Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-19
The Automobile and Good Roads.

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valuable reinforcement to the bicycle
in its war for good roads. The move
! ment for improved highways is NOV
ing steadily onward to a victory that Is
certain, though it may not be as i'm
mediate as we would wish. The cause
is gaining strength all over the coun
try from Maine to California, and peo-
pie of all classes are gradually being
educated up to the great truth that the
best highways are the cheapest.
The attempt of a New York couple
to cross the continent in an automobile
has called wide attention to the bad
condition of the average American
country road. The Los Angeles, (Cal)
Times has little faith that the contin
ent will be crossed in this manner for
the inevitable failure will cause a defin-
lite movement to be made toward the
Improvement of American highways
which at present are certainly dis
grace to this great country. The Times
even prophecies that the good roads
movement, which has been quietly and
steadily progressing in the United
States for several years, is likely, be
fore long. to become great national
issue in politics The movement was
first started by the wheelmen, through
their national organization, the League
of American Wheelmen. and hundreds
of thousands of dollars have been
spent by this organization in agitating
the question. To the wheelmen will
soon be added a large number Of own
ers of horseless carriages as ardent ad-
vocates of road Improvement.
The wheelmen take the sensible
ground that the common roads of the
country are as important as the rail-
way systems, the truth of which is
of product hauled over the roads is
first transported by wagons over coun-
try roads, or city streets. Private CAPT
tai cannot become interested in the
building of common roads. since there
would be no income from the invest
ment, such as there is in railways. \
writer in one of the wheelmen's publ
cations advances the argument in
favor of the improved roads that they
lessen the cost of repairs, make it pos
sible to haul the largest amount of
goods with the smallest animal power,
save time. ana increase property valua-
| tons. No railroad company would ex-
pect to do business if it's tracks and
roadbeds were in such condition as to
make it either impossible 70 use the
tracks at long seasons Of the year. OF
in using them have to lose a great deal
of time and have immense repairs to
make. and yet that is what the farmers
and others using the common roads are
doing in a way every day in the year.
Another writer estimates the annual
loss to the American farmer through
bad roads at % per cent. 1of the total
home value of our products, or the enor-
nous sum of 100000. 900 every year.
Surely, this is something worth saving,
not to speak Of the aesthetic side of
the question. comprised in the pleasure
which may be derived from driving or
wheeling along smooth, level highways.
in the annual summer business of Maine
if the country roads were what they
ought to be. If a private corporation
owned this great playground of the ma
ton its first expenditure would be
few millions of dollars for better high
ways from kittery to Eastport and
from Cape Small Point to Fort Kent.