VOL. Lxvn
INDIANAPOLIS, JAN. 13, 1912.
NO. 2
National  and   State Co-operation
GOOD ROADS.
BILLS     PROPOSED   IX     CONGRESS
AND   BY   STATE   LEGISLATURE
FOR BUILDING THEM.
The question of good roads in this
state is at all times a live one to all
farmers. People of nearly every trade,
the farmers most of all, use the common highways more or less in some
way or other, and it is therefore of interest to every one that our roads be
good roads. Not only does the farmer
want and work for good roads but the
fast increasing number of city people
who own vehicles of every kind are demanding of our legislature and Congress, state and national aid in road
improvement. Hardly an association
of interest to farmers, or a farmers' institute is held but what the question is
dicussed. In some cases railroad companies have become so interested that
they have sent out "Road Improvement specials", and have agreed to
haul gravel in car loads to certain communities if that communty would use
it to improve the highways. Everyone
seems to be awakening to the fact that
good roads are a necessity.
Next "Legislature to be Appenled to.
At the recent meeting of the Indiana Brotherhood of Threshermen held
in this city, a committee was appointed to draw up a bill which is to be
presented to the next legislature, asking for such measures as all believe
will better the roads of the state. Last
year the association committee presented a bill which failed to be passed but
the members believe that from the experience gained then, they can be more
successful at the next session in getting the requests granted.
The Farmers'  Congress Acts Also.
At the meeting of the Indiana Farmers' Congress, also recently held in this
city, resolutions relating to the good
road situations were passed. This organization was not in favor of forcing
the farmer to pay cash for the building
or upkeep of roads. It also was not in
favor of a State Highway Commission,
which was an issue before the last session of the Legislature. It regretted
the defeat of the good road bill which
was before the 1911 Legislature, although some of the provisions were not
exactly what it wanted. The organization favored national aid for roads,
and planned to send to the Indiana
representatives and senators in Con-
, gress a call, urging them to do all in
their power to further any good measures pertaining to this subject.
Four Bills Before Congress.
In this connection we give a synopsis
I'f.four bills    now before    Congress in
|the   House   of   Representatives.    Each
iias been referred to the Committee on
agriculture  and   has  been   ordered   by
[hem to be printed.
1st Mr. Hobson introduced a bill
Providing for an appropriation of
[500,000 to be expended by the Secretary of Agriculture, in co-operation
I'th the Postmaster General, in im-
iroving certain  rural delivery routes,
for the purpose of ascertaining the
possible increase in the territory which
could be served by one carrier and the
possible increase of the number of delivery days each year, the relative saving to the government postal department in the cost of transportation over
improved   and   unimproved   roads.
2nd A bill  introduced    by    Mr.  Old-
field  provides    for     the     construction,
structed paying half of the expenses.
With this bill a state desiring to have
a certain post road constructed within
its bounds and willing to pay half of
the expenses may ask for Federal aid.
In the previous mentioned bill
this question was left to the
Director. The appropriation this
bill asks for is $5,000,000 the
first year and an additional $5,000,-
000 for each year until the sum of
$30,000,000 is reached. This bill also
proposes a license of twenty dollars for
each automobile engaged in interstate
travel.
maintenance, and improvement of post
roads and rural delivery routes through
the co-operation of the government
and the states in which such roads may
be established. This bill asks for an
appropriation of $100,000,000 of which
$20,000,000 shall be available annually for use on such roads as the Director of the Office of Public Roads,
after an investigation, sees fit, provided
the state in which the road is located
is willing to bear half of the expenses.
3rd Another Bill somewhat similar
to this one was Introduced by Mr.
Prouty. It provides for Federal aid
for the construction of post roads, the
state in which such road is being con-
State Co-Operation  in  Roads.
The bill introduced by Mr. Campbell
also provides for national aid in the
improvement of public roads with the
provision that the state or civil subdivision where the road is located pay
half the expense. This bill also asks
that a Bureau of Public Highways be
established for the purpose of carrying
on this work.
These bills although of vast importance, if passed will benefit only those
v. ho use the main roads. The vast
numLer who are compelled to use the
branch roads are forced to resort to
o'lter measures to get their roads im
proved.
Plenty of Road Material,
State and County aid will do much
to remedy this side of the question.
Indiana is a state rich in gravel and
stone suitable for macadam roads. In
the western and southern portions of
the state are vast deposits of shale and
fire clay suitable for the making of
paving brick. Former State Geologist,
W. S. Blatchley, has suggested the plan
that the General Assembly authorize
the purchase of an extensive bed of
this shale land, and the erection on to
of a paving brick factory. Then transfer some of the State's prisoners to this
factory to be employed in making the
brick. He estimates that brick can be
made by this method for about $2.25
per thousand. The cost of brick necessary to build a mile of road at this
rate would be about $300.
The Cost of Roads.
The crushed stone necessary for
macadam could be prepared by convict
labor for not more than 30 cents per
cubic yard. The cost for enough
macadam stone for a mile of road
would amount to $3G.r>. The total cost
for material for'a mile of brick paved*
road, then, would be $665. In addition to this there is the cost of transportation Lbut this the railroads would
probably do for nearly the cost of
hauling), and the construction of the
road. This would all amount to a largo
sum but the road that would be built
would last for many years.
The Branch Roads.
If this plan could be carried out toi
the satisfaction of the state only tho
main road then, would be affected?
The farmer after all must look after
the branch roads. If he is to get his
products to market when the prices are
best; if he is to have all the religious,
educational and social advantages; if
he wants to increase the value of his
lands by having good roads connecting
them with the nearby towns; if he
wants to get the fullest enjoyment of
living in the country and in using the
roads, he must assume the responsibility In a large measure of their improvement.
Wliat Bad Roads Cost.
Looking at the question from a standpoint of the money value of good roads
several State Stations have made estimates of what bad roads cost the people. Prof. W. C. Latta, of Purdue,
has made such an estimate, which with
four others the Government has seen
fit to publish in bulletin form. His estimate is lower than any of the others,
for the reason that his figures are
balsed on the cost of roads of a little
lower class, such as the good gravel
roads of this state, while the other calculations are made from the prices
necessary to build macadam roads.
Even with this the loss to the entire
farm area of the United States due to
the bad roads amounts annually to
close to $500,000,000.
A few years ago Prof. Latta sent out
letters to hundreds of farmers in tho
state asking them about t'-e proposition of public highways in the county
that were good gravel roads, what estimate they made as to the increase in
dollars and cents In the selling price
per acre of land as a result of such
gravel    roads, if    all the    roads    were)