South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-20
GOOD ROADS PUT
LAND PRICES Up
Increase in Value of Property
Greater Than Cost of
improvements.

To determine as far as possible
the exact dollars and cents effect on
a county of the improvement OF bad
roads. specialists of the office OF
public roads and rural engineerips
OF the L. s department made eco
nomic surveys in eight counties in
each of the years from 1910 10 1915,
inclusive.
The 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 reads the
increase in the selling price Of till
able farm lands served By the roads
has amounted 20 from one 10 three
times the total cost Of the i'm
provements The increase in
values in those instances which
were recorded ranged from 90
percent TO so percent in Spotsyl-
vania county. Va; from 6S TO 194
in Dinwiddle county, Va: 20 10 so
in Lee county, Va; % 10 100 in
Wise county, Va; 10 ia in Frank
lin county, y. y: so TO 100 in Dallas
county, Ala; % 10 so in Lauder
dale county, Miss; and from so 20
100 in Manatee county. Fla The
estimates Of increase were based for
the most part upon the territory
within a distance of one mile on each
Side OF the roads improved
In Spotsylvania county "A careful
record was made in 1910 OF 35
farms located on the road selected
for improvement OF the seven
farms sold in 1912 the prices actual
Is paid show increases Of from 81 to
116 percent over the 1910 valuation.
The average value after the roads
were improved was S2S.26 per acre.
as compared with S17.3l previous 20
the Improvement In 1913 four
transfers OF farm land were on the
basis OF S30.I1 per acre, whereas
the properties we're listed in 1910 at
only S13.S9 per acre. II appears
that the 1,45l acres sold IN 1914 in
creased in value $2S.5OO. or so per
cent, or from $24.46 TO S44.10 per
acre
In Dinwiddie county. Va. the act
ual price of A farms sold or offered
for sale from 1909 20 1914 ranged in
before the roads we're built. and
from $247O 10 $3.50 per acre after
the roads were improved.
In Lee county, Va a study OF
eight tracts along the roads before
and after Improvement indicated that
these properties increased about $23
per acre. or about 20 percent
In Wise county. Va. a study OF
eight representative farms located
on roads showed that they increased
in value from an average Of S49.06
per acre before Improvement 20
1894 after the roads We're i'm
proved. There were increases in
valuation in other sections Of from
$50 TO $50 or even 500 per acre.
In Franklin county. y. Y. the fig
ures seem to indicate that the
change from earth. sandy. and loan
roads 10 bituminous macadam was
followed by increases averaging
$3.50 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 IS to each acre OF land within
a half mile Of improved roads. Tracts
sold at from IS TO SO per acre
were sold again after road improve
ment at from SO 20 S25 per acre.
In Dauderdale county, Miss, the
total assessed valuation Of real
property outside OF the city was
S2.757,546. This increased in 1914
after road Improvement 10 $3,1S2,-
500, or 1874 percent. Local real es-
tate men place the increase in land
values on account OF improved roads
at from % 10 so percent.
In Manatee county. Fla. careful
study Of sales and real estate rec
ords indicated that the Improvement
OF roads has added from IS 20 100
percent. or at least SIS per acre. 20
the selling price Of all lands within
one-half mile OF improved roads.
This would give a total OF 3611.0o0.
or more than twice the value OF the
bonds issued.