The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-29

RAILROAD NEWS.
YoakumSays ThorOughfaresAre
Important to Country.
Ayers They Should Have Stand
ard Like Traffic Lines.
SOUNDS LOAN POLICY.
Declares Federal Credit Plan
Would BE Good Thing.
Other News of General Interest
Bearing on LOcOmOtiOn.
SOUNDS LOAN POLICY.

Niagara Falls, N. Y, July 29.-Chair-
man B. F. Yoakum of the st. Louis &
San Francisco Railroad company. in
addressing the National Good Roads
association here said that good roads
means more to the people at large than
any other public work, adding that
they are of national Importance in the
upbuilding of the country.
In part, Mr.. Yoakum said:
Government statistics tell us that it
costs our farmers Is cents more to haul
one ton one mile in this country than
1t costs in European countries. The
products of the farms of the United
States last year amounted to approx
mately 100000, 900 tons. The govern
ments shows the average haul of ton
was nine miles. This difference of Is
cents ton per mile represents an
additional cost of $1.35 a ton for an
average haul of nine miles. Estimat-
ing that two-thirds of the agricultural
products of last year were hauled away
from the farms, there would have been
saving to the American farmers of
$225, 900, 600 if our roads had been up 20
the standard of European roads, not
including their back haul of supplies
from the stations to the farms. They
would also have saved large sums in
the cost of replacing and repairing
harness, wagons, etc, and in the in
vestment and care Of extra draught
stock.
1.-The only way to get good roads is
to fight for them. Your organization
can DO its work most effectively by
keeping before the people in as many
ways as possible the Importance of
making better roads. 1t is not a senti-
mental proposition, but purely bust
ness one.
"It took three-quarters of a century
to build up the American railroads. In
the same time little attention has been
given to the building up of American
country roads. Yet the value of the
two to the public goes hand in hand.
Food and clothing must be handled be-
tween the producers and the consum
ers over both the country road and the
railroad. It is important that the coun-
try roads approach the high standard
of the railroad.
What Railroads Do.
IF a railroad encounters a high
grade over a hill, which means excess
sive use of coal. slow trains and light
loads, the railroad cuts down the heavy
grades to save coal bills, to move
freight faster. to carry bigger train
loads. 1t borrows millions to do the
grade cutting, pays the interest on this
money, and through this economy is
enabled to increase it's surplus. The
railroads borrow money to make
stroL ger culverts and bridges to bear
heavier engines and steel cars. Then
they must borrow more to buy the
large locomotives and big cars, all of
which add to the efficiency of these
steel highways.
1.-The country road makers have not
kept up with the railroad makers.
They. too, must get money to cut down
grades, to get smooth, hard surfaces,
to provide good drainage and to reduce
the cost of maintenance. When this is
done the farmer can go from his farm
to his market or shipping station
quicker and carry a bigger load. The
firm roadbed and smooth, heavy steel
make the railroads cars and engines
last longer, and the substantial, well
made country road makes the farmers
horses, wagons and harness last long
err. The saving to the railroad is only
a small fraction of a cent on each ton
hauled one mile. while the saving to
the farmer is Is cents a ton a mile
This difference in cost of hauling will
often turn losing farm into a paying
one.
TT is to good roads that this coun-
try must look largely for its future
growth and development.
THE railroad business of the coun-
try has been attacked from so many
different standpoints that we are not
goip~ to have for many years such an
enjoyed heretofore. The improvement
which can come nearest taking the
place of railroads in the development of
the country lying back from existing
railroads is good public highways.
Illustrations of this you can now see
in many sections of the country and
will see many more evidences of it as
different communities begin to realize
how hard it is for railroad builders to
find new money to build new railroads
into new countries.
Federal Credit Talked.
"A law authorizing the federal gov
eminent to extend it's credit to each
state in an amount equal to that ex-
pended by such state under a Joint
commission of federal and state au-
thorities, would enable the different
states to take advantage. in this work
of upbuilding. of a low rate of interest
that would greatly reduce the interest
charge for the improvement of the
public highways. This would not be so
radical a departure from present prac-
tees as might first appear. The gov
eminent has advanced or agreed to adj
vance $115,000,000 to reclaim waste
lands In various places in the west.
which money is to be paid back to the
government.
1T is just as sound a public policy
to loan one-half of the money to states
which furnish the other half for the