Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-08-29
We DGOODROADS
NEARLY As ESSENTIAL TO Ex-
lsTENcE OF A TOWN As
RIVERS AND STREAMS.
FARMERS DERIVE GREATEST BENEFITS
Cost Of HauIage In Some Instances
Reduced Over so Per Cent BY
Active Work BY County and
State Officials.

state OItlClai6.
Roads are as essential to the exist
ence of q town as creeks and tribu-
taries are to a river. and the better
and more numerous the roads, the
greater the advantages and benefits
received. Nothing will yield such
handsome returns to q community as
money properly expended for the inn
provement Of its highways.
The farmers as a class derive the
greatest benefit and profit from inn
proved highways. The cost of haul
ing their produce to market Is one Of
their heavy items Of expense. In
some instances where the haul is q
long one and the roads bad the cost
Of first-hand transportation to market
or shipping point is greater than the
cost OF production. Roads can, in
most sections of the west, be SO Inn
proved as to reduce the cost of haul
age 20 or rs per cent.
Investigations have shown that the
average cost of hauling, per ton per
mile. throughout the United States is
80 cents: on stone roads In good con-
dition the cost Is about cents, on
stone roads, in ordinary condition, ~
cents; on earth roads containing mud
and ruts. 80 cents; on sandy roads.
when wet, 80 cents; on sandy roads,
when dry, 81 cents.
From these figures it can readily be
seen that by improving the roads to
q condition equal to stone roads the
cost Of hauling would be reduced ali
the way from so to 80 per cent. This
reduction In the cost OF getting his
produce to market would materially
increase the farmers profits.
The development Of the auto, mot
only as pleasure vehicle but also ~
q commercial facility, 10 proving q
powerful factor in boosting the good
roads movement. BY the use Of auto
mobiles. with good highways to oper-
ate on. commerce between all points
is facilitated. the trading radius OF the
town IL increased. the remoter parts
Of the country put on q more equal
basis as compared with sections near
or in, and the cost Of transportation
generally. is reduced to minimum.
The country dweller by this means
Is placed within easy distance OF town
and city and has every benefit Of the
city resident. plus superior freedom
and more healthful conditions.
To get an idea Of the value OF good
highways to the country town, one
need only note the course taken BY
autoists in travelling from city to city.
The first thing the tourist does 10 to
make careful inquiries as to the best
roads leading to his destination. He
is willing to take the longest route IL
by SO doing he gets the best roads.
Chuck holes and sand are the greatest
obstacles to automobile traffic. Heavy
grades, provided the road bed Is good,
hold no fear for the modern car.
1t naturally follows that the towns
which can be reached by smooth, HARD
roads are the ones that get the patron
age of autoists, while the town that
can be reached only by rough and DIFF
ficult ways is carefully avoided, even
though it lies on more direct route.
Many of these auto travellers have
their eyes open for commercial oppor-
tunities and it is evident that the
towns with good roads may profit
from their visits in more ways than
merely by the money actually spent
while passing through.
And finally. and Of especial import
ance to the farmer. good roads add Q
direct increase in value to every acre
Of farm land within their reach. This
Increase In land value alone would 60
Tar toward establishing and maintain
ing good roads.
There is nothing of greater import
ance in the further development Of the
United States, and especially the west
ern section thereof, than the building
and maintenance of good. permanent
roads. It is up to every farmer, every
and citizen generally in this
community to help along the good