Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-01-25

we nn0 IN the last number OF the
Cannclton Economist, communication
to the editor from the pen of Hon.
K. ID. Owen, on the subject of Plank
Roads. Mr.. Owen thinks that Plank
Roads, in the present stage of progress
and population in the western country
are more suitable aud profitable than
railroads. He also thinks that .'single
track Plank Road, (which is said to an
swer every practical purpose except in
the immediate vicinity Of populous ci-
ties constructed over an average line of
country, where timber can be had at q
moderate price, and where there is no
unusual expense of excavation or bridg-
ing, can be completed for from $500 to
$1,000 per mile, if the management of
the work be judicious and economical;
at any rate for $4,000" The following
extract from the Detroit Bulletin is given
to show the advantages to be derived by
the public from plank road:-N. A.
Bulletin. ........ ....,..s.-... q. ssaas.
"Scientifc experiments have proved.
that the same power required to move
one ton in a common lumber wagon on a
level earth road, will more the same wa
gon with a load of four and half tons,
on level wood surface. One ton is the
average practical load for two horse
team over tolcrably level common road;
it follows that the same team can, with
equal ease, draw load of four and
half tons on a properly graded plank
road. Practical results have proved
his true; for four to US is now tho usual
load for a two horseteam on all plank
roads where the lands surface has been
lie eveled TO practical grades #raw .H
Mr.. Owen then goes on TO say: n
by the general plank road law of our
State, the toll per mile. of two horse
team, is not to exceed two cents. The
practical result is then, that by paving
two cents mile, two horse wagon can
quadrnple his load. Or, we may make
out the measure of advantage thus: sup
pose plank road Fifteen miles long, the
charge for hauling goods or produce over
"a common turnpike that distance, let us
put at ten cents hundred, though in fact
over most of our country roads, it con-
siderably exceeds that amount. Then
before the plank road was constructed, a
farmer or other wagoner, could convey
along this road at each trip, one ton, re-
celving for lis conveyance, f,Co dollars,
and paying no toll. On the plank road,
at one trip, he could convey four tons, re-
ceiving at the same rate, eight dollars
and paying thirty cents toll; netting there
fore, ,-seUen dollars and serenity cents
Or course, in practice, the rate of haul
ing over plank road would not remain
the same; the actual result would be that
the rate would fall to about one third
what it now is. The effect direct of
this would be to raise, to the farmer, the
value of his produce by facilitating its
transportation to market; and to lower
the price of the store goods he may buy,
by diminishing the cost of lransporta :
tlon upon them. ....... ,,,---..,,.l..-s.a.
Mr.. Owen speaks ofa proposed plank
road from Mt. Vernon to New Harmo-
ny, also one from Evansville to New
Harmony, &c. We quote:
"A company is already organized, aud
stock subscribed. to constructa plank
road from our county seat, Mt. Vernon
TO this village, New Harmony; and the
citizens OF Evansville have resolved to
organize another for the construction of
similar road from their town to this
place. We, on our part, have subscrib-
ed, in our village, $4,000 towards the
continuation of the road hence west
cross Southern Illinois, by way of Car
mi. McLeansboro. Mt. Vernon, Nash
vile and Belleville, TO st. Louis; the dis
lance hence to ST. Louis being about l34
miles, and hence to Evansville 26 miles
making the distance from Evansville
to 81. Louis l60 miles. l do not doubt
that company will soon be organized,
under the general plank road law Of IL
llhois, to complete the entire route. o
On this road we cannot of course, APP
proach railroad speed. Let a stage
c coach or an omnibus car start at four o.
clock in the morning from Evansville,
and reach st. Louis at twelve O'Clock
the same night. and this is much better
than steamboat time. A four horse om-
nibus would convey along plank road
20 or 80 passengers and their baggage
and would pay well charging each pas
senger from Evansville TO St. Louis, 50
for the trip, which is under steamboat.
rates."
MIR. o. concluded his communication
thus:
..lf such road caused the land on
each side of the line along which it runs
to advance in price, if within one mile
81 per acre-if within two miles. so cts
per acre--if within three miles, 25 cents
per acre; and it cannot be reasonably
doubted thatit would cause much grea-
ter average advance than that, then the
increase in the price Of land would ov-
erpay. by three or four huadred dollars
per mile The cost of the road"
" The California members of Con-