Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-09-06
GREAT SAVING IN
IMPROVED ROADS
Much Money Would Be Saved If Only
20 Per cent. Of the Highways
Were improved
That NOT less than $3.50. 600, %

That not less than S25O,OOU,UuU
would be saved to the country in the
cost Of hauling the present recora
breaking crop if 20 per cent of the
public highways Of the country were
improved 5 the assertion of j. e.
Pennybacker, jr., Executive Secre-
tary of the American Road Congress
which is to be held in Atlantic City
September 30 10 October 5. Mr.. Pen
nybacker, before becoming the Secre-
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 Road Man
agement Department IN the United
States Office of Public Roads, has
made a comparative study of the cost
of hauling crops over good and bad
roads.
Because of his knowledge Of the &C
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
terview Mr.. Pennybacker says that he
believes that the American Road Con
gress will so influence public senti-
ment that It will be merely matter
of few years before 20 per cent. OF
the public highways of the United
States will 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. 1t 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 $25O,OGO,OOO
in the cost of hauling alone, which
would be sufficient to improve 5O,000
miles of road at further cost OF
$4,000 per mile In five years this
would improve 100000 miles, which
would be sufficient to bring the total
mileage of improved roads up to 20
per cent
There are more than 25,O00,00O
farm horses and mules in the United
states. valued at 100000; and
about 100000 horsedrawn vehicles
valued at $S3 100000 and more than
100000 automobiles valued at about
$500, 900, 900. A depreciation of per
cent, caused by the wear and tear OF
bad roads, would amount to S164OOO'-
900 annually, which at $4,000 per mile
would be sufficient to build 32,S0o
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 s. Once the people realize the
great waste involved i'll bad roads
there will be little delay in the i'm
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"