Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-04-01

The grades certainly exceed one III fifty, and
the surface, no better than an ordinary road.
"Wc Think therefore, that we are perfectly
safe in assuming i 600 pounds to the horse as
the nett load which can he conveyed on
plank-road with grades of one in fifty, at the
rate Of thirty miles day-this would be iorty
bales for Il te I'M of four miles. But to make
allowance for the wei glit of the wagon and pro-
visions necessary for the team, we will deduct
eight blles-3 200 pounds-l"aving nett LOAD
of tnirtv-two bales OF cotto" OF 400 pounds rach
Allowing 50 per day, which is consi.'"r"" Il
very full estimate for the services oi a'ou:'h"F$|
team, tnrn the 80 bales, l2,SO0 poan,!s, wonlI
b. conveyed thirty miles !oT $3, i'l las the tolls
Estimating the tolls at four cents II mile, would
rive 81 ~ for the thirty miles; or total eX
tense of 81 20 ror l2 so pounds conveyed a
distance o! thirty milcs-cqaal to 10 cents
Il hundred pounds c,r Il distance of lOo miles,
fraction less than 81 cents Il bale. rcgarI
chcuDncss in our country, as the most essen
till element in c:tl,!a'ing the value OF iii In
Drovcd means of intescoa,:nnnlca'Inn. KaIl-
,oaIs, unless they are located OH thorousi'ar2s
anl nanagrl VITA the grcatcst possible econo-
Nv, will nol be able to carry frciShts at the
:i,oye rates; 70: roads Of City niiiy- an. 1ndrr,
the compensation would not ba sufficient to pay
f,r the labor Of loading and IN oadng, aud the
clerks nire for rcccivin. and delivering.
Persons living at distant points from the
plank.roaL would, with fon: tca!ns. bring to the
ro:d load, which wonlI he transferredto one
\. agoa on the plank-roal No material allcra-
tious would be necessary in the wagons Tor the
plank k-road, except the erection OF frame Sill.
iicicm,ly ons to mold from 80 to 33 bales Of cot
ton, and tho requisite proveIdci 70; The team of
nnl:s.
Those who live in the vicinity of a plank
road Or its branches, will he able TO carry crop
to market, in less time and with less Labor, ana
certainly with less wear and tea: ct wagons
and harness, than is now eXpcndr'! III carrying
the sa.ae over forty mile, OF billy and nad;:y
roa,., to Il rail-roaI ,:epnt. 70 such persons,
the saving by plank-road transportation will he
coua to the entire cost o the nil road freight,
with its attendant arayase and nthc" charges.
In hlly countries, p!u ik-roats arc more ne-
cc,sary and advantageous than ii it o:ieS, AMI 1t
i, .o a,all Icccs ,ry to procure SO low gra IL
As ia 81; in iG is in very co'i'mon usc,
aud in ~ may lie used to great advantage.
/: the hill siles only, o! the nppei districts,
were lankrd, ii woul! effect saving, afford
great relief, and prove 'aorc economical III the
end, than the usual repairs bestowed upon tI''
Many persons suppose, that Ill oui 81 -
try, Il double track will be required. few
instances, where the san,! is very !iSh', II "ray
h,. bat this is L rare occur c;,ce. King and
Meeting streets were beds of loose sar,l pr.vi-
GUS to ;,anking the 81 les OF these tho oonghlarrs,
but now. suco the hcavy wagons are co"ii'cd
to the plank-IoaJ, the OHid'iIe portions Of the
street, nave b,coaa SO soli /: to mike COOL
surface 70: fast driving, an. to !';it OF heavI.
| ly loaded wagon passing off an, on the plank
ro;l with little or no Inconvenience.
For the various is we'll is most ar,'rOVc:i
modes of building pl.nk-roa>!s, reference should
be mad, tn Gi.lispic's Alrinal Of the princi pies
and practice of road buildihg. He gives eight
icrt IL, the most approve wi'!tn anI requires
lGO, ,UOu feet of lnnbe: to the 'aile. The cot
IS variously estimated NJ frou s 100 to 81
400 Il mile The grading in lilly countries
constitutes i hcavyitel 4 road from CiIarlts-
ton to Abbcvl. woll'l br about go m,iit> loag.
The grading woul,l necessarily be 5a;, an |
with lumber at 3G, il could be completed, with
track nii,e feet wide, for Sl,GuO, at the out
ii ,e s ,S0D, mile, which COS, will incli" en-.
-imcering. gate huuaa-, %c. from I.iv cxpc-
riencc in such matters, an satisfied that, by
the ii of steam >uw mills, Il co ,tracto" coulI
lay ,.owA lis timber on th> line uI the .isst l5U
,nll,> At Sl,5o per thousand !c>t.
With p2r-on> wh0 Iavc ~; :ril,cte ! on the
aih>ct the first ohjrciioa winch "e. :, to ~ it.
srlI. .yain,. .,lankioA.! ,compare' with ra-road,
is th, iAr,i.r5, l,.loiInt oIlanht rcqiicI t.i'
construction. Thi objection ca>'l, ~: il. 'i:.
,ri, t.,,i ;ry ia :.0i lt:rr nDTc Ii..brr til is
ua,ri IA Ia. construction oi a ",.il.gor, " III
the ,.utioiiity y! t.r ii nht 10: USE, i twice ~
great il Il j,luih Il il Il rail-roal Tie ml;c-
ruI for the former will r,mai a" 10 service
IL ION" rs Il w.i10n wIrri viii pIss >:nootlly
uvcI it, w!;ilt 90 lila latte, the satty of IN hd-
" morn. Aud iIvavy :nlchinrrN Irquiges thi:
the limbr; ,houi'! b. .ca,o,cd on he first >ymp-
lonof ic.ay. The avcraSt durability o. ,'ank-
roa,>, i, from ri,,. 10 tea years, AID it the alr
is cxcI"'cd from thc. Is, they will la..' from Gf-
teen 10 twenty YEAS.
Uincrs, aSair, may urge, that panh-roads
conl'l not thrive Or be supported in tbc vicinity
Jl t,ir railroad. WrIrf,r -nch parson- to the
;.'', :'t"t ih"re az low upwards Of 5000 way
ct, per amnh tim piss the ~iy Nile House,
cr:.r:-. in Charleston; flat cotton aud other
proncc is hauir.isiN'y nile 10 tenn IN wagons,
and snmctimrs from nlachvilIc, mnrty ncs.-
| On =: Good ulank .ruad 4 siaule mule will h,uS