The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-08-18
+. z 4
ALL CLASSES NEED.
BETTER ROADS
:. H.. A ?. 81
AuToIsTs ARE NOT SELFISH I'M
DEMANDING THAT ROADS BIZ
IMPROVED -- ALTHOUGH THEY
PAY FOR NEARLY ALL i'm
PRoVEMENTS ALL USE ROADS.

1t is sometimes thought by unlearn-
ed persons or those who have no
knowledge of the real situation. and
by them put into actual words. that
all of the present outcry for good.
roads the country over is from motor.
lists and solely for motorists; that it lis
only through their rapid increase in
numbers that such widespread agita-
ton for better highways has been
made possible and that any funds
spent upon the Improvement of the
roads OF the country will benefit them
alone. This is so far from the actual
case as to warrant more than passinr
attention, partly to show where the
real need for better highways lies and
partly to disclaim the excessive
seltishness as a class which the admis-
sion of this as the actual situation
would make necessary. -.
Considered collectively, the farners
OF the country need good roads more
than any other one class, or perhaps
more than other groups Of individuals
IL necessary, the automobilists can
traVel over poor roads, Indifferent
highways and other surfaces hardly
worth a name. But the farmer cam
not haul his produce to market
economically over such surfaces for
his horses cannot travel over them.
heaVlly laden, in bad weather. Several
years ago, before the roads of one
country in the cotton belt of the south
were improved, a tWo-horse team
could maui but one bale of cotton on
each trip, bale weighing about $40
pounds. Now that the highways have,
been improved, the average load for O.
tWo-horse team is ten bales or $500
pounds. Increasing the efficiency OF
mis- hauling service by tenfold or 1000
per cent is one Of the direct benefits
OF good roads with which the farmer
Is very much concerned.
AS third instance. farmers
census of trade district in Minnesota.
was taken last year in which 1868
farmers were questioned "a trade dis
trlct is 75O square miles). From their
answers the following information is
taken: These men hauled to market
ooO'oOO tons of produce, requiring 305.-
co0 trips, consuming 1920 eight hour
working days and covering 4,7O0,000
miles, the produce selling for $685.:
$50. "''0O''7
Applied to concrete instance, sup.
pose farmer had 140 tons of produce
10 carry to market yearly. Over the
bad road surfaces this would neces-.
highways he could make it in sixty-
three trips. The former would take
$50 hours, equal to 120 eight hour
days, and the latter only 316 hours
equal to less than forty days. The
former would cost him $460 while the
latter would amount to but 1854. NOT.
counting the value of the time lost
in going to market and coming home.
Relative to the latter, it has been
computed that the value of a man and;
team is as cents an hour. According,
to this, the loss of time in one yearl
in this particular district only. due fd
not taking the shortest route was S62,
600 the loss due to slower progressss
was $4,000, and the loss due to extra
trips necessitated by smaller loads;
was $4,000. The total loss then was
S296OO0, practically 100000, for one
district Of one state in one year. Truly
that Is large price for the farmers
to pay for good roads. -