Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-06-29
What. Poor Roads Cost Our Farmers.

people that had Il good oause in COM
mon they are the bioyolists and the
farmers. The question on which
their interests agree is that of the
need for good roads; tor while a
hard, smooth surface is an absolute
necessity to the wheelman, it is of
even more vital Importance to the
farmer, seeing that the condition of
the roads makes serious difference
ono way or tho other in his yearly
profits. AS tho result of an inquiry
made in 1896 by the United States
Department of Ags ioulture, replies
were received from over 1900 coun-
ties giving the cost of hauling crops
in various parts Of the United States.
The average load hauled was found
to be 2,002 pounds; tho average
length of haul, IL 1-10 miles tho
average cost OF hauling ton Of
crops to market was $3.02; while
tho average cost of hauling ton for
distance of one mile WAS Is cents.
In order to compare the roads of
the United States with those Of
Europe the bureau, through, its con-
suls, made careful inquiry on the
subject of cost of hauling in Eng
land, France, Germany, Belgium,
italy and Switzerland. The average
cost of hauling one ton one mile was
found to be in England 10 cents, in
France 10 cents, in Germany 81
cents, in Belgium % cents, in Italy
= cents, and in Switzerland from 6
to s cents, the average for all those
European States being s 6-1O cents
per ton per mile. More than one
cause may enter into this determina-
ton of cost, but that the great cost
in America is due to our poorly
made dirt roads is proved by tho
fact that while over the superb roads
of Europe a farmer will haul three
or four tons at load, our farmers
arc able to haul only ton or less
than a ton over the "plow and
scraper" ridge of soil which, even at
this late day, is dignified by the
name Of road in many parts of the
country.
NEW RECRUITS FOR GOOD ROADS.
eyes, sir, it is entirely appropriate
for a Memorial Day orator to speak
an appropriate word in behalf of
good roads"
Such was the answer Of s farmer
when consulted on the subject by a
gentleman who was to deliver the
Memorial Day address in Western
village. Continuing, he said
"Why not? The people for miles
around here are deeply interested in
Memorial Day ceremonies. Some
years only few of us could attend
because Of the horrible condition of
the roads. Gin such occasions our
Memorial Day ceremonies have been
pretty nearly a failure. I was not a
soldier, but | had two brothers who
were soldiers, and, like myself, they
are farmers, but | Go not believe that
they are more earnest in their hope
that Memorial day will be pcrpetua.
ted long after the last soldier has
passed away, than myself. I have
thought for many years that it was
very important that these ceremo-
nics be continued. They certainly
have resulted in good the past thirty
years they certainly can do the
same kind of work for many years to
come. | know they will be more
largely attended and consequently
will do more good if hundreds of
thousands of people in the aggregate
are not prevented from attending
them because of deep mud that we
sometimes have at that time of year.
| wish | had my way about it. You
could depend upon it that every Me-
mortal Day orator, until we get good
roads, would put in plea in their
behalf, an earnest one, to the mill
ions who assemble on that day and
listen to addresses.
81 do not understand why it would
be out Of place for all of the 1000
or 5000 posts in the country to pass
resolutions in favor of them. I do
not understand why at all of their
State gatherings and at the national
gatherings they should not take
similar action. They say the war
cost nine or ten billions of dollars.
Bad roads in the United States 80