Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-14
IMPROVED ROADS
EFFECT SAVING IN EIGHT
COUNTIES OF $s27.4os

I Improvement Of roads in eight Sc.
lected counties in different sections OF
the United States resulted, in the ag-
/ s-egate. in total gross annual saving
N hauling costs Of $S27,409, according
j 90 recent economic studies made by the
office of public roads and rural en-
g:neering Of the department The cost
of haulage for the group Of counties il
lower since the roads were improved, !,
was found, even when charges are
made in the comparative computations
for interest on bonds and annual main
tenance costs The results of the stud
| les which extended from 1909 to 1918,
| and which included other effects OF
improved highways than those on traf-
fic are shown in department bulletin
seS, recently published.
! The eight counties in which the
Studies were made are Spotsylvania,
D,nwiddie. Lee. and Wise counties,
Virginia; Franklin county. New York;
Dallas county. Alabama: Lauderdale
N'bahtSs .uiSSiSSipPi, anu 'sAohoSCe
county. Fla. These counties were Sc
lected because they had issued bonds
for road Improvement when it was de-
c!ded to make the studies, and it would
therefore be possible to cover the road
improvements from outset to compile
| ton.
The average gross annual saving in
! hauling costs due to the road improves
rlents in these eight counties was
found to be 179 cents per ton mile,
while the net saving was found to be
li.6 cents. The Investigators point out
! in the bulletin that an actual cash saw
; ing to the amount indicated is not ef-
fected, but that this is the indicated
saving when the time of workers and
use of draft animals and equipment
are given cash values at the rates pre-
vailing in the several communities.
In Spotsylvania county Virginia, q
bond issue Of $4,000 was provided
and seventy-six miles of road were I'M
proved. The average loads hauled in a
two-horse wagon increased materially
after the roads were improved. and
ton mile costs dropped from 80 cents
to 1871 cents. This meant gross ton
mile saving of 1868 cents, or net ton
Elile saving. when charges were made
for interest on bonds and maintenance
O. roads, of 1919 cents. The gross total
annual saving in the county is there
fore, approximately $4,000: ana when
deductions are made for interest and
maintenance costs, the annual indi-
Gated net saving is s130,610.
In DnwiddIe county. Virginia, a
-
and the state contributed. in addition.
rearly $4,000 worth of convict labor.
The improved road mileage at the
completion of the study was l01 miles.
Average loads for a two horse wagon
increased from about 1000 pounds to
about 5000 pounds, and ton-mile costs
decreased from 80 cents TO Is cents.
The net ton mile saving is 1871 cents.
and the indicated gross saving for the
county is 1124,970.
In Lee county. Virginia, a fund OF
ssS4.Oo0 was provided by bonds, and
the state contributed, labor worth more
than $4,000. Ninety nine miles OF road
were improved. Average loads in
creased from 1880 to 1000 pounds. and
ton-mile costs were reduced from 10 to
20 cents, with net ton mile saving Gf
1916 cents. The gross annual saving
for the county was s5s,400.
In Franklin county, New York. bonds
To the amount of 100000 were ;ssuel
and 1875 miles of road were improved.
Average loads increased from about
, 400 to 5.557 pounds. Ton mile costs
dropped from 3O.a to SO cents and the
net ton mile saving was III cents. The
yv or iy,p an ha Mt for
hauling charges has been approx
.na.ely $50 900 since the roads were
improved.
In Dallas county. Alabama, $366,917
secured from the bond issue was used
TO improve 101 miles Of road. Average
loads increased from 1.580 pounds to
$500 pounds, and ton-mile hauling
costs fell from 80 to Is cents. The net
tonmile saving was 1913 cents. It is
estimated that the county saves an
rualiy 100000 gross in hauling costs as
a result Of the road Improvement. ;.
In Lauderdale county, Mississippi.
| $50, 900 worth Of bonds was issued, and
n!nety-six miles Of road improved.
! Average loads increased from 1900 to
! $500 pounds, and hauling costs drop
ped from 81 to 20 cents per mile.
This brought about a net saving OF 39
! cents per ton-mile when all annual
charges against the road improvements
were considered. The annual gross
saving to the county is approximately
s43.4cO
| In Manatee county, Florida, 3252 SOC
obtained from bond issue improved
s.xty-three miles of road. Average
leads increased from 1900 pounds tc
1890 pounds, which resulted in a re-
duction Of ton-mile hauling costs from
IS to 20 cents. The net saving per
ton mile since the roads have been i'm
proved is 12h cents. 1t is estimat ted
that the county saves annually in gross
hauling costs S32.573.
! In Wise county, Virginia, sl,o31,-
57s.54 was provided for road work by
other ways. From this fund eighty
three miles Of road have been sur
faced and sixty six miles graded. Ave
rage loads have increased from 1,5Ot
to $500 pounds and ton mile hauling
costs have been reduced from 81 t.
% cents. The gross saving to the
county. when hauling costs alone are
considered, is approximately sss.000 a
year.
4 Spuds Raised in Peat Beds.
Mr.. G. A. Lawton. Of the Churdai
locality. has 700 bushels Of the tuberi
stored away in pits. Mr.. Lawtoi
raised these potatoes on pond, par
TALLY nnderlaid with peat, and tn
turn-out was of most amazing proper
tons. and particularly so when on
considers the poor year for potatoes
Last season, however. Mr.SLawton die