On June 28, 1898, F.W. Blackmar, professor of history and sociology, wrote the Lawrence Journal an extensive article on ``Economic Advantages of Good Roads.'' Blackmar noted ``There are 5,779 work horses in Douglas County. These horses, I will say, sell at an average of $40, giving a total value of $231,160. It is supposed if they sell for that it costs about that much to rear a horse to working age and the expense of keeping a horse each year cannot be less than $40. With good roads we might use 3 horses where now we use 4 and the expense would be reduced to the number of 3,852 horses, valued at $154,090. That is not all. With better roads horses would last from 1 to 3 years longer.
-- Courtesy Watkins Community Museum