The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-04-08

VERY few months reports are
Il published concerning eXhi-
billions Of road building ma
chlnery or mass meetings TO
discuss road construction, held under
the supervision OF railway companies.
1t is of no small interest TO examine
into the reasons which have led one
railroad 20 appoint permanent good
roads agent another TO transport over
Its lines trainload OF machinery
with which object lessons in economl-
cal road building are given at various
towns. and many companies to offer
special rates for transportation of
plant for highway Improvement Pre-
sumably these corporations are not
doing this solely for phllanthropic
motives, but because they recognize
that the high cost of transportation
over poor roads diminishcs the farm
er's ability to market all but the most
valuable part of his produce and his
power of purchasing return freight:
or, in other words. good roads are
necessity to wealthy farmers, and
without wealthy farmers, and many
of them, the railway revenues on local
business are small.
The census returns for the State of
New York show that the decrease in
population in the last decade was 2261
in Wyoming, Livingston and Allegany
counties. The special train which
took the New York members of the
American Society of Civil Engineers
to the recent convention at Niagara
Falls passed through parts Of these
counties, and some of the members
remarked on the fact that in spite of
manifest advantages of soil and
climate farming is gradually decreas-
ing, and lands formerly under cult
walton are now going back to brush
and weeds. The reason for this may
be complex, but one of the most in
tiuential is surely the defective roads,
which not only put an additional bur
den on the cost of teaming, but also
| isolate each farm and Increase the
difficulty of social intercourse. This
latter influence is much greater than
is usually recognized. for men, women
and children are gregarious animals.
and the hermit and recluse are rare.
Moreover the lack of good roads is
| depriving these counties OF a very
| considerable revenue from tourists
and pleasure seekers. Their scenery
! is beautiful. their climate attractive.
| but their highways keep out the Wis
| itor. Switzerland learned this lesson
| long ago, and has built up an enor-
nous income from tourists by good
roads and good hotels. Western New
York has, of course, no Chamounix.
| Zermatt or Interlaken. but it has more
picturesque scenery than that to be
| found along the Oberlap and Albula
! passes from Andermatt to San Moritz.
! Hosts of tourists take the latter
tedious two day journey who would
never think of it If Il magnificent high
way did not make the long diligence
ride as comfortable as the smoothest
roadway and the easiest of stages
| permit. Throughout this entire dis
lance moreover, there is rarely farm
in sight, the hamlets are very small
and there are only a few villages. 1t
is self-evident that without the high
road and its well-kept branches the
country would be deserted. If a SINH
lar road extended through the three
retrograding New York counties. with
less expensive but nevertheless good
branches TO the neighboring villages,
1t is safe to say that the income from
travellers and summer visitors alone
would soon pay the cost Of main.
tenance and reconstruction, to say
nothing OF the increased wealth Of the
farmers through cheaper transporta.
tion.-Engineering Record.