Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-11-05

Just three times as great as It would be
II we Ind good roads all over the Unit
cd States. The average life OF the farm
horse IL shortened several years by the
bad roads; live stock In general Is less
ened in flesh and longevity by having
TO travel over mlry and rut covered
roads. when the farmer Of today drives
his fattened hogs TO market over
country road he expects them to lose
great many pounds Of flesh In making
the trip. II the roads were smooth and
hardened by macadam the loss would
be curtaled and his net profit that
much more.
The average speed along a country
road today is five to six miles an hour
with n farm wagon. with n good
team OF horses It Is possible TO drive
fifteen and even twenty miles an hour
There are communities in Illinois
where the roads are 80 winding and
cut Up by ruts that a lightly loaded
buggy drawn by two good farm horses
cannot reach over an eight mile gait.
Hill climbing. as all horse owners
know, Is hard on the animal. II re-
duces the 1esh very quickly. The
roads Of the country should be in such
condition as to do away with all steep
incllnes. The life of the horse might
be extended by several years and the
cost Of his feed would also be lessened
in the Improvement and alignment of
these defects.
The farmers OF this country are los
ers by the bad road evil at least 500
per capita per nnnum. by combining
their losses and placing them ut tho
disposal OF expert road builders with
In ten years the roads would be In
such state of travel as to prevent the
loss, every cent of II. This system OF
economies Is beginning TO dawn upon
the farmers, aud through the state leg
islatures laws are being enacted TO
remedy the country road system.
Not only the farmers are taking an
active interest In road improvement,
but tho wheclmen, automobilists and
the men who make these vehicles.
Nearly every line OF industry Is affect
ed.
The cost OF hauling products from
farm 10 town averages % cents per ton
per mile, while the rate by rail IL
cents. Thus the hauling Of load Of
wheat from the farm TO the station
often costs the farmer more than ship
ping II TO n distant market. Common
road traffic rates arc higher than II
any other country. In Belgium n tor
OF farm products can be hauled mil,
for 20 cents. England, Ia cents
france, Germany aud Italy, IL cents
Switzerland, 10 cents. Our people wh'
return from trips abroad are Il unit II
expressing their disgust with road con
diuons in America.
The cost OF road building is not s
enormous but that public highway
can be constructed, and yet there ar
counties In western states where not
stroke Of labor has been Performs
upon n country highway for years. /
New Jersey stone roads are being bull
for 81 800 per mile. These roads ar
ffteen feet wide aud win last twent
or more years Macadam roads elgf
feet wide can be built at cost q
$500 per mile Single track grave
Euads can be built for $1,000 mil,
Ielford roads, the best that can /
CONSTRUCTED, cost $1,000 per mile l
Michigan recently farmers set 10 wor
and constructed plain dirt roads at
cost Of $500 per mile. But the dirt roa
even at reduced original cost Is mol
expensive In the end Wushouts car
away the dirt, ruts form with any co
siderable amount OF traffic, and slu'
pools are common along the roadsld
The most expensive roads have be'
found to be the cheapest In the end.