The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-30
OPPOSED
BUILDING
Much Greater Progress Is Elk.
peeted in All Parts of
Country.
Especial 10 The Times .Dispatca.]


Washington. September 2a.-fhouSa
there are doubtless a few mossbacks TO
be found In every community vino stuo-
bornly and persistently oppose any
movement looking even 10 their own
welfare. mos, especially. it appears.
when the subject of good roads is an
cs1takcn. sufficient progress has been
made by the Federal and State govern
ments during the past few years. IN
spite Of this nonprcgressive element,
to warrant the belief that much greater
and faster progress. will be made here
after.
This is the substance OF a statement
made at the ONCE Of Logan Wailarc
Page, director OF the Division of Good
Roads in the Department OF Agricul-
ture. when of!icials there were asked 20
tell something OF the work Of that de:
psrtment during the past year.
The question OF the economic ad-
vantases of good roads, such as de.
crease in cost Of hauling and like
questions. are too acade mic In their
nature to require serious attention. -
IL was said. lat this time. Any man
With ordinary intelligence knows these
facts and their value.
In the cotton States Of the south the
average haul OF cotton from the farm
TO the shipping point Is Ills miles.
The average load is about 100 pounds
IA little more than three bales-and
the average cost 10 So cents per bale.
The cost Of marketing the 1919 crop Of
is.2so.21s bales was $l3.oo0.22o. II COM
puted on the above basis To each
bale 81 cotton there is about one-hal:
ton OF cotton seed. which is hauled
from farm to gin. ana then q large
percentage Of II hauled again to tn.
shipping point The average cost OF
hauling the seed in the United States is
20 ton The lsll crop OF seed was
therefore Ss7.375.s3+ Any system Of
road Improvement through put this zone
which will reduce the annual hauling
charge per cent will effect a saving Of
practically 100000 each year. From
these figures it appears that it would
DC sooo business to incur an expense
1or ROAD improvement. even IL such m
estmeat entaiied an annual interest
ana maintenance charge Of $1,000. 900 to
the Cotton States alone"
Asked to tell something Of what the
automobile has done in recent years
IN tue matter Of road construction and
general highway development. the fol-
lowing statement was made: The
roads Of this country are being usec
each year to a larger extent by au-
tomobiles. In addition to the attrac.
tons OF the short tour and the coun-
try summer residence for the automo-
bilists In this country. there exists
q large number OF more remote at
fractions comparable to those of Eu-
rope. Each year 1t IL estimated that
no less than 5000. 600 tourists visit
Switzerland, and q large number of
these are American citizens. The lit
tie country Of Switzerland depends
upon the expenditures Of tourists for
q large amount Of its revenue. It is
found profitable to build and maintsin
roads Of the highest type 70 hold this
business In Switzerland. There are In
this country types OF scenery and
points Of interest which compare most
favorabiy with those Of Europe. and
of late years improved roads
have been constructed in not q few
Of these places.
ut 10 probable that during the
present year tie record will show that
American automobilIsts making trips
across the Continent have spent not
less than $1,000.ooo. Figures from the
Denver Chamber Of Commerce show
that 5000 automobilists visiting Col
orado spent more than $2.70O, 900 In
that State alone.
Figures on file at the Post Once
Department show that the total mile
age OF rural routes In operation on
April /. 1912. was 1,01S.90s. and that
the daily travel by the carriers was
]. 010.3se miles. which Is nearly one
half Of the total road mileage In this
country to-day. There are 42,1o0 de-
livery routes, with an average lenGth
of twenty-four miles each. The cost
per mile travelled by the carrier could
be greatly reduced and the length OF
the routes correspondinEly increased
IL the roads were generally improvd
In many instances the department. has
found IL necessary to discontinue
routes because Of the fmpassable con-
dit1on Of the roads r. H. Ae<s.