The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-09-03

I L with others OF social and
1CN political well beirg, states
the hrst report OF the State Board OF
Public Roads of Rhode Island.
There is no class of citizenship bus
what Is benefited directly or Indirectly.
The farmer. that he may come to
ready market to sell and barter; the
manufacturer in the town remote from
seaboard or railroad, who in turn can
haul his coal and raw material ut an
appreciably lessered cost, and carry
his finished product for transportation,
will be helped. 1t will make him inde-
pendent of small railroad branches
which are obliged, by reason Of short
distances, to charge an excessive
freight. ".
The toiler in the many shops and
offices Is to be helped by lower rents
within his means, because suburban
living is made possible by good roads.
And all who prefer the open living to
the huddled city life will appreciate the
| benefit. Every citizen Is to profit in
some way. Country and suburban dis.
tricts will be more easy Of access. Gro.
Gerry and marketmen will be enabled to
send their goods by free delivery, at no
enhanced cost to the buyer.
GOOD roads not only cheaper the cost
Of living in the matter Of rents, but
also reduce the price Of supplies by rea-
son Of a ready market. 1t has been
demonstrated again and again that the
betterment of roads means rise in
the value Of real estate, and the rise
will come, the demand be enhanced,
because of facilitated transportation.
1t would be interesting to learn how
many farms have been abandoned be-
cause of poor roads. Land has been
given up, homes deserted, fhe buildings
gone to rack and ruin, because the for.
mer holders could not make it pay. 10
was not worth the living. In many In
stances good roads, passable III all sea.
sons, would have changed the drift.
The most costly, rs well as the great
est amount Of freight traffic, is over
country roads. Outside the mere
question of land values Is the larger
one of the influence of good roads upon
commerce, manufacturing, farming.
Success in business is not more remote
to the question than the wear and tear
upon horsefesh, wagons, human
strength and endurance.
This whole matter of the economic
value of such roads as your commission
recommends Is beyond question, and to
sum up the reasons therefor, We claim:
% That they make land more accessi.
BILE, and so give it wider market; ~
They increase the desirability Of living
in the rural districts. The great value
Of electric roads, in many instances, is
not only in rapid transportation and
quick service, but because with their
building almost invariably comes
good road; g. They lessen materially
the cost of production by decreasing
the cost Of transportation, in wear and
tear and time; a. They bring with
them the so-called rural delivery sys-
leln, (o) 1hey iucEease tnS No'eS "
property and lessen taxation.
And yet, besides all these, there arc
other values. The State Is solidified
in its educational interests. The public
school is more fully appreciated, and
its percentage Of attendance is visibly
increased. The people can come to-
gether more frequently for social inter-
course, and so develop the community.
Good roads are civilizing influences.
AS Charles Sumner once said: "The
road and the schoolmaster are the two
most important agents in advancing
civilization"