The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-10-08

@ They are more easily kept in repair, and
weld larger aud more certain return to the
stockholders.
3, Produce can be carried over them at least
twenty. five per cent cheaper than on railroads
4. They are particularly adapted to the south
prn States because of the abundance OF timber
here and the character Of the power used
S. They accommodate a larger number OF
peonle. because thev can be carried almost to
every mans door, while railroads cannot.
6. They tend to sustain a loca! poprttlon'
and build up home market iii every neIshDof-
hood which they penetrate.
To these may add that plankroads are bet
Ter adapted to an agricultural country, because
tbev can be constructed and kept in repair by
the planters themselves; and, because the PLAN
1ers can o,cn them and manage thei' SD Us 10
make the transient travel pay the expense OF
carrying their own cotton to market, AMI also
return handsome interest besides.
/ know, Messrs. Editors, that many of your
rountry readers particularly, look upon every
1pan who advocates the construction OF plank
roads rs u braiuiess visinory. They contend
I. That the timber will decay so soon in
this climate, that the road will be rendered
Worthless in few years at most.
2. That the roads will be so narrow rs to be
serfectly useless for all practical purposes, es'
pecially where we have negro divers.
3. That the planters will not trvvel upon
them in consequence oil the !otts charged put
give preference to the common roads.
4. That the country is not sufficiently dense
" populated to furnish either trade or travel
enough to sustain them.
will answer these objections in order.
l. 1t will take no more timber TO build
plankroad than TO lay the superstrueture OF
railroad, aud it viii last at least third long
er upon the former than upon the latter Inc
objection in regard to the decay of timber,
therefore, is much stronger against tie railroad
than against the rlankroads. The weight Is
so immense. that to rerder the former safe snr
heavily laden cars, tubers have often to b''
thrown away before they are half decayed.-
This would not he the case with plankroads
In the northern States the planks used are OF
hemlock-a soft. sappy woodland yet they
last some ten or twelve years. 1t Is On. ia'r 10
conclude that yellow pine will last as long at
the South as the hemIock will at the North. Ii
this be conceded, the question is settled, be
cause, even in the least dense y settled sections
of New York these roads are paying from IA
to 40 per cent upon the cost of their constrnc'
ton, after laying up a reserved fund sui1cieh'
TO rebuild them every ten years.
2. If eight feet be to be to" narrow ior these
roads at the South it will be an easy matter,
in consequence of the abundance OF timber and
the levclness of the country, to increase tne
width to twelve, or even sixteen feet. and still
to restrict their cost within the sum pald tor
their construction at the North. Eight feet at
the North, where the population is much more
dense, is found to be quite ample. The road Is
SO well graded, so we'll draiaed, and kept III
such thorough order. that wagons can turn out
at any point with perfect convenience.
3. Tint planters will not pay the tolls {" en-
Joy the benefits of these rolds. no sane man can
believe Not.liag is r!ainer than that men pnr.
sue their interests, aud ;,t"rs are Just as quick
to discover their interest as any other men.'
4. the iiea that the comfy is not densely
enough populated to snstair smch road is
equally Incorrect Tie roads themselves will
soon supply The neccssarydensity ofp"pulati"n.
'rhi; has b,ea pre.enlinen;y tie case with rail-
roads and canals Tie ,cre.sesl vane of pro-
.perty along the Erie caaAl, WIS more than SUI.
ficient to pay iofits constructions, and this IN
crease was occasionel BY the demand brought
about by the influx Of population.
BLANDING.
~rb. ,oIIs ouJlot amount 10 the wear