Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-27

DC called the worst IN this particular.
This is because the farmers them
selves do not, in great many in
stances, pay enough attention to the
roads and the manner in which they
should be treated.
The subject of road building Is an
important one from every standpoint,
but most of all to the man who lives
In the country and must drive to town
whenever he wishes to make the trip
He must drive when he wants to mar
ket produce, he must haul his machin-
cry and supplies over the road and it
is important to him that the highways
shall be In good condition. The city
dweller feels the need for good roads
only when he journeys into the coun-
try, driving for pleasure or on an au-
tomobile trip. He can do without the
good roads better than can the farmer
but he too, is benefited when the roads
are improved.
The farmer gets direct results for
the Improvement of the roads, because
that improvement means direct in
crease in the value of his farm and its
products. On this subject the Good
Roads Magazine of recent date has a
clearly written and comprehensive ed
itorial, which is here republished in
full. 1t should be read thoroughly by
every property owner and business
man.
In competitive market the pro-
Queer pays the cost of transportation.
That is: with potatoes at forty cents
bushel in New York or Chicago. the
farmer supplying one of these mar
kets receives forty cents less the
freight from his town to the city mar
ket, and the charge of the commission
house for selling That the farmer
pays the freight from his railway sta
ton to the market is so evident that
1T needs no discussion.
The question of the expense of
hauling from the farm to the railroad
Is, however, frequently overlooked but
1t is worthy Of serious consideration.
Assume that a western New York
and Michigan farmer are raising po-
tatoes under equal conditions as to
cost, quality and yield. Both are sell
Ing at the same price in New York
City. The New Workers. return will
be as much greater than the Michigan
mans as he is nearer the market, or
as his freight rate is less
But assume that the Michigan man
with good roads, draws four loads to
the market in day, while the New
York man, with poor roads, can draw
but one load a day. each hiring man
and team to do the work at So per
day If the loads averaged fifty bush
els each, the New York mans ex-
pense for hauling is four cents bush.
ell, while the Michigan mans is but
one cent,a difference that about equal
ICES the difference in railroad
freights.
The lesson is that if from poor
roads, the farmer nearer the market
is unable to compete in highway
with his more distant
brother, he loses his natural advan-
tage in the market. In the case as
sumed it is three cents bushel. and
on 100 bushels per acre amounts to
$3.50, which is interest at 6 per cent
on principal of SIS per acre, which
represents the depreciation inflicted
on his potato field by the bad roads.
Again, he should find himself in
competition only with the farmers
within the circle formed by points
equally distant from the market with
himself, but difficulty in hauling puts
him on an equal with this man 1000
miles farther away and places him in
competition with the farmers included
in this larger circle.
Without claiming mathematical &C.
curacy in these assumed statements.
they will serve to illustrate one of the
vital elements contained in the $780,
100000 constitutional amendment
proposition in New York, which is:
that It's adoption will in effect move
half the farms in that state several
miles near the market. And.
as proximity to market is always an
Increment Of value in farm land. it is
boldly asserted that the entire cost Of
the Improvement will be added to the
invested value of the farms"