The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-11-27
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Farn,er. and Good Doads:

Farmers and Good HoaGS..
Wy HE advocates of good roads
will find plenty Of arguments
in the recent report Of the In
dustrial Commission on the
marketing and distribution of farming
products. This report shows the value
Of good country roads and the immense
saving that could be effected through
them. 1t also furnishes arguments In
favor Of the construction Of electric
lines through the farming sections OF
the country, not only for the hauling OF
passengers, but for the hauling OF
freight.
The report shows that the cost OF
hauling farm products over country
roads is 100000. 900 a year, or more
than the entire cost Of operating all the
railways in the United States. The total
operating expenses of railroads is esti-
mated at only S1S,000,000 annually. The
average haul to the nearest shipping
station in the transportation OF farm
products is twelve miles, and the aver
age cost Is twenty-five cents a ton a
mile, or So q ton for the twelve miles.
By comparing this ton mile cost with
the average ton mile revenue Of the
railroads in the country, which
amounts to- seven mills q mile, the inn
mense opportunity for saving that
would be effected through good roads
may readily be seen. If farm products
could be hauled to market at seven
mills q ton mile, as Is the case with
railway traffic, the entire charge for
transportation would be less than $751;
0O0, 1000, as compared with the $780,
1000 it costs the farmers to haul
their products owe ordinary roads.
The building Of good roads and the
construction of electric lines will mean
an enormous saving to the farming
classes. Some Of the advocates of good
roads believe that the two conld be
constructed jointly, as the cost would
be proportionately less for the building
of good wagon roads, which could also
be used for electric railways. These
electric railways could be constructed
through those sections Of the farming
community which would offer the best
possibilities in the way Of freight and
passenger traffic returns, and wagon
roads could be built connecting these
with all sections of the country. The
farmer who did not live on the direct
line Of an electric railway could haul
his freight to the nearest point, where
it could be quickly transferred to an
electric train.
That this possibility is fully realized
by the builders of electric railways Is
shown by the rapid development that
these lines are making as freight car
riers. Throughout the country they
are extending their lines into new terri
tory and standardizing equipment and
roadbeds in order to provide for the
hauling Of the heaviest freight. 1t is
said by James J. Hill that trunk lines
as at present constituted are capable
Of handling from three to five times
the amount Of traffic they now carry.
To parallel existing lines would, there.
fore, be impracticable and Improbable.
Leaving out of consideration the almost
insurmountable difficulties the new
companies would encounter In attempt
ing to secure suitable right Of way
with adequate terminals In any Of the
larger cities, 1t Is certain that no bank
ing house would consider for a mo-
ment the underwriting Of the securi-
ties Of any proposed company parallel
ing existing lines.
The field Of the electric railway is
not in paralleling. but in supplement-
ing, the steam railroad systems Of the
country. 1t has been pointed out in
the Commercial that electric railways
have materially lessened the number of
passengers carried By steam railways,
and that more ard more Of the short
haul passenger business Is going to the
more cheaply constructed and more
cheaply operated electric lines. This
competition ia welcomed by the steam
railways. A Cimilar situation exists in
regard to freight traffic. The steam
railroads Of the nited States would well
come any addition to transportation
facilities which would result in the
centrallzing Of traffic at shipping points
by q more economical method than the
present cumbersome one Of hauling 1t
in wagons over country roads. Electric
railways can be made feeders for the
steam railroads, and If built with due
regard to the avoiding of competition
they will supplement and increase the
traffic Of the steam railways without
in any way interfering with the earn
incs of the latter.-New York CONNER
cial Advertiser.