The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-01-19
The Value of Good Roads.
By GEORGE c. DEIHL.

Within the next few years the ques-
ton Of good roads will be one of, if
not the leading, commercial issue of
the day, not excepting the tariff. The
United States is far behind Europe in
this character of internal improve
ment, although excelling in most 9TH
ers. The causes may be stated gen.
orally as follows: Imperfect State
laws; inefficient and improper admin
istration and management of roads;
ignorance on the part of local road
builders of the principles and, meth
DDS of road construction; ignorance
of the. qualities essential In road
building materials and lack Of facili-
ties for a~scertaining such qualities;
lack of sufficient research. and expert
mental work to devise, changes or i'm
provements in! road materials OF exist
ing metho6~ Of construction sufficient
to meet modern conditions, reduce
cost or increase efficiency.
The farmers and motorists, among
many others. receive direct benehtsI
from the construction Of good roads:
and although everyone practically re-
ceives direct or indirect benefits, tho
most active agencies to secure good
roads must be the farmers and motor
lists. 1t will be but a fewiyears be-
fore we will stop using the terms
farmers and motorists, and tsay,
rather, farmers and tourists; as with
a properly developed system Of good
roads the farmer will find 1t more
economical to market his produce
with motor vehicles.
The Federal good roads department
states that the direct saving to the
farmers of this country from properly
constructed roads would be $751;
coo, 900. annually; that there would
be a saving of over S10,0o0,ooo' in
marketing the wheat crop alone; OF
over s12, 900 900 in marketing tho
corn crop; and Of $4,000, 900 in mar
keting the cotton. crop. However
great the money value Of. good roads
may appear to be, it is not as import
ant as the educational and social ad-,
vantages to be derived thereform by
the residents Of rural communities.
Bad roads restrict educational facili-
ties, limit the rural free delivery SER
vice, and prevent the proper develop
ment of social life in the country.
Good roads permit of grade schools
in the country, extend the ruralsfree
delivery service. and check the eXo-
dus of young men and women from
the farm to the city. Already in 10.
-calities where roads have been I'M
proved we see the movement from the
city to the farm.
Motorists and farmers by frequent
good roads conventions, by continuing
campaigns of education, and by, in.
dividual and organized activity, can
bring about sufficient appropriations
by towns, counties, States and nation.
It is a part Of their duty to see that
these moneys are expended wisely.
under competent direction, and in ac-
cordance with systematic and we'll
organized plans. The system now in
o~peration in the State of New York
can be commended highly to many
of her sister States, particularly IN
the matter of classification, of roads
outside of cities and villages. These
roads are divided into State, county
and town roads. The State roads
are the main traffic lines connecting
the larger centres of population.
They comprise four per cent. OF. the
total mileage of the State. and arc
to be constructed and maintained>dl-
rectly by the State, and at State ex.
.pense. The county roads are those
which form within each county q
properly developed system Of main
market roads, taking into account
their use for the purposes OF common
traffic and travel. These roads com.
prise about six per cent. OF the totaa
mileage of the State and are con-.
structed under State supervision n
at the joint expense Of the State,
county and town. The town roads
comprise the rest Of the roads of the
State, constituting about ninety per
cent. of the total mileage. They are
built and maintained under the di,
rection of the local authorities. but
with State supervision. the cost being
borne Jointly by the State and town.
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