The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-11-20
z Good Roads. Z
Important rs Schools.

One of the most important move
ments which has been started In
Georgia in a long time is that in the
interest of good roads and II Is
earnestly hoped that the efforts which
are now being made 10 that end will
bear abundant fruit.
The chamber of commerce will en-
deavor to secure a good road con-
gress. and asks the cooperation OF
the Governor and the city and county
authorities.
lt is no eXaggeration To say that
good roads are as important in many
respects as a public school system.
They contribute i'm practical way
to the upbulding of the whole State.
They knit the State into neighbor-
hoods and bring every farm house
into closer proximity 10 the markets.
They stimulate and encourage socia,
and business ter-communication.
Many times over they pay the cost OF
their construction by increasing tho
taxable value of the lands through
which they run and hence the tax
revenue Of the various counties.
Mr.. Walter G.. Cooper, secretary OF
the chamber of commerce, has made
y statement of the economic value OF
good roads which is little less than
startling TO those who are not famii-
lar with the facts. He shows that y
system of good roads in Georgia
would mean a saving of ten millions
of dollars year to the people OF the
State. The cost of hauling by rail-
iii the United States is about three
fourths OF cent per ton mile: haul
ing on the average country road costs
about twenty-five cents, while hauling
on sandy roads in dry weather costs
about sixty cents per ton mile
IL requires no very elaborate math-
ematical calculation to see how great
burden IL is upon the people who
have TO pay this heavy cost OF road
transportation, when IL would be an
easy matter To reduce that cost to
one-third or one-fourth the present
expense.
The cost on the average country
roads OF Europe and the best roads
In this country. like the road from
here TO Roswell, for instance, Is only
about eight cents per ton mile, as
compared, we have seen, with twenty
five cents on the average road
u now costs about fifteen million
dollars n year TO do the hauling on the
country roads of the State. and TWEEN
ty-five millions to pay the freight bills
OF the railways Of Georgia, although
the wagons haul only five million
tons, as against twenty million tons
hauled by the railroads.
II is evident at "A glance that three
fourths OF the burdens which the
people of Georgia now have to bear
for transportation could he abolished
by system Of good roads, and when
that saving was effected the benefits
would have only begun. The good
results would he felt in every channel
OF our social and business life.
This road building can be accom-
plished at comparatively small cost.
While II Is true that macadam road.
thirty feet wide, would cost five thou
sand dollars a mile, a sand-clsy road.
such as may be built throughout tho
breatei paIt VI beoIBia' couiu ""
constructed for about one hundred
and fifty dollars n mile, and would
stand well I'm all weather with the
average traffic. This is condition
which applies to at least half the area
Of the State OF Georgia.
Let the people of Georgia pause
and consider what II would mean TO
be able To save ten million dollars a
year on transportation charges. The
number of things we could do with
that money fairly kindles the imag-
ination. And yet. as we have said,
this saving Ia transportation IL but
one OF the many benefits to be de-
rived from good roads system
Atlanta Journal.