roads. Such
e eTpsnd wpG on a s9 mSe aSHrlntsSs f 20 .h' P Tho rs ao of
broad tires Is and the report
use tires not less than three and a half inches
wide. Such a bill was passed last year, but
to cities as well as to rural communities.
The work Of abolishinE toll roads has been
action Of the appraisers. This will cost the
s0a he s TaSsosS Fms az property owners $780,
Commissioner Budd's report says,
front ONT c efie e 90 TO s' Hew PEI Yo PRsa a di ha ship o %h sSs
miles; it costs 3 cents a bushel to haul wheat on
a level road a distance Of five miles, and on a
mile to haul it, The saving on a bushel OF
wheat with good roads for 2 DISTANCE Of fGe
boat, or of 875 miles BY railroad. One mile Of
GOOD rOauB WOulu mako q saving equal To 20
miles Of railroad transportation. Thus every
mile Of good roads places the producer rs miles
by rail nearer to tho markets. 1t is estimated
that the cost of hauling 500, DOC, 900 tons OF
about 81 900, 900 900; i is also p esti@ated that
about go per cent. of this last amount, or $780,
o0O. 600, would be saved each year II farmers
were able to do this hauling over good roads.
These statements are startling, but true.
They show the Importance of good roads. Tho
real cost of transportation that burdens our
agricultural classes is the part OF it between the
4 rim nnI N fnNNU nr mi ltN.n attn akla
than between the railway station and the mar
ket. The loss duo to bad roads Is one of tho
greatest wastes Of energy connected with farm.
Ing, as It Is carried on In this country. Road
and street improvement throughout the United
States is beconing, a subject OF universal inter
est. Its national Importance Is such that to-
day It absorbs a large share OF public attention
in every advancing city and State In the Union.
It Is not u popular fad or n momentary cutlery
of the people. 1t is q deep-seated movement.
appealing to the best clements of our civiliza.
tion. 1t is a factor in public affairs of increasing
power.
Good roads enlist the attention of business
men, bankers, statesmen, farmers, manufac-
turers, engineers, philosophers, and every in.
tallinanf ritizap hnTyAvar hptnh1n bfu at n to-, -