The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-10-08

~ your Commissioners how the
stone roads are OF any partic-
ular benefit to the farmer.
and whether the increased taxation
resulting from the building of them
does not amount TO more than the ad-
yantages gained.
This question is more easily an
swered says the fifth annual report
of the New Jersey Road Commission
or. by citing the practical results in
some sections of the State. Glouces-
ter County and the southern part OF
Camden County are great producers
OF watermeions. tomatoes. white and
sweet potatoes ana many other varie-
ties of fruits and vegetables so largely
sold in the city markets.
Before the advent OF stone roads the
leading highways not gravelcd were
almost a bed OF sand. through which
teams struggled with forty to fifty
baskets of produce To the Philadelphia
market. The roads We're so heavy
the farmers Were largely forced TO
ship by railroad and by boats passing
down the numerous creeks that inter
sect this portion of the country. The
expense on the few baskets they were
| enabled TO carry from the farms to the
city were so great they found it much
cheaper TO send by car or boat.
Now. since the leading roads have
been macadamized toward the Glou-
ceSter City ferry, there are from 1900
TO 1000 teams day passing to and
fro on this ferry, where probably from
200 to 400 was the maximum before.
These teams now carry from $50 TO
10 tive-eighths bushel baskets of veg
etnbles and fruits, while before they
only carried from forty to fifty bas-
kets. They are now cartlng 10 mar
ket instead OF sending by boat as they
once did. and returning with three and
five ton loads of manure. Their rea-
son for so doing is that they effect a
very large saving. Their experience
Is that the average basket Of fruit or
vegetables sent by boat to Philadel-
! phia markets costs from six to eight
cents basket; the items OF expense
! by boat are two cents for attendant.
and one and two cents for carting in
CITY; total, seven to eight cents: then.
II the commission be added. It would
average three to four cents more. To-
tai, eleven to twelve cents. BY cart
ing an average load of 100 baskets the
farmer saves by the use OF his own
team about $40 a day, so If he were to
cart about five days in n week there
would be 4 saving of $50 4 week. less
the FERRY expenses of seventy-fve
cents a day. Another advantage com
slsts in the produce being landed ut
the commission or consumers door.
thus being in much better condition
Tor sale than when going through IT'S
dinerent stages of handling to and
| from the boat or cars and the rough
usage OF carting to the consignee's
door. Then the farmer by marketing
his own produce very often saves The
! commission by being enabled to di
| rectly dispose of it to the consumer
| Inc charge of selling Is ten Der cent
on an average load of 100 baskets the
commission would be somewhere in
the neighborhood OF Sc This. added
| 10 the $40 saved in transportation.
sweils the saving TO SIG on each load.
rms calculation seems large. but If
it were one half realized it shows how
I the stone yards benefit the farmers.
The result has been, where the early
| opposition Of the farmers OF Glouces-
Ter county was marked by the send
Tag OF numerous persons and petitions
! 10 the Legislature to have the stone
! road law either abrogated OF the man
Camus or forcing clause stricken ont
| tnat applications are being RAPIDLY sub.
stituted for the circumstances. mal,iuc
! 1T impossible with the limited ammo.
| prlatloa to come anywhere near meet.
ing their petitions.
Another one OF the results is that
tho farmer are rapidly buying larger.
| heaVier wagons with broad tires. and
! II the present rate of increase keeps on
/ IN, capacity OF each wagon will he
/ alnost equal TO that OF the small boats
Ic-Ltry used .n this carrying trade.