Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-04-20
HALF MILLION FOR ROADS.
1t May BE that Uncle Sam VIII Give
Valuable Assistance.

construction in different parts Of the
United States step of far-reaching
Importance was taken. For many
years members Of Congress have
been endeavorlng in every possible
way to induce the government to
come to the assistance Of the States
In the matter Of constructing better
roads. but up to this time nothing
has been accomplished.
Senator Bankhead, Of Alabama,
the author Of the bill which has just
passed the Senate, after stating that
for every dollar appropriated by the
government similar amount would
have to be expended by the coun-
ties In which the work is to be done,
said: "The last quarter Of a century
has witnessed the awakening of the
public to the necessity for better
country roads. With the increase Of
production has come corresponding
Increase in transportation over the
country roads. The fallacy that the
greater our railroad mileage the less
our dependence upon the wagon road
has given place to a realization that
the greater the railroad mileage the
greater the movement Of freight on
the common roads, which are feed
ers to the railroads. In France, by
actual traffic census, 1t has been
found that the tonnage over the
wagon roads is one and half times
as great as on the railroads.
over the bad roads in the United
States. team in the worst hauling
season IS able to transport on an av-
erage only about 500 or 900 pounds,
while In France every good draft
horse IS expected to be able to draw
1906 pounds a distance of eighteen
and half miles any day in the year.
1t is this realization Of the financial
burden Of bad roads that is largely
responsible for the widespread public
sentiment In favor of definite and
prompt action looking to the better
ment of the public roads Another
potent factor in bringing about this
attitude of the public is the growing
tendency Of the people to concentrate
In the great cities. Already one
third Of our population is crowded
together In cities, leaving millions of
acres Of land unproductive, which
otherwise might be adding to the ma
tional wealth and prosperity. These
two causes taken together, namely,
the great cost Of hauling, and the
scarcity Of labor in the country, are
f'probably as much responsible for
the high cost of living as any factors
that could be cited.
public sentiment has become or
ganiZed and various commercial, ag-
Iltultural and road associations
have specifically taken up the ques-
tion Of improving the public roads
and have repeatedly called upon the
National Government for some ac-
ton that will aid In bringing about
the result. Since the establishment
of the rural free delivery service the
1Noeioitai Ho'cllLleHl has become
more directly connected with the
subject Of road Improvement. The
appropriation for rural free delivery
amounted last year to $35,673,0OO,
and 1t IS evident, therefore, that the
question of economics in the expen-
ditures for rural free delivery is ma
terially affected by the conditions of
the roads over which the service ope-
rates. The necessity for action Is so
apparent, the demand so universal
and insistent, and the subject Of such
vast Importance to the general well
faer o9Sfhe country that recognition
and endorsement has been given in
the national platforms of both politi-
cal parties in 1909, and we now
feel that the subject should, through
the bill now pending. be definitely
submitted for its consideration.
while this bill, if enacted into
law, will, it is hoped, result in wide
spread and permanent reforms in
road administration and methods of
construction and maintenance and
also certain mileage Of adequately
improved road, its primary purpose
is to render more effective the rural
delivery service and to indicate lines
along which economy and efficiency
can be attained through the improve
ment, locally or otherwise, Of the
roads Oh which rural delivery routes
are located The experiments con
templatcd in this bill will Indicate
| clearly the increase in territory