Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-10-15
LOSSES CAUSED BY BAD ROADS.

ne ldTHler, the business mar. as
well, has at last come 20 realize the
losses he suffers from bad roads, and
the magnitude of the movement to
better conditions is little appreciated
By those whose interests have not
brought them in contact with it..
The cost of bad roads has long been
known in vague way, but recent
scientific Investigations have brought
the matter home in tangible form to
those who suffer from them. One
OF the most thorough investigations
OF the subject ever conducted the
results of which are used as a text
wherever the doctrine of good roads
is preached, was made by the Civic
and Commerce association. The con-
ditions investigated are typical of
those elsewhere.
A committee selected the farming
district $50 square miles in area,
the trade of which is tributary to
hc tUOJ FARMERS Ill
the district hauled 100000 tons of
farm produce to market in 1911 and
sold it for $6,665,6SO They had to
make 305, 200 trips, the time equal
ing 500 years of eight hour days and
the distance SS times the circunifer-
ence of the world. Bad road condi-
tions caused losses in time, partly
due to slow progress, partly TO the
necessity of taking less direct routes,
and partly because smaller loads had
to be carried. The losses in time
were as follows:-Due to not taking
the shortest route, $4,000; due to
slower progress, $4,000; due to ex-
ira trips necessitated by smaller
loads, 9,0OO-a total loss of
$296,00O. Losses from inability to
reach the best market, from the
spelling of produce, and from in
jury to horses and wagons aggregate
1921, 900.
The committee made the following
deductions. On account of bad roads
each farmer lost for the year $1.70I
for every acre that he farmed: 49,
cents every time he carried a ton of
farm produce over one mile of bad
roads; 8 per cent of his total crop
He paid as much for bad roads as
for labor; more than for feed for
stock; % times as much as for fer
tilizer. The total loss would have
bought all the corn produced, or all
the wheat, or the oat crop twice over
or all but 10 per cent of the potatoes,
or all the barley, rye, flax seed, tim
othy seed, hay and forage combined
The losses would replace the farm
implements or the cattle every three
years, the horses every four years,
and pay all the mortgages In three
years, with 100000 to spare.
The farmers, moreover, were not
the only losers from bad roads. The
worst sections of the roads between
their farms and market were within
the city limits; there were approxi-
mately 5000 business houses In Min
neapolis, employing 5000 wagons,
whose loss from bad roads was $780,
900 for the year.
The combined loss of the farmers,
merchants and manufacturers for
one year was S1,51S, 900. AS there
are about 5000 miles of roads in the
district, which could have been kept
in good condition for $4,000 year,
if properly constructed in order to-
ascertain what amount could profit
ably be invested in good roads, the
committee deducted this amount
from the total loss, leaving $1,000,
900. Capitalized at IL per cent,
or per cent, which is more than
bonds would cost, the principal is
100000. If this amount were
invested in good highways at $1,000
a mile, the district would still break
even ON the vestment.-Review Of
ID av;awc