Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1913-08-29
THE VALUE OF
GOOD ROADS
benefit Of GOOD ROADS TO A
STATE, COUNTY OR TOWNSHIP.
UPBulLDINC THE SECTION
IMPORTANCE OF BETTER HIGHWAYS
BEING REALIZED MORE and MORE.
ISSENHUTn WRITES.

DllNU NLALILLU NUKE ANU MUkE
ISSENhUTh WRITES.
Following is article ole of q series of
articles, authorized by the state high
way commission, written by Chairman
e. O. Issenhuth o. the commission:
Everybody has heard .he historic
expression "All roads lead to Rome"
meaning public highways, as there
was then no means of travel except on
foot, driving or riding. She was wise
and great and believed by building
roads it would build up q commercial
supremacy which it did. We W
know much which Rome didn't know.
but she knew more than we do now in
realizing the value of roads. She built
them far out into lands now belonging
to other nations.
The writer Travelled in England on a
road from London to Exeter built by
Julius Caesar more than two thousand
years ago and found it still in perfect
condition.
By building highways in communi
ties, we become state builders, because
they attract others, help ourselves and
are an asset to the State and Nation.
The importance of better roads is
being realized more and more. In 1912
twenty-five counties of South Dakota
referended the Good Roads law of 1911.
as permitted that clause to be insert.
ed to please the farmers who wanted
1t as members of the House of Repre-
sentatives at Pierre All these coun
ties endorsed the law, and on the total
vote of all these twenty five counties
carried by over two to one. Not one
county carried against the new law.
The movement is crystalizing rapidly
and when crystalized will be force
for good as it goes hand in hand and
arm in arm with all o b Q r forward
movements Of our time as education,
better farming, conservation of mois.
ture and soil, more live stock, dairying
0A0 Ob00I 6t0R6 W OO0t0AORWOuU.
Also good roads cheaper the farmers
transportation because he b d
figure same, not from his railway sta
tion to the markets of the world, but
from bis Rransry and kitchen door to
said markets Of the world, in hauling
his products to the markets, and the
articles he needs from the markets for
his home and farm use.
The road between the country home
and the market town is no better than
its weakest link-for the size of the
load has to be governed by the deep
est mud-hole or steepest hill on the
way. On the old road he could haul
about thirty bushels of wheat on one
trip; with properly graded roads he
can haul ninety bushels on same trip.
At a probable cost of five dollars per
trip for man and team, the sum of ten
dollars is saved in getting ninety
bushels to market. Ny friends this is
worthy Jour thought and study. The
analysis will be q good one to put in
practice. Dou't let as mind the ex-
pense for it is not q matter of expense
out is an investment In every sense of
the word-brings more lasting returns
than any other taxes paid for future,
% we'll Us the present. Don't mind the
auto owner-he pays taxes on the full
valuation Of his auto, then besides pays
no ,kx,o and okof "a 90 l-l
lars annually. Furthermore, the read
or of this article would like to buy an
auto tomorrow il he had the means to
spare am sure.
Let us not criticize the city resident
for he always has helped to build all
bridges and now wants to pay his share
of taxes to grade your highways, while
at the same time the connJry resident
does not help to build the streets OF
the cities and towns. They do this
alone.
The additional value to the land sd
joining q completed highway is nc
small item. Sufficient to say that it is
several times more than the cost OF
building the highways along the land
In Madison County, Tennessee b e
land value increased from an eight dol
lar understanding still at that. to
twenty-five dollars per acre and q
demand for 1t. This can be 9 IL y
proven By writing to some old friends
in state which is investing millions OF
doIlars as Pennsylvania, New York, OF
California are doing.
We, In South Dakota, belong to the