Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-01-31
SCHENECTADY AND SARATOGA
PLANK ROADS.

| the resources Of The agricultural districts il
our Stale-hrinsing into play The enter
prise Of our farmers and giving them ed
vantages for travel lille short Of railroads
and in manner particularly adapted Il
their accommodation, and at a compare
lively small rate of Expense. Plank road
can be made. as Il eneral rule. for abUu
the years interest of well made railroad
About one hundred companies have al.
ready been formed, or are about being
formed, To construct these roads in Variou:
parts Of The State Of New York, The time
is coming when most of The roads Of lhr
State and Union, where there is any con-
siderable amount of travel, aud timber
reasonable, will bc planked. Thus laI
every plank road made in this Stale has
fully equaled, if mol exceeded, The expec'
talion Of It's projectors. Tho fact that a
pair of hnrses can with ease, and with in.
creased speed, carry double The weight on
q plank road that they can on the besl
common roads. without any other con-
sidera,ion, settles their value. When the
roads are bad, as they usually are. spring
dnd fall, fourtimes The weight can be taken
on plank roads at such seasons that can
be taken Oh common roads. The far.
mer can 60 10 marke, at all times when
he cannot work his farm on accoun, Of the
weather, or from other causes; aud when
other roads are impossible he can trot
of with his pair Of horses, and Two
tons weight, and return Giving sumo Is or
90 miles distant from markeD the same
day; W hile with a bad road, taking the same
weight, would require several days, be.
sides great wear aud tear Of horses, aud
wagons, and harness; in fact, leaving actu-
ally little return after deducing expenses.
This is no fanciful calculalinn; it has been
fully proved. This improvement will bring
up tile value Of farms within reach of mar
kels, which have been greatly depressed
by the low price Of land al the West. The
convenience of getting the produce of the
farm to market, will enable the farmer Of
the East better to compete with the farmer
of The West, although the cost of laud is
so much less at the West. The expense
of distant transportation will serve to con.
firm Tho value of farms near the great mar.
ke,s. Our new States. until they have
more money, should got work construct
ing plank roads-lhev will for a long time
answer tie purpose Of railroads, cxcep,
or the great aud central lhorouehiares.
Michigan should be wide awake on the
subject:
A plank road is 10 he Immediately built
between the city of Schenectady and the
village of Saratoga Springs, passing by
the village Of Ballston Spa. II The mate
lials can be procured in season, the calcu
la,ior is 10 have tie road built and ready
in lin, for the pleasure travel of the pres
ent year. 81 that travellers from all quar-
ters of our laud can carry home accounts
oft. This road will pass through coun-
try FIR The most part very beautiful. 1t is
contemplated to have spacious omniGuses
TO run in connection with the Albany aud
Schenectady railroad, and The White Hall
railroad so that passengers can pass over
The road in Two hours, and 10 or from Al
hany in three honrs or less. Arrangements
will probably lie made to iicke, passengers
,hrou sh from New York, or from Saratoga
via Albany to New York. so that 20 care
/ need be taken about luggage until il is de-
posted at the hotels at The Springs, or OIL
arrival at New York. Taose that travel
with the ladies' will find great relief in
having The care of luggage taken from
them by such an arrangement. In the
drvesi season there is lille or no dust TO
incommode the traveller on plaukroads.
The press cannot be too GiliSenl in call
ling public attention 10 these roads. Al
I he South, where timber is cheap and the
common roads cxecrable, they will he oil
great value; indeed, in every part of our
Uuion they can be constructed to- great adj
vanta ,e-givins employment 10 The labo
ring classes; increased value 10 real estate;
aud good investment to stockholders. ii
is an improvement beneficial to oil classes
Some fear has been expressed that the
timber of the country would he exhaust ed
by the rage for plank roads; hut such will
not be the case. These roads will be con-
struc,ed so as,o lead to those districts
where the timber rs now ready, but Of little
or no value 10 any one, or the land on
which it grows, on account of the expense
Of getting il to market. These plank roads
are about TO open sources oewealth TO The
northern par: of,his Stale, of more value
to The public than The gold mines Of Cali.
fornia.
Il is found lha, very little grading is re.
quired; one foot rise in from twelve 10 six.
teen can easily be overcome with pair oil
horses with two tons. II made perfectly
level, advantage would be taken, and
teams loaded with four or FIVE tons would
pass without any additional toll, carving
weight TOO heavy for such road. Leg
islalion viii be required 10 regulate the
weight Of loads, in order to prevent i'm.
position.
When these roads were first thought Of
it was supposed they would not answer on
account Of the perishable halure of the
material used; but il is now discovered tina
these roads wear out befDre they decay
and that while wearing ou, the income is
so great that they will afford 10 per cent tc
The sIockholder, (lhe maximum rate al
lowed by law in the State of New York
and from 10 TO 90 per cent. surplus 10 keeT
the road in repair, and relay it when ne
cessary.
T.. Twill take above three thousand load