The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-09-24
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1851
Dubuque ana Sageville Plank Rosd.

Dubuque and SagevilIe Plank Road.
1t is gratifying to notice that operations have
been commenced on this important work. On
under the direction of the engineer, Mr.. Joseph
G. Jennings. Here we agair reminded OF
a class Of improvements which further bespeak
our prosperity, and which must he regarded as
important tributaries to our future. Next to
railroads, plank roads are of the first Importance
as mediums of travel and conveyance, and,
wherever introduced, arc found to be sources OF
actual wealth. In New York, Pennsylvania,
and those other States where large investments
have been made by joint-stock companies, 1t mas
been ascertaincd that the stock in such improve
lnents is Of the first class and. never fails to
realize to the holder fiattering dividend. 1t
has, moreover, been ascertained by successful
experiment, that the extension OF plank roads
in directions comparatively unnvstlng, has re-
suited in giving effective encouragement and
impetus to improvement in that quarter, and
making them sources of the most desirable
speculation. Nothing will more certainly en-
hance the value of real estate than plank roads.
Tire facilities which they afford for easy, safe,
and comfortable transit to and from the city at
all times and during all kinds of weather, make
the lands which border them most desirable as
selections for country Seats where, after the
labor of the day is over, the pent-up citizen may
seek rcfrcshment from the invgorating lnhala-
tons of pure and bracing atmosphere. These
facilities bring the man who lives within five OF
SIX miles OF the town as near to it rs he was who
/ lived within two and three miles before. They
strip travel of I'LL the burthcn attending it on the
old roads, and reduce it to the simple considera
ton of distance only. And thus it y, that tho
farmer who had heretofore to employ tour, six ,ant
eight yoke of oxen to haul his produce to mar
ket, can now (supposing the existancc OF thes'
faciIt,es) do the same labor with one-thrd tn,
number, and be much nearer market Bnt how
inquiries the farmer, do you thus bring US neare
the market? The answer is, by making thu
market at all times accessible How often I'll
we hear our farmers complain, that they canno
get into town with their produce because of tn
wretched condition of the roads. The planl
road effectually obviated the ground of sucl
complaint, and places the time Of attending mar
ket at the disposal of each individual, accordin!
as convenience or necessity may direct VIVA
is the inevitable result of all these palpable ad
vantages' The facts themselves suggest tn
reply, and experience demonstrates its truth
The result is, that property which lies along
plank road is regarded as possessing superio
convenicnces, as holding out superior induce
mcnts, and, as consequence, is held at valu
greatly paramount to that which, in all other re
spccts, may be fully, if not more than equal w
hope to see the attentions of our citizens, both il
town and country, directed to the multiplication
} and extension Of these improvements, in ever
direction, and on a scale commensurate wit
the energy and enterprise which just now seem
to pervade our community.