The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-08-25

| and Tear On Horses, Harness and
VehiCies-Enhancet the rlarket Value
of Real Estate.
That good roads have IL money
value to farmers will be granted by
all. That the money value of i'm
proved highways is alone sufficient
to justify the cost of their cOnstruc-
| ton, will be confidently claimed or
readily admitted by many farmers.
ques TONED by Others, and denied by
not Il few
In view OF the financial and many
other advantages OF good roads, a
majority OF the farmers of the State
would doubtless favor their construc-
tlon as rapidly as practicable under
some efficient, economical and equit-
able system ofhighway Improvement.
But there is considerable proper
| tiOn OF the farmers-doubtless one
fifth and possibly one-fourth-who
have little knowledge or apprecia-
ton OF the benefits OF good roads
and who, therefore, object. on account
OF the great cost OF highway improve
ment. The farmers of this class know
that they will have to bear their full
share OF the burden OF such improve
ment; they diScredit mot wholly with
out reasOn) the statements and con-
clusiOns OF many public writer's as to
| tie losses and gains to farmers from
poor and good roads respectively;
hence they view with apprehension
the general agitation in favor OF i'm
proved highways. Ignoring or un-
dervaluing the educational and social
advantages, as well as the comfort
and enjoyment OF good roads, or
feeling unable to pay the price of
such benefits, these farmers regard
for highway improvements; and they
are likely to oppose efforts for the
betterment Of our roads unless hey
can first be convinced that good
roads will prove IL paying financial
investment. Speaking, therefore, in
| behalf OF those who for any reason
are not Influenced by the higher con-
siderations in favor OF improved
highways, | raise the question, will it
| pay Illc ldllutlS III uOlldES anu CclllS
to improve their public roads?
Before attempting to answer this
| question: let us cOnSlderin what ways
permanently good roads will prove
financially beneficial to farmers. All
will agree, | think, that Il good road
will
! 1) Economic time and force in
transportation between farm and
market;
(2) Enable the farmer to take ad-
vantage OF market fluctuations in
buying and selling;
| OBJ Permit transportation OF farm
products and purchased commodities
during times of comparative leisure;
~ Reduce the wear and tear on
horses, harness and vehicles.
90 Enhance the market value of
real estate.
But while it is easy to enumerate
the ways in which improved roads
will be financially advantageous to
farmers. it is very difficult to esti-
mate, in dollars and cents, the bene-
fits to accrue therefrOm. Distrustine
my own Judgment in the epremises and
fearing also that my opinions would
have little weight with others,
sought the advice of the farmers
themselves. Letters OF inquiry were
sent to sixty of the most intelligent
farmers in forty counties located in
the central and Northernparts of the
State. The substance of these letters
is miven herewith:
ID About what proportion OF the
public highways in your county are
now good gravel roads?
(2) Please estimate the average in
crease Tin dollars and cents) in the
selling price per acre of land through
out the county, as the result OF such
gravel roads.
CD If all the public roads in your
county were converted into improved
highways, how much, in your judg-
ment. would it increase the average
selling price per acre of land through
| out your county?
a. What would be a fair estimate
of the cost permile of converting our
common dirt roads as they now exist
into good gravel roads, provided, of
course. the work were to be performed
economically " under some competent,
general supervision, and not ham
pered by legal restrictions?
(O Supposing that your county
were divided into 1OO-acre farms and
that the average distance OF each
farm from market were : miles, what,
in your Judgment, would be the aver
age annual cost Tin dollars and cents !
to each farmer of our unimproved
highways?
In answering the fifth question
please take into account the reduced
loads, increased time, extra wear and
tear. and loss in sales from Inability
to deliver products when the market
is best.
| Over forty replies to these queries
were received As would be expected,
from the difference in soil, surface,
and distance from gravel beds, there
is Il wide range in the estimates OF
the different correspondents. Many
of the estimates are necessarily mere
guesses, while others are based on Il
thorough knowledge of the matters
under consideration.
The averages OF these estimates
should give-and they probably do
give approximately-the consensus OF
opinion, held by the most intelligent
farmers of the State, as to the cost
and money value OF improved high
ways and the loss due to poor roads.
The approximate averages for the
forty counties are as follows:
First: The average estimated i'll.
crease in the selling price of land due
to existing improved highways is
Sc .4S per acre. The estimates from
which this average is made refer in
most cases to lands near the improved
roads: but in a few instances they