The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-07-13
ackson county, Tenn.

gan to go up-ln some cases Ifoin "
to 100 per cent. There are no houses
TO rent in Jackson; builders are
busy, large tracts Of land are being
subdivided, aid prices are being paid
which astoniSh the most far-seelng
champion Of this now popular move
ment. New families from adjoining
counties and States are constantly
coming in some to ma Ike their homes
IL :he city an( others y,ntlrS far Z
on the good roads. Still others look
ing ahead and anticipating profits,
have made purchases five anc SIX
miles back from these roads. paying
largely increased prices"
And this: The high cost of hauling
is not the only burden which the
American people are carrying by rea-
son of their bad roads. In traversing
country isolated by bad roads from
the markets one is struck by the
wastes Of untitled land and by the
lack Of variety of products. This IS
a condition more frequently due to a
lack of adequate transportation ia
cilities than lack Of industry and in
telligence of the inhabitants. The
point may be illustrated by assum-
ing a series of concentric circles to be
drawn about a market town, constl-
tuting zones of production in all OF
which the roads are uniformity bad:
Within the first zone Ill products
can be delivered to market at a pro-
lit. Within the second zone, certain
products must be eliminated because
Of the length Of the haul. Milk,
fruit and vegetables requiring quick
delivery and careful transportation
might be cited as examples. In the
third zone still other products must
be eliminated because of the prohibit
ed cost of transportation. The fourth
zone will include only those products
which can be hauled long distances
and sold at a profit. Beyond this
zone the land must be left unproduc-
tive or utilized for grazing and tim
Der.
Every improvement Of the roads
leading from this market widens these
zones, making unproductive land pro-
ductive and enables the farmer to
exercise a wise discretion in deter
mining the character of his crops.
The prosperity Of the individual TAR
mer becomes far greater, the traffic
|cf the railroads increases, the con-
sumer receives better supplies and
thus the beneficial effects continue IN
an overwhelming circle, like the rip
pie produced by a stone cast into the
water.
"a comparison Of the reports OF
t1e Offices Of public roads with the
report Of the U. S. census for 1900 re-
veals the significant fact that, in %
counties selected at random, possess
Jag an average of only l.5 improved
roads, the decrease in population
averaged SIP for each county for
the ten year period between 1890 and
1900. Contrasted with this showing,
The records in 25 counties which pos
s5ssed an average Of 40 per cent. i'm
proved roads revealed an increase av-
eraging 31,095 to the county.
And this: "Whether good roads
cause good schools or vice versa 1t Is
true that they exist together aul that
one of the most important reasons for
good roads is their effect on school at
tendance in the country. If the coun-
trv schools are to have a maximum
efficiency in training and instruction,
the children must be afforded facili-
ties for reaching the schools with dry
feet at all seasons of the year. Then
the graded school can replace the lit
tie one-room, one-teacher school so
preyelant in so many sections Of the
country"
Let it be reported here that we are
making this campaign on facts. How
are we to get good roads? For New
berry there is no way except by bor-
rowed money. This generation will
pass away before we can reach one
tenth of the county by any othr plan.
If we had large city with chaingang
of several hundred and large tax