Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1911-08-04

- NA0AAl - II ud III
where from $4,000 to $4,000 a mile.
Even at $4,000 a mile it would pay
well to build good roads upon the
highways, If it Is done by the state
aid plan
Those who are objecting to the
building of good roads advance OBJ
jections that are found to be falla-
cious, upon a little consideration. The
writer remembers man who inter
rupted him during an address, and re-
marked that in some parts of the
country they we're building hard roads
at a cost of from $4,000 to $4,000 a
mile. and then said that their town
ship had about 72 miles of highways
and proceeded to show that the ex-
pense would be at $4,000 a mile to
all the highways with this type
Of road. Upon a little inquiry it was
disclosed that the roads in question
were brick roads, built upon a con-
crete foundation-an excellent road to
be sure, and such as 1t may pay to
build where the traffic is very heavy
and there is a large amount of tax
able property to pay the bill-but
these are not the roads that it is usual
ly practicable to build. No township
needs anything like 72 miles. The
facts are that four-fifths of the traffic
passes over about one-fourth of the
road mileage, and 1t has been found
the country over, at home and abroad,
that when from one-fourth to one-third
of the total mileage of the highways
has been thoroughly improved, all
communities are well served, and the
good roads problem has been solved.
A man may have a farm a mile from a
good road, but If it is six miles to
town, he can manage to get over this
first mile, which will be a little used
road, to the main highway, and If from
there he can have a first class road to
town, making up fve-sixths of the dis
lance, he will be well taken care of.
road and one mile of poor will spur
him and his neighbors to put in the
best possible condition this road of
secondary Importance.
1t has been demonstrated time with
out number that we'll built roads upon
the main highways will pay for them
selves every five Or six years, treated
from an economic standpoint alone, to
say nothing of the educational and So
cial advantages, and the pleasure and
satisfaction of using a good road in
stead of a poor one.
The good road boomers should keep
in mind some certain things that are
fundamental.
First, that under our system of gov
eminent no large amount of good
roads can be built unless the farmers
are ready to move in the matter, hence
the farmer and not the automobile
manufacturer or user must be first
considered.
Next, that the question of road me-
cessity has the economic, social and
educational welfare involved in it.
Next, that good roads the country
over need not cost $4,000 to $4,000 a
mile, but through the central west
they can easily be built at costs
ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 a mile,
u0pSuuluS upon lOCdl COuulIIOLS. lulS
price may be sometimes reduced by
the use of convict labor in the prepa-
ration of material.
The farmer should remember that
the building of good roads adds to the
cash value of his farm more than
times as much as the tax he will be
called upon to pay to help, build them.
He should also remember that if the
roads were uniformly good it would
be much easier to get help upon the
farm. The farm laborer could provide
himself with a bicycle, which can be
had a very small cost, and upon rainy
days or Sunday he could ge out and
see his friends instead of being ma
rooned by impossible roads.
The farmer should also remember
that over good roads can be hauled
two or three times as much produce
as over bad roads.
Let the good roads advocates agree
upon some sensible line of procedure
and cut out all the fads and impossi-
bilities and bring the proposition down
where it belongs, and consider it in
the light of local conditions, and ad-
vocate such roads as will give the
largest return for the money invested.