The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-19
WHAT BAD ROADS HAVE COST.

WHAT BAD ROADS HAVE COST.
1t cost little over billion dollars
to haul the farm crops of America to
market last year. With good roads,
roads such as are to be found in some
parts of America and in all parts Of
France, the marketing of the crops
would have cost 400 million dollars.
Six hundred million dollars per year
then is the price we pay in this land
of the free for having impossible
roads. Did ever nation spend so
much for so doubtful luxury before?
With American roads lying open and
fathomless before the eyes of our for
eign critics. what monstrous Injustice
1t Is to talk of American dollar wor-
ship!
Most men Of middle age can recall
the annual picnic known as mending
the roads. Just why 1t got that name
no one has ever explained. for in
practically every case the picnic left
the roads in worse condition than be-
fore. The law in many states pre-.
scribed that each resident of rural
district must pay certain road tax
In labor each year. The payment OF
this tax was done under the super
vision of q local officer known as the
pathmaster. The customary time of
payment was In the early summer,
Just before haying time. when there
wasn't much else for the men and
teams to do. The neighborhood turn
ed out with horses and plows and har-
rows. ripped up diverse sections of
highways which the years travel had
packed to more or less navigable
condition, rounded them up nicely in
the middle, scratched them up smooth
with the harrows You were never ex-
pected to work very hard at this fes-
tive occasions. and the pathmaster
who insisted on real work soon found
himself unpopular. 1t was just as
well. for since nobody had any know
ledge OF roadmaking the more work
the worse results.
What some Of these results were
and are we have vivid testimony
Across Iowa last winter the racing"
autos had to take the railroad tracks,
because the common roads were sim
ply impossible. Last March some
misguided creatures began an automo-
bile race from New York to Savannah.
Ga. 1t was Just at the opening of
navigation on the country roads of
the middle south. the time when the
roads are too thin for wheels and too
thick for boats. Across Virginia each
NnSv~ y
mules to pull 1t out of extra deep
mudholes. and to haul its emergency
rations of gasoline. Usually this was
enough: but when an auto was so
thoughtless to stay in the mudhole all
night. the mule teams had to be
doubled, and all the negroes of the
neighborhood commandered to SER
vice before that particular contestant
could proceed. The racers averaged
four miles per hour across the Old
Domtnion-a perfectly stunning rate
OF speed. all things considered.
And yet the roads of America are
vastly better than they once were, and
the Improvement is going on apace.
The United States government is
lending hand by setting its spare
c>SsCAlASSS W WOTk t6aCllng the people
OF different regions how to make the
best roads at the least cost. The
states are doing vastly more New
York In 1905 voted to spend so million
dollars on her highways, and while no
other state is investing in roads at
that rate. all are doing something.
Cities are finding 1t good business to
improve the roads leading out into the
farming region: the farmers are be-
ginning to tax themselves In nation
al fashion for highway Improvement,
and many philanthropists have passed
by the conventional college and libr
AIRY donation to spend their surplus
funds on good roads. Historic mud
holes are being slowly filled up. stone
and concrete are replacing the crazy
wooden bridges. and hundred inven-
tons have been made to help get the
best results for the lowest expense
TT. Wayne Characteristics.