The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-10-08
Value of Good Roads,

w Ildl ney Medn IN a OdVlng
of Dollars, Time and Labor
to the Farmers of the Coun-
try---President Finley, of the
Southern Railway, Takes a
Turn in Discussing This All
Important Subject - Social
Aspect of Good Roads.
WASHINGTON, ID. G., Sept. 30, 'OS.
EDITOR GOLD LEAF,
Henderson, y. {.
Dear Sir: In their replies to my let
ter OF July 81, 1908, on the subject of
diversifcatiOn of Southern agricul-
ture and industries, some OF the edit
Ors to whom it was sent asked me
to write them from time to time on
matters OF interest to the people of
our section. This has led me to take
the liberty OF addressing you on "a
topic OF Importance to all our peO-
pie and especially to the farmers of
the South.
Ii the farm is to be profitable it
must not merely produce abundant
crops, but it's products must be put
where they can be sold BY what
ever means OF transportation they
may ultimately be carried before
they reach the final consumer, our
farm products move primarily over
the country highway, and the con
dition OF the road leading from the
farm to the shipping point or to u
near by consuming center, such as q
manufacturing town, affects material
ly 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, a load
seventy-five or one hundred per cent.
heavier, will result in substantial
saving i'll his time and in the wear
and tear of his vehicles and teams.
The construction OF good roads lead
ing from a market town has prac-
tically the same effect as bringing the
farms nearer to the town. Itextends
by several miles in every direction
the area of territory in which farm
ers can profitably engage in market
gardening and dairying. That this
is true has been effectively demon
strated in those localities in the
Southern States and in other sec
tiOns Of the country where road i'm
provements have been carried out in
telligently 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 Uni
ted 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 twenty
seven cents per ton per mile for an
average haul of 11.S miles. That
road improvement would materially
reduce this cost is shown by the fol
| lowing striking statement in the Year
Rook of the Agricultural Depart
ment for 1906:
''If it were possible to increase the
| average weight OF Il wagon load ol
cotton in the United States from
| three bales, as it now is, to four bales
without increasing the cost of haul
ing the load, the saving on a crop
equal to the one picked in 1905
would amount to S2,OOO,OOO; and il
the average lead of wheat, now 81
bushels were increased by 20 bushels
the saving effected in hauling a croI
like that of 1905 would be more than
$S,000,00O.
In addition to what may be termed
the commercial aspect OF good roads
they have a highly important socia
aspect as we'll. They bring the farm
er into closer touch with the world
at large. He and his family are not
forced to remain at home for days at
a time because the condition of the
roads make travelling unpleasant il
not difficult. Good roads insure ef
iicient and prompt rural mail deliver
les. placing the newspaper on the
table of the farmer early on the day
OF its publication, enabling him tC
, transact much of his business by
mail and to take advantage of early
| information as to f1uctuation in the
! prices of his farm products. Good
roads mean that the farmer and the
members of his family can enjoy to q
greater degree the society of their
neighbOrs and friends in the town
and country. They mean that his
children can bnmore regular in schoo
attendance and can receive to 6
greater degree the advantages O
education. They mean the bring
ing closer together of the town and
country, with advantages on both
sides, for as the farmer is benefited
by being brought into closer touch
with the town, SO all the business in
terests OF the town prosper as the re
suit of the facility with which the
farmer and his family can do their
shopping. Good roads also benefit
the inhabitants of towns and cities
by affording facilities for pleasant