The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-12-01
WHAT GOOD ROADS DO

the construction of good roads in s
counties studied by the office of Pub
lie Roads and Rural Engineering of
the department it is shown in re-
cent publication of the office, Depart |
ment Bulletin No. 1913. The improve
ment in roads was followed also in
several Of the counties, the report
shows, by consolidation of a number
of the little one-room schools into
graded schools, which give the pupils
better educational advantages: by a
development of various industries;
and by social improvements due to
easier intercourse. These improve
ments are related closely to increas-
es in land values and decreases in
hauling costs, effects also traced to
the construction of improved roads
The studies were made in Spotsyl
vania, Dinwiddie, Lee, and Wise
| Counties, Va; Franklin county, N.
Y; Dallas county, Ala; Lauderdale
County, Miss; and Manatee county,
Fla.
i In Spotsylvania county, Va, the
average daily school attendance in
creased from 81 per cent Of the en-
rollment before the roads were i'm
proved to n per cent after. Several
! small schools were consolidated. Be-
tween 1909, the year preceding the
building of good roads, and 1913, the
year following their completion, the
shipment of forest products, the prin-
cipal products of the county, in
creased more than IS per cent. The
increase during this period in the
poultry business in the county was
n per cent, and in dairying 40 per
cent.
In Dinwiddie county, Va, the aver
age daily attendance for children for
10 schools on the improved roads
was GA per cent of the enrolment
in 1923, while the average at
tendance for all other schools in the
county was Sc per cent. Several
school consultations have been eff
fected,, larger school buildings have
been constructed, and pupils have
been transported to school at the ex-
pense, of the educational system since
the road improvements were made.
Truck gardening and dairying, which
were profitable only within milees
of the principal market town of the
county before the road improvement,
are now carried on profitably within
seven-mile radius.
In Lee county, Va, a considerable
industry has been built up following
the road improvements in the ship
ment of tan bark, extract wood, and
pulp wood, products which could not
be profitably hauled over the unim-
proved roads. The improved high
l lway system has attracted buyers OF
farm products who travel from
farm to farm and furnish a new cash
market for the farmers. There has
been rs per cent increase in bug
gies sold by a county vehicle fac
tory.
In Wise county, Va, social condi-
tions have been bettered since the
good roads were constructed, many
farmers along the improved high
ways having built new homes or i'm
proved old ones, adding sanitary con-
veniences, but since compulsory at
tendance regulations went into effect
about the time the improved roads
were completed, the influence of the
two factors could not be determined
separately. Several school CONSOLE
dations have been made.
Automobile registrations in Frank
lin county, N. Y, increased from 371
before the road improvement in 1912
to 853 after road improvements in
1874, and two automobile bus lines
connecting distant towns in the coun-
ty were established as soon as the
improved roads were opened.
There has been a notable stimula-
ton of dairying and general diversi-
fication on the farms Of Dallas coun-
ty, Ala, since the improvement Of the
roads of that county.
In the section of Lauderdale coun-
ty, Miss, where most Of the roads
have been improved, the school at
tendance increased from 70 per cent
of the enrolment in 1912, just after
the road work started, to 81 per cent
in 1913 after the completion of the
work. Several school consultations
Ihave been effected
In Manatee county, Fla, which
produces chiefly fruits and vegeta-
bles. these products could not be
hauled over the sandy roads before
the improvement was made, except at
IprOhibitiye cost In the one wear