Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-11-17
THE ECONOMY OF GOOD ROADS.
DR.. j. Withycombe's Address
Before the Good Roads
Association.

1here is no. SUBJECT OF more
vital importance to the material
well-being of the people of this
state than the question of good
roads Good roads are not only
conservators of energy, but are
also factors in securing greater
happiness and a higher civiliza-
ton for Our people.
Cheap transportation builds
large cities and easy means of
travel destroy rural isolation.
Good roads were mighty factor
in building up the great Roman
Empire and no country becomes
great in advance of the improve
ment of her public highways.
This great state will not rise
to her opportunities until her
public highways are reasonably
we'll improved. The immense
waste of energy constantly tax
ing place in this state, due to
bad roads, is serious hindrance
to her development. At first
thought the magnitude of this
waste of energy fails to be ap-
preciated, but, when we consider
that the farms of Oregon pro-
duce approximately 1850, 900
tons of products annually and
that perhaps fully one-third of
this is hauled to market over bad
roads, we can more. clearly re-
a1ize the situation. It costs fully
rs cents per mile to haul one ton
and the average haul is about 10
miles. Thus it costs the farmers
of Oregon 81, 2o8, 332 to haul
their produce to market. With
good roads this cost can be re-
duced about one-half. The COM
/ bined haulage of other product
live industries, such as lumber,
fuel, building material, etc., will
be equal in tonnage to the pro-
ducts of the farms hence the
farms and other productive in
dustries of the state are paying
an annual tribute of $2, 900, 900
to mud and hills. The loss does
not end here, for the discourag-
ing effect of bad roads on the de-
velopment of various rural enter-
prises is source of great loss OF
revenue to the state. To realize
the significance of this, one has
but to observe the agricultural
development of districts having
good highways, as compared with
those where bad roads are in evi'
dence.
Another feature of bad roads i
that it discourages energetic and
ambitious young men with rural
life. Bad roads are largely re-
sponsible for our sturdy country
boys abandoning the farm home
for the city. This loss of its best
manhood is the greatest tax the
country is paying to the city.
While the cities have to depend
upon the cities to supply men
who are strong mentally and
physically to conduct large in.
dustrial enterprises, agriculture
needs men of like character.
Bad roads, with ceaseless exac.
ton, levy tribute upon every
pound of butter, dozen of eggs,
and bushel of grain hauled to
market. Such roads place gre
vious burden upon the social life
of our country districts. They
retard the mental development oi
our rural population by making
the consolidation of district
schools impracticable. In fact,
bad roads are a discouragment to
every 1audable rural endeavor.
| The monetary loss resultant from
bad roads is not the only deplor-
liable feature. THERE'S the mental
anguish of those who have to
pilot through them-the jaded,
CALLED and weary horses.
Good roads let in social sun
light in the rural home and break
| the bonds of servitude to ignor-
ance. Good roads will do more
to keep the boys and girls on the
farm than any other agency.
The farms need the helpful i'm
pulses of these young men and
young women who are reared un-
der the most wholesome environ.
ment. They are the strength OF
the nation, the unit of power and
the highest type of American
citizenship. Pacific Homestead.
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