Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-20
APPROXIMATE 500, 1000, 900 SPENT
LAST YEAR IN IMPROVING
PUBLIC ROADS,
COST OF IMPROVEMENTS
AND WHAT THEY RETURN
Department Of Agriculture Gathers
Statistics Showing Road Building
Has Increased $50 Per Cont in Nine
Years-Rcturns on Investment Shown
to &c Enormous.


! iy $2O6 00O,0 900 was spent last year on
public roads in the United States, ac-
cording to statistics prepared by the
United States department of agricul-
ture. In 1904 the total was only $751;
100000. In nine years, therefore, the
increase has been over $50 per cent.
This awakening on the part of the
country to the Importance of good
roads has. experts say. been due in
Sreat measure TO the principle of state
aid to counties and other local COM
munities. New Jersey began the move
ment III 1891 when it passed Its state
highway law. Massachusetts and
Vermont followed year later, but for
the most part the other states were
slow to move In 1904 only fifteen had
state highway departments: today
there are onl3 six that have not. In
lSl3 the Individual states appropriate
ed a total of S3S,155,0SS to supplement
. local expenditures.
County and Township Units.
The value of this state aid is, how
ever. not to be measured by the figures
alone, for the bulk of the money comes
and always must come from the counties
cash outlay by countless district
and townships. This in 1872 the
townships, was $131. 1885. Complete
figures for 1913 are not yet available,
bUt it is safe 10 estimate the sum at
approximately Sl51 900, 600. To this
must be added some SIS 900 900. to rep
resent the value Of the labor contribut-
Cd instead of cash in districts where
this practice prevails. Last year.
therefore, local communities contribut-
ed, in rolnd numbers. 1850 900. as
against appropI iations from state
Il easuries Of s3S,75j.0SS The true i'm
portance of this thirty eight millions
lies in the fact that ii means expert
supervision Of the expenditure of
considerable portion of the vast sum
Of 100000. 900 When each coun-
" built as it chose and when It
chose. the services of trained engin-
ecrs We're usually out of the question.
There Yas little opportunity to test in
novations, little advance in the science
Of road building. and there was also
difficulty in arousing each county indi-
vidually to do its best to improve con-
dttions within it's own limits. State aid
has changed all this. The best engin-
eering skill is available for all works
of Importance. there is cooperation
and a constant stimulus to further i'm
provements. The money contributed by
the states does not only build more
roads. II makes better those that other
money builds.
At the present time there are in the
United States 20.741 miles of roads
improved either wholly or in part by
state aid. This is nearly the mileage of
the French routes nationales the sys-
TEN of great national highways which
is the envy of every civilized nation.
The routes nationales are, Of course
only small part OF the total milea se
Of FraRce. where practically every road
Of any Importance is an improved road.
and France is vastly smaller country
both in area and in population than the
United States. so that this comparison
! is not in itself. very Aattering to our
progressiveness. II shows. however,
that We have at least made a begin
ming OF the 2.22s.s42 miles OF roads in
| the United States. 223.774 miles. or ap-
proximately 10 per cent, are classed as
| improved.
Returns Are Large.
The returns are OF various kinds.
| First and foremost is the reduction In
! the actual cost Of hauling. the plain
! fact that II takes less time and labor
/ to haul load over good road than
over a Door one. Less obvious is the
effect of improved roads in increasing
| the total output of a community. In
the case of one county In Virginia
where particularly thorough records
| have been kent. this output was more
| than doubled The farmers found
| that with a market always and readily
! accessible to them. it paid to work the
land to its maximum production
| This explains the very remarkable
rise in farm land values which nearly
always accompanies road improve
ment. The rise is not fictitious one
Of no benefit to the man who wishes to
! farm and not to sell The land Is
more valuable because 1t can profit
| ably be made to produce more. In 9th
er words. the money that goes into the
road comes back with interest from
the land.