The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-11
Good Roads will
Open All Markets
To Growers
WILL BRING BUYERS TO THE
FARM
J. r. Davis, One of Folks Largest
Truckers, Stands for Bonds
and Good Roads.

Speaking as a farmer and the bene-
nts that good roads will bring to them,
as a class, J. Il. Davis, one OF the
largest and most successful OF the
truck growers and farmers in Polk
county, voiced his sentiments as 10
why he is in favor OF the bond issue
anu good roads, from his view point.
Speaking as a farmer" said Mr..
Davis, there are various ways, almost
too numerous to mention, in which
good roads will benefit US. In the first
place it will lower the cost OF hauling
our crop to loading station, which is
considerable item when you figure
up the wear and tear on your equip
ment, TO say nothing to the loss of
time.
"Paradoxically speaking the farther
away the farmer is from the station,
the greater will be the benefits of
good roads to haul over. In the Sec
ond place it will make for cooperation
among the farmers in that they can
haul will encourage the man with a
small amount to carry his truck or
produce to the loading station where,
with his fellows, it can be made up
into Car and shipped. With the pres
ent system of bad roads the cost of
such hauling would be excessive, and
the farmer looses this advantage.
Another thing" he went on,
good roads, easy travelling, will at
tract buyers to the farm and many
sale would be made right in the
field, after looking over the crop, that
can not now be done because the buy
er will not put himself to the discom-
forts of travelling over a miserable
road full of holes and ruts, unless the
crop is large enough to warrant it.
Thus the small farmer is discrimi-
mated against, unjustly, on account of
bad roads.
Good roads, too, will settle up the
vacant places and increase the acre
age under cultivation, and thus make
for larger shipments and better
prices, bringing more money into the
community. 1t will lessen the cost
of transporting his tools, fertilizer,
material and labor to his farm. Make
communication easier with the towns
his freight rates and enable him to
have his freight delivered right at his
door, or at the nearest point to it.
Il believe the building Of the roads
will lead to the Inauguration of a
traction service, jitneys if you will,
which will be enabled to carry
freight and passengers where the rail
roads can not reach. Another small
item, not much you may think, but
particularly aggravating to the farm
err the having to pull out of the dirt
road, where he can not move, to al
INV al dulOluODllt " pass Ou Tic
good roads to be built this will not be
necessary, as there will be room, on
a hard surface, for passage, and this
will mean no delay to either. The
elimination of dust by good roads is
another considerable item, particular
ly so to those who have had to travel
during the recent dry weather This
will not only make for more personal
comfort but for health's sake.
I'm for the roads and the bond is
sue" he concluded. land am working
for them. | believe that they will
carry by a good majority. l have
talked to a great many all over the
county, and found some who were op-
posed, but who when reasoned with,
saw the benefits and are now for
them Good roads mean better farms
and better farmers"