For Better Roads

Washington, Nov. 3 -The office of ! road inquiry of the dopartmont of j culture has completod an intoresting invcstigation relating to tbe common roads of the United States. Returns have been received from about 1,200 countias, showing the average length of haul from farms to markets or shipping poiuts to be twelve miles, the average weight of load for two horses 2,00k! poumls, tho average cost Der ton per mile 25 cents and Í3 for the entire haul. Expense of TransjortatEou. Estimating tho farm products at 219,824,227 tons in woight and making cstimates on other articles carried'.over the public roads, it is oaloulated that the aggregato expense of this transportation in the United States is 946,414,005 por an num. Roports have beun asked from the j United States consuls abroad of tho exI p'jnse of hauling wheré the roads are good, so as to render possiblo a calculation which will show how much of this vast outlay is duo to bad roads. The estímate is ventured, howevor, upon information In tho office concerning tho loss of time in reiiuliing markets, the enforced idleness and the wear and toar to the live stock and hauling machinery caused by poor roads, that twothirds of the cost might be saved by an improveuuent of the roads.