Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-27
ADJOINING FARMS SHOWN TO
HAVE INCREASED MATERIAL.
" Bx aETTERlNo ROADS.
U. S. DEPARTMENT
EXPERTS HAVE PROOF
Actual Sales Of Land After Improves
ments Were Completed Show eens-
fits-Lands Sell at From ons to
Three Times Actual Cost Of Good
Roads-Survsys Conducted.

=
as far as possible the exact dollars and
cents effect on county Of the Inn
provement Of bad roads. specialists OF
the office of public roads and rural en-
g.neering Of the United States depart
ment of agriculture made economic
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 coun-
ties reveals the rather interesting fact
that following the improvement of the
main market roads the increase in the
selling price of tillable lands served by
the roads has amounted to from one
to three times the total cost Of the inn
provements. The increase in values in
those instances which were recorded
ranged from SO per cent to- 80 per
cent in Spotsylvania county, Virginia;
from So to 1874 in Dinwiddie county.
Virginia; 20 to 80 in Lee county, Vir-
sinia; % to 100 in Wise county. Vir-
einia. to ia in Franklin county, New
\ ork; SO to 100 in Dallas county, Ala
bama; % to so in Lauderdale county,
Mississippi: and from so to 100 in
Manatee county, Florida. The esti-
mates Of increase were based for the
most part upon the territory within a
distance of one mile on each side Of
the roads impro d.
Actual Safes Provo increase.
: In Spotsylvania county careful
record was made in 1910 of thirty five
farms located on the road selected for
Improvement. OF the seven farms sold
III 1912. the prices actually paid show
increases of from 81 to 116 per cent
ever the 1910 valuation. The average
value after the roads were improved
Was $2S.26 per acre as compared with
$l131 previous to the improvement. In
1913 four transfers Of farm land were
on the basis Of s30.11 per acre, where
as the properties were listed in 1910 at
only 1889 per acre. 1t appears that
l45i acres sold in 1914 increased in
value $2s,500, or so per cent, or from
$24.4S to s44.10 per acre.
In Dinwiddie county, Virginia, the
etual price of forty-three farms sold
or offered for sale from 1909 to 1914
ranged in price from ss.3s to Saba per
acre before the roads were built. and
from s24.70 to 1880 per acre after
the roads were improved.
In Lee County, Virginia a study OF
eight tracts along the roads before
and. after Improvement indicated that
these properties increased about $23
per acre. or about 10 per cent.
In Wise county, Virginia, study OF
eight representative farms located on
roads showed that they Increased IN
value from an average Of $49.O6 per
acre before improvement to s79.44 after
Ike roads were improved. There were
increases in valuation in other sec
tons Of from SEQ to $50. or even 800
per acre.
In Franklin county, New York, the
figures seem to indicate that the
change from earth. sandy. and loan
roads to bituminous macadam was fol-
lowed by increases averaging 1880
per acre. or about 30.7 per cent.
In Dallas county, Alabama, careful
seemed to indicate that
road Improvement has added at least
S. to each acre Of land within half
mile of improved roads. Tracts sold
at from So to SO per acre were sold
again after road Improvement at from
$40 to SOS per acre.
In Lauderdale county, Mississippi,
the total assessed valuation of real
pl operty outside Of the city was 81
757,54s. This Increased in 1914 after
road Improvement to s3.1sa,sos, or l5.4
per cent, Local real estate men place
The increaee in land values on account
of improved roads at from % to 50 per
cent.
In Manatee county, Florida. careful
study OF sales and real estate records
indicated that the improvement OF
roads has added from Is to 100 per
cent, or at least SIS per acre. to the
selling price Of all lands within one
half mile Of improved roads. This
would give/a total Of ssh, 900. or more
than twice the value Of the bonds Is
sued.