The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-19

THIRTY PAGES TODAY.
THE coon ROADS MovnMrNr.

The movement inaugurated by Hous-
tons business men In behalf of good
roads is entitled to the most thoughtful
and generous encouragement. By all
means the idea OF good roads convention
to be held in Houston at as early an
honr as is necessary TO properly present
the movement and secure adequate rep
rescntation, should be pushed to practical
contamination.
There is more economy and a better
order Of s;atesnan ship to be exercised in
a work that shall result in the constitute
tion OF cross country thoroughfares than
in any other factor of industrial develop
ment, outside OF the closest possible APP
proAimate of living aud prospering upon
the domestic resources OF the individual
state. Good roads are an indispensaD >
adjunct to material wealth and progress.
They bring the products of farm, ranch
and truck patch, in commercial sense,
closer to factory and market by increas
Ing the hauling capacity of teams and
reducing the time of transportation. They
usefulness and set at defiance TIE ieeur
renee of inclement weather. They reduce
the cost of freight by rail and annually
save immense sums to dwe!lers in the
country districts who can easily reach the
railroad towns, whenever business or
recreation demands. without recourse to
the railroads.
Mr.. John NJ. Stall, editor of he Farm
ers' Call and secretary OF the Farmers
National congress, relying on the inter-
state commerce commission and the
eleventh census for his data. estimated
the annual cost OF wagon transportation
in this country to be 5000 100000 The an
nual saving to the people, II all the roads
capable OF profitable Improvement were put
in first-class condition. the same author
ity estimated at $500 600. 900
An exchange commenting on this most
ures appeared SO large that Mr.. stahl hes
itated for long time to g!ve them pub
licity. He held them for months to verb
fy them, and the accumulated evidence
went 10 show that they were approximate
ly correct. Subsequently TO their publ
uation they were attacked as being ex-
cessye, but nobody has yet been able to
show wherein they are radically wrong.
The mass OF testimony goes to show be-
yond dispute that bad roads are extreme
ly costly, and that If they were made good
roads the saving that would result in
nua hpD
pay the expense OF the improvement"
I'eur years ago the agricultural depart
iaent conducted an investigation with the
tr@ Of determining the use OF the wagon
solds of the United States with the follow
ing result:
Returns were received from about 1909
counties. showing the average length OF haul
from farm 10 market or shipping point to b,
for two horses was found TO be 2oos pounds
and the average cost per ton per mile %
cents. or 50 for the entire haul; Farm pro-
tons In weight. and making estimates on
pther articles carried over the public roads
~ was calculated that the ageregate expense
q ,ss ms transpSrtation N the United States n
lateral investigations made abroad by the
United States office nf road Inquiry showed
that tho average loads Of crops hauled in
"
consular district Of Munich, Germany. the
average load was five aud half tons, and
IN tho district Of Hanover II was practically
SIX tons--loads which good teams there hauled
lnr an aii-day trip The consular reports also
showed that while. the cost OF hauling by
team was estimated at IS cents prr ton per
mile IN tho United States 1t was only SO
cents per mile In Europs. These figures are
snfncient 70 SHOW In very strong light what
the farmers and producers OF the United
States hive to pay per year for the PRIVILEGE
OF travelling over the worst roads In the
world. speaking Of thein In collective sense.
II there were no other reason for the
inauguration Of good roads movement.
that should not be permitted to relax its
energies until the fullest measure Of
huccess has been achieved, the possibility
Of reducing the cost Of team transporta-
tion In tho United States from 25 cents
per ton to s.s cents per ton would he sur
ticient to stimulate and sustain II.
The comparative figures given above are
those OF q general average TO which many
81 the States have contributed substan-
tlally nothing, Certainly the good roads
data obtained from Texas has not contrib
utsd perceptihiy to this general average
~ rs cents per ton transportation. New
Jarsey New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio.
Illinois. and q few others, where good
roads havs been a element Of wealth
md material progress, almost exclusively
- jevered ~ cost to a. asurs submit