Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-09-07
GREAT SAVING IN
IMPROVED ROADS
Much Money Would Be Saved If only
20 Per cent. Of the Highways
Were improved
We're Improved

That not less than $3.50, 900 900
would be saved 70 the country in the
cost Of hauling the present record
breaking crop If 20 per cent of the
public highways Of the country were
improved the assertion Of ]. f..
Pennybacker, jr, Executive Secre-
tary OF the American Road Congress
which is to be held in Atlantic City
September 30 to October 5. Mr.. Pen.
nybacker, before becoming the Seere-
tary Of the American Association for
Highway Improvement, which with
the American Automobile Association
and the National Association of Ma.
chinery and Material Manufacturers
is holding a convention at Atlantic
City. was the chief Of the Read Man
aeement Department I'm the United
States Office of Public Roads, has
made comparative study Of the cost
of hauling crops over good and bad
roads.
Because OF his knowledge Of the ac-
tual needs of the country Mr.. Pen
nybacker was selected as the Execu-
tive Secretary OF the American Road
Congress which Is to crystalize the
road movement in America. In an in
teryiew Mr.. Pennybacker says that he
believes that the American Road Con
gress will so influence public senti-
ment that it win be merely matter
of a few years before 20 per cent. of
the public highways of the United
States viii have been improved. At
the present time little over per cent
of the public highways are of the i'm
proved type
THE governments prediction that
the crop now being harvested Will
exceed any previous years yield" said
Mr.. Pennbacker. should serve to call
attention to the great losses that are
being sustained by farmers and con-
sumers in the hauling of crops. II is
estimated that the improvement of
the main roads Of this country, approx
imately 20 per cent would result In an
annual saving of at least $3.50. 000,0 900
in the cost of hauling alone, which
would be sufficient to improve $4,000
miles of road at further cost of
$4,000 per mile. In five years this
would improve 250,00p miles, which
would be sufficient to bring the total
mileage of improved roads up to 20
per cent.
There are more than 25,00000
farm horses and mules in the United
States, valued at $2700,000,000; and
about 100000 horsedrawn vehicles
valued at $S3 900 600. and more than
100000 automobiles valued at about
$780, 10000 depreciation of per
cent caused by the wear and tear of
bad roads, would amount to s164,000,-
600 annually. which at $4,000 per mile
would be sufficient to build $4,000
miles Of improved roads.
These are but few great econom-
ic facts which will be brought to the
attention of the American people at
the American Road Congress to be
held in Atlantic City September 30 to
October 5. Once the people realize the
great waste involved in bad roads,
there will be little delay in the inn
provement of the main arteries Of com
merce throughout the country. The
whole subject is so big that we have
made arrangements to treat it in sec
lions at the Congress, each section,
such as legislative, administrative,
finance and education having been
placed under the auspices of the rep
resentative organizations in those par
ticular fields"