The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-09-26

the people very shortly from assuming.
Respectfully, yours, s.,
PLANK ROADS.
We orc glad to tho subject Of Plank Roads ex.
citing attention in parous PORTIONS Of The State.
Abls writer's in clio E}sefshf Advertiser foreibly
urging upon the people Of tina, region the propriey Of
constructing Plank Roads from Han,hurg run up to
Edgc6cld, 10 AbbevlIlc. to Newberry and Grecnvlc,
admirably adapted to the wants &c the country and
in every way calculated 10 be Of immense benefit 10
those Districts.
The following remarks. ,aken from that papor, We
deem applicable to Plank Road from this place 10
tho n. Carolina line, they 10 Road from Ham.
burg 10 Edgefuld:
II a Plank Road were built from Edgeield to
Hamburg, its advantages would be so obvious. and
its utility so well established, hazaId but little in
saying, il would be followed up by building Plank
Roads on all the main roads in this and the upper
Districts. There is large amount Of pine land
in our District, which is only valuable on account
Of the ezR6er standing on it.-and the timber aint
sortb amy hing. Introduce Plank Roads, and " e
will sec steam engines saving up this timber, con-
verting it into valuable Roads, while the slabs
would be used in settlement roads, in sandy or
as the main roads. The facilities thus, offered,
woul induce the planter to trans ort Lime for ag.
ricultura purposes. assist him in collecting leaves,
straw, etc, for manure, and encourage him TO i'm.
prove his land instead Of moving away. At the
same time, it opens to him a market for ccrn, fod
der, meal, lumber. wood, coal, peas, oats, fruits,
shucks, and other articles which will not bear long
transportation OH common roads. The effect OF
this would be to enhance the value of plantations
on the route, to double their present value. Such
has been the effect where Plank Roads have been
built elsewhere, and il appears reasonable that
similar causes should produce similar effects here.
There is ano,her feature in Plank Roads, which
should not be lost sight OF, the moneyfh is e..
pended nm them is retained among us. The mate
rials of which the roads are built are now at hand,
waiting TO be used, AMI along the line Of the road.
Nature seems TO say, in silent but audible lam
guage, "though have placed sand in your path,
there is on your right hand and on your left, whit
ye most need-murmur not at my doings."
Ii is true that unlike tho constructing Of Ill Roads,
the money expended is retained among ns.-indced.
they may easily be built without expendrng one cent
Of money. Stockholders would prefer paying up their
instuIments by pork-hy grading, cutting Trees haul
ing and laying down plank. &c. No money would be
conotives Iis unfortunate for the SUCCESS Of Plank
Road in ito direction of Charlotte that the people,
proposed 10 be benefited by it, have been recently de-
feaod in their efforts 10 procure Railroad. reco
lection Of former failure dAmpcns the spiri; Of cntcr
prisc and doubt and uncertainty color all their thoughts
on Road enterprises. Now this is wrong. A compar.
son can scarcely be said 10 exist between them. In
estimating the cost Of there is great room for sPecu
lution-for the Other, we have most reliable ddtd.-
Mistakes may be easily made 10 the cost Of iron,
its transportation, cars, engines. tho grading, the sta
,ions and dcpots. Not so in calculating tho cost OF
Plank Roads The material for tiem is oil at hand,
and we know their price. Thcro is no foo for 'Pccu
lution in estimating tho cost of Planks nd sils mud
work necessary 10 lay them down. Thc only doubt
that can exist, relates 10 the grading. and we know It
is quito different thing from grading for Rn'lroud.
A Railroad tack must be straight and lcvc-hils
must be cut through ard valleys must be filled up
No, so with Plank Road tack. a descent from s
to IL inches in rod is known TO DO sufficiently level,
and no curve is too great. that docs not bend moro
than ordinary curves in n country road. ;,
We are sure Tint the tho sruding for plank road
from here 10 tho N Carolina line would be very ncon
siderable. Us the county is remarkably level There is
not single h any route that would apt 10 bo scec.
ted that could not be easily avoided except probably
few at the upper end. They might present, d'fhcu.
tics in tho way Of Rail Road, but not OF PUNK Road.
We take the following from Tho samc paper as tho
above. and we commend it to tho attention Of our
readers:
On the great routes from the Atlantic cities to
the valley Of the Mississippi where hundreds of
travellers pass daily, Rail Roads possess as great
advantage over Plank Roads as the latter do over
common roads. No one. presume, would advo.
cate the introduction Of Plank Roads on these
great routes for purposes of travel. 1t is in agr-
cultural countries. where the population is sparse,
as with us, that Plank Roads possess great adran-
tages over Rail Roads. -. s..
In the first place. the cost of Plank Road, ready
for use is only about one-tenth the cost Of Rail
Road ready for use, Uinclude in this, Locomotive,
Passenger and Freight cars, Water Tanks, etc.
The cost Of attendants for Plank Road is less
than one.tenth OF what it is on Rail Road. The
money expended for Iron, Locomotives. Cars, etc g,
for Rail Road is sent out of the State, while the
amount expended for Plank Road is retained in
tho State, and even in The District. The timber is
here, and needs only steam engine to convert it
into lumber. The labor is among us, and needs
only proper direction to be available. When COM
pleted, the Road will be here, accessible TO every
one, bene6tting every one, injurng no one, and
can be used at all times, and at all hours, BY the
poor and rich, old and young. 1t is somewhat dh-
ferens with Rail Roads. Having certain hours for