Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-09-05
For the camden Journal.
The Plank Road-Facts.
(COntiuued,)


A Plank Road, or system of Plank Roads,
extending into North Carolina and some of our
adjoining districts, is the only resource open to
Camden to maintain her present comparatively
prosperous state (for it is perverse and dis.
ingenious to deny, that, the business OF Cam
den, however unfortunate the last season, is
improved, and the general aspect of things most
agreeably changed, since the establishment of
our Branch Road) But it is not only in our
power to maintain our ground, but to make
marked and gratifying progress, OF this we are
becoming every day more sanguine. We should
have said the Plank Road is the main, not the
only, means to secure our present position, and
take others in advance; this we may, hereafter,
endeavor to show.
The elements of success are among US
material, moral and intellectual they need
combination and direction. We have pos,A,on,
population, intelligence and wealth, individual
and corporate 100000 of Bank Capital
alone the disposition, we are assured, on
the part of those who control it, to use it with
the utmost liberality consistent with their duty
to the proprietors, in the promotion OF all legl
innate enterprises connected with the interests
of Camden, and the region Of country whose
centre of trade she naturally is. 1t Is dlscour-
anine, we admit, that, these resources have not
heretofore, by combined effort, been turned to
the best account.
But we do not dispar. We shall be con-
strained to unite, aud put forth our energies to
avert impending disaster, and having ac-
compshed that object, will hardly stop with
mere defensive movement, when that itself,
will have opened to our view, wide field OF
competition, in which our advantages, at many
mportant points, will be Obvious. We will
advance and occupy these points, making
them new points de, appui, from which to make
further demonstrations
Are we too sanguine too bold! Let us
see9
Concord is one of the points indicated.
That place and the country around, are about 10
be placed in most advantageous position.
Their trade is being sought by the Ports OF
Virginia, and of North and South Carolina
by Charleston, Richmond, and Wilmington,
her position being about central between these
three and distant from each, about 27O miles,
bv the lines of Rail Road made and being made.
Fayetteville, is distant, by Plank Road, now
making l3O miles from Concord; Danvlie and
Columbia, by Rail Road l30 miles, each, to
Camden is 80 miles to Cheraw 10 miles. At
present, however, there can be no competition be
tween Camden and Cheraw-their River is un-
certain, and to-day, wagons are transporting
goods from Camden to Cheraw, but even
with Rail Road from Cheraw, via Darlington
and Sumter. to Charleston, Camden will have
the advantage of IS miles less of Rail Road
TRANSFORMATION, and Cheraw can only reach
Wilmington by River and Rail Road in 2Oo
miles. We are safe, therefore, against Cheraw,
in the race for the trade Of the Concord
region. -, ~
But, assuming, that Fayetteville, Danvle,
Columbia and Camden occupy The same re'd'
lion 10 he sea and The final markets, can Cam
den successfully compete with these places Tor
the trade of the Concord region! AS to Fay
etteyie, there can be no question; the distance
to Camden, by Plank Road, is 80 miles; to
Fayetteville l30 miles, by the same mode oil
transportation. :,
But, we repeat, can Camden, by 80 miles of
Plank Road compete with Columbia and Dan
vile upon 100 of Rail Road. Upon the solu-
ton Of this question all depends II we can
so compete for the trade in question, then, we
can demonstrate that we can command, States
vile and Wilkesboro' perhaps Salem; GER
tainly Charlotte and Lincoln, and the region
about these points, and all the trade OF the west
bank of the Catawba, nearl y up to the dividing
rid,e between the Catawba and the Broad
River! We can penetrate to the ladkin, at the
mouth cf the Uwhara. We 60 further: we
can command the rich cotton region of Anson
county! These are bold positionss 10 de.
monstrate that they are tenable, we must show
that we can carry and maintain the central po-
sition of Concord We reason thus:
There is no probability that the Rail Koads
will or can, take less, and live, than 5o cents
per barrel for flour to Columbia, or DanVllle-
the charter rates being $l.3O per barrel we
apprehpnd the business Of Transporting tnese
commodities at less than the rates ihoica'eu'
would be abandoned
Now, the toll upon Plank Road, for four
horse wagon, on the Fayetteville Roads, Is =
cents, on some of the Northern as 10" as one
cent We will assume it upon ours a. < Genus
mar mile or 81 50 cents from Concord TO Cam-
lIon A urhorsc team on Plank Road. with
the easy grades attanable on the rIu'e : l1on al
bere to Concord, will draw 6C barrels Oh lour
20 miles per day. The toll, therefore, would
bo m cents per barre--this is all the money the
c'r,',a. v wouId actually pay: his wagon, horses,
"d '"'l'Li I;s own time we know he puts at moth.
:"n '''u "'i Hs would certainly consider himself well
nGJ ot SO per dav, or six for the trip down, or
| paw "' w. ,,,L;,h ,dJnJ to toll ,yonld