The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-07-31
BAD ROADS
Cost the Country 5000, 100000
Year and
THE FARMER PAYS FREIGHT


Lexington last week the following
interesting paper on tho subject oi
! good roads was read by Mr.. II. A,
Sommers, OF the Elizabethtown
News:
The interest OF the press IN the
building Of good roads is one that
should te strengthened and vitaliz.
cd. Tho newspaper isnot only the
purveyor Of news, but 1t is also the
great motive power that starts and
carries on nearly all material de-
velopment. The country newspa-
per, especlally,which does not look
primarily TO the advancement and
Improvement OF the county In
which 1t Is published, fails, in a
measure, to use the opportunities
to grow In the affections OF its con-
stituency, and In the still higher
and nobler purpose OF doing some-
thing for others. There is no ques-
tion that the average editor cannot
devote his time and talent with
better results to his county than by
stimulation for good roads. He
not only should create a domand
for good roads, he should devise
ways and means 10 have them, and
then should be sufficiently inform
ed on the subject to instruct how
TO build them. II the editors In
Kentucky had devoted half the
space In the past ten years to road
building v hich they have to poll
tics, which Yields no dividends ex.
cept to those who get Office, the
roads throughout the state would
be credit instead OF disgrace,
COST OF BAD ROADS.
In the Old World public roads
were built before the railroads and
that is the principal reason why
all the countries in Europe are
ahead OF the United States in
public highways. The Appian
Way, built by Appius Claudius
several hundred years b. c., $50
miles long and forty feet wide, is a
better road than any In our coun.
try. Now that We have built the
most wonderful system OF rail-
roads, we should build the most
wonderful system OF public high.
ways. II will not cost as much to
build the good roads as 1t did the
railroads, but the returns will be
greater. | think can prove this.
Statistics gathered from l,200
counties in the Uuited States show
that II costs an average OF twenty
five cents a mile to haul a ton OF
produce. On the level, on tho best
macadam road, horse can draw
600 pounds; on the best dirt road
he can only draw 5000 pounds,
or not quite half as much; on a
muddy road he can only draw
l,l00 pounds, about one-seveuth
what he can draw on a macadam
road and about one-third what he
can draw on the best dirt road,
1t costs the farmer seven times
as much to carry his products To
the railroad or the county town
over a muddy road than 1t would
over a good macadam road. II we
now knew how much 1t cost the
farmers OF the United States to got
crops to market, we would know
what bad roads cost and why good
roads would pay a larger dividend
10 the country than our expensive
system OF railroads. Thanks to the
United States Road Department,we
do know. Gen. Roy Stone, OF the
Government service, says 1t costs
the farmers annually $9i6, IA, $685.
81 TO move their products. AS al
least five-sixth Of 1t is moved or
dirt roads and frequently muddy
roads there would be saving tc
the farmers OF at least go per cent
OF this cost, If we had macadam
roads. In round numbers this
would be an annual saving o.
$6e0,000,0 900. Or to put 1t in anoth
or way, bad roads cost the people
OF the United States annually
| $600,0O0,000, This is more than all
the railroads In the United States
receive for freight.
Senator Daniel, OF Virginia, says
I"A good road is a universal public
benefaction, A courthouse is fol
lltigants; an asylum for the in
firm /; q jail for criminals a theatel
for entertainment;a a park for re
creation; a school for instruction
a church for worshipers, but {
good road is for everybody. A goot
road is the tightening rod to at
tract settlers. 1t Is the best in
vestment and the best advertise
ment any neighborhood or section
can have,n
In addition to the great saving
In the cost Of hauling farm pro
ducts to market, there Is another
material interest advanced by gooC
roads. A smooth macadam road
will add from $5 TO $40 per acre tS
the farm that 1t goes through ol
passes by. This fact can be de
monstrated right here In Fayett,
county In the difference In lh'