The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-11-21
THE LONGEST WAY ROUND IS
SOMETIMES THE MOST ECON0-
MICAL WAY HOME IN load
BUILDING.
Department Of Agriculture Advises
the Cutting Out OF Grades on High
ways, Even at the Expense Of Some
Tillable Land.

Washington, d. c., Nov. 20.-The
average life of horses and automobiles
may be increased and the COST Of
hauling reduced, according to the
office OF Roads, of the Department Of
Agriculture, by relocating many old
roads and the more scientific laying
out OF new ones. The natural ten
dency in road building is to build
straight road, whether 1t goes over
steep grades or hills, or not, and pull-
ing over these grades naturally adds
to the wear and tear on horses and
vehicles.
The doctrine of the Office of Roads
is that the longest way around may
often be the shortest and most eeono-
mieal way home, and that frequently
by building a highway around h hill
or grade, but little appreeiable dis
lance is added and this is more than
offset by the reduced strain of haul
ing.
The chief drawback from the farm
owners point of view is that the lay
ing out Of roads on this principle of
avoiding grades necessitateg, In some
cases, running the road through GOOD
farmland, or orchards or pastures.
instead Of going around the farm line
and building the road through old
WORKOUT fields and over rocky knobs.
This, OF course. must raise 4 question
In the mind of the individual land
owner as to whether the cutting ~
OF his property by a road Yields hin
individual advantages and 50 benefits
his community as TO Offset the use Of
such land for road. or to overcome
the Inconvenience OF having his land
divided. In this connection the Office
OF Roads points out that tie running
of road and the resulting traffic
through good farm, where there are
good sheep, cattle, horses. grain. fruit
or vegetables, has a ceftain adxerIIHz
Ing value and In many instances
makes the land more valuable. u
other cases, the importance Of such
level road to the community Is 20
great that 1t might well repay those
using the road 10 give the farmer tt
equivalent in land equally goaa IN
place OF what he has sacrificed n lie
common welfare.
At any rate. the Office Of Raads Il
now taking special pains 10 mate
clear the economic advantage of asaIa=
Ing steep grades in their roads. .xHn
at some sacrifice OF better lanH n
YehugatiOn shows that taa laying 81
such roads over hills has resulted
more from attention to tie pfna.ffa=
ton Of farm lines than from scientific
attention 10 the problem Of rad build
ing.
According TO the Testimony o. farm
efB consulted where n horse mlEEf b
able to pun 1000 pounds on i Lei
road. Il would have difficulty IL auII=
Ing 5000 pounds up steep III. THn
size Of the load, therefore. tenaz Il
be measured by the grade o. II
largest ril! on the road 10 market n
number Of cages actual experiment
shows that the relocating 81 Fuadz
around hills has been accomplished.
either with no addition IN rod IHaKlH
In some Instances and NitH IL 40
Ing OF only few feet Ia the hIzHHa.
tn others. The Office knows af -
case whore a properly relocated rad
which has cut ont grader h - /.
any question ms to its material radur
ton OF hauling costs