The log cabin Democrat., 1916-11-27
OF ROADS
 ON FARM VALUES
GREAT INCREASES NOTED
Surveys in Eight Counties by U. S. Experts Show Remarkable Gains
 In Valuation.

Washington, Nov. 27.-To deter mine as far as possible the exact dol lars and cents effect on a county of the improvement cf bad roads, spe- clalists of the office of public roads and rural engineering of the United States department of agriculture made economic surveys in eight coun- ties in each of the years from 1910 to 1915, inclusive.
 This study of the increase in the values of farm lands in the eight counties reveals the rather interest ing fact that following the improve ment of the main market roads the increase in the selling price of tilla- ble farm lands served by the roads has amounted to from one to three times the total cost of the improve ments. The increase in values in those instances which were recorded ranged from 63 per cent to 80 per cent in Sptosylvania county, Va: from 68 to 194 in Dinwiddie county. Va; 70 to 80 in Lee county, Va; 25 to 100 in Wise county, Va; 9 to IA in Franklin county, N. r.; 50 to 100 in Dallas county, Ala; 25 to 50 in Lauderdale county, Miss; and from 50 to 100 in Manatee county, Fla. The estimates of increase were based for the most part upon the territory with in a distance of one mile to each side of theiroads improved.
 In Spotsylvania county a careful record was made in 1910 of the 35 farms located on the road selected for improvement. Of the seven farms sold in 1912, the prices actually paid show increases of from 37 to 116 per cent over the 1910 valuation. The av- craze value after the roads were inn proved was S2S.26 per acre as com pared with S17.31 previous to the inn provement. In 1913, four transfers of farm land were on the basis of S3O.11 per acre, whereas the proper ties were listed in 1910 at only $13.S9 per acre. It appears that ,451 acres sold In 1914 increased in value S28,- 800, or 80 per cent, or from S24.46 to $44.10 per acre.
 In Dinwiddie county, Va, the act ual price of 43 farms sold or offered for sale from 1909 to 1914, ranged in price from $S.38 to S43.74 per acre before the roads were built, and from S24.70 to S73.60 per acre after the roads were improved
 In Lee county, Va, study of eight tracts along the roads before and aft CT improvement indicated that these properties increased about S23 per acre, or about 70 per cent.
 In Wise county, Va., a study of eight representative farms located on roads showed that they increased in value from an average of $49.06 per acre before improvement to $79.44 after the roads were improved There were increases in valuation in other sections of from S60 to $9O, or even S100 per acre.
 In Franklin county, N. r., the fig ures seem to indicate that the change from earth, sandy, and loam roads to bituminous macadam was followed by increases averaging $12.50 per acre, or about 30.7 per cent.
 In Dallas county, Ala, careful in vestigation seemed to indicate that road improvement has added at least S5 to each acre of land within a half mile of improved roads. Tracts sold at from SS to S1O per acre were sold again after road improvement at from $20 to S25 per acre.
 In Lauderdale county, Miss, the to- tai assessed valuation of real proper ty outside of the city was $2,757,- 546. This increased in 1914 after road improvement to S3,183,S09, or l5.4 per cent. Local real estate men place the increase in land values on account of improved roads at from 2 to 30 per cent
 In Manatee county, Fla, careful study of sales and real estate records indicated that the improvement of roads has added from 15 to 100 per cent, or at least $15 per acre, to the selling price of all lands within one half mile of improved roads This would give a total of $611,000, or more than twice the value of the bonds issued.