The whole question of the value of the Roadtown bonds depends upon the question as to whether or not people will live in the Roadtown after it has been built. I have spent a hundred pages telling of the comforts, conveniences, social and industrial advantages of Roadtown life. Heretofore I might have fallen into minor errors, but no sane and fair mind can reason away the fact that Roadtown life will be wonderfully attractive to the vast majority of mankind. As proof of this, over a hundred high class families have spoken for apartments in the first section, if it happens to be built near New York. But suppose we admit for the sake of argument that the Roadtown house was no better and no worse to live in than a typical suburban house of to-day. Clearly then the worth of the Roadtown bonds will depend wholly upon the price of Roadtown rent which in turn will depend upon the original cost and the cost of operation.
_The Cost of the First Mile of Roadtown._
With a view of answering this question I submit the following letters and figures from Frank L. Sutton, a consulting engineer of 80 Broadway, New York City. These figures are based upon the cost of the first mile of Roadtown. These figures show that it will not be necessary to build a long section of the Roadtown before it can underbid the rental of the isolated house or city apartment and thus secure population and begin business.
It goes without saying that as the length of the Roadtown increases the cost per mile and the cost per house both in construction and operation will decrease.
80 Broadway, New York, November 12, 1909.
_Mr. Edgar Chambless, 150 Nassau Street, New York City._
DEAR SIR: Referring to the report hereto attached giving a general description and the estimated cost of the mechanical and electrical equipments for the Roadtown, as well as the cost of construction of the building and equipment, and further the cost of operation, would say that these results have been carefully computed and there is no doubt but that the Roadtowns can be built and operated for the figures given in the report.
On account of the arrangement of the building and the convenience by which raw material can be transported, the proposition is without doubt the most economical and efficient form of good construction that can be devised.