The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-23
THE VALUE OF GOOD ROADS
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Following is a letter from WASH
ington to the Charlotte Observer,
written by H. f. c. Bryant, the
Charlotte Observer Washington cor
respondent:
In these days Of Federal stock tax
Ing: when the experts of the various
branches of the conservation commits
sion are appraiSing the dollar value
Of the nation vast soils, inland wat
ers and mines, it is interesting to
learn that the best estimate yet made
gives to America s roads valuation,
or cost, of $l,72O,339,0OO. That is in
teresting in view of the fact that
France, with the best system Of high
ways in the world, has spent approx
mately about $600.000.00O to secure
and to maintain them for century.
while the United States. with but III
per cent. Of her highways improved,
has poured ont nearly three times as
much.
The startling figures quoted above
have been assembled by statistic ex-
perts in the office of public roads in
the United States Department Of Ag-
ricultme, by the Federal bureau Of
census, BY industrial and land bureaus
Of various railroads, and they prove
more than any other thing, the typi-
cal prodigality and wastefulness
which has marked the expenditures
of practically everybody having any
thing to do with American highway
work. Today, within the confines Of
the county, there are approximately
2,l50,000 miles of roads. Of that
vast mileage 1880 are Of maeadam,
124, ,46S of gravel, while 8,5l2 are sur
faced with special materials. In
reaching a price, the macadam roads
are estimated at $4,000 mile, the
gravel $500 a mile, and those sur
faced with other materials at $1,000.
Beyond this there is ITO be considered
l.975,000 miles of earth roads. A
liberal estimate for that road, giving
consideration to expenditures for
grading, building, bridges, construct
ing culverts and for all other pur-
poses, is $500 a mile. The value Of
the right of way based on average
acreage valuations as given by the
census reports, and estimated at 40
feet in width for the entire distance,
figures to $342, 100000.
The showing is not creditable one
by any means, for the percentage of
improved roads is amazingly small
when compared to the total mileage.
That vast sum of money, had it been
as wisely spent as the money of
France is spent, would have paid for
the construction of not less than 382,-
900 miles of splendid maeadam road.
Enormous Mud Tax.
If even a fair percentage Of the
millions Of men who live on farms
and carry forward the great task of
feeding and clothing humanity had
any realization of the stupendous
sums of money in which they are an
naeally muloted because of the unjust
national mud tax, the county super
visor who dared to vote aglnst an
appropriation for the betterment Of
roads would excite the wrath of all.
Incredible as it may seem to many,
the mud TAX the farmers are forced to
pay simply on the hauling of their
products is over $30O,OO0,C00 a year;
due exclusively to the shameful con-
dition of roads which, to the man who
teams, should be synonymous with
the steel transportation lines which
carry the products Of 'the manufactur-
er.
Statistics prove that it costs Is
cents ton more to haul a ton over
the roads Of the United States than
it costs to haul over the roads CT the
leading countries Of Euroue. where
good road" are appreciated and are
jealousy maintained.
Investigations conducted by the Of
flee of public roads Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture, by
the iodnstrial bureaus of railroads
and by good road associations. have
established the fact that the average
cost of hauling per ton per mile IN
America is 25 cents. The average cos;
of hauling in the three leading coun-
tries of Europe-England, France and
Germany-is approximately y cents,
being as low as cents over the splen-
did natio, al roads of France.
If the point be conceded that the
American farmer pays 13 cents per