The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-12

promote the construction of Plank Road from
Camden to Monroe in N. c. .This valuable
document was prepared in January 1 65l, was
lost in the mail, and only recovered in April,
1852. For this reason it was never laid before
the public. Itrust,: now that the necessity, is
upon us, that you will publish. it in your next
paper. At some subsequent time, another chap
ter may be added to the history Of Plank Roads,
and the progress f decline and decay in our
Town within the two years which have elapsed
since the date Of the Report. 49,
A SUBSCRIBER. =.
Plank Road from Camden to Monroe, NO.
FEBRUARY, 1851.
The Committee appointed by the meeting Of
citizens of Union county, Lancaster and Ker-
shaw Districts, held at Lancaster Court House
in September last, to report an address to the
country Interested in this proposed Plank Road,
now beg leave to perform that duty.
The improvement of a. country by these roads
is of quite modern origin, and it is fortunate
for the country now proposing to build one, that
We have the light of experience before us, affor-
ded by the works of other companies. From
their operations, we may learn the actual facts,
cost of building, expense Of repairs and working
the road and the profits to be derived,
The Committee desire to be entirely candid in
the facts which they intend to state in their re
port, and to mslead no one by extravagant spec
ulations figures Of speech or strained facts. With
this view they will exclude from the computa-
ton which will be submittcd--the amount Of
travelling done on some of the roads built in the
Northern country, particularly New York; be-
cause the amount of travel done on some of these
roads, neverhas been done in thcSouthern coun.
try: for instance, over ashortroad in New I ork,
$4,000 two horse wagons passed in one year. No
interior town in the Southern country can have
that number of wagons to arrive at 1t in one
year. From all the facts before the country, it
would be extravagant to suppose that over 5O,-
900 two horse wagons could arrive at the largest
of our interior towns, to-wit: Columbia, Angus
ta Macon, Columbus, or Montgomery.
1t is proposition now we'll settled by actual
facts, that every improvement in the mode OF
transportation in country, facilitating and
cheapening the carriage of products to market,
adds to the value Of that country; and enhances
the value of land along tile line of such improve
ment in the first place, and the remoter situated
lands ultimately. This result alone would be
sufficient to pay the cost Of building our road.
But this proposition is more particularly true of
a cotton growing country, which has large,
cumbrous, and in proportion to bulk, a light ar
ticle, to carry to market; involving sthc loss of
much time from the farm, of horse power and
drivers, and the wear and tear Of wagons and
gears. This result, adding to the value Of the
lands has arisen inSevery country where canal
or rail road has bcen built in America; the same
reason will operate in the case of Plank roads,
and the result must be the same.
Taking this point as settled, then every owner
of land along the line ofthe proposed road ought
to lend his aid to it.
Turning from the land owners, the question
to the planters and farmers trading to Camden,
will be, what value is such n road to US?
The road from Camden to Monroe, sixty-fve
miles, consists of very heavy sand for first
ten mcs-amost dead level-c9ually bad in
wet and dry weather. andyery severe on teams
accustomed to clay lands. The rest Of the road
mainly consists of a heavy tenacious clay, par
ticularly above Lancaster Court House, ,withsome
pieces of hard good road, and some beds ofsand.
This clay in wet winter weather, makes a road
that is very dreadful to travel through, wearing
out horse power, and wagons, and gears, and
consuming much time, and sometimes becomes
almost impossible. In March and April 1850,
all travel on it ceased, because Of the impossi-
bility Of getting along on it at all; and farmers
ceased TO bring their produce to market till after
they had pitched the crop ofls5o..
Il, rooJ rvooT1, o1I t;,,,oe
and saves this waste Of time, means and money.
1t will save time to the planter. OnHthe pre-.
sent roads, he hauls six bales of cotton to market
with four horses; on the plank road, he would
haul the same load with tWo horses--a saving
alone of one-half his labor. On the present road,
he would make Is to 20 miles a day, according
to the state of the road-on the plank road, he
could make 80 miles day, steadily and without
failure-a saving Of ons-third in time.
On the present road, he founders or cripples
a horse, or so uses him up, as to unfit him for
service for some time on the plank road, his
animals are always in good condition, and ra
ther improve than fall 5off, on the road. The
wear and tear of wagons and teams on the
present road is very heaVy-on the plank road
it would be mere trif1e. ~-
The calculation allowed from experience
is, that three days in ten is saved in hauling
to market on plank road, double the load
with the same animal power. Theplank road
increases the certainty Of getting to market,
and without accident, and so is equal to an in.
surance. These are "fixed facts" derived from
the experience Of the Fayetteville and Yves.
tern Plank Road Company, now in operation
in North Carolina, according to the Report Of
their President as well as from other compa.
MES
As an example. take aplanter, thirty miles
from Camden, with so bales cottonto carry to
market. On the present road he would make
eight trips-of one day and half to get to