Democratic banner., 1851-05-28
LOUISIANA.
H PLANK ROAD.

ence, in regard to the improvement Of roads,
a few weeks ago the public mind seemed FULLY
prepared to begin the construction Of ?. plank
road from this point to Middtetown. They had
begun, we thought, TO appreciate its advantages,
and were therefore ready to enter upon the work
with a zeal and determination commensurate with
the undertaking, and adequate to its successful
completion.
1t must 64 apparent to the merchants and
business men Of Louisiana, that her prosperity
in future will chiefly derend upon her trade with
the surrounding country. Hannibal is stretch
ing out her arms, endeavoring to embrace within
her grasp as large a district as possible. Blythe
Improvement Of roads, even good dirt roads, in
the absence of any thing better, she has already
secured to herself a large portion of country
which, with the same advantages terminating at
Louisiana, would unquestiUnably choose this as
the point for its business. A large portion Of
Galloway. Montgomery, and Audrain entire, q
part Of Monroe and Lincoln, and a much larger
part of our own wealthy and enterprising coun-
!ty, would pour into Louisiana their trade, It the
channels Of communication were such as to in
vits it here. 1t needs no argument to demon.
strate these plain and undeniable facts. With
all the embarrassing Obstacles arising from bad
roads, rendering it almost impossible at times
for the farmers to bring their produce to market
here, it must be admitted that our trade and COM
MERGE have increased in an almost incredible ra-
ito in the last few years. And as they increased,
SO in the a proportion has our population ad-
vanced. New channels Of industry have been.
opened, and new sources of wealth discovered
in the varied avocstions, demanded by the inn
proved state of affairs. Whatever of prosperi-
ty, however, Louisiana enjoys, she must gener-
Ou,lv and justly sscribe it to natural causes,
and not to any e~xertions of her own.
We had hoped when this opportunity wa, pre-
scented to ensure forever the trade adjacent to-
this route, lying as 1t does, through an exceeding
ly rich and fertile country, and destined in a
short time to become deDsely populated, that cur
merchants, and others with capital, would come
up TO the work with ~alacrity, and subscribe the
means necessary for its construction. The City
Council did their duty, 10 seconding the unan-
imcus wishes of the people, BY the subscription
Of twenty thousand dollars stock. 1t was a lib
eral subscription, and indicated to our mind .
proper spirit of improvement, that would never
rest until the road should be built. In this we
were disappointed. When the books were open
ed, and the time for private subscriptions came,
instead of ten Thousand dollars, which was re-
gardsd BY all as the lowest sum to be expected,
we find but tpO individuals in the city willing to
subscribe one cent. Owners Of real estate, and
those engaged in buying and selling, see the ad-
vantages to be enjoyed by them, in the enhanced
value of their property, and the great extension
Of their business. They have the surplus capi-
tai to invest and talk eloeuently Of the advanta-
ges Of the road, and tell their neighbors how
profitable stock, invested in such an enterprise,
must be. But when the time comes for action,
these men are found wanting.
1t is greatly TO be regretted that such a dispo-
sition has been manifested in regard TO this i'm
pOrtant Improvement. The farmers Of the cOun-
try were ready to assist in the work. They
know its benefits to themselves, in the increased
facilities they would enjoy for getting their pro-
duce to market, and the general impetus it would
give to agricultural industry. But those most
directly interested, and who would reap the most
certain profits, have Jagged, and consequently
the enterprise, we fear, is to be abandoned. It
is abandoned, too, at a moment when it must
prove most inauspicious to our town. Without
some effort on our part to extend the area Of trade,
to invite the products of the soil, and thus in
crease the demand for the goods and wares Of
the merchant, and the craft of the mechanic,
Louisiana can never improve. In that event,
we may now date the zenith of her prosperity
and enterprise, her population and
These things should be duly considered BY
those who own real estate here, and have any
interest Whatever in the future growth Of the
town. A few hundred dollars iudiciously spent
at this time, in extending arms of communities
ton into to the country, will soon return to the
capitalist with 9 ten fold interest. Then whyI
such adsgree Of indifference? Isthere M nub.