Page:The Scientific Monthly vol. 3.djvu/122

 ii6 THE SCIENTIFIC MOSTHLy

influenced greaily every phase of life always, and bad coQuections with the outside have isolated the country since 1850. Of a total of 17,432 miles of road, there were within the entire region, in 1904, 83 miles sur- faced with stone, and four miles with gravel. The present wagon freight is said to be about 44 cents per ton-mile. The average haul for a load of cross ties is from eight to ten miles, and about eight to twelve ties constitute a load. Logs delivered at the railroad for twenty dollars

��per load are said to consume sixteen dollars in transportation. At a coal shaft mined by two mountaineers near Boonville, good cannel coal sell? for seven cents per bushel. The cause is poor transportation. From Buckhora to the railroad is eight miles. A team will make this trip for four dollars in good weather. The charges in this case are about 88 cents per ton-mile. The average cost of transportation in the United States by wagon is 23 cents per ton-mile.

The old law that every man must work on the roads six days amiii- ally is enforced feebly. By a statute passed in 1S!)4, road taxes can he levied by the county and a road commis?iioner appointed. But this new

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