The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-03-25
railroads and WAGON
ROADS.
WITHOUT WAGON ROADS RAILROADS
COULD NOT EXIST.
Thp Greatest Distance a Farmer Can
Afford to Haul Wheat in Oregon
is 20 Miles.

gldu W nave IuO OppOl W
GOV few words on so important
Smhiect as The Railroads and the
wagon Roads," although l think, had
been selecting the subject, l would
have placed the wagon road first and
-bo railroad last, that being the natural
order, both as to priority and i'm
centuries before the railroad was
ornr dreamed of wagon roads existed,
and theirimprovement had the earnest
rhought of the progressive element of
tbn communities through which their
course lay.
Without the wagon roads the rail-
roads could not exist any more than
This city could prosper or even have
its beginning without surrounding
country to support it.
railroads are frequently referred to
&C trunk lines. The smile is an apt
one If the railroads are trunks,
then the wagon roads stretching
out into the adjacent country,
are the roots which bring to the
rink the business which supports it.
To assert that better wagon roads
are not desirable or necessary would
dscredit the wisdom of the brightest
minds in the railroad world.
Railroad managers are spending
millions upon millions of dollars to
do for the properties they represent
exactly what the gentlemen interest
cd in the good roads question are en-
deavoring to have done for our wagon
roads. All this expenditure means
what Simply that a given amount
of power shall be able to haul more
tons than heretofore and that in the
TRANSFORMATION of the railroads bust
ness it's motive power and rolling
stock shall not be subjected to the
strain and shocks that had to be
horne when the road was less nearly
perfect.
To use home example, why has the
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Com
pany spent millions of dollars in eli
minating the curves, in reducing
grades. i'm building steel bridges, in
more solid entertainments, and laying
heavier rails Do you think liz is
simply that someone may ride with a
little more comfort than heretofore ?
Not by anymeans. While the comfort OF
the patrons is always strong ele-
ment for consideration, the main
reason for the Improvement is that the
expenditure of this money will mean
such a saving in the expense of oper-
alton that the result is greater profit
on all the capital invested.
If single railroad finds 1t neces-
sary to spend many millions in this
direction, would I dare to say that a
proportionate expenditure on the wa
gon roads would not be consistent with
the truest economy
To-day I am informed that about
the greatest distance farmer can
afford to haul wheat over existing
wagon roads to the railroad Is about
20 miles. If the wagon road can be
so improved that with the same num-
Der of horses and with the same wagon
two tons can be hauled where one is
the present limit; it will also be
found that the extreme boundary OF
the profitable wheat area would be 40
miles, or double what it is now. That
is, farmer under the improved con-
dition of wagon roads, 40 miles dis
tant from the market, could produce
wheat with as much profit for himself
as the farmer who to-day is but one
half that distance removed from the
buyer at the railway station.
If an additional strip only five miles
wide could be brought within reach OF
market by good roads, contiguous TO
the entire line of the Oregon Railroad
and Navigation Company, and only
every other section could be made
productive, over three and one-half
millions of acres would be added TIC
nf
Northwest, which on the generous
basis Of 160 acres to each family
would support nearly $4,000 families
Yet five miles is not great distance
to extend the profitable productive
belt, if you go at the good-road propo-
sltlon in the right way.
Have you who live from 10 to 2C
miles from the railroad ever consider
cd that in addition to a great reduction
IN the wear and tear on horses and
wagons, as we'll a. upon yourselves
good roads would increase the value
OF the land itself by, a. it were, pick
ing it up bodily and placing it nearer
the town {?
| am told that in Baker County, in
thls State, that Eagle and Pine Val
leys are capable of producing any
tnlng in agricultural or horticultural
products that can be raised anywhere
III tne State. They are from 90 to 6U
alileS from their natural market
haKer City, and at present their output
Is practically limited to the needs OF
taelr Immediate vicinity, or to cattle
Which can furnish their own Transports
uon. ! hardly need to picture to you
Wnar Wnrr1A NV nv q O0H6
wagon road to Baker City, bringing
A. II would, these splendid valleys
TMItnln reach of a profitable market
very vacant acre would be taken W.
dnd titled by the new settlers from the
asst and millions Of dollars would be
dGded to the wealth Of Baker county
ana the State Of Oregon, both from
increased value of lands and from
money brought into the State by the
newcomer. This is only one OF the
many similar instances in this State
which could be cited.
Inc old settler in Oregon, who came
gross the plains, knows that tbs
came number Of miles intervene be-
vMeeh the Missouri and Willamette
.lVers that were there in the "fift1es,
II 4al Sixties" but he also knows thai
oae distance, in effect, has been short
TIea so that the relation betwee-
Iteh and now II as tx months is M
tL .ee days. And what has brOugh'
r nis about Nothing but good roads
r rallEoads, to be sure but good rail
n roau IS simply good road for loco
ieaoIlVes and cars to run on and is az
th,olution from the wagon road. Il
TUG tug pest results could have been OBJ
aimed from runninr q locorootive or