The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-07-31
CONSTRUCTING GOOD ROADS
INCREASES FARM PRODUCTS
~ A. D. COB.

eY A. o. COB.
The Improvement of country roads
is directly responsible for increased
production of the rural districts.
brought about by the decreased cost
of transporting the products to mar
ket.
Unimproved roads with steep
grades, poor drainage and full OF
chuck holes, or covered with loose
stone and rough gravel. do not fac1li-
tate the hauling of heavy loads, and
in winter and early spring, such roads
are practically impossible for even
light traffic.
Where a farmer has a long haul to
make to get his grain, lumber and hay
to shipping point, the amount of pro-
duce that he can deliver economically
will influence the amount he will pro-
duce 1t is not rare for the improve
ment of roads to make it possible for
the farmer to haul twice as much on
his load as before, and time formerly
used in delivery can be turned to pro-
ductiOn.
Show Road Value.
Studies conducted by the United
States department of agriculture in
Virginia have demonstrated the value
of country road improvement. In
Spotsylvania county 100000 was
voted to improve forty miles Of road.
Two years after the completion of the
roads the railroads took away, in
twelve months, from Fredericksburg,
II 900 tons of agricultural and forest
products. Before the improvement Of
the roads this total was only $4,000
annually. The quantity of the coun-
tvs products had been increased As
per cent. Dairy products alone in
creased in quantity 140 per cent in two
years.
AS important as the increased pro-
auction, was the decreased cost OF
transporting the products to market.
Before the roads were improved it was
estimated that the average cost OF
hauling was 20 cents a 'ton-mile;
after the improvement this fell to II
cents ton mile. This saving of 8
cents a ton mile amounted to $4,000
n year, which means that the invest
ment Of 100000 in better roads re-
turned dividend of 40 per cent an
nually.
1t might be charged that this repre-
sents a fictitious profit since the saw
ing does not take the form Of cash,
but 1t Is just as real source Of profit
as an increase in the price Of grain or
live stock.
Need Improvement.
1t would probably not be fair to
draw conclusions regarding the saw
ing that could be effected by improve
ment of country roads in Wayne coun.
ty, by comparing road conditions here
with those existing in Virginia. How
ever, there are many miles of roads in
x1,vl fc{~ iofc nf
ty that are In need Of Improvement.
County Road Commissioner w. o.
Jones has repeatedly recommended
that more Of the country roads be
placed under county supervision. In
his recent trips of inspection along
rural routes, Postmaster Beck found
road conditions such that economical
delivery OF mail was not always pos
sible by the carriers.
In Boston township there are roads
that are deeply rutted, with grass
growing foot high between the
wheel tracks, and no covering Of
gravel or stone. In winter these roads
are almost impossible.
Leaves Rough Track.
On some of the roads in Center
township, leading south from the Ma.
tional road, through good farming dis
tricts, there are bad washouts~ and
deep ruts. The stiff yellow clay dries
after a rain, leaving the wheel tracks
very rough. Many intersecting roads
in the southern part of the county
need gravel, and are often unfit for
hauling heavy loads.
All roads now under the supervis-
ion OF Road Commissioner Jones are
in excellent condition, and show the
effective results Of scientific road man.
agement. II all the roads could be
placed under such system OF man.
agement, the money thus spent would
yield a good return.
The fact that so many roads reach
Ing out into the productive farming
districts OF the county are in need OF
attention makes apparent the policy
Of false economy which has been de-
veloped under Indiana's three-mile
road law. over 100000 has been ex-
pended in Wayne township alone for
the purpose OF tearing up compare
lively good roads leading into Rich
mond. and building new roads with
useless cement curbs three miles out
into the country. The roads that have
been completed are already showing
signs Of wear. They do not reach out
into the productive farming regions,
and are being mainly used as boule-
Yards for speed maniacs.
Needed for Repairs.
The money spent on the building Of
these new roads, IL used to repair the
roads and keep them in condition, I'M
der the system now followed by Mr..
Jones, would have been sufficient to
keep them in good shape for many
years, On the National road east of