Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-08-03
GOVERNMENT AID
FOR GOOD ROADS
RAILROAD PRESIDENT URGES
JOINT ACTION BY STATE
AND NATION.
DECLARES RIVER IMPROVEMENT
A GREAT WASTE OF Ma
TIoNAL RESOURCES.

Niagara Falls, July 29.-'Govern-
nent statistics tell us that it costs our
Farmers 10 cents more to haul one
ton one mile in this country than it
costs in European countries. The
products of the farms of the United
States last year amounted to approx
fnately ESQ million tons The govern
ment shows the average haul of a
ton was mine miles. This difference of
10 cents a ton per mile represents an
additional cost of $1.35 a ton for an
average haul of nine miles. Estimat-
g ing that two-thirds Of the agricultural
products of last year were hauled
away from the farms, there would
have been a saving to the American
farmers of 225 million dollars if our
roads had been up to the standard of
European roads, not including their
back haul of supplies from the sta
tons to the farms They would also
have saved large sums in the cost of
replacing and repairing harness, wa
CONS, ETC., in the investment and care
OF extra draught stock
Such was the declaration of Chair
man p. F. Yoakum of St Louis and
San Francisco railroad company in an
address before the National Good
Roads association here last night.
THE only way to get good roads, -
said Mr. Yoakum is to fight for
them. Your organization can do its
work most effectively by keeping be-
fore the people in as many ways as
possible the Importance of making
money by making better roads. 1t is
not a sentimental proposition, but
purely a business one"
The speaker said that there has
been expended upon the Mississippi
river, including surveys, within the
last 100 years 225 million dollars to
put that public water highway in con-
diti0n for handling products of the
farm and commerce tributary to it.
The last statistics available show that
in 1906 there were 1,545,00G tons less
transported on this river than in 1889.
This $225, 900 was expended be-
tween ST Louis and New Orleans,
with the states of Missouri, Arkansas,
and Louisiana On the western bound
airy, and the states OF Illinois, Tennes-
see and Mississippi on the eastern.
The farmers of these states which
border directly upon the Mississippi
river, 10 say nothing of those OF the
remaining 40 states, have received no
benefit from this vast sum wastefully
expended by the government. On the
contrary, the farmers are paying as
much for the broken harness, broken
wagons, with as much lost time, haul
ing Cne-half a lead to a team, as they
were before this 1925, 100000 was ex-
pended. There has been no system
attic plan for the improvement OF the
Mississippi river. Therefore this great
waste of money has been OF no bene-
fit to the transportation of commerce
or the development of agriculture.
The same amount of money expended
in good road making would have yield
ed tremendous returns TO the people.
It is the duty of every citizen OF the
United States to aid the farmer IN
every way consistent with business
principles to market his products TO
best advantage, and in this connection
no one factor is of more economic
importance than the reduction OF the
cost of transportation between the
farm and the railroad station.
1t took three-quarters of century
TO build up the American railroads,
said SIT. Yoakum. During 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. 1t, is important that the
country roads approach the nigh
standard of the railroads.
eff a railroad encounters a hlgn
grade over a hill, which means ex-
cessive 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 its money, and through this econ
Omy is enabled to increase It's sur
plus. The railroads borrow money
to make stronger 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 railways.
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 sur.
faces, to provide good drainage and
to reduce the cost of maintenance
When this is, done the farmer can so
from his farm to his market or ship
ping station quicker and carry bigger
load. The firm road-bed and smooth,
heavy steel make The railroads cars
and engines last longer, and the sub
stantial, well-nade country road
makes the farmers horses, wagons
and harness last longer. The saving
20 tho RAILROAD iS only small fraction