The record., 1913-06-12
ROAD
BUILDING
TO LESSEN COST OF LIVING
Hauling Is Cheapened In South
Actual Figures Given.

IN the reduction of the cost of living
At least that is the theme OF the latest
farmers bulletin of the department of
agriculture. which shows that the ben
eft from improved highways does not
accrue only TO automobilists, but also
20 the farmer and the shipper of prod
uce OF all kinds. For instance. there
nre parts OF the south, according tc
the bulletin. in which the time required
reduced from twelve TO two days by
the Improvement of the highways and
a saving OF three dollars a day In
drivers pay alone thus has been effect
ed. Really good roads would save the
cotton states OF the south approx
mately s2,000.O000 according to the de-
partment, which gives these figures to
prove its contention:
I'm the cotton states OF the south the
total cost of hauling the cotton crop
In 1911. including the seed, was s37.-
S75,634. Any system of road improve
ment throughout this zone which
would reduce the annual hauling
charge five per cent. would effect a
saving of sl.S6s.7s1 year. From these
figures il would appear that it would
be good business TO incur an expense
for road improvement. even II such
investment entailed an annual inter
eet and maintenance charge of $1,000
poo TO the community of cotton states"
There are certain direct economic
or money advantages which follow the
improvement of public roads in every
community" says Acting Director
Sargent of the department in the bul
letin. These advantages are probably
most apparent in the reduced cost OF
hauling.
Certain dependent or reflex eco
nomic advantages also arise in a com
munity where roads have been i'm
proved. The increase in the value of
farm lands is an example of the indi
rect economic advantages of improved
road conditions. 1t should not be con,
sidered. however. that. in presenting
-ac - f-'-~es of improved roads the
...l-. ,ls~sas. n the cost Of hauline
ald he frt in farm values are
e..s..e.y sepsI a.. and independent. The
farm increases in value partly because
the cost of hauling is decreased.
Whatever methods are used 10 i'm
prove a road, the improvement for
hauling purposes is due to three
cause.-the betterment Of the road
surface, the reduction of the grade and
~ 81 h.. ar ,,ol,
an improved road the time required to
haul given quantity Of material a
given distance is reduced. The reduc-
tion may be largely due to increased
speed of hauling, to increased load, or
10 both. II is important to recognize
that for transportation purposes re.
duction Of time is equivalent to de-
crease of the distance from the mar.
ket centers. II is easy to see. then,
why the increase of farm values must
follow improved roads, for their effect
is to bring the farms. in a sense, near.
er the towns. The fact that on roads
with improved surfaces hauling be-
comes largely independent of the sea
son of the year or weather conditions
means another very considerable re
duction In hauling costs. II also means
that many of the limitations Of the
number and kind Of farm operations
are Immediately removed.
In order to fix ones ideas on the
reduction In the cost of hauling due to
the Improvement of roads. the trans
portation Of goods to the railroads and
of farm produce. to marked should be
considered. The cost of this work In
the United States ut present is high
and is due mainly to steep grades and
yielding road surfaces on unimproved
roads. When a grade exceeds rise oi
six feet to the hundred feet in hori
zontal measure, IL becomes an increas
ing hindrance to trafiic. On any grade
in addition TO the surface conditions
the force Of gravity must be overcome
The horse must also raise his owr
weight and, because Of the manner In
which his strength is applied. 1t be
comes less and less available as the
grade, increases. 1t must always be re
membered that the worst grace on any
road tends to limit the load that car
pass over the entire road"