Evening journal., 1902-12-02
EARNEST MEN
FOR GOOD ROADS
tcontinued From First Page)

hum of thousands Of labor saving ma
chinhs. This condition has resulted
VERY largely in all the counties of the
State that early engaged in road build
ing in the neighborhood Of our large
cities.
"Now we have so many complated
highways with hard surfaces over
which travellers and vehicles pass with
lcomfcrt in all kinds Of weather, that
village and farm improvement associa-
tions ans being agitated in order that
the borders of our roadbeds can be
made so attractive that visitors may be-
induced to settle along them We are
appropfiating millions of dollars for
building canals and railroads. yet
lninety-five per cent of all the material
that passes over them must first pass
over primary roads, namely the COM
mon wagon roads Our railroad cor
lporations are spending huge fortunes
lin reducing grades and making their
roads straight and smooth.
when this has been done, then our
boys will be content to remain on the
farm, and our girls be- willing to be-
come farmers wives The isolation of
farm life will then have passed away
and instead of our sons and daughters
leaving the farm to go into the crowded
cities, more will be willing to go from
the cities to the farm. Then we will
have free mail delivery and the tele-
lphone; then we will become a happy
and contented people
What Bad Roads Are Costing
1T is estimated that we have .3OO.-
1000 miles of common wagon roads in
the country, a total mileage greater
than that of amy other single country.
In New Jersey alone, we have 10000
miles; ON these common wagon roads
Massachusetts and New Jersey waste
each, annually about 81 600, Nav
York S25O0000 the total amount
wasted i'm the United States, the leading
country Of good roads.
The cost of hauling produce from
the nearest market CIR railway station
is given as $500 600 600 a year. or more
than the entire cost Of operating all
the railways i'm the United States,
(which foots up to SS1S0O0OOO. The
average haul to the nearest shipping
point is twelve miles. Few farmers
take into consideration these items of
expense, but it should be carsfully
considered. The average cost of rail-
way transportation in the United States
is over seven mills ptr ton per mile.
,(If farmers products could BE hauled
to the market at this rate the total
cost would be less than s26,O00.00O as
compared with the S900,0O0,0O0, the
present cost.
"The most important factor i'm good
, , roads is reducing cost for much larger
loads can be hauled. much less time
taken, and "a great saving ip horse
flesh. and in the wear and tear of We
hices
Another important factor in favor
p, of good roads is in being able to gel
produce TO market during the time OF
Q high prices. Many specific cases OF
great loss for this reason are at hand
1 and it would seem that no further
@ argument is necessary.
! For Stone and Gravel Roads
Repairs uncommon wagon reads cost
enough to make hard roads of them
}, besides when repaired they are gen
2, orally worse at the end of a few months
+ than they were before. Dirt roads can
i not be otherwise than bad during a
d large portion of the year The rain
T percolates through the soil, renders
{ them soft I'M winter, and dry weather
d generally makes them sandy in sum.
p mer Therefore bad roads are a con
slant tax.
"The cost Of hard roads under the
State Aid LAW is bearable by most any
community as is evidenced by the fact
that those communities which have re.
ceivad the most benefit OF the law are
m0st clamorous for more.
: Communities receive direct benefits
by inducing new settlement. thus in.
{ cuaasing the value of property ly ar
/, resting the tendency to- cluster in thi
= cities.
: improved roads make improved
/, schools possible for the children. Clos,
coordination between improved road.
and education cannot be too strongly
impressed upon the public attention
r The ambition of every rural district tC
place a school house in every valley
and on every hilltop resulted in very
p mediocre accommodation and poor in
e struction. Good roads allow centraliza
b tiCn and combination making travc
INN fafe tNAl NiHihlit Us iO lOIhcI dI
. object BY means of bicyclss ant
a wagons the children are quickly car
(. ried TO central schools. thus enablinl
4 lcountry districts to have graded
!. schools in which efficient teachers ane
competition give the same life anC
+ spirit that has prevailed in the cities.
|. The common wagon roads ara thu
/, greatest highways of commerce there
fore it is surprising that the creates
(, energies of all the States should not b,
first devote3 to their Improvement i
should be the political tax of an thl
people that each and every one of on
representatives must devote their hes
talent to the raising Of ways an,
means by which our wagon ways shat
be quickly improved"
The evening session was devoted en-
} drely to a lecture given by NJ o. Ed
ridge vice-directcr of Public Road In
quiry of the Department OF Agriculmr
at Washington.