The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-02-15
From Hunts Merchant Magazine.
The First Plank Road Movement.

laness tn the people--tlic plank road will bear
prominent place, aud Il deserves it, 1t change
lls condition of the farmer wherever it is found
II gives thoroushfare, second only to railway
and. IN tins respect, superior to it that it may b
used by all, without beng subjected to the rules
and regulations of others, 20 the time, speed o.
equpage IN which they may choose to travel Il
anni,llttss one Of the sorest evils known to oui
raral fe--an evil which has hthorto made tlru
IN soais--in many parts OF our country an nvol
un,arY heritage ,eciulcl AMI alta nabie only by
Il weary pilgrimage uyer--nc, not over, bot
through roads which seemed 10 have concentrated
all tho evils that could emsarass the traveller a
bad losd Is no longer known where there is a
plsnk road The farmer is brought in the ylcn-
ity Of the village and city, enjoying its dement's
and exempt from lis incouyinienccs.--The penk
rs,d find, its wsy to the forests, first, building
itself from them and then placing the wood trcas
ure into active use. IL aiureS the settler, To re
deem, lands hitherto &c; down as desperate real
estate unreal as to income, and real oniy as To
income md real only Is 10 taxation. Il goes M
ia,o wild lands and ciyzes them. 1t thread, ID :,
cnvirons Of a city with pleasant drives It mag.
niie, the means used by the farmer in taking his
products to market i IS the ruad OF the people
open to AL and like the nation, in whose eI.er
gies It has grown into such favor 1t IL eyets wear
increasing I,s range anj extending is benefits
1t a curious and interesting par,l.: 70 asocr
tain althentisly wha, had been the first move
men,s in tie origin If ans syetsm Of Internal IN
movement VINO would MT be delighted nov 10
have -one faithful view Of the scene which took
place wh-n Clinton and bis assosltes stood arJUnI
the commenced labor Of The Erie CRnsll We are
but Few wears removed from the introduction Of
the railway system and yet, II IA al il historians.
who can tell rs when the very hr,t a'.eEp, wa
made go build railroad The piaak road : o..
ti, class Of canal anI rsrways. ! hey are the
three great Inscriptions craven on the earth by Tho
hand of modern science. never to be oo.llsrtte8
but to grow deeper and deeper, as channels 20,
comfort AMI prosperity. | um fortunately able 10
place on record IL the pages Of tn N,rcbU q
n1JaziHs statement, drawn from d sO4r,g en-
tirrlg accurte, Of the manner in which the FIRST
PLANK road enterprise ori,inated--the first w.,A.u
the limits of the United States. Such structure,
through An imperfect one, had been IN use N Can
ada aud cannot but remark that THIS rccur Is
appropriately placed IN publication devoted ~
the interests OF commerce. For the merchant, o.;
the great City--to their trale--to I'LL and uulade
their -hips--to tighten and 10 burden their ware.
houses, all our canals are dug, our raj, ways bull
doi and not less for them, does the farmer find
in hi. new highway accessible and disable at eve
~ season in the year, the redics, avenue To sci.
10 the merchant and to buy from him. They are
al spring, fee ding the great River of Commerce
anl the cob and the flow vi the tide Of prosperity
reaches them all.
Il was some time IN the summer of 1874 that a
meeting was called and held in the village Of
Salinl. which since that time has become part
OF the important an prosperous city OF Syracuse
to confer in relation to getting Up the stock tur a
plankrold from Sans To Central square, = local
.r no, fur distant, and by the travel On it prrsen
ting desirable opportunity to illustrate the al
vantage or defects 81 the proposed new system
A character had been obtained in tie previous
winter it being much easier for the Legislature {,
,nac, the privilege than to explain the col-truc
tioa--uot Z, { the statute but Of the statute but o
the road. The gentlemen assembled were deeIr
gu. of having good road built bat unfortunately
none Of them had, as yet. ever seen a plank road
and had a very in definite idea Of the mAuntt IN
which il was 70 be- built--Or ii built, what would
be the probable duration, and most important Of
rl what would be the cost.
A gentleman OF Onondaga County (IlunG corgt
tieddes) now rere3enting the tweniy-socond .en
Htorial district in the Senate of New York. al;en
ded the meeting, ana became so interested ia u
proceedings, furseelng the great advantages nm.
benefits which must result from such highways
II they could We chcapy made, and permanently
,o,s,y,..o1 l.t.rr,inrd IN pro,,,d Fl, C,,,Ia
,h,ra An, oyn,ri,,.nt had b.s, .lr.,l, tri.J
and 70 whose wealthy og,mbar sn.h 4 sy...u
w,,,nnronri,i.I
-, Old. .,..,.,. A..
NJ VIZ W %'''' "','' ,,'
us" -. So w. H., ,y
oA',.''a' 80 49, "'r' ~ mn, "'','
pnI'eh'y ~ Wv 'ul' w. .''lI w. , ".' ~,
n,Ty " W P"''e'' "'''''' '' ''''
'''Io"eN'
Tue gates were sold every year 70 the hi5he'
bidder, ami the receipts were on! known 10 The
gate keepers Such a'yStem' 1t was Sece''arl
to remodel before adapting 1t To The u'e OF me
people OF the states lie Inio nation required
u was not easy 10 acquire. As II was govern
men' affair, 1t was specially ana particularly TIA,
business oi every Doly ana no oohy, h"A1 'ou
mlssoners' road makers, ana gate keepers were
al TO be consulted aud ny hhiihS ouI something
from each OF these services the deiales OF the
Canadian plank rold system was at len-.% 90.
tanned, aud reduced INTO a comprehensive shape
Mr Geddes, with the information thus obtained,
applied his facts To ths road concerning whI.h the
movement had been made He stationed mpL at
several points on the proposed line, tha; the
amendment Of travel on the ordinary road could
be aseertained, ani the result determined with
the Canadian theory and practice and his own, be
made an estimate u the costs and the aSa!s, aII