Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-20

hundred miles distant Is often less
than the cost Of delivering II from the
farm to the shipping station only
few miles away.
As the weakest link 10 the chain
measures the strength Of the chain
80 the steepest grade in . road determ-
ines the limit Of the load that can PC
hauled over the road.
In the improvements made by inc
railroads in increasing the size Of the
engines and rolling stock. In perfect
ing the roadbeds and in the elimina-
ton Of curves and grades, our rail-
roads have increased their freight tom
mage per train load in the past twenty
years from three to four hundred per
cent. with corresponding reduction
in the cost Of haul per ton, whiie our
farmers by reason Of the failure 70
make improvements, continue to haul !
to market but few more pounds Of
produce than was hauled by their an
ces.ors over the same wretched road.
Our farmers, producing as they 40
SO large percentage Of the wealth Of
our country, are entitled to the best
possible results from their labor and
that they do not obtain them is due
largely to the lack OF Information
which win come to them from the
awakening public interest upon tne
subject, that it is the purpose OF tn'S
organization to foster.
Permit me to cite one illustration
of the loss to farmers from bad or In
different roads: In an irrigated ais
tr;ct in northern Colorado, compris-
ing partitions Of Boulder. Larimer and
Weld counties, careful estimates were
made Of the average load and to1al
tonnage OF beets delivered for snip
ment to the six sugar factories in thai
territory last year and from the dat'
thus obtained it was asCertained thai
the cost to the farmers in delivering
those beets was 100000 more than i
would have been II they had hac
properly constructed road over which
to haul the same tonnage.
1t is only fair to assume that sugal
beets were less than one-half OF tn
total tonnage marketed. SO that TN
S8OO. 600 should be doubled or trebled
to ascertain the total loss to that ON
locality, whilst in the entire natlol
the annual loss in moving the nessa
ries Of life over our present poor road
reaches into the hundreds Of million'
81 dollars, all Of which becomes dl
rect tax upon the toiling masses o
our people, to say nothing Of the no
infreouent loss Of the whole crop Il
some localities because Of the com
plete impassability Of their presen
roads at some seasons Of the year.
with good roads provided, GU
farmers would soon be marketing
their crops with steam or gasolln
motors capable Of hauling two or thre
loads at the same time and thus re
duce the cost from one-halt to three
fourths and, too, they could marKe
them when prices or other condltlon
made 1t most desirable to do So with
out having to wait, as now Tor I'd
roads to become passable.
While the pecuniary loss to tn
country from the lack Of good roads
something stupendOus, the loss In
, social. intellectual and religious wa
is even greater.
Good roads will be . greater iacto
in adding to the happiness INTEL
, gence and prosperity Of the PeoPl
| and will contribute more 70 their mo-
f I a =
} Al and social elevation than anythin
else that the state can do for them
Nothing would be more conducive
q civic pride than properly constructe
and we'll maintained roads, and IL
artistic touches that would be give
q residences, gardens and farms wou
! make country ride one OF the joys
Q life.
IA The good Lord never intended tn
n families should live and childr'
!. be reared in crowded tenements
h even flats away from shrubs and flo
Is ers and green grass and singing Dir
and vet, notwithstanding this, I
,e tendency of the people to flock to t
" cities and while cities are growil
: with leaps and bounds. our rural pc