The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1908-10-07
Importance OF Good Roads.
Interesting Letter on the Sub.
ject from President Finley,
of the Southern Railway.
Bditor The Lancaster News:

tlOn OF SOutnern agriculture anu lnuuS-
tries some of the editors to whom it
, was sent asked me to write to them
from time to time on matters of interest
to the people of our section. This has
led me to take the liberty of address
ing you on topic of importance to all
eur people and especially to the farmers
Of the south.
If 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 whatever means of
transportation they ma ultimately be
carried before they reach the final con-
sumer, our farm products move prima-
rily over the country highway, and the
condition of the road leading from the
farm to the shipping point or to n near
by consuming center, such as a manu-
featuring town, affects 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, a load seventy five or one hun
dred per cent heavier, will result in
substantial saving in his time and in
the wear and tear of his vehicles and
teams. The construction of good roads
leading from a market town has practi-
eally the same effect as bringing
the farms nearer to the town. 1t
extends by several miles in every
direction the area of territory in
which farmers can profitably engage in
market gardening and dairying. That
this is true has been effectively demon
strated in those localities in the south
ern states and in other sections of the
country where road improvements have
been carried out intelligently and sys-
tematically.
The cost to the farmer of hauling his
products over poor roads is not always
appreciated, for the reason that il is rare
that farmer pays for having his haul
ing done. The United States depart
ment of agriculture has made an inves-
tigation of this matter, however, and
the results show the cost for cotton, for
instance, to be an average rate of twen-
ty-seven cents per ton per mile for an
average haul of ll.S miles. That road
improvement would materially reduce
this cost is shown by the following
striking statement in the Year Book of
the agricultural department for 1906
IF it were possible to increase the
average weight ofa wagonload ofcotton
in the United States from three bales,
as it now is, to four bales, without in
the saving on a crop equal to the one
picked in 1905 would amount to 81, 000,-
900; and if the average load of wheat,
now so bushels, were increased by 20
bushels, the saving effected in hauling
a crop like that of 1905 would be more
than $4,000, 900"
In addition to what may be termed
the commercial aspect of good roads
they have n highly important social
aspect as well. They bring the farmer
large. He and his family are not forced
TO remain at home for days at n time
because the condition of the roads may
make travelling unpleasant if not diff
cult. Good roads insure efficient and
prompt rural mail deliveries, placing
the newspaper on the table of the far
mer early on the day of its publication,
enabling him to transact much of his
business by mail and to take advantage
of early information as to- Quotation in
the prices of his farm products. Good
roads mean that the farmer and the
members of his family can enjoy to n
greater degree the society of their neigh
bors and friends in the town and coun-
try. They mean that his children can
be more regular in school attendance
and can receive to greater degree the
advantages of education. They mean
the bringing closer together of the town
and country, with advantages on both
sides, for as the farmer is benefited by