The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-04-17


ton, is only 10 cents per ton mile,
and in many parts of the kingdom,
not is excess of eight cents In France,
which nation is accredited with hay
ing the best roads in the world, the
tonnage cost of hauling produce to
market ia never above nine cents, ex-
cepting in rough and billy sections.
but the average for the whole of the
, nation is not in excess of nine cents.
There is another feature that Is
worthy of most careful study. That
is the additional value given to farm
lands through having good roads.
Some years ago, when the late j.
Sterling Morton was the secretary Of
agriculture, among the circulars is
sued by his department was one bear
ing the title, Money Value of Good
Roads to Farmers. This was stu
diously prepared paper Ivy Professor
W. c. Latta, OF Purdue university.
The matter was based upon the re-
ports made by farmers in 40 counties
in Indiana. 1t principally related to
the influence of good roads upon farm
values. 1t must now be taken into
consideration that since 1895, when
the paper was prepared, farm lands
have advanced from % to 40 per cent
in value in Indiana as well as in
other agricultural sections Of the
United States First. Professor Lat
ia discovered that the increase in the
selling price Of land on account Of
good highways VAS an average of
S6.4S per acre. Second, that the es-
itN,a RI tfl~
from improving all the public roads
of the 40 counties, would be 50. Third
converting common public roads into
improved highways at that time, was
Stag per mile Fourth, that the es-
timated average annual loss per 100
acres from poor roads was S762S.
These figures are interesting. The
estimated increase of SO per acre,
means that good roads would en-
nance each section of farm land
$3.50. The average length of road
about a section of land is two miles.
The cost, as ascertined by Professor
Latta. for road improvement $1,146
per mile, would mean that in order to
improve the roads for each section of
land the cost would be $2,292, Or
$3,46S less than the increa sed value
improvement.
While the masses of people during
the past few years have been giving
attention to the so-called trusts, have
been clamorng for reforms in various
matters. and the farmers of the coun-
try-as We'll as all others have been
paying taxes for all kinds of improve
ments under government jurisdiction
such as harbors, inland waterways,
Notifications and numerous other
things from which they receive no di-
rect benefit, the most important mat
ter has to a great extent been over
looked or at least sadly neglected
When it is considered that there are
about seven million farmers in the
country and that to each farmer there
is approximately quarter section of
cultivated land, how greatly would
the wealth of the nation be increased
by the proper betterment of public
highways? Under present conditions
there is direct loss to the people of
the nation through bad roads of ap-
proximately 100000, 900 a year. BY
carrying out a well defined policy Of
road Improvement, within 10 years all
this unnecessary loss could be pre-
vented and through the enhancement
of farm lands. the nation made bill
lions of dollars richer.
Dawning of New Era
There is the dawning of a new era
for the farmers. 1t is without doubt
correctly estimated that there are at
present more than 100000 automo-
biles in use in the United States.
More than 50 per cent of these are
pleasure vehicles" TO the credit of
the farmers let it be said that they
in use. Never before the motor car
became prominent on the highways
was there any such sentiment in ia
vor of good roads as now pervade
the length and breadth of the land. It
also may be stated with little fear of
contradiction that during the past 10
years greater progress has been made
in the matter of road improvement
than in 80 years during any prior Pc
tiod. For this credit is due the auto
mobile, and the automobile user,
rather than the average farmer. Yet
the farmer is fast becoming educated
as to the influence of the automobile
on the good roads sentiment of the
people and further is viewing with
satisfaction the automobile as q means
of eliminating the high expense of
transporting his products from the
farm to the market. He is beginning
to learn the fact that motor power
transportation is far less expensive
| than the old style team and wagon.
| He Is learning from his city brothers
who operate the great stores. and the
| big manufacturing concerns that
the gasoline and the electric trucks
are more reliable. more swift, and in
every manner more economical than
| animal draWn trucks and wagons He
also is fast coming to realization
| that whether horses or motor power
| is used the better the roads the less
! is the expense of hauling
With fair prospects for federal aid
and with the different states more
active than ever before the outlook
| for good roads throughout all the ma
| ton was never more promising than
! in the beginning of 1912.
A-6