The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-09-04
THE WEALTH OF GOOD ROADS.

The stress Of the money market on
account Of the European war VIII not
retard the progress of good roads con-
struction. Investors are looking Tor
the safest securities, more so low than
ever. The money invested IN good
road bonds has a surer return OF per-
manent big profits than any other risk
at the present time. The increased
valuation OF country real estate travers-
ed by good roads has in The past more
than doubled, and now that all 1000
stuff raised in the country is soaring In
value and bids fair to remain high Tor
years to come it follows that lands pro-
ducing these necessities OF life, food
and clothing, will have correspondingiy
increased values, and the taxes ac-
cruing from these improved lands Will
give the good road bond buyers the
safest guarantee on the Investment.
Bond buyers are alert and keen OF WIS
ion to see net results and this will APP
peal to them. 1t Is therefore safe to
predict that good road buildingin Miss
issippi will have a greater impetus
from now on than ever before.
The millions who draw supplies from
the scanty sail of Europe must now
look to the United States for susten-.
ance. Our old fields and woodlands
that have been idle and bare since the
Civil War will be forced into the pro-
duction Of rich harvests, and hitherto
wasted products of every kind will be
in demand. These must be handled
from the harvest fields to railroad lines
for transportation to the starving ma
tons of the old world. The remotest
parts Of our country will be called up
on for food ind clothing at good prices
and profits. Such products must have
good roads over which they are trans
ported. These conditions accelerated
by the war of nations in Europe only
emphasizes the wisdom of Mr.. Rookie
Teller in an interview on good roads
some months ago when he said:
''The supremest thing in building
good roads is to reach far out in the
interior and bring the remotest farmer
in touch with his city BROTHER
In bringing the country to
the city and taking the city
to the country a community of interest
will cement their fortunes to the great
est good. To accomplish this we
should discourage expensive road beds.
Narrow roads reduce the cost per
mile and enable the counties to build
longer roads and thus serving more
people who are taxed to pay for them.
A ten thousand dollar per mile road
will not enhance the property by which
it runs or serve the traffic any better
than a five thousand per mile road. but
two miles built with ten thousand dol
lars will more than double the value of
the property of these two miles. Wide
roads tend to invite speeding, which is
hazardous to the public, safety and de-
moralizes the business traffic over them.
Marrow roads, while costing less, pre-
vent speeding and serve the general
public fully as well.
The Kinds county highway commits
sion and board Of supervisors in the
plans and construction Of the roads in
this county showed much wisdom.
More than one hundred miles of good
roads have been built in beats and
Of Kinds county and extend many miles
into the interior at a cost
of about So, 800 per mile. These
roads traverse practically all Of the
territory in this section. Some Of
these roads have been built about foul
years and the maintenance during this
time has been small, most of the ex'
penditure having been in repairing
wash-outs along the side Of the roads
the Oldest roads standing traffic appar
emily best. We have now passed tn,
doubling stage of whether or not thes'
roads would be durable and permanent
The material entering into the construc
ton and m~etalling these roads wa
gravel from Brookhaven. They hav'
been recently inspected by Unite'
States Senior Highway Engineer, Mr.
H. H. Lotter, who in part says:
"The work had been economical.
done and full value placed in the roads
at the above price per mile t$s, 500. 90
of the improvements, especially becaus
all drainage structures are permanent
with headwalls far enough apart I
allow the gravel s~urfacing to b
widened as future traffic may demand
and money for that purpose becom
available. / hope all your roads wi
be similarly improved.
Many hundreds Of miles Of goo
roads have been built IN Mississippi q
about the same average cost rs thos
in Kinds county. There are sever
notable exceptions; Lauderdale an
Warren counties. Warren, it Is r
ported, is now ~expending more tina
$40, 900 Der mile for her first fiftee