Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-01-05


fully satisfied OF the very great advantages
both derived by the farming and commercial
interests from the introduction of that species
of roadmaking among them, that they have
gone more extensively into this system OF
roadmaklng than any kingdom or republic on
the globe. The large proportion OF these
Roads, are located in Canada West. Among
them are the following, either made, or IN
progress: From Port Stanley to London 70
miles, Hamilton 10 Port Dover rs miles, Lon
Gon to Brantford 81 miles, London TO Chatham
ca miles, Chatham 10 Sandwich GO miles,
Chatham 10 Amhertsburg l8 miles. London 10
Port Goodrich rs, thence more radlatlng from
Toronto, one at Rockville, one or two at
Montreal and Chambly, one at Quebec, and IN
other places; making an aggregate length OF
Plank Road in Canada, of between 400 and
500 miles.
In the State of New York. the first Plank
Road Company was chartered IN 1874, since
when, applications for similar charters in
creased so rapidly, that it was found expedl-
ent to pass general law, for the incorpora-
ton of Plank Roads without special enactment.
There are now in use or in progress, between
900 and 700 miles of Plank Road We ask
the readers attention to the following article
from the Utica Herald, which will give state
ment of the condition and prospect of those in
the neighborhood of that City:
SUCCESS OF PLANK ROADS. The people OF
this section are now reaping the benefit OF the
plank roads which have been constructed du-
ring the past year. For the past week the
weather has been rainy, and travelling on the
ordinary roads has become considerably OBJ
structed by the mud, but on the plank roads
the passage is as smooth and rapid as in mid.
summer. We have now extending from this
city four distinct lines of plank roads-one
extending 10 Boonville, on the north, a dis
lance of thirty-two miles; one to Brldgewa-
ter, about 90 miles 10 the south, and soon to
be extended 20 miles farther; another to Wa
tervillc, 20 miles southwest, and to be extend
ed Is miles more to Hamilton, and the fourth
extended westward 10 Rome, 16 miles. and
forming by junction with others at Rome an
uninterrupted plank road communication with
the northern parts OF Oneida and Lewis coun'
ties, and Lake Ontario and Salmon river in
Oswego county There are also several d.
rect and lateral extensions of this line now in
progress and in contemplation which, when
completed, will link the extreme Northern
with the extreme Southern counties of the
State, and open an easy and rapid communica
loved but little intercourse with each other
All the plank roads that have been put in op
Grafton in this State are doing prosperous
and profitable business. The roads in this
section are all reaping rich harvest of toll
We mentioned few days ago that The Rome
and Oswego road had divided per cent. on
the profits of the last months We learn
that, after paying this large dividend, one
third of the tolls have been invested as sink.
ing fund, thus making the earnings of the roac
during the last year about per cent. on it:
about $4,000. Since its construction, We
ry large proportion of the travel reaching Os
wego by way of the Lake has gone over thi;
route We noticed recently in Milwaukee
Wisconsin paper, that the receipts for tolls or
the Chicago plank road already amount to one
hundred dollars day, and it Is yet completed
only about 2 miles. CAPE FEAR.