Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION Profits from Better Roads IfiHERE are hundreds and hun- dreds of automobilists in British Columbia, in Taconia and in Seattle, who would make trips to Port land every year if the roads could be eovered in comfort," said A. S. Bonson, of Portland, who has just returned from a trip to Vancouver and Victoria. "If we had the roads we wouldn't lave to make any effort at all to se euro a great stream of tourists, who would come to Portland to see the many points of intorest which lie thickly about the city, but which are now al most inaccessible. And this would be a golden stream, too, for it is the tourists who spend the money. I was gone but 16 days and was economical besides, yet I spent $550. Multiply that by the number of tourists who would come here if they could, and you will get somo idea of what good roads would mean to this community. "It's mighty impressive to see the way the people in British Columbia are going after the tourists. And I want to say they are getting them, too. Here's an example: From Victoria to Stratheona Park the government is com pleting a paved road which will enable motorists to travel with ease to Camp bell River and all around the lake, which is the beauty spot of the park. This lako is a mile wide and 26 miles long. On every side snow-capped peaks rise up from the very edge of the wa ter, yet a road is being pushed all the way around its border. When this is completed all that the people will have to say is: 'Here is a scenic spot which is not only easy of access, but surpasses anything in Switzerland,' and the tour ists will flock thero to see the park and leave their money among the resi dents of the country. "I drove on high gear all the way out of Seattle to a point 4,000 feet in elevation in Rainier National Park, whero the children could get out of the machine and break chunks of ice off a live glacier. On Mouut Hood, I under stand, there is a live glacier at an eleva tiou of 3,000 feet, one of the lowest in the world. "Along this road to Rainier Park big automobile 'busses fly every few minutes. The passenger 'busses hold about 25 people and are always full. Freight 'busses give the farmers of the community easy access to the mar kets. There are little inns scattered all along the route, and, although none of them serve liquor, all are making a lot of money. "Tho people up north informed me that of the $400,000,000 spent each year by tourists they are getting their share, while down here wo are losing ours, simply because we don't have good roads. "As to our route, we went from here to Vancouver, Washington, and from there to Taccuna, via Kalama, Kelso, Chohalis, Tcnino and Olympia. The road is fearfully bad from Vancouver to Kelso, and also around Toledo; but con siderable grading is going on near Kolso and Olympia, all of which will be fin ished this fall. "After ono gets to Seattle, however, it is easy going. A pace of 25 miles an hour can be maintained all the way to Vancouver, B. C. We went by way of Bothell, Everett, Bellingham, Blaine and Jfew Westminster. From Vancou ver we shipped to Victoria. There is a paved road 26 feet wide all th way from New Westminster to Vancouver. I think that by next summer tho road ti Seattle will be by way of Goble, as a new ferry is to bo installed there." WTith Mr. Benson on his trip were his wifo, four children and a nurse. Good Roads as Crop Producers li THAT an improved road will increase vastly the productiveness of the area through which it runs has now been satisfactorily demonstrated by studies conducted by the United States Depart ment of Agriculture in Virginia. Condi tions in Spotsylvania county were in vestigated with particular care, and the results have proved surprising. In 1909 the county voted $100,000 to improve 40 miles of roads. Two years after the completion of this work the railroad took away in 12 months from Fred ericksburg, the county seat, 71,000 tons of agricultural and forest products hauled over the highways to that town. Before the improvement of the roads this total was only 49,000 tons anually; in other words, the quantity of the county's produce had risen more than 45 per cent. Still more interesting, however, is the increase shown in the quantity of the dairy products. In 1909 these amounted to 114,815 pounds, in 1911 to 273,028 pounds, an increase of practically 140 per cent in two years. In the same time shipments of wheat had increased 59 per cent, tobacco 31 per cent and lumber and other forest products 48 per cent. In addition to this increase in quan tity the cost of hauling each ton of produce was materially reduced. In other words, the farmers not only pro duce more, but produce more cheaply, for the cost of transportation to mar ket is of course an important factor in the cost of production. From this point of view, it is ostimated that the $100, 000 spent in improving tho roads in Spotsylvania county saved the farmers of that county $41,000 a year. In the past two years the traffic studies of the federal experts show that approximately an average of 65,000 tons of outgoing products were hauled over the improved roads in the county an average distance of 8 miles, or a total of 520,000 "ton-miles." Beforo the roads were improved it was estimated that the average cost of hauling was 20 cents a " ton-mile "j after tho im provement this fell to 12 cents a "ton mile," or a saving of 8 cents. A sav ing of 8 cents per mile on 520,000 ' ' ton miles" is $41,000 a year. The county's investment of $100,000 in other words returns a dividend of 40 per cent an nually. Because this saving, in cases of this WE TEACH MUSIC BY MAIL AMY INSTRUMENT Failure Impossible courses indorsed by leading; ta&chara and conservatories. Method It slrtiDle and entirely new. Metronome tor time keeping sent free. Send Now for FREE Booklet. Pall classes now forming. Special low tuition rates Installment pay Dents If desired. Buff of skilled In structors five each student personal attention. WRITE AT ONCE TO American School of lVfulC I Itftft ami Jmhenrj Sfcs JfatfEzm Ckr. ' E II WvsTwr 27th YEAR v. U OLMES Business College "The School thai gets you a Good "Position" THOUSANDS OF GRADUATES Including Leading BwIimm Man of the Northwest Wrikfor FREEilNFORMA TION Wubiaftea ui Tenth Streets, Portland, Oregon OLDEST MOST MODERN character, does not take tho form of cash put directly into tho farmer's pocket thero is a widespread tendency to belicvo that it is fictitious profit, while as a matter of fact it is just as real a source of profit as an increase in the price of wheat, In Dinwiddle county, Va., for ex ample, where peanuts are one of the staplo crops, tho average, load for two mules on a main road was about 1,000 pounds beforo the roa5 was improved. After its improvement the average load was found to be 2,000 pounds, and the time consumed in hauling tho larger load to market was much reduced. In other words, one man with a wagon and two mules, could do more than twice as much work with the improved road than with an unimproved road. This is the explanation of the extraor dinary rise in tho total output of agri cultural products in a county with a good road system. HIDES FOB AUTOS. S AN indication of the tremendous size of the automobile industry, it is interesting to note that in ono year approximately 1,000,000 hides are used for upholstering purposes. The ordinary roadster body requires a little more than two complete hides, and the touring body about three hides. The average of a car, therefore, Is two and one-half hides. From the timo the hide is stripped from the animal, it requires from ten weeks to six months complete ly to prepare it for use, tho time vary ing with the quality of tho leather. Kach hide is split into four grades, which aro known' as hand buffs, ma chine buffs, deep buffs and splits. The hand buffs aro tho best and are the part nearest the hair. This is the qual ity that is most used in the best motor car factories. Texas expects to havo a big honey crop this season. War and Business life are two vastly different things but they are alike in this proper pre paration is NECESSARY to success in either. CENTRAL "ommercial College The most modern methods of Instruction and the best teachers obtainable, both In ability and experience. Efficiency the watchword In modern bust less ii the watchword In this school. Rapid progress combined with thoroughness. In s nutshell our courses are as ahort ss any good courses can be and completing a eonrae guarantees getting a position. Write' today to O. E. CARLTON, Principal. CENTBAL BU1UJINO Portland Oregon What Are You Going To Do? Your future depends upon your training. Let us train you for a suc cessful business career. Over 2,000 students trained by ns are holding lucrative positions. BUSINESS COLLEGE. I. M. Walker, President PORTLAND, OREGON. Write ns. No trouble to answer. ELITE PRIVATE BUSINESS COLLEGE MAUDE 1 DECREE, A. M. Principal. 404 Commonwealth Building, Portland, Oregon. Write For Our Terms Today. GOING EAST or COMING WEST Wt can Save you Money Reduced rates on Household Goods, Planet, Automobiles, ete. Through consolidated earl Insuring prompt deiirery and earoral handling. Uatea and Information famished oa leanest, Pacific Coast Forwarding Company 201 Wilcox Building. Portland Oragsa MILL MILITARY ACADEMY A Select Non-Sectarian Boarding and Day School for Boys. Military Discipline; Small Classes; Hen Teachers. Careful supervision secures results that are not attained else where. Send for catalog. 821 Marshall Street, Portland, Oregon. Sj5 BUSH & LANE Pianos Stand The Test of Time - Bush A Lane Pianos are built to sustain the repu tation we have spent years In establishing. This reputation for piano quality Includes every detail of superiority tone action durability, ete. We back this claim with s guarantee as broad as It is binding. You MUST bo satisfied. Some exceptional values In standard Pianos taken in. trade for f.100 and op. Bush & Lane Piano Co. House of Originality Washington Street, Cor. of 12th. Vi- 1 a ft 4 rirewAM MANUFACTURERS WHOLESALE ES RETAILERS House of Originality I