The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-11-14
Correspondence Of the journal.
THE CAMDEN AND NORTH CAROLINA
PLANK ROAD


Mr.. Editor: learn from your columns that
Plank Road is in contemplation from Camden
to North Carolina, in the direction either for
Charlotte or Concord. Now. sir. as 10 the
practicabilHy Of a Road, am unable tn speak,
for have no experience in such matters buf if
a road is to be- built. am very certain it would
be imprac,icablr for Camden to carry it to
Charlotte for that would only be making a
road to draw off tbs trade from your Town,
which otherwise might he directed to 1t. I, Is
now very certain Rail Road will be made
from Columbia 10 tharolte, and when thu, is
done, every facility will he afforded to the latter
place necessary to make it a considerable com.
mcrcial town. They have already Bank
there. and en,erprsing and wealthy merchants.
and no doubt Inducements 10 the Planters both
10 sell their produce as well as to buy their
goods, will be held out al that place. not much,
(if any less advantageous, than at Camden.
Then sir. the preroga,ve will present itself L"
the North Carolina Planters either To carry their
produce TO Camden or to Charlotte and with
that agreeable choice presented to North Car.
olna planters, suppose Camden runs a Plank
Road over the red hills of Mecklrnbnrg To
Charlotte, what sir, do yon suppose wonid be
the consequence Why, just as certain AS
cause produces effect, the trade would turn up
stream and 60 to Charlotte. Bu, sir, let Cam
den run Plank Road so as to penetrate the
heart the country which will be- surrounded
by the North Carolina Rail Road on one side,
and the Pee Dee navigation and Fayetteville
Plank Road on the olher-( Union county. the
western paris oil AnSon and Stanley counties,
and the lower or southern part df Cabarrus
county is the country or territory allude 10 J
and which, it such facilities We're aflorded'the
planters and merchants 10 this scope ol country,
as suppose Plank Road would afford, for the
transportation of produce and merchandise, aud
then with little better market al Camden than
at Cheraw or Charlotte, there would be- no
doubt that Camden would not only retain the
trade it possesses from this section OF country,
but would command considerable portion oi
that which now goes to Cheraw. Ii is very
evident the Rail Road al Camden gives TO thai
place advantages over Cheraw which it will
always possess, so long as Cheraw is dependent
on the uncertain nav CATION OF Pee Dee river.
Then it must be that Camden will be able to
get off Cotton and receive salt, DC, when
Cheraw at times can do comparatively nothing
in that way. This at once accounts Tor salt
being only worth in Camden 81 so cts. per
sack, whilst it was selling in Cheraw this fall
at 81 to So so per sack, and Cotton at one time
10 3.4 in Camden, when it was only worth
about 10 Id cents in Cheraw. These facts
have induced great many planters IN AnS"n
county, heretofore strangers to the Camden
market, 10 carry some of their Cotton there this
season and now Camden is becoming the In
tnilar name for Il market Town with many
who heretofore knew but little about it. But
sir, the road is long and hcavy-the sand is
deep, and the hills are steep, and will always
prove a great barrier, unless overcome 10y
Rail or Plank Road for, sir, the writer OF this
article has lately had some experience on that
subject Not long since, with view OF giving
the market trial at Camden, he took por
ton of his Cotton crop TO that acc, but found
the road so heavy and so long that he decided
for the FUTURE that unless some easier and more
expeditions way was presented to get his Cot
ton there than wagon and cart it over those
heavy sand hills, he would carry no more Of his
Cotton to Camden, even if he could obtain Id
OF a cent more for it than IN Cheraw. Justice
to Cheraw candidIy requires me to say, howcv-
or, that got no more for my Cotton in Cam
den than it was worth the samc day in Cheraw,
although the difference had been in the two
markets that is above alluded to-. Bagging and
Rope found as high at your place as at Che.
raw. but salt much cheaper; and whilst am
speaking of the two markets, will you permit a
small digrcssion? and allow me add that sold
my Cotton in Camden TO Mr.. Villcpigne,
who found to be very clever man. My
Cotton weighed well--my bill was Immediately
made ont and the money rendered TO me, with
ont any of this holding on and leasing to sell
goods that is customary in the Chcraw market.