Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-12-17
GOOD HIGHWAYS
and PROSPERITY
Better Roads Mean Better
Times For RuraliStS.
SAVING IN TRANSPORTATION
The Old Order Has Changed From the
Slow Going oxcart, ToiIing Over the
Worst Kind of Roads, to the Speedy
Automobile and Motor Truck-Farm-
ing Communities Benefited.

Within the memory of many of us
the only way of travelling in various
sections of the country was by means
of OK teams over the worst kind of
roads, says H. Colin Campbell in
Hoard's Dairyman. The country pro-
Queer delivered his crops at some river
point where water transportation con.
veyed them to the nearest market. Cat.
tie were driven for long distances over
all kinds of roads. But the stock grow
er and farmer came to realize that this
method of reaching the consumer was
too costly and that their time and eff
fort are valuable and should be econ
omized as much as any other element
of cost. The low going OK team has
given way to the speedy automobile
and motor truck. The railroad has in
many cases relieved the farmer of his
long and dangerous trips to shipping
points, yet in many places the long, un-
improved muddy road prevails.
Statistics show that 60 per cent of
the automobiles manufactured recently
have found their way to the farm:
hence the rural dweller has not only
been given the opportunity, but has de-
velOped greater desire, to travel than
ever before. Moreover, he has seen
good roads. and evidence is real to him
that a community so favored is one to
initiate.
There is direct relationship be-
tween good roads and the general pros,
perity Of any community Proof of
this is Obtainable wherever modern
roads have been constructed. On the
National pike. that old cross country
highway which was begun by the gov
eminent in 1906 and that Is now be
ing rehabilitated, there stand monu-
ments that point to a local develop
ment that followed the construction
of this now historic road. In localities
where highways have been improved,
where first class roads have been built
and well maintained, where highway
travel has been made comfortable and
pleasurable, there is evidence of a con-
slant increase in population, land val
ues and local improvements.
One of the most recent proofs of this
statement comes from Ohio. where
highway enthusiasts point to the fact
that those counties where roads have
not been improved have lost popula.
ton, while, on the other hand, the coun.
ties that have mOdernized their high.
ways have increased their population
and land values have risen. Another
evidence of the increased prosperity
that follows good roads has been fur.
nished by some investigations conduct.
ed by the United States department OF
agriculture Of road work In Virginia.
Conditions in Spottsylvania county
were studied with particular care. The
results were surprising. In 1909 the
county voted 100000 to improve forty
miles of road. Two years after com.
pleting this work the railroad shipped
from Fredericksburg, the county seat
during period of twelve months H..
600 tons Of the products Of the soil
hauled over the improved highways ia
that town. Before improvement had
become fact the total was only $4,000
tons annually. In other words, the
products of the soil had increased more
than 45 per cent