Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-04-20

marketing areas and increased profits
to them. 1t was before that day when
the United States government awoke
to the fact that it's railroads wei,
congested to the breaking point and
called upon the motor truck to come
to its assistance.
1t was before that day when in re-
| Spouse to this demand the first fleet
OF army motor trucks began to move
from inland points to the sea and by
making the trip overnight awoke the
/ officials of the nation to the POSSIBLE
tiles of motor truck haulage as a cor
ollary to the railroad.
In bulletin issued in 1917 the de-
partment of agriculture estimated the
, annual tonnage haul on the highways
| at from 1,500,000000 to 1000. 600, 600
ton miles, but this was only an esti-
mate. Since that time the abnormal
| increase due to the motor truck places
the figure at 5000, 900, 600 ton miles IN
the minds of some government off
Gals; others rate the figure as even
higher
| In this, as in all new DEVELOPMENTS.
! there Is dark side, which must be
| recko ned with, and that speedily. il
the people of the United States are to
reap the benefit from this new move
ment.
IL Is the road. my lords, the road"
AS the Duke of Wellington cried it,
In his memorable address to parlia-
ment many years ago, so the expo
nents of 4 more efficient United States
are crying it now, and the statement
has only gained in force with tho
passing of the years and the develop
ments which the mechanical genius of
America has brought about.
!. !. !.
All in all there are approximately
2,750.000 miles of highways in the
United States. OF this, 257,291 miles
had been surfaced at the end of 1915.
Figures supplied by the department
of agriculture show that the range Of
Increase in mileage from 1909 to 1915
was approximately $4,000 miles per
annum, while the range of improve
ment or surfacing was but, 10, 900 miles |
per annum. This clearly shows that |
we are opening up new roads each |
year the mileage of which is three |
times greater than the mileage sur
faced without making any provision |
for 100000 miles of roads heretofore
opened up and yet to be improved.
To improve the present road mile
age, allowing for no increase. at the
rate of improvement as shown from
1903 to 1915 would require 16S %
years.
Granting that there are many miles
In the total number given not of suf-
ficient recreational or commercial
value to Justify any considerable ex-
penditure for their Improvement, no
one can contradict that at least 90
per cent OF the total mileage should
be improved
Yet again, at the rate per annum
heretofore made, 1t would take 50
years to complete this 20 per cent,
not providing for the Improvement of
the inevitable increase In mileage daily
coming into Importance the improve
ment OF which would so greatly af-
rect the material welfare of our peo-
pie. and upon which our export trade
must depend.
the report of the Joint congress
sionai committee. already referred to.
said that poor roads were costing the
United States the staggering sum of
s6o4.ooo,ooo in excessive transporta-
ton costs each year at that time.
What are they costing today when the
traffic Is so increased?
More than just first costs are at
stake. The man who lives in Maine.
the farmer in Nebraska, the fruit
grower In Oregon. all these are ulti-