Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-05-23

roo; then, win a plough and strong
team, TO mellow the track on the side
intended TO be planked, sufficiently wide
to receive the same. Along the loose
mellow earth, trenches are then dug
with hoes, to receive the sills or bed
pieces for the plank-these are scant.
ling of sound wood, about by or s
inches, two in number and so placed
that the wheels of wagons will pass
lengthwise directly over them, and not
unlike the stringers, in the superstruc.
ture Of railroad. The dirt is then lev.
eled smoothly and evenly with the top
of the sils, upon which is laid trans
versely the planks. These shonld not
be less than eight feet in length, and
from eight inches to two feet in width,
(but very wide ones are apt to warp)
and about three inches in thickness
Care must be taken TO get the silIs and
earth leveled or evenly graded, and the
plank closely laid. This last can best
be effected by two persons giving the
planks swinging motion before drop
ping thus "driving home" each success
i've plank against the others laid down.
When thus laid, the top of the plank
should be several inches above the
level of the old road. Do not fail
to finish by ploughing and scraping
from the bitches at the road side, so as
TO raise the dirt at the ends of the
plank several inches higher than the
plank themselves, and with a half inch
or inch of dirt upon them also. By
this means, the plank are securely held
in their places, from moving sideways
by driving on them, or "shucking" as it
is called. The ends are hid from the
weather and sun, and thus rendered
less liza BILE to crack, and consequently
will last longer. All the crevices will
be filled with dirt, making the road
more compact, and no difficulty will &C.
cur in drawing off or on the plank al
at turnings out. To complete the road,
a good gravel, sand, or clay track, (as
the nature of the soil will permit.)
should be made upon the other side of
the road, and next adjoining the plank
This is for teams to turn out upon
when meeting; but as the plank will or
dinarily be driven upon, this side track
will become grassed or turfed over in
part; and 10 this end, we see the sowing
of grass seed on the same has been re-
commended.
Thus you have plank road complete
in good running order, which will last
from eight to ten years or longer, &C.
cording 10 the amount of travel. In
fact, the road so made will never rot
out, but will last till worn out by the
action of wheels and horses feet.
Giving The road gentle inclination
or pitch 10 the side nearest the ditch,
has been recommended, for the purpose
of draining off the water in a rapid
shower. But this is needless, for soon
after the road has become settled and
compact, and at the first shower, send
few hands with hoes, TO open little
passages or sluices through the ridge of
dirt at the ends of the plank, wherever
water collects on the track. In this
way, you obviate the difficulty of al
ways running with one side of your
wagon q little lower than the other
Remember and leave your road with a
COOP substantial ditch upon each side,
particularly where the ground is low,
and the nature of the soil wet.
8. Oftheir cost, 9-c. The IL miles of
the "Milan and Richfield Road" before
mentioned, cost about $4,000, and has
paid from % to 35 per cent profit. The
Norwalk road, leading from the village
of Milan, through Norwalk, the county
seat of Huron county, six and half
miles, and built in the summer and
fall of lS49, and cost little more than
$1,000. This is the best built plank
road in the State, and fully equal to any
in the State of New York, and was
constructed in the manner above de-
scribed. There were some heavy gra-
ding and embarkments in this road
But the whole cos, is less than $4,000 a
mile. 1t has been in operation six
months, and will doubtless pay large
dividends--25 or 80 per cenl-wilh a
reserved fund for repairs.
In the State of New York, there are