The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-08-25
Correspondence OF the Herald.

Saliva and Central Square Plank Rodd-Hs effect
on theFdrms Contiguous to it'd Celebration and
Dinner-T Trouble among the Printers in Syracuse
Having never yet correct statement of
the new plank road, recently laid from Salna to
Central Square, with your permission will give
you few facts.
This road was commenced early last spring.
The President of the Board of Directors is M. ID.
Burnett, Esq, of Syracuse; Vice-President, o
johnson, Esq. OF Beaverton. Drectors-George
Geddes, M. W. Bennett, A. p. Granger, S. G. Al
word, Richard Adams, John Van Buren,, and J.
Candee, Esqrs. Engineer and Superintendent of
Construction, Geo. Geddes, Esq.
1t was four months only from the time of COM
mencement to the completion of twelve and a half
miles, the distance from Salina to Beaverton.
The entire cost of the l2a miles is 200. The
whole distance, when completed, will be 16t
miles, and will cost twenty-five or twenty-hree
thousand dollars. The road being graded to re-
ceive the plank and TO admit teams to pass, the
plank are then laid upon strngers bedded in the
eaIth and rendered solid, and the earth graded up
level with the top Of the plank, which are four
inches thick and eight feet wide--a single track
only being laid. This is the first, and believe
only public plank road in this country. No part of
it was built by contract but all under the person.
al direction of the engineer.
The effect Of this road upon large portion Of
road over which this plank improvement has been
made, has been forever almost impossible /; a
great part of it was the very worst kind OF "corde
roy" endangerng the safety OF travellers, and
rendering the transportation Of goods and produce
exceedingly hazardous. Yet it was the great tho
roughiare for all the salt barrels brought into this
market. The poor state of the roads believed to
be the worst for so long distance in the State)
thlo ugh that region, has for wears kept down the
price OF farms not only, but prevented men of
wealth and enterprise from taking them up and
reducing them to cultivation. Many have at
tempted to cultivate farms, and abandoned them,
because they could not get into market without
breaking their wagons gentleman. a few years
siace, purchased place IN Cicero, 8 miles from
Salina, with a view Of gong into the practice of
medicine there; when within mile Of the village,
he broke down his carriage for the fourth time !
On arriving at Cicero he rented his house for half
its value-sold his remnant of carriage, and
went back the same night on horseback, utterly
disgusted with the place. Now there Is not a
better road in the State-and the consequence is,
property has run up from l to Is per cent
Several farms have been sold at an advance of IS
per acre.
On the llth ut. free ride was given to the citi-
zens by the directors, and public dinner pre-
pared by the proprietor of the Beaverton house.
The dinner was served up a small and beau
tfu island "a short distance from the house, giving
delightful view OF the bay for several miles up,
with its clusters of islands, fertile farms bordering
it, &c. After the cloths were removed, the COM
pany were addressed appropriately and with elo-
quence by II. BALDWIN, M ~. Burnett, Esq, lion.
d. Mosely, and by Geo. Geddes, Esq. Toasts
were given adapted to the occasion, and to the la
dies, a large number of whom were present. and
the whole affair passed off with qualification.
There can be no doubt, think, of the utility,
economy, and convenience of plank roads.
Our printers here are in quite snarl about the
P o. advertising. The p. M w. w. Teal, Esq
has, as Others have done under the direction OF
the P. nj. General, allowed those who could swear
to the largest circulation, to have it. AT the last
term for advertising monthly) new afiidavts were
| taken. The proprietor of the Standard had had
it for several months. At this time the Star pub
fishers ahead of them in their affidavts several
| hundreds. The Standard publishers complained
Of the STR publishers before the police for PERU
ry. What the facts in the are. the public will
know when the libel suits, (which have been COM
menced between the parties, growing out of the
transaction, come on.
think the best way after all, is for newspapers
to be like the Herald, Independent Of all govern
ment or official pap,--to live by its merits as a
lit will, and if not, let It 90 to the-old shoe.
Yours, &c. Clio.