Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1916-11-14
The Effect of Good Roads.

To determine as far as possible tn
: exact dollars and cents effect on
county of the Improvement Of ba
roads, specialists of the Office of Pub
lie Roads and Rural Engineering o
the department made economic sur
veys in eight counties in each of thu
years from 1910 to 1915, inclusive.
This study of the increase in thu
values of farm lands in the eight
counties reveals the rather interesting
fact that following the improvement
of the main market roads the in
crease. in the selling price of tillable
farm lands served by the roads has
amounted to from one to three times
the total cost of the improvements
The increase in values in those in
stances which were recorded ranged
from 63 per cent to so per cent in
Spotslyvania county, Va; from 6S to
1914 in Dinwiddie county, Va. 70 to
so in Lee county Va; 25 to 100 in
VIE county, Va; 9 to ia in Frank
lin county, N. Y; so to 100 in Dallas
county. Ala; 25 to so in LauderdaIe
county. Miss. and from so to 100 in
Manatee county, Fla. The estimates
Of increase were based for the most
part upon the territory within dis
tance OIL mile on each side of the
roads improved.
In SpotsIyvania county a careful
record was made in 1910 of 35 farms
located on the road selected for i'm
provement. Of the Z farms sold in
1912 the prices actually paid show in
creases of from 81 to 1I6 per cent
over the 1910 valuation. The average
value after the roads were improved
was $2S.26 per acre, as compared
with $1I3I previous to the improve
ment. In 1913 four transfers of farm
land were on the basis of $30.11 per
acre. whereas the properties were
listed in 1910 at only $13S9 per acre.
1t appears that the 1,451 acres sold in
1913 increased in value $2S.50O. or so
per cent, or from $24.46 to $44.I0 per
acre.
In Dinwiddie county. Va. the ac-
tual price of 43 farms sold or offer
ed for sale from 1909 to 1914 ranged
in price from 1888 to $43.74 per acre
before the roads were built, and from
S24.0O to $3.50 per acre after the
roads were improved.
In Lee county, Va, a study of eight
tracts along the roads before and af
ter Improvement indicated that these
increased about 1923 per
acre, or about 20 per cent.
In Wise county, Va. study of
eight representative farms located on
'oads showed that they increased in
'alue from an average of $49.06 per
'cre before improvement to 1914 af.
er the roads were improved. There
we're increases in valuation in other
sections of from $50 to 800 or even
300 per acre.
In Franklin county, n. Y, the fig
Tres seem to indicate that the change
rom earth, sandy, and loan roads to
DEuminous maeadam was followed
~ increases averaging $3.50 per
lcre. or about 30.7 per cent.
In Dallas county, Ala. careful in
estigation seemed to indicate that ,
Dad Improvement has added at least .
D to each acre of land within a half
nile of improved roads. Tracts sold
t from IS to so per acre were sold
gain after road improvement at
rom 500 to $25 per acre.
In Lauderdale county, Miss. the
otal assessed valuation of real prop
rty outside of the city was s2.757,-
49, This increased in 1914 after
Dad improvement to S3.1S3. 500. or
o.4 per cent. Local real-estate men
lace the increase in land values on
ceount of improved roads at from
. to % per cent.
In Manatee county. Fla, careful
.udy of sales and real-estate records
ldieated that the Improvement of
pads has added from Is to1OO per =
mt. or at least S15 per acre, to the
Hing price of all lands within one
llf mile of improved roads. This
ould give a total of S611,OO or
ore than twice the value of the ?
'nds issued.-News Letter. Z. 81
ept. of Agriculture. :