The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1851-01-15
An0UT PLANK ROADS.


one Of these different projects has, heretofore
proved too ponderous to be both talked over and
acted upon within the space OF time during which
our MUD roads are unfit for use hence, none oithem
have, as yet. progressed beyond the talking point
and. we fear, never will. As soon as the weather
settles in the spring, and drys up the mud so aS
tn make the roads passable, il is astonishing how
speedily all thoughts Of any better imPrOvent'
vanish from the minds Of our enterpnzing fellow
citizens. They put Us in mind Of what some one
says Of the Devil:
1.-THE Devil got sick, and the Devil monk
would be:
The Devil got well, and devil monk was hs''
The periodical talk has again commenced
Some new chartero, we understand, have been
added IL the several that existed before. fol
plank roads from various quarters Of the outside
world to Cadiz. There is one in contemplation
and, as will be seen, very seriously talked about
connecting Cadiz and nlartinsvie; another, the
talk about which is groWing Visibly louder, con-
Meeting Cadiz and Sleubenville, besides several
audible trhispers in relation TO a similar connec.
ton with Uhrichsville, New Philadelphia, &c.
As we think that the consideration Of such
topics, very harmless method of wiling away
the tedious hours OF winter, we here east into the
general fund all the inforE:ation we caE command,
hoping that it may afford additional material to
the stock already on hand, to keep up the talk.
Here is what the Scientific American says on
the subject of making plank roads:
Their Construction. In the most gener
laly approved system, two parallel rows OF
small sticks or timber tcalled ndifferenlly
sIeepers, stringers or sills) are imbedded in
the road, 3 or A feet apart Plank, eight feet
long and 8 inches thick, are laid upon those
sticks across them, at right angles 10 their
direction. A side track ol earth, TO turn Out
upon, is carefully graded. Deep bitches are
dug on each side, TO ensure perfect drainage
and thus is formed plank road.
| Laying them out. In laying out plank
road il is indispensable, in order to secure
all the benefits which can be derived from II
TO avoid or cut down all sleep ascenls.
A very short rise of even considerable
steepness may, however, be allowed TO re-
main, 10 save expense; since horse can, for
short time,. put forth extra exer,ion 10 over
come sach an increased resistance: and the
danger of slipping is avoided by descending
upon the earthen track.
A double plank will rarely be necessary.
No one without experience in the matter
can credit the amount OF travel which one
such track can accommodate. Over a sin.
gle track near Syracuse, 16l 900 teams pas
sed IN Two years, averaging over 220 teams
per day. and during three days 720 passed
daily. The earIhern turA-out track must,
however, be kept in good order; and this is
easy, if it slope of properly TO the ditch, for
il is not cut with any contlnIous iengthwlse
ruIs, but it is only passed over by the wheels
Of The wagons which turn off from the track
and return to it. They move in curves,
which would rarely exactly hit each other
and this travel, being over the earth. tends
to keep it in shape rather than 10 disturb it.
Covering The planks having been pro-
perly laid, as has been directed, should be
covered over ar inch in thickness with very
fine gravel Or pebbles, from which all the
stones OF pebbles are to be raked, SO as to
leave nothing upon the surface of the road
that could be lorced!into and njure the fibres
of the pIanks. The gri, Of the sand soon
penetrates into the grain of The wood and
combines with the ibres and the dropping
upon the road 10 form n hard and tough Gov
efing like ielt, which greatly protects the
wood from the wheels and horses shoes
Sawdust aud ianbark have also been used.
The road is now ready for use.
Laying - The planks should be laid di
rectly across the road, at righ, angles, or
square" 10 its line. The ends Of the plank
are not laid evenly 10 line, but project
.hree or four inches on each side alternately,
so as to prevent rut from being formed by
the side of The plank track, and make il ea-
sier for loaded wagons TO get upon it, as the
wheels, instead of scraping along the ends
of the planks when coming towards the track
obliquely after turning off, wilt, on coming
square against the edge of one Of those pro,
jeeing planks, rise directly upon it. On the
Canada roads every three planks project
three inches on each side Of the road alterS
nately.
Dwobility.--A plank road may require n
renewal, either because it has weFn out Mt
top by the travel upon it, or because it has
been destroyed at the bottom by rot. But, If
the road have travel enough 10 make il pro-
fitabe TO It's builders, it will wear out first,
and if il does, it will have earned abundantly
enough to replace it twice over, MS we shall
see presently. The liability to decay IS
therefore secondary considerations on
roads Of ofimportance.
Decay.-As to natural decay, no hemlock
road has been in use long enough to deter
mne how long the plank can be preserved
from rot. Seven years is perhaps fair av-
erage. Different species of hemlock vary
greatly; and upland timber is always more
durable than from low and wet localities.--
The pine roads in Canada generally last a.
bout eight yenrs,varying from seven 10 twelve
The original TofOnto road was used chiefly
by teams hauling s,eamboa, wood, and at the
end Of six years began TO break through in
places, and not being repaired, was princi-
pally gone at the end of ten yeats. Having
been poorly built, badly drained, not sanded,
and no care bestowed upon il, indicates the
minimum of durability. Oak plank cross.
walks are in Detroit, the plank being laid
fiat as on those Of pine. II is believed thai
oak plank, we'll laid, would last at least ten
or twelve years. One set OF sIeepers will
outlast two plankings. Several Canada
rosds have been relaid upon the old sleepers,
thus much lessening the cost Of renewal.
The reader hav ing knowledge how to build
plank roads, generally is next informed by the