The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-31
GOOD ROADS.

{
/ But the era of railway building in the
! United States put an effective check
for the time being upon the construc-
ton of good rcads-and in the presen:
! crusade for improved highways OF
travel he people are simply reverting
to the head Of unfinished business.
But progress in one direction Is often
made al the expense of progress in an
other.
When the locomotive appeared upon
the scene in the early thirties of the
last century it offered the possibilities
not only Of such immense but of such
immediate gains that it monopolized
almost completely the resources of cap
itsl Road work in the ordinary sense
everywhere ceased. The nation went
wild with excitement over the new mo-
tive power. Labor was at once en-
ployed in making the ways straight for
the new arrival. 1t was not an unwise
thing to do under the circumstances.
For magnificent profits have accrued
to us from railway enterprise and de-
velopment. But the public has return
ed none too soon to the construction
of good roads.
From data recently gathered upon
this subject by The Washington Her
aid it appears that the first great
American highway was laid out in 1711.
1t was called the "Old, York road and
ran between New York and PhiIadel-
phia. Along this primitive thorough
fare surged the vigorous pioneer life of
colonial times.
The spirit Of emulation Immediately
seized other localities along the Allan
tic seaboard
tered for the building OF turnpikes.
Pennsylvania led in this crusade, but
New Jersey and Connecticut followed
close behind.
The first macadam road was COM
structed in 1892 between Philadelphia
and Lancaster.
Twenty years later there were 4,500
miles of turnpikes in the states above
named-and from 1910 to 1897 the ma
tionaI government is said to have spent
S14.000,O0O in constructing highways.
among which number was the famous
old Cumberland road between Wash
ington. D. C., and Cumberland, Md.
But then came the panic in 1887. }
When the stringency in the money
market was at an end. the iron horse
was beginning to make short hauls
and the success of the experiment soon
brought paralysis to the cause of good
roads.
Until the outbreak of the Civil war
the zeal of industrialism was expended
in the building of railways-and after
the war it was resumed with an in
creased impetus.
Revival of interest in the subject of
good roads began some few years ago
an annual appropriation for the office
Of road inquiry-but the real forerun-
ner of good roads was the automobile.
Due to the favor in which this new
mode of travel has grown with the
American people the stimulus to i'm
proved highways has been unprece-
dented.
Every state in the Union has caught
the enthusiasm of the crusade on be-
| half of good roads.
AS an important contributory agent,
the free delivery of the mails in the
rural districts has also rendered effec-
tive service in this direction.
Public sentiment upon this subject
| is rapidly beginning to sound an i'm
operative note, Communities which
have heretofore been inert have sud
denly become active-and whether by
direct taxation or by bond issues large
sums of money for improved highways
are everywhere being raised.
| IL it means much to the owners of
automobiles, it means vastly more to
the farmers. The prosperity of the ma
/ ton depends in the last analysis upon
the degree of vigor with which the life
current circulates-and the building of
good roads is the offering of hostages
to fortune.
1t is not enough for the country to
be cobwebbed with iron rails-it must
be gridironed with good roads.