La Junta tribune., 1917-06-07
GOOD HIGHWAYS
and PROSPERITY
Better Roads Mean Better
Times For Ruralists.
SAVING IN TRANSPORTATION

The Old Order Has Changed From the
Slow Going oseart Toilin3 Over the
Worst Kind OF Roads, to the Speedy
Automobile and Motor Truck-Farm-
ing Communities Benefited.
Within the memory OF many OF US
the only way Of travelling In various
sections OF the country was by means
OF OK teams over the worst kind of
roads. says II. Colin Campbell In
Honrd's Dairyman. The country pro-
ducer delivered his crops at some river
point where water transportation con-
veyed them to the nearest market. Cat
tie were driven for long distances over
all kinds OF roads. But the stock grow.
sr and farmer came TO realize that this
method Of reaching the consumer was
too costly and that their time and ef-
fort are valuable and should be econ.
omized as much as any other element
OF cost. The low going OK team has
given way 10 the speedy automobile
and motor truck. The railroad has IN
many cases relieved the farmer of his
long and dangerous trips to shipping
points, yet In many places the long. un-
improved muddy road prevails.
Statistics show that ~ per cent Of
the automobiles manufactured recently
have found their way TO the farm;
hence the rural dweller has not only
been given the opportunity. but has de-
veloped n greater desire, to travel than
ever before. Moreover. he has seen
good roads, and evidence Is real TO him
that community so favored IL one to
initiate.
There u 4 direct relationship BE-
tween good ruads and the general pros
perity OF any community. Proof Of
this Is obtalnable wherever modern
roads have been constructed. On the
National pike, that old cross country
highway which was begun by the gov
eminent In 1875 and that IL now be
ing rehabilita,ed, there stand monu.
ments that point to II local develop
ment that followed the construction
OF this now historic road. In localities
where highways have been improved.
where first class roads have been built
and well maintained. where highway
travel has been made comfortable and
plcasurablc. there is evidence Of con-
stant Increase In population. land val
ues aud local improvements.
One OF the most recent proofs of this
afa
highway enthusiasts point to the fact
that those counties where roads have
not been improved have lost popula.
tlon. while. on the other hand. the coun.
ties that have modernlzed their high
ways have increased their population
and land values have risen. Another
evidence OF the increased prosperity
that follows good roads has been fur
nished by some Investigations conduct
I'd by the United States department Of
agriculture OF road work - Virginia
Conditions IN Spo'tsylv0A county
were studied with particular care. The
results Were surprising. In 1909 the
county voted 10000 to improve forty
miles OF road. Two years after CON-
pleting this work the railroad shipped
from Fredericksburg. the county seat.
during n period of twelve months H..
oO tons OF the products Of the sotl
hauled over the improved highways 10
that town. Before Improvement had
become fact the total was only 5000
tons annually. In other words. the
products OF the soil had Increased mors
than - per cent.