The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-05-06
Internal Improvement.
Plank Roads.

N''' 'sS't !" "hlCH any DINER sNsIem
OF improved roads is as yet totally out OF tie
ques'ion-we give the following extract on
this subject from the report made by George
Geddes, E.q., Civil Engineer, Faifmouni
Onandago County, New York. On large
plantations, where wster or steam power i.
used, and where water is abundant, these roads
would probably pay we'll. even where laid
down Tor private plantation purposes. They
would efieclusily do away. wit the '.hut
deep condition Of the roads on the rich allu.
vial lands 10 winter. and effect saving Of a,
least ninety per cen, in The labor Of ,ranspor.
taiion from the g'n or sugar house 10 the Ian
ding.
Plank roads have recently been in,rodu.
ced into this county. According TO the pa
ten, Office repor, Of January, ls43, they had
their origin IN Russia, and were introduced
into Canada by Lord Sytenham, re beng in.
ducsd to try tho experiment in Consequence
Of the great cost, in the first instance Of Nc.
Adsmzng road and the expenses Of keep.
mg 1t IN repair.
The hrs, road made Of plank was near To.
fon'o. Ihfee miles nearest the city having
been McAdamized, the plank road commen,
ccd at that distance from the city, and was
extended some miles into the country The
plssk food lasted cigh, years, requiring do.
riog 'ha, time merely tominul repairs. The
McAdam road in tha, time required an aoou.
slexpendItufe Of 400 dollars mile in remains:
amounting. 10 three years, to 1900 dollars
mite, sum more than suflicieu, 10 replank
TOAD. When the plank road required a
ne ~ b.tT Il
dug up. and flung on top OF the other half.
and track Of plank eight feet wide was laid
down 10 the place occupied by the stone. II
happened that ! visited Toronto a, the time
the plank road was building, and the eigh,
feet track wss being pu, into the stone road.
The plank first used were | @ feet long and
three inches thick. They had worn out in
the mifdle Tor space about seven fee, wide
the ends OF the plank being entire. The
middle Of the road had settled BY the weight
of hetesms aud loads that lad passed over
H. The s.lls we're sound enough to jnslf,
their use for another covering. saw the
eIgh, feet track IN use, and then expressed
the opinion that, as the narrow road was so
much more evenly pressed down by the loads
than vas the vide road, IL would be hfmer.
and that II more than one eight fee, track
was demanded by the travel, It would be vast.
ly better TO lay two eight feet tracks, than
one sixteen feet, not only because ihrv would
settle more evenly, but that the facilities for
passing would be great, increased. road
.hteen feet vide, experience proved, would
be used IN The middle. A wide load, going
slowly along II, rendered IT very difficult fur
a'ehtcle that was moyIng faster, upon over.
lsking the vide load TO pass II. In making
NY report to the commissi nefs for the dis.
lribution Of the stock Of the Sallna aud Cen.
usl Square Plank Road, at whose, rcque,,
hai VISITED Toronto, for The pu' pose Of Oh.
talnlng Information upon ibis suhlec, | pro.
posed iso eight feet tracks for their road, and
made my estimate Of the cost accordingly.
year later again VISITED Toronto, and to
my surprise long planks were entirely aban
doned. The road, as It was extended into
the country, being made Of single track,
having smoothe earth road to lurn out upon,
alongside Of The plank
The result Of these examinations was that
We determined upon making a SINGLE track
vpon one side Of the centre Of the rond, and
whenever We had ordinary Garth TO grade
twelve feet vide upon the other side of The
centre. Over some lieh, sand we laid Two
tracks, and IN one instance, for d short dis.
lance, We laid sixteen feet road OWING 10 ne.
culiar circumstances SO that We have sin.
gle plaok track on one side Of the road aud
an earth road to turn out upon and we have
Two tracks, four feet apart, of plank and we
have vide plank road. The two separate
tracks Of plank are the most perfect road,
and furnish the greatest facilities FOR teams
to pass. The eight feet track is next in con.
venicacc. for II being on the side of the cen
ire OF the road that gives it to the loaded
team that Is going into town taud the load.
ING is chiefly goins to town. the unoaded
team generally does oil the turning out, while
The loaded team travels on one side of the
centre aud not 10 the middle Of the road
white on the sixteen feet plank the traveller
'ncnes TO keep the centtc, and the slow
movements of the loaded team, 10 turning out,
very generally drives a light team off the
ends ol The plank upon siding ground When
team upon The single track Is oyertaken, 1t
much easier TO pass Il than when It is mo.
wing along the middle of tho wide track for
we sow'going team is on one side OF the cen.
'e' IN the case Of the narrow road, and there
ha twelve feet earth road on the other side
VI 'he centre, for the fast. going team to pass
upon' The only way 10 make the wide track
''eohvenient for passing as the narrow is to
grade an earth road, outside of tho ends of
"e plank, and ,ha, would add to the cost, and
NIKE The road bed so wide lha, It would be
oDlcull to drain i, we'll.
mas been proposed to las,en a scaniling
~" me middle of a sixteen feet tract, lea.
c"s occasional vacancies for teams TO cross
Ivy" one s'de TO the other, as n means Of
Nauklng the LAVAL 49,. 4