Evening journal., 1912-11-14
coon ROADS AND HAULING cosrs.

a community travcrsed by good roads or in, which
tho building Of good roads is in contemplation than
that Of the> decrease in the Of hauling due such
good roads The fact recognized fully by those in
charge Of the work Of the Office Of Public Roads
Of the most useful branches OF the United states De-
partmcnt Of Agriculture Federal Investigation mas
disclosed that farmers among the greatest beneh-
Charles from road Improvement in the matter OF haul
ing, and The facts bearing thereon have been published
in an official bulletin.
THAT bulletin shows that there are certain direct
economic or money advantages which follow the inn
proyement Of public roads in every community. Those
improvements probably most apparent in the re-
duced cost OF hauling Certain dependent or reflex
ccouonic advantages also arise in community where
roads have bccn improved. The increase in the value
Of farm lands Is example Of the indirect economic
advantage of improved road conditions. It should not
be considered however that in presenting the adyan-
tagcs improved roads. tho direct decrease ia the
OF hauling and the increase IN farm values are
entirely separate and independent The farm increases
in value party because the Of hauling decreased
Whatever methods are used to improve road, the
Improvement for hauling purposes is due TO three
oauscsthe beermont Of the road surface, the reduc-
ton Of the grade and the shortening Of the length.
On such improved road the time required to haul
a given quantity of material a given distance is re-
duced The reduction may be largely due to increased
speed Of hauling increased load, to both. l is
important recognize that for transportation purposes
reduction OF time equivalent decrease Of the dis
why the increase values must follow improved
roads for their effect bring the farms in sense,
nearer towns The fact that roads with improved
surfaces. hauling becomes largely independent Of the
season the year or weather conditions means another
very considerable reduction an hauling costs It also
means that many the limitations Of the number and
kind Of farm operations are Immediately removed.
In order hN ones IDEAS the reduction in the cost
Of hauling due 10 the Improvement OF roads the trans
poration goods to the railroads and offafm produce
market should be considered The cost OF this work
i'm the United States at present is high and Is due
mainly to steep grades and yielding road surfaces on
unimproyed roads When a grade exceeds rise Of 6
feet to the hundred feet in horizontal measure it be-
comes increasing hindrance to traffic On any grade,
addition the tractve force due to the surface con-
ditons the Of gravity must be overcome The horse
must also raise his own weight and, because Of the
manner which his strength is applied, it becomes
less and available the grade increases 10 must
always be remembered that the grade on any
road tends to limit the load that can pass over the
ENTIRE road For example, if l2O0-pound horse.
by exerting force equal to one-enth Of his weight
can draw load OF about 900 pounds en- level earth
road with the same force exerted against the collar
he can draw continuously only about 1000 pounds on
a 8 per grade and only about $50 pounds on 10
per cent grade Consequently the load is limited over
the entire road on which the grade exists though
for short pulls the effort OF a horse may more than
double
While steep grades are detrimental common earth
roads, they arc far more an improved road II
it is assumed that 1.2oo-pound horse, by exertng
certain e0ort can draw a load OF 1000 pounds on
level earth road under the conditions this horse
can draw continuously load Of 5000 pounds ON
level macadam road IN average condition. but ON a
per cent grade il draw only 1900 pounds, while
on a 10 per grade the load would have to be re-
duccd TO 9G0 pounds Thus. while the load wnich can
be hauled on level macadam road is more than double
tha ON the level earth road the load on 10 per cent
grade is only 2iO pounds greater the macadam than
ON the earth road because the ract'c resistance
on a macadam surface is low that the grade effect
quickly c1cecds that resistance
iIt becomes Immediately apparent therefore. that
when a road be improved by macadamizing IT, the
maximum grade allowed must be low in ordcr to Sc
cure the fun advantage the hardened surface steep
grades are also slippery and therefore dangerous in
winter and tho maintenance charges arc always high
In fact the better and harder the road surface the
more imperative It becomes 10 secure easy grades
The conspicuous facts in connection with' excessive
grades have come about largely from the desire to lay
out roads in straight lines and along farm boundaries
The gain distance in passing over hill instead OF
around It is very slight AS matter OF fact many roads
have been relocated around hills With no addition 10
the length in some instances and with the addition Of
only few feet in others. The length OF road passing
over hill is. OF course somewhat greater than the
length Of horizontal road joining the same TWO points
In a straight line When the road is relocated on an
easy grade around hill the length Of the horizontal
curve seldom greatly in excess Of the length on the
original vertical curve rigorous discussion to fix
IN figures tho advantages Of reduced grades is not
possible without extensive data obtained directly from
the itself Nevertheless there has never been on
record whore properly relocated road has ai-
iordod any dispute the question OF ts material
reduction of the hauling cost Tho examples which
are on record sot forth in descriptive way the
advantages Of reduced grade on relocated roads in
many parts Of the country numerous aud conclu-
sigc
These facts which Delaware farmers should keep
constantly In mind when they considering good
roads projects in their communities and deliheratng
upon what attitude they shall take towards them.
Lean and hungry Democratic Offices -okers have far
from promising prospect in either tho state OF the
national situation Governor Miller a Ropuhcan. will