The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-08
President of Southern Rail-
way Writes Interestingly
of Needed Improvements
in Thoroughfares of the
Southern States and Ad-
vantages That Would Ac-
crue to Farmers There
from.

w w. Finley, president of the South
ern Railway, TO the Mobile Item, and
will be of interest TO every farmer and
business man in this section:
= In their replies to my letter of July
81, 1908, on the subject of diversiti-
lcation of southern agriculture and in
dustries, some of the editors to whom
| it was sent asked me to Write to them
from time to time on matters of in
lterest to the people of our section.
This has led me to take the liberty OF
addressing you on a topic of import
ance to all our people and especially
to the farmers of the south.
| If the farm is to be profitable it,
must not merely produce abundant
crops, but its products must be put
where they can be Sold BY whatever
means of transportation they may ul-
( timately be carried before they reach
the final consumer, our farm products
move primarily over the country high
way, and the condition of the road
leading from the farm to the shipping
point or to a nearby consuming cen
| ter, such as a manufacturing town, af-
fects materially the profits OF the
farmer and the value of his farm The
condition OF the road controls the size
of the load that can be hauled over
! it and the speed at which it can be
carried. An improvement by which the
farmer is enabled to carry, with the
same vehicle and the same team,
load rs or 100 per cent heavier, will
result in a substantial saving in his
time and in the wear and tear of his
vehicles and team. The construction
of good roads leading from a market
town has practically the same effect
as bringing the farm nearer to the
town. 1t extends By several miles In
every direction the area of territory
in which farmers can profitably en-
gage in market gardening and dairy
ing. That this is true has been eff
fectively demonstrated in those locali-
ties in the southern states and in
other sections of the county where
road improvements have been carried
out intellisently and Systematically.
The cost to the farmer of hauling
his products over poor roads is not
always appreciated, for the reason
that it is rare that farmer pays for
having his hauling done. The United
States department of agriculture has
made an investigation of this matter,
however, and the results show the
cost for cotton, for instance, to be
an average rate of % cents per ton
per mile for an average haul of lis
miles. That road Improvement would
materially reduce this cost is shown
by. the-fallowing striking statement
in the Year Book of the agricultural
department for 1906:
If it were possible to increase the
average weight of d wagon load of
cotton in the United States from three
bales, as it now is, to four bales,
without increasing the cost of hauling
the load, the saving on a crop equal |
TO the one picked in 1905 would |
amount to s2,000.000; and if the aver
age load of wheat, now SO bushels, |
were increased by 90 bushels, the saw
ing affected in hauling a crop like |
that or 1905 would be more than S. |
O0O, O00'
In addition to what may be termed |
the commercial aspect of good roads, |
they have a highly important social |
aspect as well. They bring the farm /
er into close touch with the world AT |
large He and his family are not |
forced TO remain at home for DAYS at
time because the condition of the
roads may make travelling unpleasant,
Il not difhcult. Good roads insure eff
hcient and prompt rural mail deliver
es. placing the newspaper on the I
liable of the farmer early on the day /
Of It's publication, enabling him to |
transact much of his business by mall /
and to take advantage of early infor-i
nation as to fiuctuation in the prices
,f his farm products. Good roads i
mean that the farmer and the mem
,ers of his family can enjoy to a
greater degree the society of their
leighbors and friends in the town and /
country They mean that his children |
IAN be more regular in school attend /
ance and can receive to a greater de-
sree the advantages of education. |;
They mean the bringing closer to-
sether or the town and country, with
advantages on both sides. for as the
armer is benefited by being brought
nto closer touch with the town. so /
III the business interests of the town u
prosper as the result of the facility [
With which the farmer and his family 4
an do their shopping Good roads also 4
'eneht the inhabitants OF towns and
titles by according facilities for pleas
mt country drives. They invite the Z
BUSINESS man to the establishment OF d
COUNTRY and suburban homes. such as
lie can enjoy. only when he is assured
nat the condition of the roads will be !
UGH as to enable him to reach his s
lace of business promptly in all 7
-indS of weather. i
/ think it may truthfully be said
hat there are few matters of such I
ener2l importance 10 all the people :
I any community as the provision s
t good roads. and / believe there z
ore, that all of US who have the prog !
ess and prosperity of the south at '
cart should do AL in our power to I
id in the creation OF public opinion 7
2vorabie TO road improvement The d
ystem that should be adopted in any e
ocality is one on which il would not Z
e proper for me to tender advice,
ven il / were qualified 10 do so. IL S
; necessarily matter that can best j
e determined by the people directly c
lterested and who are acquainted with ! +
ne peculiar needs and conditions in il
heir neighborhoods. The interest or z
MS company in good roads as a means j
aiding in southern development was @
videnced in very practical way y
hen, few years ago. in cooperation
18th the national Good Roads Associ- il
ton and the department of agricul- Il
ire IL cyuoniol proH 4 .,