Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1916 — LOWER THE HAULING COSTS [ARTICLE]

LOWER THE HAULING COSTS

Improved Roads Effect Gross Saving of $627,409 in Eight Counties. Improvement of roads in eight selected counties in different sections of the United States resulted, in the aggregate, in a total gross annual saving in hauling costs of $627,409, according to recent economic studies made by the office of public roads and rural engineering of the department. The cost of haulage for the group of counties is lower since the roads were improved, it was found, even w’hen 1 charges, are made in the comparative computations for interest on bonds and annual maintenance costs. The results of the studies, which extended from 1909 to 1915, and which included other ejects of improved highways than those on traffic, are shown in department bulletin 393, recently published. The eight counties in which the j studies were made are Spotsylvania, I Dinwiddie, Lee and Wise counties, ’Virginia; Franklin county, New | York; Dallas county, Alabama; I Lauderdale county, Mississippi, and . Manatee county, Florida. These counties were selected because they I had just issued bonds for road improvement when it was decided to make the studies, and it would ! therefore be possible to cover the road improvements from outset to completion.

The average gross annual saving in £auling costs due to the road improvements in these eight counties was found to be 17.9 cents per ton-mile, while the net saving was found to be 11.6 cents. The investigators point out in the bulletih that an actual cash saving to the amount indicated is not effected, but that this is the indicated saving when the time of workers and use of draft animals and equipment are given cash values at the rates prevailing in the several communities. In Spotsylvania county, Virginia, a bond issue of $173,000 was provided and seventy-six miles of road were improved. The average loads hauled in a two-horse wagon increased materially after the roads were improved, and ton-mile costs I dropped from 30 cents to 13.7 cents. This meant a gross ton-mile saving of 16.3 cents, or a net ton-mile saving, when charges were made for interest on bonds and maintenance of roads, of 14.9 cents. The gross total annual saving in the county is, therefore, approximately $150,000; and when deductions are made for interest and maintenance costs, the annual indicated net saving is $130,670.

In Dinwiddie county, Virginia, a bond issue of $105,000 was provided, and the state contributed, in addition, nearly $40,00® worth ot convict labor. The improved road mileage at the comparison of the study was 101 miles. Average loads for a two-horse wagon increased from about 2,000 pounds to about 3,200 pounds, and ton-mile costs decreased from 36 cents to 15 cents. The net ton-milq saving is 13.7 cents, and the indicated gross saving for the county is $124,970. In Lee county, Virginia, a fund of $364,000 was provided by bonds, and the state contributed labor worth more than $21,000. Ninetynine miles of road were improved. Average loads increased from 1,500 to 4,000 pounds, and ton-mile costs

wer© reduced from 40 to 20 cents, with a net ton-mile saving of 10.6 cents. The gross annual saving for the county was $59,400. | In Franklin county, New York, •bonds to the amount of $500,000 were issued, and 135 miles of road ! were improved. Average loads increased from about 2,400 pounds to [5,557 pounds. Ton-mile costs dropped from 30.3 to 9.6 cents, and the net ton-mile saving was 11.7 cents. The gross annual saving in the county for hauling charges has been approximately $50,000 since the roads were improved. In Dallas county, Alabama, $366,,977 secured from the bond issue j was used to improve 101 miles of road. Average loads increased from 1,500 pounds to 2,500 pounds, and ton-mile hauling costs fell from 30 to 15 cents. The net ton-mile saving was 10.9 cents. It is estimated that the county saves annually $90,- ( ood grqss in hauling costs as a result of the road improvement. In Lauderdale county, Mississippi, $500,000 worth of bonds were issued, and ninety-six miles of road improved. Average loads increased

from 1,500 to 2,500 pounds, and hauling costs dropped from 37 to 20 cents per ton-mile. This brought about a net saving of 3.9 cents per ton-mile when all annual charges against the road improvements were considered. The annua! gross saving to the county is approximately $43,490. In Manatee county, Florida, $2"52,500 obtained from a bond issue improved sixty-three miles of road. Average loads increased from 1,500 pounds to 4,800 pounds, which resulted in a reduction of ton-mile hauling costs from 45 to 20 cents. The net saving per ton-mile since the roads have been improved is 12% cents. It is estimated that the county saves annually in gross hauling costs $32,573. In Wise county, Virginia, $1,031,578.54 was provided for road work by bond issues, state contributions and in other ways. From this fund eighty-three miles of road have been surfaced and sixty-six miles graded. Average loads have increased from 1,500 to 2,500 pounds and ton-mile hauling costs have been reduced from 57 to 23 cents. The gross saving to the county, w’hen hauling costs alone are considered, is approximately $68,000 a year.