Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-02-20
THE TIMES
Flank EsOaGs--Their Utility--
cost, construction, &c.
For the Times.

For the lines.
Mn. GREEN: As the community are
being awakened TO the Importance Of
internal mprovcment-a thorough sys
tenn of which by deve loping her mex.
haus,ible mineral and agricultural re.
sources-can alone place Missouri 10
that proud position among her sister
states for which she is destined, and as
plank roads are something new in this
section of the country, and it is mol
probable that all are in possession of in
formation, as TO their utility, mode of
construction, cos, and profit. we hope
tha, it will not be thought arrogant in
US TO offer few remarks upon this
subject.
This is an age in which the rapid
strides Of Improvement have brought
the most improved machinery and eco.
nomical power ofs,eam into direc, com.
petition with animal power-the latter
has in almost every instance yielded to
its more successful rival-nor is il pos
sib!e in any instance for the struggle to
be maintained when animal muscles are
left 10 contend with natural defects
As well might the planter expect to
thrive by employing his fingers TO pick
his cotton, rather than the wonder
working cotton jenney-or the black.
smith expect 10 grow rich by hammer.
ing out nails upon his anvil-as for the
farmer 10 expect TO prosper while his
produce hauled 80 or 40 miles over bad
roads is brought, in competition with
that conveyed by railroads, canals or
plank roads.
And as case in point, showing the
importance eff good roads both TO indi.
viduals and nations, we would remark,
tha. England in all her greatness is in
debied not more TO her navy than to
her excellent roads, by which her far.
mers are enabled at the expense Of but
little lime, or labor, to get their produce
10 market from the remotest parts of the
kingdom. Thus equalizing the agricul.
tural profils-insuring to the consumer
a constant supply, and by preventing
the fluctuations and monopolies Incl.
dent 10 former aeta-imparling life
and vigor 10 every department.
Ii is historical fact, that as late as
1855, such was the miserable condition
of the roads throughout England, Qike
unto ours that provisions often ro,led
upon the farms, though only a few
miles distant would command the most
eIorbilant prices, The result was that
while the lands Immediately contiguous
to their cities commanded the most ex-
travigant prices, those removed only a
days ride were not worth cullivating
and remained desert wastes.
Is it not evidently the same cause
that makes lands within miles of ST.
Louis, worth from $50 TO 300 per acre,
while those in Howard county, of the
same quality, are only worth from So
TO So! or TO bring this question more
directly home, what else but this makes
the lands within miles of Glasgow
worth s25 TO $50 per acre, while those
within the same distance of Fayette are
only worth from $40 TO $l2l That
we may the more clearly see 4 e opera
ton of this cause, we would state a facI
we'll known to every farmer; that &c
haul hemp from farm 6 or 8 miles be'
yond Faye.te to Glasgow is worth sc
per ton, this would be TO the farmer
raising yearly crop Of rs tons, equiv
alent 10 a direct tao of s45O. Thi!
would enable the farmer living within
few miles of Glasgow TO realize from
the same amount Of labor, as mucl
money as the Fayetie farmer, and also
purchase annually, from his neighbor
Is acres of his farm at S25 per acre
This would Of itself, in short time
amount TO princely fortune.
The difference. as is well known, be
tween the price of produce al the pro
ducers and the consumers is principal
ly the cost of carriage; il therefore be
comes evident, that if by any means W
diminish this cost three fourths, we en-
hance the value of the farmers produc
nearly this entire amount, and this ob
: iect we hold, plank roads are admira