Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-11-07
POINTS TO CONSIDER
WHY 1T PAYS TO HAVE GOOu
COUNTRY HIGHWAYS.

ues md Make IL Possible to Haul
Large Loads of Produce Poor
Highways Isolate the Farmer.
Let us consider the points Of opposi-
hon that some Of our rural friends
make to the good roads plan, says a
writer In the Motor News. They claim
that 1t is money out of their pockets
when they are compelled to pay the
increased taxes which will be asked.
This objection is readily met.
In the first place our friends are
called upon to pay but one-fifth of the
actual cost, which Is In itself a very
small sum. If l own a house In the
city and a pavement Is laid In front
of it, my property increases in value.
Just so with the farmer. If good
road Is laid past his property, he Is
placed in just the same position that /
would be.
The actual increased valuation of his
farm more than makes up for the adj
dtional tax he was obliged to pay to
secure the improvement. Now, as to
his profit. He can haul large loads Of
produce to the city each trip, he can
make more trips In a given time and
he can travel at any period of the
year with equal facility, barring the
time when snow blocks his way.
Joltlng over rough roads, mud cover
ed, reeking horses and broken harness
es and wagons are largely done away
with. He no longer arrives home late
at night after hours of agony over ter
rible roads, nervous and exhausted. On
the contrary, he suffers no more incon.
venience as far as the highway is con-
cerned than If he were riding in an
electric car
/ realize that the so called scorcher
has brought much discredt on the law
abiding autoist and that many farmer
has been scared nearly TO death when
some motorist has whizzed past him at
forty miles an hour, but this is an ex-
ception to the rule and is becoming
more and more so as time passes. |
dare say that this same farmer has
been nearly run down on an equal
number of occasions by one Of his own
ilk trying out the speed of bis horse or
racing with friend.
How many of us while travelling
through the country in the fall have
not seen hundreds Of bushels of fine
apples rotting in the orchards? Why
hasn't this fruit been brought into the
city and sold? One reason, l opine, is
that the roads are in such condition
that it doesn't pay the grower to haul
them into the city.
IF there was an improved highway
the owner would probably figure out
that it would pay him to save this
product Another side of the question
may be found in the social life Of the
ruralite. Many a time he would like
to drive into the city for a little pleas
ure. He might want to attend the thea
ter or seek some other equally harm
less diversion. If he had a good high
way TO drive over he would do so, but
with mud nearly hub deep he would
prefer to stay by his freslde and find
sOlace in nicotine.
This means much to the young peo-
pie, and you will find that when we get
the state girdled with good roads-and
It's coming-there won't be such anxiety
to get off the farm and into the city.
Human nature demands some pleasure
In this world, and It will sometimes go
a long way to get it, though 1t entails
much suffering Give us improved
thoroughfares, then the country boy
and girl will have greater chances for
social intercourse and will become
more contented.