The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-21
COOLEY TALKS
GOOD ROADS TO ,
LEGISLATURE
He Shows Why North Dakota
Should Take up the Subject
NOW +

Ses~
Now +
5000 ROADS REDUCES COST
Of TRANSPORTATION ONE HALF
Question One of Political Economy In
That the Cost Of Transportation
Over Primary Roads is Added to the
Cost of Produce to the Consumer.
Bismarck, N. D.. Jan. 21.-Before
the joint assembly Wednesday, George
w. Cooley Of Minnesota delivered the
following able address on the subject
of good roads legislation, a question
that is becoming quite prominent at
this session:
Road Legislation.
When was informed recently
that you had extended me an invita-
tion to address you on the good roads
subject. found 1t necessary to obtain
certain Information in regard to what
other states are doing, and, lest the
same shall be forgotten in the de-
livery, and in case should inad-
vertently convey wrong impressions,
have taken the liberty to submit
my remarks in writing so that If suf-
ficient value be discovered therein,
they may be referred to by you in your
deliberations.
"Any consideration of the good
roads proposition must have for its
fundamental idea, the economy, rapid
ity and regularity of transportation.
IT 1t costs a certain sum of money to
carry a ton of produce from the farm
to the market. that cost must be added
to it, value at the point of production
to determine it's selling price. and that
freight charge, the amount of which is
measured generally by the distance
and condition of the roads over which
the produce is drawn, is paid by the
consumer. II the condition Of the
roads ID such that there is undue wear
and tear on the appliances for trans
portation, that charge is paid by the
producer, and in neither case is there
a corresponding benel1t.. 8
"The amount of loss may appear
trifling in any case; hardly worth con.
sidering, but in great state like this,
with its thousands of golden fields,
fruited deep with the richest treasur-
ers Of bountiful nature, its tens Of
thousands of primary highways over
which those treasures must be car
ried. it becomes US we'll to watch over
the interests Of those on whom we
rely to furnish US our daily bread, as
we'll as those who are ready to ex-
change the gold of commerce for the
richer product of mother earth.
Reduce the Cost.
$50 any legislation which does not
protect the interests of the producer,
as we'll as the consumer, cannot be
wise nor just It has been clearly
demonstrated as the result of many
different Investigations that the aver
age cost Of transportation over the
primary system of roads throughout
the country is about twenty-five cents
per ton mile. In many portions the
nearly double, while the cost of the
same on improved roads has been re-
duced to one-third or one-half of the
average.
ION improved roads in Minnesota,
the actual cost of hauling as deter
mined from series of several weeks
experiments on one particular road,
was reduced over one-quarter of the
average, and such Investigations as
these coupled with statistics of acre.
age and harvest yields, has prompted
good roads authorities to declare that
IN every year the nation pays out as q
tax, OF rather a penalty on bad roads
the enormous sum of $500,G00,000. I
leave It to those better versed in the
resources Of your state tn estimate
by simple comparison, based either
on road mileage or produce tonnage
the enormous waste OF the common
wealth.
There are many ways of improving
highway system which it is the duty
OF the engineer, the scientist and the
practical man to consider, and investi-
gate. 60 there are many classes of
roads, each adapted to some Of the
. many different conditions of soil and
climate, and in order to produce the
best results at the least cost to the
people. the subject should be given
the undivided attention of some in
dtv:dusl or board. who may not only
invosttgste conditions and methods in
thetr own territory but In other states
end countries which have had longer
experience through whose successes
and mistakes may be built up plan
OF procedure conducive to the best in
taregts OF She people.
State Control Satisfactory.
with European countries having
good systems Of highways. national
administration is most popular. In
..he sss,ern states. most of which have
adopted systems Of administrations of
highways, baaed largely upon tile ex-
Derisnce OF the eastern nations, state
control bas proved satisfactory, at
lsas: over that portion of the road
1ysssm OIL which the state contributes
o shayNs of the cost of building and
'Snaia:cnsuce.
This contribution toward road con-
.s:rac:jon. known under The general
0A,u, ,,e c;a:a aid " hased unol tho