The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-23
Plank Roads.

jcct therefore may be presumed 10 be interesting,
we give some particulars in relation TO them. OF
those in New York, the Waterville and Utica road,
nineteen miles long, and costing thirty four thou
sand dollars, has just declared dividend of ten per
cent, payable TO the stockholders ON demand ten
per cent. laid by for repairs
The Utica and Bridgewater road, twenty miles
long, and costing forty thousand dollars pays TWEEN
ty-hve per cent regularly.
The Boonville road pays twenty two per cent
The Waterfowl road pays twenty-fiv per cent
The Forea and Johnson road, four miles long,
and costing eight thousand dollars, pays regularly
fifteen per cent
contemporary remarks, that "there is one
gratifying fact in relation TO plank roads which
cannot be said of railroads, canals, steamboats,,
banks, any similar Stocks and that is, that those
who have been interested in plank roads, and
watched their progress, have learned, by expert
ence, that no plank road has ever yet been con-
structed that proved losing concern to the stock
holders. Experience has shown, too, that the peo-
pie will seek these roads, and will use them; and
unlike many of the railroads, they enterprises
invariably beneficial to the stockholders as to
the public"
In New York, although only introduced in 1916,
between four and five hundred miles, it appears,
have been constructed. The subject is already
attracting great deal of attention in the northern
States, and Supplement to the work of "Gillespie
on Roads and Railroads. has recently appeared
in New York, from which we make some ex-
tracts:
"Plank roads were introduced into Canada by the
Governor General, Lord Sydcnham, who had seen
their utility in Russia. In 1884 the first one was
there constructed, Qeading from Toronto east
ward,) and since then five hundred miles of them
have been there built In the United States, the
one from Syracuse to Central Square, New York,
led the way, being finished in July, 1876 and its
great has already caused the construction of
four or five hundred miles in this State, and the
projection of twice many more in il, and in New
Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, SC.
SIN the most generally approved system, two
parallel rows of small sticks or timber (called in
differently seepers, stringeT, siiis) Embedded
in the road, three four feet apart Planks, eight
feet long and three inches thick, are laid upon
those sticks across them, at right angles to their
direction side track of earth, to turn out upon,
- carefully graded. Deep bitches are dug on each
side, to ensure perfect drainage and thus is formed
plank road.
"LAyINo THEM oUr.-In laying out a plank
road, it is Indispensable, in order to all the
benefits which can be derived from it. to avoid or
cut down all steep ascents.
ga very short rise of even considerable steepness
may, however, be allowed to remain to save ex-
Pense; since horse can, for short time, put
resistance; and the danger of slipping is avoided
by descending upon the earthen track.
"a double plank track will rarely be necessary.
"No one without experience in the matter can
credit the amount of travel which one such track
can accommodate. Over a single track near Sy-
racuse, l6l 900 teams passed In two years. aver
aging over 22o teams per day, and during three
days720 passed daily. The earthen turn out track
must, however, be kept in good order; and this is
easy, slope of properly to the ditch for it is not
cut with any continuous lengthwise ruts, but is
only passed over by the wheels Of the wagons
which turn of from the track and return to it,
They thus move in curves, which would very
rarely exactly hit each other and this travel being
spread over the earth, tends to keep il in shape
rather than TO disturb it.
"CovERINs.-The panks having been properly
laid as has been directed, should be covered over
an inch in thickness with very fine gravel or
pebbles, from which all the stones pebbles are to
be raked, as to leave nothing upon the surface of
the road that could be forced into and iniure the
hbres OF the panks The grit of the sand soon pen
etrates into the grain Of the wood and combines
with the ibres and the droppings upon the road to
greatly protects the wood from the wheels and
horses shoes. Sawdust and tan bark have also
been used.
The road is ready for USE
"LAyIso.-The planks should be laid directly
across the road, at right angles, or square, to its
line The ends of the planks are not laid evenly
TO line, but project three four inches on each
side alternately, as TO prevent a rut from being
formed by the side of the plank track and make Il
easier Tor loaded wagons TO get upon il, as the
wheels, in5tead OF scraping along the ends of the
planks, when coming towards the track obliquely
after turning of, will, on coming square against
the edge Of one Of those projecting planks rise
directly upon it. On the Canada roads every three
planks project three inches each side Of the road
alternately.
"CosT-The Syracuse and Central SQUARE plank
read miles, cost ,4s7 per mile with timber at
IS 20 M. Ii has single s feet track, except over
a few spots OF yielding sand. The Rome and o.
wego road o. miles, cost $50 900, or about 8 300
per mile; lumber costing from 81 TO & PERM II
IL OF eightfeet hcmock plank, three 10 four inches
thick; with grades cut down 10 I in 20 near Rome
and at the western end where ii is more billy, to
IN lo2. The Utica northern road, % miles, cost
$4,000, (besides 5000 for the right of way over
turnpike,) being $4,000 per mile, five miles being
a new line cut through woods, at extra cost for
clearing OF $500 per mile. Deduct this, and the
average cost would be about s 800 per mile.
short road near Detroit eight feet wide, laid on
travelled roadway, cost, with lumber at SO per NJ,
8 500 per mile.
"DuRABILITY.-A plank road may require a re-
newa, either because il has worn out at tor by the
travel upon IL, or because il has been DESTROYED at
bottom by rot But, If the road have travel enough
TO make profitable to its builders, il will out
hrst and II does, il will have earned abundantly
enough 10 replace IL twice over shall see pre-
sentiy The liability TO decay is therefore second
airy consideration on roads Of importance.
EAn;-Ihe actual wear is, Of course, proper
toned TO the amount of travel. The most definite
results have been obtained the first New York
road-that from Syracuse 10 Central Square. In its
hrst two years, ending July, lsas, more than l60-
wv PaSScu ONef Jus nrst eight miles. This
travel wore its hemiock plank down one inch where
they had not been hoated. Another inch could be
worn down before The projections of the knots
would make II necessary 70 relay the road, that
would have borne the passage Of 800, 600 teams.
But this n an under estimate, inasmuch as the
wear and tear Of the first year is more than that of
several following, since the first travel upon the
road tears of the outer splnters and fbres croas-
cut by the saw, while the coating subsequently
formed protects the plank from wear. Upon a
canada pine road, travelled over by least 50 two
horse teams per day, 10000 per year,) the road
had worn down in two years only one quarter Of an
inch; and this, too, was attributed chiefly 20 its
exposure the first year without sanding II was
estimated that sanded plank on this road would
wear at least ten. Oak would, of course wear
longer
'DrcAr.-As to the natural decay, no hcmlock
road mas been in use long enough TO determine how
long the plank can be preserved fromtot Seven
years Is perhaps fair average. Different species
oil hemlock vary greatly; and upland timber is al
ways more durable than from Tow and wet local..
ues. The pine roads in Canada generally last
about eight years, varying from seven TO twelve.
Inc original Toronto road was used chiefly by
teams hauling steamboat WOOD and at the end Of
nx years began to break through in places, and
not being repaired, principally gone at the end