Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-01-19

Ole fOau anu as general tnlnp IS lul up
to all the wants of the traveller. The only
benefits Of siringers are these they serve
10 keep one plank from being depressed be-
low another where the ground is soft, or |
where its solidhy varies; and they are
guides when laid, so as to render the grad |
ing easily and cheaply Turned, wilhou,
the aid OF engineers or spirit level. These
stringers are generally no, less than thir.
teen feet long, and are laid with the end
abuliing each other, but so laid that the
points where two pieces Of siringers come
together on one side shall not be directly
opposite 10 a like point on the other line
of stringers.
Observation will demonstrate TO any per
son that on highways where the road bed
is graded wide, at least 90 per cent. Of the
entire travel is within a width of less than
eight feet the natural tendency is TO the
centre, and the practical result has been
that where plank roads have been built
wider than eight feet and have been worn
out, il has been found that while about that
width has been entirely worn through the
reminder Of the plank has shown no signs
Of wear thus charging upon the construc-
ton OF the road all excuses Of cost OF
plank beyond that width, wthoutsthe least
benefit. Again, where greater width Of
road is used, the plank are laid ia the GEN.
tire Of the graded track, aud consequently
have TO be laid level the result Of which is
that by being used in one spot that portion
Of the road becomes depressed, and the
outer ends Of the plank are lifted up, and
the falling water has TO remain upon the
plank or find its way through to the earth
beneath, TO the rapid ruin of the structure.
Il is far better to build Two or more tracks,
if required by the business Of the road, than
TO go beyond the width of eigh, feet in one
track
Objection has been urged by the lheorist
| that an eight feet track not admitting Of
The passage Of two teams meeting. the use-
fulness Of the plank roads must be ques-
tionable inasmuch as one advantage sought
to be gained, the increase Of weight in
loads, would be unat ainable owing TO the
want Of solldiiy in the dirt track. The
practical answer 10 that question is, that
no such difficulty occurs, for the dirt track
being on one side, is used only as a turn
out the tracks on it are consequently
short in length and circular, from aud back
)
low in the same curve with the fore ones,
aud difference OF two inches in the points
Of leaving the plank will keep the curves
made by the wagons separate and distinct
from each other. The destruction of a
common dirt road is not generally its want
Of soidily. but is owing 10 tile common use
Of one OF more sets Of lengihwise tracks,
which being made deep by such use, act
as reservoirs for the collection Of falling wa
ter, which teaching into the earth, liquihes
it, and mixing up with il by the action OF
the wheels, makes the road bed impossible
+ for heavy loads. This is not and can never
: be the case on plank roads. II may be well
in this connection to say that on the plank
: roads now built in New-York, no difficulty
of this kind exists. The plank track is
! pu, upon that side Of the road required by
! the majority Of the heavy drafts. so as ic
a leave the duty Of turning out, as a genera
b thing, TO the light wagons, although no hes
e itation or difficulty occurs when a heavily
=. loaded team is required to use the turn out
!. The writer Of this drove distance of eigh
a miles without urging his horse in III,
n month Of November last, within the hour
q entirely OH the dirt side Of plank road
d aud this was done al time when the ordi
e nary roads leading into the plank roa'
l. could moi be travelled with light wagon a
e a rate faster than four miles the hour.
d A great difference can be made in tn
= expenses of grading track and laying th
E. planks, by the use OF tools more particular
h " adapted to this kind Of work the scrr
A. per if rightly constructed and used win d
= more than any thing else toward lessenin
hi the cost of grading To construct plan
III road scraper, take hard wood plank IA G
III Is inches wide, l.2 or "a inches thicl
ne and about feet long shoe or face on
e. edge of it with steel for this purpose a
IN old saw plate is the easiest obtained an
he the cheapest. The handles similar
a plough handles should be fastened TO n
1 back side of il, coming up as in ploy
ak sufficiently high above the upper edge
he the plank TO make il easy and conveniei
he to use, about four inches from the boito
X, Of the plank il sets edgewise, Two siror
ID iron eyes should be fastened, and throus
of these the chains to draw by should hool
I'd. then two arms a foot long each, on lii
rts with aud either attached to a part Of d
ok upper edge Of the plank, should be mad
il and the scraper is completed. This XII
nix of scraper drawn by two horses and mana
aid ed by three men, is capable of periormli
er- more work in The same time than ten
ed, the common clam shell scrapers In Zig
MD soil where the dirt is easily removed, /
yer work OF grading can be performed by hi
The after the siringers are once laid, the SCI
md per guided by the men passes over, resI
old lightly on the tops oil the stringers, car
ads ing the earth to such points as require {
the ing up, and removing the earth where n,
lck essary, down TO an exact plain with |
mis- siringers, and in bringing earth to the re
- bed from the ditch, the quantity taken c
of be easily regulated, and by graduating
pom lifting Of the scraper. The earth brought
yes. can be spread over the roadway the ex
and depth required. Afler deposiiing the ca
rem from the, ditch instead OF hauling rou
gers and thus consuming much time, The II
e is liit up the scrapeT aud pull directly bac
Iard the horses soon become accustomed To
and back down so as 10 permit the opf
ank tons Of loading 10 be repeated II is I,
feet y astonishing 10 witness the great amo
six Of earth thus removed in a single day,