The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-11-12

Y AKDMOkEIIE
.ded with a network of good roads.
while system of radiating roads
. of this kind will benefit the farmer
primarily. it will also be helpful TO
! the town In an agricultural COM
| mn.ty without substantial manu-
featuring enterprises. the town is
practically supported by the trade
of the farmers of the surrounding
| country \ good road, to the de
| gree that it may enable the farmer
I 10 market TO better advantage, in
crcases his purchasing power to the
benefit Of the merchants in the town
/ where he may trade. Improved high
/ ways radiating from Il town widen
/ the area from within which the
farmer may protitably market his pro-
duets and buy his supplies in the
town. Good roads in any community
are also an important factor in at
! tracing farm settlers. who will bring
increased trade to the town.
But we have in the south many
purely industrial towns and cities
which may seem not to depend large
| ~ on any back country in
J which the trade of the surrounding
farmers is relatively of little i'm
| portance in the total volume of their
| business. Such towns are nevertne-
less Interested in developing sys-
tens OF radiatng roads such as |
/ have suggested. Even in the largest
| city. certain element of the popu-
lation is concerned directly or in
! directly, in the trade Of the sur
rounding country and every resident
is almost as much interested in
building up nearby sources of cheap
and fresh supplies for his produce
market as he is in the maintenance
of good schools.
"With bad roads that are almost
impossible during certain seasons of
the year, the area within which milk,
and perishable articles generally, can
be successfully produced for the city
market, is restricted. With improved
roads this area is greatly extended.
\ system of good roads out of a
city may mean, for large part OF
the population, the difference be-
| tween fresh food and the cold storage
warehouse
Il may emphasize the point l am
endeayoring to make by citing the
concrete example of Mecklenberg
county, y. c. That county was one
of the first in the state systemat-
ically to take up the matter of road
Improvement The United States
census reports show that in the 2C
years from 1890 to 1910, the popu
lation of Mecklenberg county in
creased 81 per cent. as compared
with an increase of but SO per cen
for the state OF North Carolina a:
a whole and the population OF Char
lotte, the county seat, increased il
the same period one hundred ana
ninety-four per cent a more rapiC
rate OF growth than was shown by
any other incorporated place OF rel
atiVely
The values OF all farm property
in Mecklenberg county in 1910 a,
reported by the census bureau, wa;
greater than in any other county il
the state with the exception of bu
one county with one and three
fourths the area Of Macklenber.
county. and the value of farm lands
per acre, was greater than in an!
other county in the state with ,
single exception. Other factors hav,
contributed to the progress of Meek
lengerg county. but We may fairly
attribute part Of its growth in popu-
lation and wealth to its enlightened
road policy.
"Other southern counties might b,