Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-02-07
ROADS OF LOUISIANA.
BETTER HIGHWAYS WOULD MEAN
GREAT SAVING TO FARMERS.

GREAT SAVING TO FARMERS.
Enormous sum Now Required to
Transport Farm Products and Sup
plies-Lack of Material - suGRes-
tIons For Improvement.
Major Richardson, chief state engi-
neer, speaking of the need Of road i'm
provement In Louisiana recently, said:
"The scarcity of suitable materials
for making a firm roadbed or good
road surface and the excessive work
requisite for proper drainage in large
part Of the state render 1t more difficult
to build good roads In Louisiana than
in almost any other state. But no one
can doubt that by systematic care and
timely attention 1t Is entirely practica-
bic to greatly Improve the condition Of
our common earthen roads and thus
save to the producers Of agricultural
products some part of the immense cost
Of hauling them to shipping points and
to avoid some Of the delays and dis
comforts Of travel on public roads. 1t
should also be possible without burden
some expense in some parts of the
state, and 1 emphasize some where
stone and gravel are available to build
better roads than can be made with
earth alone.
"The United States department Of ag-
riculture In a circular has estimated the
| average cost of hauling one ton Of the
crops Of the country from the farm to
the shipping point at % cents per mile
and the average length of haul at a lit
tie over II miles.
at seems possible that the cost per
ton Of hauling over the common roads
Of Louisiana Is more than the average
In the entire United States, though the
average distance is possibly less. II
so, Is appears reasonable to let the
greater cost offset the shorter distance
hauled and to accept 25 cents per ton
per mile rs a probable average cost
and, say, u miles as an average haul
that is, an average cost of So per ton
for hauling from the farm to the point
Of shipment. These figures are not
stated haphazardly, but are founded on
careful statistics prepared by the board
of state engineers and may be regarded
as fairly correct estimate.
"The staple products of the state
sugar and molasses, cotton. cottonseed
and rice, amount to at least 100000
tons per annum. Adding to this the
weight Of other products raised for
market with return freight and build
ing materials, etc, 1t cannot appear an
eXtravagant estimate to put the total
weight Of farm and plantation prod
ucts and supplies at 100000 tons per
annum. At So per ton, as estimated,
this would amount to the enormous
sum of $6,000.0O0 per annum for mov-
ing the agricultural products Of the
state and the supplies necessary to
make them upon the public roads. This
Is equal to tax of 46 mills on the total
assessed value of the country parishes.
1.-The constitution of 1898 gives the
police juries power to raise funds for
the purpose of constructing, maintain
ing and repairing the public roads and
bridges of their parishes. which should
suffice for the continual improvement
Of roads throughout the state.
"It would be difficult for Louisiana to
have system of roads uniform as to
the materials used. OF course the
width and the general construction
could be uniform. but the metal or
the material, used for the surface
would vary. In some Of the parishes
gravel could be used as surface and
in others shells. Several Of the parish
es In the northern part of the state
have gravel available and those parish
es near the gulf coast shells. However,
there are many OF the parishes that
would have to depend entirely upon
earth itself, as they have neither stone,
gravel nor shells at hand, and the cost
of hauling the same would be too great.
Some legislation might be had whereby
the cost Of building the public roads
could be divided between the state, the
parish and the taxpayer. 1t would
mean a great saving to the people Of
Louisiana.
"As to the cost Of an average mile Of
road In Louisiana, 1t would be impossi-
BILE to make any estimate on that score.
The conditions of the various parishes
would govern that. and the conditions
vary in each parish. In large pro
portion of the parishes there is no ma
terial available at reasonable cost for
surfacing roads except the natural
earth on which they are located. This
fact seems to make II almost useless
for the present TO urge any general un-
dertaking Of macadam or even gravel
roads. In few parishes this kind Of
improvement may be not altogether I'M
practicable, but as general rule 1t
would seem that the larger part Of
Louisiana at least must for some time
depend upon common earth roads.
"If the road authorities will devote
larger part of their attention and labor
to opening up natural drains and cut
ting leading bitches and canals where
necessary to dispose finally OF the wa
ter that would otherwise stand along
side the road believe 1t would result
In great Improvement Of some Of our
worst roads. also believe that good
road machine is essential"
The Final Layer.
A coat of three-quarter inch stone
and screenings OF sufficient thickness