The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-08-07
(For the Gaxstts.)
ONE MORE PLANK.

| Mr.. EDITOR Your correspondent
friend A. C. F.--seems from his communi-
cation, to be ono Of very numerous class,
/ 10 this world Of ours, numerous still, al
though the day Of their sovereignty has
passed. There was a time, and that too
as late as the present century (and indeed,
i it still exists among the Turks and some
other semi-barbarous nations) when men
and nations acted upon principle which ]
cannot better illustrate than by relating an
anecdole Of an old friend Of minc, very
clever fellow by the way, as are most Of his
class, patchwork enterprise men. Well,
my friend had inherited very good sort Of
house, in the main, large, commodious
pleasantly situated, &c.-from his re-
mote ancestry. The great fault Of this
fine house was, that the roof failed to pro-
tect the fine furnituIe, &c. from the storms.
Now, storms did not last al the year, still
it was very disagreeable to DO wet occasion
ally, besides my friend was in the habit Of
taking boarders, who occupied rooms under
this roof The house being pleasant and
convenient, bonrders were very much
pleased with it during lair weather, bu,
these storms were dsagreeable. Now my
friend upon the credit Of his increasing bu-
siness could have procured shingles enough
to rebuild this roof in full, bu. when il was
dry the root was good enough, and when il
only fixing said roof received was just
before each rain, then you might see my
friend with his hammer and n bundle Of
shingles mounting the roof 10 patch the
holes through which the rain was expected
to pour. But it was always found after the
rain had driven him from bis labors, that
other holes made their appearance, which
of course he could not mend while i, rained,
and they did not require it in dry weather.
Thus things went on until he had used up
the full amount Of shingles which would
have been required to hive made new
and good roof. His boarders had been
driven off by the storms and he became IN
able to support the occasional patchwork,
but was obliged to sell TO an enlerprising
neighbor, who soon made the patched up
she'll beautiful mud comfortable residence
with attractions which always kept it full
and made it good investment.
can enumerate but sixteen States in
which have had an acquaintance, but J
claim nativity in a State which reyeres the
name Of De Witt Clinton for the whole
souled Improvement which he projected
fthe Erie CanaD and carried through
amidst Heterogeneous Of every descrip
ton. Not the least Of which were projects
to improve or patch certain points in rIv
ers aud thus form kind of one horse com
munication. When this gigantic enter
prise was undertaken New York was in its
infancy--in poverty-and in poverty
would it have remained had II not been for
the development Of its resources by inter
nal Improvements.
| If in all the travels Of A. C. F., be can
point me to an instance OF rapid growth and
prosperity in nations, communities, or in
div duals, without enterprise, activity and
effort; will admit the possibility Of the
stand-stiI policy prospecting.
must certainly agree with A. c. +. in
wishing all speed and prosperity to the r
|. g. c. r. r. Blu, who will deny that
the progress which that enterprise has
made, has already brought many thousands
ofcapital into our county, and that as it pro.
crosses towards completion, will continue
to bring US capital until we receive twenty
or more dollars for every one il draws from
US. 1t is in other places, and will he
peculiarly so in this. Such would be the
result Of Plank Roads, build them and we
have something tangible. We have the
roof made that will protect US against ali
storms, and secure revenue. Spend the
same amount Of money in yearly repairs,
and we have nothing to show. Each sue
cessive year creates new necessity (where
are the improvements heretofore made a,
great expense) with an exhausted revenue
to meet it. In this county when we have
permanently bridged, think, the uorh
Of building Plank Roads is nearly compile
ted. When completed, the farmer, even
in the best part of tho season, and over the
best Of the roads, can draw more than dou
BILE the amount at load that he can with
OH, the planks. wil,admit an error in my
former communication, in this, that said
that full load could not be drawn. cor
rec, by saying that il takes but very little
to mako full load for portion Of the sea
son, perhaps less than half, yet think that
n II hac rona much e. rthar n Tho ~