Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-11-17
HOW GOOD ROADS HELP.

Occasionally property-owner facing a tax 70
road-improyement raises the point that he will re
ceive no direct benefit from the improvement. OBJ
jeetions OF this kind are answered BY official Stats
ties in the department Of agriculture at Washing
ton, and though conditions in Hawaii are in SONS
respects different from those the mainland, tn
general principle holds good here there.
To determine far possible the exact dollars
and cents effect county of the Improvement 0
bad roads, specialists of the office of public roads
and rural engineering of the department made eco
nonc surveys in eight counties 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 inter
esting fact that following the improvement of The
main market roads the increase in the selling price
OF tiIlabIe farm lands served By the roads has
amounted TO from one to@three times the total cos
of the improvements The increase in values in thos,
instances which recorded ranged from 63 pei
cent to 80 per cent in Spotsyyania County, Va.
from 6S 10 1874 in Dinwidde County, Va; 20 to 81
in Lee County, Va; % to- 100 in Wise County, Va.
8 to IA in Franklin County, y. Y; 30 to 100 in
Dallas County Ala; ~ to 80 in Lauderdae County
Miss. and from 30 10 100 in Manatee County, Fla
The estimates of increase were based for the most
part upon the territory within distance of l mile
on each side of the roads improved.
In Spotsyvania County a careful record was
made in 1910 of 30 farms located the road select
ed for Improvement OF the Z farms sold in 1911.
the prices actually paid show increases of from 81
to 1l6 per cent over the 1910 valuation. The aver
age value after the roads were improved $3.50
per acre, as compared with S17.31 previous to the
improvement. In 1913 four transfers of farm land
were on the basis of S3O11 per acre, whereas the
tod NJ MI
acre. 1t appears that the 1851 acres sold in 1914
Increased in value $500, or so per cent, or from
$2446 to $44.10 per acre.
In Dinwiddie County Va, the actual price of AZ
farms sold or offered for sale from 1909 to 1914 rang
ed in price from $s3S to $4374 per before the
roads were built and from s24 to 1880 per acre
after the roads we're 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 40 per cent.
s In Wise County, Va. study of eight represen
tative farms located on roads showed that they in
creased in value from average of $4906 per acre
before Improvement to $79.44 after the roads were
Improved. There were increases in valuation in
other sections of from $50 TO $50 even 500 per
acre.
In Franklin County, " Y. the figures seem to
Indicate that the change from EARTH sandy and loan
roads to bituminous macadam was followed by in
creases averaging $3.50 per acre, about 307 pei
cent
In Dallas County, Ala, careful investigation seem
ed to indicate that road Improvement has added at
least So to each acre of land within half mile OF
improved roads. TRAITS sold at from So to $40 per
acre were sold again after road Improvement at from
$40 to $50 per acre.
In Lauderdale County, Miss, the total assessed
valuation of real property outside of the city was
$2757 $40 This increased in 1914 after road i'm
provement to S3,1s8,sO9, or 1874 per cent. Local
real estate place the increase in land values
account of improved roads at from % to so per
cent ft.H,
In Manatee County, Fla, careful study of sales
and real estate records indicated that the improve
ment of roads has added from ID to 100 per cent
at least SIS per acre to the selling price of all lands
within onehalf mile of improved roads. This would
give total of SOL OOO than twice the value
of the bonds issued.