Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-02-17
NETWORK OF ROADS
THRU0UT THE LAND
Franklin Wood Suggests Con
gress Appropriate Billion
Dollars for Purpose.

Franklin r wood. chairman Lac
Animas county. Colorado, council NJ
defense. tn al article IN Better Roads
and streets, says IN part
Since the advent of the .autumu-
bio into general use civilized people
have had vision of network OF
Goon roads. extending through
ont the Dlan4th and breadth ot the
land This ovision may even nov be
on the verge ot realization n ~
fusp the opportunity presented by
the cataelysm now presented hy the
world AT war
Let congress provide the sum of
s. 900 600 900 to be available inn
mediately AT the close Of war for
the paving Of the nutional highwayo
from one end. or the country tu the
other This has been IN" dream and
goal Of good roads enthusiasts Tor
years, but is present possibility on
account Of the conditions under dis
clsxion,
The automobile using public now
constituting large share OF the
population will see In II the fulfill
mont Of cherished dreams
Tho government Will find the pro,
gram acceptable from the standpoint
ot having military highways for the
rapid ard efficient mobilization and
transportation Of troops and supplies
This amount OF money would have
81. 0O0 miles Of highways or all OF
the so-ealled national hithAays
Assuming that there are : 600 900
automobiles In use In mis- country
Automohiiists Will concedc that hay
inE paved roads over which 10 drive
viii save at least . cents u mile
~ the average mileage per uutumo-
hilc Ia five thoukand miles per year,
tho saving per automobile OF truck
will he 500 or FOR the two million
ns6urned to he IN use $500 600, 600
|, IL easily conceivable. and statis-
ties @ill bear this out, that the farm
ers Will have In transportation Of
produce and saving in NasteaFe an
other t9oo,0b0.0o0
But taking those above alone. the
net return on the Investment would
he ever 10 per cent where else caa
ono get such a return on money ~
vested. One hesitates to figure on
tho possibilities they seem SO great
1'hs National Highways Association
iF authority for the following state
ment
Serve directly $500 600 people.
or 80 per cent of our population
strvo In adiolnlns counties %, 500 900
people or IS per cent ct our popula-
tinn a total ot SO. 500, 900 people. or
~ ycr cent Of the total population.
"'Trav.rss 393 congressional dis
81
'" Serve direct or adjoining 2.5R3
counties or 81 per cent Of the total
" 'HeHch and connect every state
capital and large city with The ma
tionsl capital
Form only 2 - per cent " our
total road mileage but include All
main routes.
" Garry so per cent Of our road
tonnhEe. and sAVo tS0Q,O0o,0oO per
annum In csrry INK charges
costs less than $1,000 900
This cost VIII he saved In the ten
Go) years OF building
'Aecentuate ande nise tho stand
ard OF rosa building by states coun.
ties and to~hs
ADD to our nathnal wealth
ts0e. 900 900 annually Save IN wear
and tear NJ vehicles not less Chun
800 900 900 annually.
" Increase land values adjacent 10
such highways over s5000O0. 600
Increase the prosperity Of the
farnsr more than any other i'm.
prnTemeni
Reduce the cost OF living more
than most any other factor
Provide better social conditions
in thep rural communities. and thus
elevate their Intelligence and their
moral well being Make rural NE
more attractive, facilitate iutcr.rom.
municauon and thus reduce migra-
ton to cities and cncSuraEe tho
movement back to the farms"
Enable the hullding ~ rural
schnolS and thus reduce iliiteracy
Increase travel throughout the
country. inducing people to Isee
America first" thus keeping h6rN~-
annually more than $3.50. 100000
IN other words favor. foster and
further the Development NJ our couu
try In tho length and breadth Of
,hesA Tinted states OF America by
securing Tho benefits social, moral
Commercial industrial material eiu-
cailhnAl and persunAl--in the prpg
rSsa and uplift Of the American pco-
ple which follow in the train nf
sAay inter. communication aud tran
an hAtveen the srsat ceuters ~
nupulation and distribution and the
g,est rural productive areas OF the
ns,lSr and thus bind the states TO-
r.,bsr IN a common brotherhood