The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-04-23
COST OF BAD ROADS.
Some Startling FAeS and Figures by
Martin Dodge.

Poor roads in the United States are
costing the people annually the enOr-
mons sum of $3.50, 100000, which is
tax of more than 81 year for every
man, woman and child. This amaZ-
ing fact is pointed out by Martin
Dodge, director of the bureau of pub
lie road inquiries of the department
of agriculture in Washington, says
the New York Herald He advocates
the construction of brick track roads
with convict labor
As the result of the good roads
movement, which has been largely
stimulated by the efforts of the depart
ment of agriculture, the road ques
tiOn is at present receiving remark
able degree of active interest, as indi-
Gated, for instance, by movement in
the State of New York for bonding
the state for $50, 600, 600 to build coun-
try roads. This is wholly in line with
bill before the last national con
gress by Mr. Otey of Virginia for
800, OO0,O 600 for the same purpose.
Mr.. Otey declared, In view of our
willingly having spent $500, 600 on
/ the Philippines, it is time to do some
thing tangible for our own people
This is especially true,n comments
Mr.. Dodge, "in view of the fact that
we are continually paying an AVOID
F able mud tax of more than $3.50, 000
! 600 each year for the privilege of driv-
/ ing over our dusty and muddy roads.
/ This enormous expense is better com
pretended when we say it equals a
/ tax Of more than 81 each wear for
every man and woman and child in
this country.
\ careful study of the road problem
in detail reveals some important and
significant features. While good road
stone is found in very few places in
this country, good clays are found in
nearly every locality.
eff these abundant clays,0 Mr..
Dodge argues, can be used economi-
cally to build good roads, they will
greatly assist in meeting the import
ant problem of how to construct our
county roads.
Again, as all loads are hauled oyer
very narrow portions of roads through
wheel contact-railroad cars, for eX-
ample-if follows that if such narrow
parts of our roads are cheaply con
structed to properly resist the weight
and grind of the wagon wheels new
and important resultswill beattained.
CLOSE study of these conditions re-
suited in the construction of the sec
ton of brick wheel track road in the
department of agriculture grounds in
the early part of 1900, followed by the
introduction of this 'ystem in various
places for the improvement of coun'
try roads and city streets, also with
most encouraging results
1.-The continued advance in the area
reached by the benefits of rural free
] HAL utllNttN uhttI tliA liOlli VIC ll'1
tional treasury indicates its deserved
popularity in the rural sections. A
steady increase seems probable in the
area thus benefited until all of the
more densely populated parts of this
country are covered.
ITO the rapid and economical eX
& i,
obstacle worthy of consideration pre-
sents itself, but that obstacle is o
such a nature as greatly to affect it,
practicability and economy. This il
the present condition of our country
roads.
without question one OF the frs
graf movements toward the econom
zeal free rural delivery of the mail
should be the construction of passabl'
roads This is already evident from
the fact that some of the mail deliv
cry routes have had to be abandoned
on account of bad roads.
"The circumstance that over So,
600, 900 was appropriated by our las
congress largely to be buried in on
muddy roads in the delivery of on
rural mails, while only the small sun
of $4,000 was last year devoted t.
meeting the road problem, indicate
the great need of education regard
I ing the present necessity and demand
for vigorous and intelligent rOat
work
LAS much of these large appropri
ations for rural mail delivery cOuiC
be saved if we had good roads, it i
obvious that an amount equal to ;
considerable portion of these sum
could be spent to good advantag il
educating the people in the work o
4 improving our county roads ant
| thus forever close a large drain OF
our national cash box. in view 0
these facts could not million o
! more be spent to the best possible ad
: vantage by the national government
in constructing a section of brio
track road near each county sea
throughout the country as an objec
! L. 49, 4 L., Il