Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-11-11
For the Camden Journal.
PLANK ROADS.

PLANK ROADS.
The hour is upon US, and the citizens OF
Camden and Kershaw must stir themselves to
ensure the great good of Plank Road from
Camden to North Carolina. ltis my firm con-
suit will be disastrous in the extreme to CAM
den, and all her interests,-to her Merchants
and Mechanics of every descrption,-to her
Banks, to her Schools and Churches, to her
men of capital, and to men seeking to make
capital, to the owners of Town real estate,
and to the owners of negroes.
will not undertake to say that this Road
would pay large dividend, and double or treble
the trade of Camden, but from the experience
of other companies we may reasonably, and
in good faith, expect fair rate Of dividend
to be made, when the statistics below are ex-
anned. We may also thereby certainly y retain
our present trade, and with every prospect that
it will increase.
These are the values of such Road to Cam.
den. The trade in the smaller articles of bar
ter andsxchange, must and will be very greatly
augmented and increased, with the necessary
benefit derived from such trade.
Many articles will be brought to market on
this road which cannot now be sent because Of
the difficulty of transportation. Wood and
lumber can be brought from much farther dis
tances than they can now be, and furnished at
present, or even lower prices, from the facility
of getting to market, and from competition.
1t will not do for any one to say that he can
not spare part of his capital from his business
purposes. There is not man in business in
this town who cannot devote from one hundred
to one thousand dollars to this road. He must
regard the road as part of his business, or he
will lose the whole OF it.
Every man should subscribe, according to his
ability, and the value the road will be to him.
better one share than nothing. Show your
sympathy with friends struggling for a COM
mon benefit, by taking one share, if no more.
1t is struggle for the life of the town, and
every share taken in the road, is adding one
drop of blood to the system.
Stand not upon your opinion against the val.
ue of the Road ,-others, the great majority
think differently. Be modest, and yield your
opinion to the " Weight of authority, by taking
enough shares to say that you have yielded,
What then! A Plank Road will be run across
the river from Lancaster to the Charlotte Rail
road, all that trade, and of the country above
it, will be cut off from Camden. Sumter has
nearly left US already and will do so, on the
completion of the Manchester and Wilmington
road. The trade of the upper part of Ker-
shaw and part of Chesterfield and Darlington
are left US. Will that support the present state
Of the Town! Surely it cannot do so. If it
will not, then your people must move off to seek
a living elsewhere, in numbers. If the trade
is lost and the population moves off, will the
Banks remain? For what use9 They cannot
live here. Your schools and your churches
must dwindle into insigfcance. If we cannot
send more than 10000 bales of Cotton from
this place, us would lie true upon the above
state of facts, will this amount of trade pay for
keeping up our present Railroads If not, how
long will the Railroad company be willing to
keep up 80 miles of road, which will be of no
use TO them, and for which they would have to
pay 40 or $4,000 every yearl Iapprehend
we should soon cease to hear the railroad whis-
tie.
If any man, upon this state of facts, can
conjecture where the stopping place OF the
town of Camden, in her descent to nothlngness,
will be, he is more of prophet than am.
We say to our friends in Kershaw and Lam
caster that we do not desire to locate the road
our main interest is to get the road built,--the
route is subordinate consideration to u.s. Sub
scribe literally and you may control the route,
which must be left for those to decide on who
advent IRE their money in the enterprize,-but
this wo say, that we shall be willing to run
branch to any point which will pay the expence.
1t is almost useless to address one word to
the planters and farmers above Camden, re-
specting the value of this road to then In
truth they will have the lions share of the ben.
eft, in the increased value of their LANDS, and
greater ease they will haul their produce to
market A wagon would save on Plank