The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-06-24
COST OF POOR ROADS
Waste Of Labor In Hauling Crops
to Market.
WHAT THE MUD TAX FIGURES.
Six Hundred Million Dollars 10 the
Price We Pay Annually For Our
impossible Highways-What 10 Be-
ina Done to Improve Thorn.


impossible Hishways--What 10 Be-
ing Done to Improve Them.
It cost d little over a billion dollars
10 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 s400000.000 Six hun
dred million dollars per year, then, Ii
the price we pay In this land Of the
free for having impossible roads. says
A writer In the st. Louis Times. Did
ever nation spend so much for 80
doubtful luxury before? With Amer
lean roads lying open and fathomless
before the eyes Of our foreign critics,
what monstrous injustice 1t Is to talk
or American dollar worship!
Most men Of middle age can recall
the annual picnic known as mendlng
the roads. Just why It got that name
no one has ever explained. for In prac-
tically every case the picnic left the
roads in worse condition than before
The law In many states prescribed
that each resident OF n rural district
must pay certain road tax In labor
each year. The payment of this tar
was done under the supervision Of a
local officer. known as the pathmaster.
The customary time OF payment was
in the early summer. just before hay
ing time, when there wasn't much else
for the men and teams TO do. The
neighborhood turned out with horses
and plows and harrows. ripped up
diverse sections OF highways which
the years travel had packed 10 more
or less nayigable condition, rounded
them up nicely In the middle and
scratched them up smooth with the
harrows. You were never expected to
work very hard nj these festive occa-
sions. and the pathmaster who insisted
on real work soon found himself I'M
popular II was Just as well. for. since
nobody had any knowledge OF road
making. the more work the worse re-
suits.
What some OF these results we're aud
are We have vivid testimony. Across
Iowa last winter the racing. autos
had TO take 10 the railroad tracks be-
cause the common roads were simply
| impassable. Last March some mis-
guided creatures began an automobile
race from New York TO Savannah. Ca.
Il was just az the opening Of nayiga-
tion on the country roads Of the mid.
de south. the time when the roads arc
TOO thin for wheels and too thick for
boats. Across Virginia each racing
automobile Tad an escort OF six mules
10 pull II out Of extra deep mudholes
aud TO haul Its emergency rations OF
gasoline. Usually this was enough. bu,
when an auto was 50 thoughtless as 70
stay In the mudhoie all night the mule
teams had 10 be doubled and all the
negroes OF the neighborhood comman.
deered 10 service before that partlcu.
lar contestant could proceed. The
racers averaged four miles per hour
across the Old Dominlon-a perfectly
stunning rate OF speed. all things con
sldered.
And yet the roads Of America are
vastly better than they once were. and
ne Improvement Is going on apace.
The United States government Is lend
ing hand by setting It's spare sclen-
lists 20 work teaching the people Of
different regions how 10 make the best
roads nc the least cost. The states are
doing vastly more. New York In 1895
voted TO spend s50.000!0oo on her high.
ways. and. while no other state Is In.
vesting IN roads at that rate. all are
doing something.
Cities are finding Il good business 20
Improve the roads leading out into the
farming region. the farmers are begin.
ming 70 tar themselves In rational
fashion for highway Improvement. and
many philanthropists have passed by
the conventional college and library
donation TO spend their surplus funds
On good roads. Historic mudholes are
being slowly fliled up. stone and con.
crete are replacing the crazy wooden
bridges. and hundred inventions
have been made 10 help get the best
results for the lowest expense.
Some OF the last deserve attention.
Macadam roads have long been sc-
cepted as the standard Of highway
construction. But macadam roads OF
The old pattern. with crushed stone
eight inches thick. cost from $4,000 70
10000 per mile. Now Il has been
found that three or four inches will
% quite as well. and the cost Is cut
squarely In two. In some parts Of the
central states. where crushed stone Is
rare. Il has been found that the very
clay which makes the roads almost I'm
rassable IN the best trackmaking ma.
'erial when burned. In yet other re.
glons the farmers have discovered
how 10 make good roads by the simple
etpedient Of rolling or dragging them
after each rain. and In yet other places
mixture Of sand and clay. costing
500 or $500 mile. Is found almost
as good as the best macadam.
IL Is well that tho roadmakIng ma.
,erials are abundant and varied, for
There are roads enough In the United
states TO reach cighty-six times around
The earth at the equator, and nearly
all those roads are bad. The adyo.
Gates OF good highways win and ample