58 BULLETIN 393, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



During the year 1911 the average cost of engmeermg on county 

 roads in Franklin County was $17 per mile of road surveyed. During 

 the year 1912 this had been reduced to $14,82 per mile for the total 

 of 134.6 miles of road surveyed. As the county does no road work 

 by contract," the quantities are not estimated in advance, and the 

 cross sections are therefore not measured. This fact is largely 

 responsible for the low cost of the surveys. 



Most of the stone and gravel was donated. Many of the roads 

 are built of crushed bowlders which have been taken off the fields 

 and piled up at the roadside as fences. In some cases the comity 

 has paid for stone, the average being about 5 cents per cubic yard 

 in the field. Where the stone was hauled to the crusher, the farmers 

 were paid about 30 cents per cubic yard for delivering the same. 



SURFACE TREATMENT. 



Contracts were let during 1914 for the resurfacing of many of the 

 State and county highways. About 45 miles of county gravel and 

 mac&dam roads were treated with bituminous applications during 

 1913; at a cost of $0,011 per square yard. This work was continued 

 during 1914 and a distributer has been purchased for this pm'pose. 

 The ..'oads are treated to a width of 7 to 10 feet. 



EFFECT OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT ON LAND VALUES. 



It is estimated that about 75 per cent of the land outside of the 

 State forest reserves is tillable. The other 25 per cent is either cov- 

 ered with stone or so rough that it can not be used except for forest 

 production or grazing. 



The average farm contains 116 acres, and the average value of 

 land per acre, including buildings, according to the United States 

 census, was $32.40 in 1910. The value of good land in the county 

 averages from $45 to $50 per acre. A study made in 1912 indicates 

 that farms for sale on macadam roads were more valuable than those 

 located on earth roads. Eleven farms containing 2,046 acres and 

 located on earth roads were offered at an average of $23.48 per acre, 

 while three farms located on macadam roads were offered at an aver- 

 age of $106.69 per acre for 239 acres. 



Since the improvement of the road between Chateaugay and 

 Chateaugay Lake, about 6^ miles, the value of adjacent land in- 

 creased from about $50 to $60 an acre. The total cost of this road 

 was about $22,750, while the increased value of three-fourths of the 

 land within a half mile of the road on either side, according to the 

 above figm-es, amounts to $31,200. It is estimated that about three- 

 foui'ths of the land in that part of the county is either under cultiva- 

 tion or is tillable. 



