Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-07-20

Itt tbIiH IthI, SHY WIN U LOg fhtFLy k3tlA
the same TILL for that single ton rs if they
had been loaded expressly for the plank
road, perhaps Nth Mree TINS apiae.
We are Of opinion that the plain state.
ment Of MIR. Owen in regard to organizing
a party for the purpose of laying down the
superstructltrey is worthy Of attention
Here ii is:
In organizing q party to lay down the
superstricture, q stout ex-cart, three or
-four good yoke of oxen and n pair of horse.
are requisite.
The exact number of hands required
depends upon the nature of the soil and
the character of the old road, if the plank
road is to follow any old line but may,
under favorable circumstances, le set dow,,
as follows.
TO manage The plough, 2 hands
With ~sltuvels, TO level of after scraper Z I"
laying s~triHgefs, 9 .
llstasl'tE plank, 2
To manage the roller, &c, / {"
Foreman, who lays the plank 4"
Total, IL hands.
+ If the ploughing be very heavy, another
hand may he required ut the plough and
SO also Of the seraper. IF any old st,,n,ps
have to lie removed, OF other grutbing
done, that will be extra and if there be
much of it, it will be found profitable to
construct n sturnp-extractor. On Me
othey hona, IF the 1oad he ak,eady neU
ditched ond tolerahfy gyaae1, u smaiie,
numbey Of hunts Man tceire wiX su6iee.
The foreman ought to he a man of in
telligence, good Judgment and mechanical
ability. Upon his faithfulness, sound
judgment and strict attention to every
minute detail, the character of the road, as
to construction, will in a great measure,
depend. The work cannot be sighted, if
he does his duty. IF he fails to do So, it
may seriously effect the after profits of the
road. ~
As scarcely any grading, comparatively
speaking, will be necessary on the road be-
tween this city aud Clinton, another, and
a strong argument, in favor Of our project
as regards expense in laying the super
structure, &c, is presented in that portion
of the paragraph above, which we have
italicised.
Further along our author says:
A party of good hands, under an expc-
riet,ced foreman, will ditch, grade and lay
,1nrx-,, -, TIN Inet tr,pnr,Ar n, the a tyrfufro
from 80 to 40 rods a day, sometimes more ::
say, allowing for wet days. not less than
half a mile a week at a weekly expense,
probably, Of about q hundred dollars. This
portion of the work, then, ought, under
ordinary circumstances, to cost, without
grubbing) about 5000 per mile.
or the durability Of this description Of
roads Mr.. Owen cites the Syracuse IN. W
road in proof of their caIt neity to endure
constant travel, and the pressure Of heavy
loads, as follows.
It has been proved, OH the Syracuse
road, that t60, 900 teams, passing over its
first 8 miles in two years, wore Dwn the
hetnlock plank (where it rested solidly on
the gro,ud) iach. / believe it would
require 100000 teams to wear white oak
plank down as much. Jf three inch plank
he used, it may be worn down full two in
ches before it need to be replaced. Com
%seguently $50. 900 teams, or say in round
numbers haTa m,liion trims may pass,
owe it before it is worn out d
Mr.. Owen very well remarks that "all
experience proves that the travel ma be,
expected to increase: probably double itself
in the first year. This is a natural con-
sequence Of good thoroughfares. But the
travel is not the only thing that will in
crease. The business of the towns at
each end of the road will be greatly en-
larged--the price Of real estate will ad-
vance-and the population of the towns
and of the country through which this inn
.provement will pass, will be increased in
the same ratio. The country along its line
will become settled thickly with a hardy
and industrious population, drawn thither
by the facilities offered for the %transporta-
ton of their produce to a good market, at
nil seasons, wet or dry, expeditiously and
Il is one of the enterprises which
benefits all classes without injuring or in
terfering with the prosperity of any.
We might multiply our extracts from
Mr.. Owen to a great extent, but the
to which this article has grown
us that we must close. We
shown, in former articles, that no
Plank bond has ever yet been constructed
which failed to yield a handsome dividend
the tock-holders-and that, in most in
they yielded a far larger profit
han any other investment, in a legitimate
business.
To the citizens of our own town, to the
merchants and real estate holders, this
appeals for liberal and energetic
support in language which is never mis-
AIKEN by intelligent men. That it viii be
If great, of lasting benefit, to every class
If citizens there can be no question-for
hat it will largely increase the business Of
he city in every branch, there is no doubt.
The merchant will be benefited because Of
he enlarged amount of the sales Of his
merchandise. Mechanics will be benefited,
or no increase in the business Of a town or
ity can be had without promoting their
nterests,-for the products of their skill