Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-07-07
The Bad Roads Tax.

is pushing the movement for good
roads, particularly the proposal for
a good modern highway from
Washington TO Richmond. is a
significant sign of the time. The
seed sown a few years ago by far
sighted advocates Of better high
ways is beginning to bear its rich
harvest of fruit. The farmers
have awakened to the fact that the
heaviest tax they pay is that exacted
from them by ill-kept highways.
which in many cases rob them Of
their best market, and under the
most favorable condition eat up a
large percentage OF the profit on
their products.
The salvation and uplift of rural
America depends more upon the
building of good roads than upon
any other one thing. The farmer
and the people OF the small towns
and villages understand it now. and
that is the reason the plan for "a
model highway from Washington
to Richmond Is meeting with such
enthusiastic support. Il means
progress toward . higher standard
of living, it means more trade for
the merchants of the towus and
cities. and 1t means greater profits
and better markets for the farmer.
American roads. with few ex-
ceptions, have been long the laugh
ing stock of the world. Millions
upon millions have been spent by
taxpayers on them in shortsighted.
lethargic ignorance of the proper
methods of construction. and most
of 1t has been utterly wasted.
Carefully gathered statistics show
that the country annual tribute
TO poor roads Is almost 100000. =
600. That Is. the farmer, the
miner, and the manufacturer who
haul their products over our i'll
kept roads eXpend for transporta-
ton 100000 more than they
would If American roads were as
good as those OF Europe. 1t IS an
enormous yearly tax, and a deplor-
able waste of national wealth.
When viewed as annual interest.
which it is, in a way, it gives the
! principal a staggering total.
Investigation has shown that it
costs on 4 average % cents a mile
to transport the 265. 200. coo tons
produced by farm and mine over
the wretched roads of the country
70 market or railroad. The
average distance of the haul TO
+ market Is 81 miles, which means
, an expenditure of S574.0OO.O0O
; for hauling over the common
roads. That i the pitiful showing
for 300 years of road-building in
this country. The comparison
with the decrease IN railroad freight
e rates Is enlightening. In 1857 II
cost Is cents To transport tor
, of freight I mile; in 1905 this rat,
: had been reduced TO IS mills
= Where good roads have been bull
4 it has been demonstrated in cold
o hard. incontrovertible facts that
decrease in hauling costs almost a
e startling a in the case of the rail
o roads, follows in practically ever.
y, instance.
The brosdminded leaders of pub
lie opinion in Virginia are wild
y awake to the Importance of goo
5, roads to the economic development
h of the State and the legislature ha
APPROPRIATED $3.50, 900 annually 70
), the construction of model highway
= beginning this year. There
scarcely any other investment G
W the public funds that will yiel
-e such harvest OF increased wealt
to the State, and it is eminent
,r fitting that the historic highwa
from Washington to Richmond
re almost every foot of it instinct wit
re memories of the past, should be
~ monument to the energy, ente.
N prise. and farsighted wisdom
At old Virginia. Washington Pos
al Delavin takin.r Enlar.s kilnn,- 49,