The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-19
GIVE AUTO CREDIT
(. FOR GOOD ROADS
Chalmers Thinks Govern.
:rnent Should Aid in Work
Of Bettering Highways.

Iact. NO n IN u cities would DO
away, with u tine systems Of pave
ments and houlevards and return to
the old time cobblestone pavements
~ uses country roads wants poor roads
any more than our cities want poor
pavements,
The United States has made won
derful improvements in its road sys-
TENS in the past few years. Most Of
these improvements have been local.
There has been. nd widespread devel-
opment of good roads and q national
system Of highways Is still a matter
which Is only vaguely discussed. For
such work as has been done, I think
great credit is due automobile own
ers.
There was formerly just one great
agent In the building Of good roads in
any country. This was war. When
a nation had vast armies to move,
good roads were built to facilitate
military movements. The famous
Roman roads were built only be-
cause Rome c'as a great military pow.
er. 1t would have been impossible to
march the Roman legtons ovor such
roads as are general in the United
States.
Developing Better Roads.
|. The big factor in developing better
roads today IL the automobile. This
Is a new factor and 1t Is a factor Of
peace. Through the demands Of the
automobile and its owners, we secure
the same road improvements which
in h past were secured only through
the necessity Of better transportation
facilities for armies.
Previous to the coming of the auto.
mobile. our activities as travellers were
comparatively limited. The farmer
living q few miles outside a CONNER
cial center did some hauling to his
market. In sons instances the farm
er but1t good roads, but they extend
edsonly to the nearest business center.
The great California. gold rush Of the
'40's might have brought good roads
II 1t had not been such a hurried
movement. AS a matter Of fact, it did
nothing but mark out trails which
MAJ ultimately become national high.
ways. .
1t has remained for the automobile
to show the people. of this country the
necessity for good roads. The auto
radius Of our touring activities. The
farmer who. only a few years ago.
considered four or 1--WE miles a long
haul for his product, thinks nothing
Of a 20 or Is mile run by motor car
In the use Of motor cars. we have dis
covered that good roads reduce the
cost upkeep by about half.
Cost of Hauling Vital.
This is a lesson we might never
have learned. It is a lesson we should
not have learned for many years at
least except for the fact. that It is
possible to compute the exact cost Of
maintenance Of q motor car. With
these facts as applied to automobiles
before US We have begun to give seri-
Gus thought to the cost Of hauling for
all types Of vehicles. IL good roads
make such a vast difference in the cost
Of motor travel, certainly they make
a proportionate difference in the cost
Of horse travel.
At the present time the United
States has the worst roads Of any
civilized country. The cost OF haul
ting over u country roads averages 20
cents a ton to the mile. In European
countries it Is less than 10 cents q ton
Iper mile. In some roads going into
London, whore motor trucks are used,
It 10. less than I cents per mile. II
the wagon freight bill Of this country
could be cut; In half it would mean .
saving to the people Of $250,000.000 a
year. Nothing but good roads. can &C.
lcomplish this saving. .
Wherever good roads have been de-
veloped the automobile predominatss.
II it is true that the constitution fol-
lows the fiag. It 10 almost equally true
that good roads follow the automobile.
New York has one Of the finest road
systerns In the country. ] firmly be-
lieve that this wonderful system OF
roads has been developed largely be-
cause OF the great number Of auto
mobiles owned In New York state
Massachusetts,, Connecticut. New Jer.
sey. all Of these states which have
large numbers Of motor cars. not on;
liz have good roads but are building
more good roads each year. The SAM
is true in California, In Iowa, In Ohio
out the middle west. where motor car
are 90 extensively used.
Must BE . willingness.
OF course there must be q willing
ness on the part Of the local govern
ments and those who do not own mo
tor cars to do the thing which is fol
the general good Of the community
Some states which " large number,
OF motor car have not yet seen tn,
light. but the sentiment In favor o
good roads ID increasing 30 rapid!
that nearly every community wher'
motor cars are owned In large mum
lprovement Of It's highways. It re
quires only the backing of the nation
al government to make the movemen
nationwide.
And in this great activity We mus
give the automobile credit for beinI
the greatest and most enthusiast
missionary.