Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1852-01-22

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In his net profits for his produce as much % nc
would over free road---his profits VIII be d.
,ninished Just the amount oil tolls paid. Now pa
ID can Dc proven tat sstes "a, ing tolls tie pro-
ducer will be decided gamer, the wisdom and
sxpeaiency Of plank roads will be manifestly es-i
tablshed.
In the first place, plank road is the cheapest
and hest road that can be built, II takes less
capital to construct ii than any other road. Two
thous md dollars mile is full estimate Of their
cost. II Is easier for the horse to draw II saves
wear and tear Of the vehicles used in the trans
portation Il costs less for repairs than the Nc
Adamised road. A team Of two horses can draw
from four TO six tons and travel on an average
of thirty-fve miles day, upon we'll construct
ed plank road. Thus one team can perform the
labor Of az least four teams upon the ordinary
roads found in this State. The labor and time
il now takes to convey forty bushels of wheat
to the Mississippi river, will take one hundred
and six..;; s1ushhei,s over the plank road. This
shows diminution in the expense OF hauling,
of seyenty-fye per cent, and will not one-half
Of that nav the tolls, and does not the farmer
gain the other half? There are so many articles
Of produce so heavy and cheap that they will
not nav cost for hauling any considerable dis
lance. By plank roads, the facilities Of inter-
course are auCmenied--lhe commodities of COM
merce are greatly increased, and the entire area
Of trade is expanded and enlarged, and the more
50 the better Fer Che owners OK the road and ahe
people,
Again, the effect would be TO increase the
price Of real estate The value Of land is al
WAYS tested by the income it will produce. A
tract of land that cannot be made TO produce
more than will pay for the cultivation, is really
worth nothing, and under such a state of facts il
matters little whether the cause originates il
the barrenness Of the soil, or the absence Of al
opportunity to use with advantage the crop wher
raised. IT'S all the same. A farmer who raj
ses wheat, finds the net cost OF producing i
forty cents per bushel; he must sell it for NOR,
| than that sum or he makes nothing. If it cost
} him ten cents bushel to haul it to market, h
must sell it for more than fifty cents bushel
J or he is not a gamer. The farmer is in the sit
! uation of the trader and merchant. All that h
e produces costs him price; he must sell 70
t more than cost, or he does poor business.
: is the last sixpence that makes the profit; it
3 all important that he get that sixpence. TIL
good road to market and the facilities and advar
tages it yields, secure it to hint makes it Gel
= tain.
The benefits to be derived from these improve
c ments are not confined 10 the farmer. Towr
e and cities, and in fact every branch and ramf
: cation of society are more or less interested
= their construction, and will be the recipients
y their facilities and advantages. The people
e the city purchase produce from the farmer an
q sell him articles that he does not produce hin
d self. The more the farmer has to sell, the mol
e he can afford 10 buy. In proportion as the art
a cles and commodities of trade increase, Just
: that proportion does the city prosper. The il
v terests Of the producer and consumer-the tow
n and the country go hand in hand.