Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-05-23
PLANK ROADS.

From highly respectable and intelligent gentle
man who has had much experience in the cons,ruc-
ton of roads of the various kinds, we have received
The following communication, dated Utica, N. Y,
May the 10TH
My DEAR SIRs On the subject of Plank roads
am happy To inform you they cost no more than
Mac Adam Roads, can be kept more easily IN re-
pair and are more easily repaired. The traction is
half less, or in other words yon can haul twice
on a Plank than you can on Mac Adam.
All who ride on these roads are delighted with
them. Farmers in the vicinry of Utica can now
go 10 market and return the same day, a trip hard
10 accomplish before with two days labor fatigue
and exeron. These roads clear themselves for
what it would take to repair Mac Adam. Their
cost is from ST. 500 to $4,000 per mile. They will
soon be all the go.-You do not need as strong
carriage and can carry double tho load On these
roads "evcry farmer can drive his own team, they
are the farmers Railroads"
The Waterville and Utica Plank Road has lust
declared dividend of 10 per cent. The Rome and
Utica, and the Northern have declared dividends Of
D per cent, and the Rome and Oswego OFF per
cent, with Canal and Railroad running through
the same section of Country. The northern road
is u miles long, and is being extended l24 miles
to Ogdens5urgh The Oswego road is II miles
long.
i see by southern paper that North Carolina
also waking up to the advantages Of Plank roads
Her State Treasury has paid ON the part of the
State $4,000 iii subscription to the stock of a
Plank road at Fayetteville, second subscription of
SS0,OUO Will be made soon as certain conditions
are fulfilled by the Company. Professor Gillespie
speaks as follows of Plank Roads.
The great objection TO plank roads in the eyes
OF the engineer, Is their perishabe nature and con
sequeht final destruction. But this fault is not one
peculiar 10 plank roads, but common to all in great
er or less degree. Thus in the case Of broken stGne
or McAdam roads usually cited as contrasting
models of durability, we find that they wear away
So rapidly as To require not only constant REPAIRS
but, when well kept up, actual addition TO their
substance of one cubic yard per mile for each beast
OF burden passing over them, and the eighty thou
sand teams per. year, which passed over the SYRIA
cuse road, would have required an amount of broken
Stone, to replace their wear, enough TO renew il
many times over. A Canadian report to the Board
OF Public Works, shows that the cost of one mile
OF AlcAdam road will there make and maintain
nearly four miles of plank road and ON one road
the substitution of plank for broken stones effected
saving OF an amount sufficient to re-pank the
road every three years, if that had been necessary
The New &prk. Senate report states that plank
road over the same line with McAdam one can
often be built and maintained for less than the in
terest on the cost of a McAdam one, added to the
expense of It's necessary annual repairs. But even
II the plank road was still more perishablc than it
Is, and was worn out in one year, sill, if in
that time 1t had repaid its cost two or three fold
(as We have seen it would do,) it would be 50 much
the more profitable investment and this is the final
object OF all private engineering constructions"
Respectfully yours, r.