ROAD IMPROVEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3526, 25 May 1905, Page 4

ROAD IMPROVEMENT.

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The Economy of Cooil Bonds DemonBtinted by Statistics. Perhaps the most cogent argument in favor of-the movement to establish good ■ roads is that presented by the economic aspect; of the question. Thai improved means of communication between town and county is a desideratum all are j.-rn-pd; but no. one argument in their ' favor will appeal to the taxpayer, who ill be, called upon to furnish the neees,avv funds, so strongly as that of selfinterest. The farmers, who are perhaps more vitally interested in improver.! highways than any other class, are not yet so impressed with the benefits it, will confer upon them as they will be when the subject lias had more ample . and detailed discussion. When they are 1 shown the immense saving in horseflesh, wear and tear of harness, wagons, etc., a saving far beyond any contribution they would bo called upon to make in any well-devised system of road improvement, the natural objection which all prudent men have to any increase of taxation, will vanish or be greatly diminished. A paper read by Prof. S. Waterhouse, of Washington university, St. Louis, at a recent convention, deals

' A MODEL ROADWAY. (Hancock Avenue, Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, P».) with this subject in a very convincing manner, lie says; “The economic importance of good r oik Is has been demonstrated by startling statistics. It has been shown that the traction force required to move 2,000 pounds at a speed of three miles an hour over a level road of iron, asphalt, loose gravel, and soft sand, is, respectively, 8, 17, 320 L and US pounds. Prom this statement. it. may easily he inferred how costly bad roads arc. Iron and asphalt are for the sake of comparison. Hfi takes a much longer time, and rea far greater tractive force to pßKaul light loads over bad roads than it does to draw heavy loads over good roads. The unnecessary strains to which bad roads subject teams, harness and wagons are- very wearing. Rough usage .seriously injures the farmers’ equipment. Improved highways would prevent avoidable depreciation of property a nd increase the gain of producers." These are facts which must appeal to every practical man, whether farmer or engaged in any other occupation which necessitates the* usa of horses on our highways. When it is eoiicltisivelmproved that two horses on a good road can, do more and raster work than four cn roads in the average condition ol our present public highways, it seems almost unnecessary to advance any further argument in favor of a change. ■Tlvery industry in this land is affected by the condition of its highways. If our countrymen would improve our primary transportation they would lift from American prosperity an annual burden of $500,000,000, and enable the United States more quickly to achieve it* commercial ascendancy. —Journal \»f Agriculture. Lu.vln» Oui t’omKrjr Hoad*. In laying out a road as much attention should be paid to the grade as to the distance. It is better to add ten per cent, to the distance than five per cent, to the steepness of the ascent. The unnecessary exhausting of the leant is not only an inhuman but wasteful process. It is better to take a large load easily for a distance of three miles than to exhaust the team in hauling the same load over a rough two-mile “cut-off.” No intelligent effort should be spared in laying out the road properly, so as to diminish the wear and tear of team, harness and wagon, to say nothing of the subsequent, pleasure and profit that will be sure to follow the conservation of a first-class road.—Rural World. Solid Road* the Cheapest. Good roads as “a creation of man and a type of civilized society” is a theme much dwelt upon, and has not even yet received all the consideration it deserves. Rut it is well to remember that time is required to build permanent highways, and that such conditions os are found in some foreign countries can only be realized here after generations have worked along some clear line of improvement for many years. Solid, substantial roads are the cheapest in the end, but they cost a great deal of money. It is injudicious and wasteful to attempt the best and then do it in a shoddy manner. Better, far, do less and do it thoroughly.—L. A, W. Bulletin. The Kindi of Honda Wo Nood. Wet weather roads are what are needed. It is easy to make roads that are good in g- ’ but to make them good in tin- woi reason requires knowledge and skill.— L. A. W. Bulletin.

IN THE FAR EAST.

A German tourist In Corea writes that the usual bill of fare consist# of dog meat, rice and beans. A Turk holds that the day begins exactly at sunset. At that time he sets his clocks and watches at the hour of 12. Vladivostook, which 40 years ago consisted of four Chinese fishermen’s huts, is now a flourishing city of 50,000 souls, and Ehabarofsk and I’lagovestchensk are not far behind in wealth and population. Corea is believed to be rich in gold, but it all belong# to the king, who gets 25 per cent, of the gross earning*. and whose consent for mining undertakings is hard to gat. Nevertheless about $2,500,000 of the metal was secured last year. The Chinese have the id#* that milk revives the youthful power#, and that it has special virtue as a winter food for old people. Picture# and characters illustrating this idea, as well as the value of it for baby food, would without doubt increa«e the sale of American milk in China, a# one of the consuls suggests. Arab music ha* been deeeribed as the singing of a prim* donna' who has ruptured her voice In trying to sing a duet with herself. Bach note starts from somewhere between & sharp and a flat, but doe* not stop even there, and split# up into four or more portions, of which no person can be expected to catch more than one at a time.

MANY MATTERS MUTCH* CP>

Alcohol as such has never y*v o»tn found as a natural origin*! product, it i* always formed by art. The first city incorporated in this country with a charter and privilege* was New York, which was granted its papers in 1664. The Mackenzie, the principal river of the dominion, is 2,500 miles in length end drains an area equal to one-half of the United State*. The country roads of the United States do not oompare favorably with those of any nation in Europe. During the spring seaspn in many districts of ihe western states the road* are practically impassable. A Quebec paper figure* out that in the United States and Canada tljere is -pent Yearly the enormous sum of $15,000.00(1 on golf. This includes the cost of cluhhouses and links, their maintenance, the wages of caddies and renant*. toe cost of golfing suit#, sticks and balls and all other expenses. Most persons are unaware that the portrait on the new ten-dollar bill, known as the “buffalo bill” because of the rampant figure of a bison in the center of it, is that of a man who commil Ucl suicide. It is the picture of Mtvivvi tlu-r Lewis, a famous explorer and once private secretary to President T!:.>mns Jefferson, wh., afterward mace him governor of Missouri territory. In a fit of deep despondency he killed himself when 35 yearaold.

FRI9H PROM FRANCE.

In 1909 the Eiffel tower baeoanosthe property of the city of Pari* and will then be used for its weather bureau.

An employe in a French tobacco factory has invented a machine which make- rke head on cigar* after they are rolled and does the work of about a doz-t- n bauds.

Generally speaking, Frenchmon are not el:ewer* of the Indian weed; butin :s;<* manufacturing districts, where men work 12 hours a day and cannot sir...!:; during that lime, they chew. ii,is a municipal department tiiut in; only mores large tree* from pl.ii |. -,o place, but takes such as arc uii-kL io a tree hospital, where they are ri*tor*d to vigor aud then act out anew.

Par Van thieves hare discovered a in w me thud. which has taken the form o f alw, ; t-. ing the platinum tubes from the ir.!*'rim- of motorcars. Hundreds of thefts of this kind have been committed during the past, few weak*.

MILITARY MATTERS.

A cadet in the United States navy is paid a* highly as a lieutenant i« th« British nary. The Belgian government has fixed i he period of service for the infantry a; 21) months and 36 month* fox Ac .•inairy ami hors* artillery. The amount of gut to, percha that will be required for the transpacific cable, estimated at 3,000,000 pounds, is causing some concern among the army signal officer*, last the demand will seriously affect the price of the material. When the present work as the League Island navy yard at Philadelphia has been completed the yard will be the finest in the country in point of size and equipment. The plans call for gulf links and baseball ground for the use of the officers.

SCRAPS OF INFORMATION.

In Texas superstitious people carry a small bone from a fish’s head, but the luck only comes after the •harm haa been lost. The Bedouin Arabs are smalt eater*. Six or seven date* soaked in melted butter serve a man a whole day, with a very am aI! quantity of do arse flour or a little ball of rice. As late as iriiO there were neither roads nor co-aches in any' country district of Portugal. Gentlemen traveled on horseback anc ladies in sedan chair*, carried by men, or in rcuic litters. It is said that Herbert C. Hoover is one of the highest salaried men of ii* years in the industrial world. At the age of 29 he is in recept of §33,000 annually for his services as a mining ex•M*