ECONOMIC SUEVEYS OF COUNTY HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT. 53 



The principal industries are dairying and lumbering. The chief 

 crops are potatoes, hay, hops, barley, and corn fodder for silage. A 

 considerable amount of maple sugar is also produced. Most of the 

 milk and cream in Franklin County is hauled from the farms by the 

 dairy companies. 



SUMMER RESORTS AND TOURIST TRAVEL. 



The southern hah of Franklm County is in the heart of the Adi- 

 rondacks and there are hundreds of beautiful lakQS surrounded by 

 camps, cottages, villas, and hotels. During the calendar year 1912 

 there were 371 automobiles registered in the county, of which 11 were 

 commercial vehicles. During 1914 the registrations had increased 

 to 823 pleasure cars and 30 commercial vehicles. This does not, 

 however, represent the total number of motor vehicles using the roads 

 of Franklin County, as the Adirondaoks region is visited every summer 

 and fall by thousands of tourists from all parts of the country. 



The various hotels and summer resorts afford excellent markets 

 for fruits, vegetables, poultry, and dairy products. There are no 

 canning factories in the county, and as the soil and climatic conditions 

 are well adapted to the growth of fruits and vegetables, it is believed 

 that when all the main roads are improved there will be a good oppor- 

 tunity for developing this industry. 



Three inspection trips were made through the county on the fol- 

 lowing dates: May, 1912, May, 1913, and May-June, 1914. 



HIGHWAY CLASSIFICATION AND MAINTENANCE. 



The roads selected for improvement under the bond issue by the 

 county board of supervisors have an aggregate length of 135 miles, 

 and in connection with the State and county highways wUl form a 

 sy^m connecting the principal towns, market centers, and summer 

 resorts of the county. The total public-road mileage of the county 

 aggregates 1,370 miles, of which 145 miles, designated as State and 

 county highways, are being improved under the supervision of the 

 State highway department. About 212 miles of town roads have 

 been surfaced, so that when the contemplated work is completed the 

 surfaced roads of the county will comprise 492 miles, or about 36 per 

 cent of the total mileage. (See PI. XXII.) 



The roads, as planned at the time of the last inspection, are divided 

 into four classes, and are paid for and maintained as follows : 



State MgJiways. — Seventy-five miles. Paid for wholly by the State 

 fropi the $100,000,000 bond issue. Maintained by State, under 

 patrol-and-gang system, but towns contribute $50 per mUe per 

 annum. Patrolmen receive $3 per day and furnish their own teams. 



County MgTiways. — Seventy miles. Paid for partly by the State, 

 partly by the county. The amount paid by the county is deter- 



