Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-08-11
INFORMATION / j !! Vi | III.
On MILEAGE ! / ] ! !: 1 !.
Facts I! / Being Collected !; BY the
Department Of Agriculture.
COST Of OUR HIGHWAYS i. j 4 A 5.
Results Of the Canvass Will Serve 40 q
Basis For Estimating the Relative
Values Of the Different Kinds Of
hiehways Throughout the Country.

"a d 80 r 8. Z <.
The United States department of ag-
riculture is now gathering Information
which, when complete, should not only
give the total mileage Of public roads
in the United States and their cost,
but should serve as basis for esti-
mating the relative value Of the differ
ent kinds Of highways. Some 15,OOO
sets Of inquiry blanks have already
been distributed through the state
highway commissions, and some OF
these are now beginning to come back
to the department. Each set consists
Of four cards. Z, & y
~ or these the first asks for informa-
ton on the mileage of different classes
Of roads in the county to which It Is
sent. The mileage does not include,
Of course, streets in cities and towns.
The roads are divided into ten classes
as follows: Brick paved, concrete.
macadam, with the addition OF some
substance such as asphalt. oil or tar;
plain macadam, gravel, shell. other
hard surfaced roads. sand and clay
mixture properly graded and drained.
ordinary earth roads properly con-
structed and, finally, unimproved roads.
The second card asks for information
in regard to the tax rate for the roads
and the amount Of work and money ex
pended on them.
The third blank is concerned with
the names Of local road officials and
the fourth with facts in regard to the
bond Issues and the indebtedness OF
the counties for their road systems.
As there are approximately 5000
counties in the United States, In many
Of which the mileage has never even
been estimated, it Is hardly probable
that this preliminary survey will be
exact. The department, however, will
be able to detect any excessively mac
curate report, for the road mileage per
square mile Of territory does not vary
excessively. Except in desert or un-
developed country less than half a
mile Of public road to every square
mile Of territory is rare. while in the
most thickly populated rural sections
the maximum is no more than two and
one-half or, three miles. Thus IN
France there is an average for the en-.
tire country Of 1.76 to square mile.
In Italy, however, this has fallen to
O.s6. possibly on account OF the noun
famous character Of much Of the pen
insula and Of Sicily and Sardinia.
In America the average Is approx
mately O.8O mile. which in view Of the
fact that much Of the country is sparse
" settled seems unduly high. An ex-
PLANTATION, however. Is to be found in
the fact that in many states the law
provides that each section line shall be
q public road. Thus, for example, there
are in the state of Iowa alone more
than 100000 miles of legal highways.
manifestly much larger mileage than
is required by traffic. --
When the information in regard to
the existing roads which the depart
ment is now. seeking is complete 1t Is
the intention to continue the inquiry
year after year in order to ascertain
the desirability and economy of the
various highways. The data thus col
Iected should be useful to road engi-
neers all over the country. and 1t Is
hoped that county agents and others
interested in improvement Of agricu]-
ture will do their best to facil!-ess tic
collection of the desired information.