The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-05-11
From the Richmond Enquirer.
A few words on Plank Roads.

State of New York Special enaetments have
been made TO meet the circumstances, and hence,
in the western part of the State, private enter
prise has been abundanty enlisted in this species
of improvement. So satisfactory have been the
results, that the neighboring and remote South
ern Suites have commenced to inquire. what are
the benefits which Plank Roads extend and It I
would seem that this improved mode Of COM
munication is likely to become generally intro
duced. As very little has hitherto been pub
lished upon the subject, it is believed that i
would not be unacceptable to many-of the read
ers Of your paper to publish the following ex-
tracts from the history Of Plank Roads in the I
United States and Canada, by W. Kingsford, !
Civil Engineer on Hudson River Rai Road
What Plank Roads do for Cities from aohich thegf
run, and The property through 'ehich they pass.
Those skeptical Of the advantages which Plank
Roads have extended in the short space of few
months, would do well TO examine into the re
suits collected. which he appends in detail In |
deed, the communications leading to and from
cities are paramount in importance for the furth-
erance Of property. A city which has been rem
dered by art of nature accessible on every side !
becomes the centre Of the surrounding country
its magazine and store-house, and The point from
which radiate the impelling causes Of industrai
and agricultural antiquity. Albany has one
Plank Road in connection with the city. Three
Others are projected. The traffic in the direction
of the eleven4nies laid down has increased 10
per cent. Farms lying contiguous to the road
have increased in value twenty per cent from the
acquired facilities of taking produce to market.
The road was only completed in nSeptember, l849
TRoY.-A short Plank Road of two miles and
half leads from Troy to Lansingburg. Since
it has been constructed, the traffic has doubled
between the two places. The people in the
neighboring towns, taught by experience to ar-
preciate the advantages Of Plank Roads, have
lcomnenced the construction Of two new lines
The Lansingburg and Pittstown, miles. The
Washington and Rensselaer,, 26 miles. On both
roads, farmers have taken large amounts of stock
and land has been given with such good will,
that the land damages will not exceed $500 on
etherline
HAMILTON CoUNTY.-Tbe Amsterdam and Fish
House Road, l6 miles in length, open a commu-
nication from this thinly populated county to
the Schenectady and Utica Rail Road. This
Plank Road is to be continued to village nam
ed Worthwhile six miles further, and, although
opened last fall, has already had considerable in
nuence on property.
The value of land on or near the road, has in
creased 20 per cent. The average value Of farm
land is about So per acre, and farmers have com
menced to pay much more attention to them,
since an avenue has been opened for their pro
duce
| .qko E,raa 81 Nax,r, To,,,3 .,,. g., a.,
: small village of Fonda, northerly. along the Ca
yadnta creek end one OF branches. up to lake
Caroga, IN Hamilton county. Before its con
struetion, property at the northern end was not
saleable, from being inaccessible. and any guam
tity of ii could have been bought from fifty
cents to 81 per acre-it is now held at two
! and three dollars
UTIcA.-One hunJred and sixty-three miles q
Plank Road may be said to belong to this city
and converge towards it. These roads, further
connect the city with roads leading to sackett's
Harbour, distance of seventy miles, and Oswe-
2 90. a distance of sixty miles. Prior to the in
i PRODUCTION of Plank Roads, daring the fall and
lspring, farmers could not take to the city loads
, exceeding eight hundred weight. At these sea.
sons. The streets, markets and hotels, would be
= deserted. presenting a painful aspect OF depres
n sion of industry. In fact, it was only in the
deep winter. when the sleighing was good. and
= in the clear summer months, that active busi
!. ness could be relied upon The Plank Roads
s have equalized the seasons. Farmers can come
every day inthe year. There is steady trad,
carried on, and it is asserted, that business ha
! increased 100 per cent.
The streets bear Witness to this prosperity. 70
in all weather they present busting and ami
J. mated appearance Indeed it is on wet day
that farmers often prefer driving to the city, hav
ing little occupation at home in bad weather.
:, Property has increased in value D per cents th
2 population 25 per cent. A new trade has grow
:. lup.
On the Rome and Utica road, property som
few miles from Utica, has gone up % per cent.
On the Utica and Illion road, the sdvance
p laid at Is pei. cent.
erl The Utica, Clinton and Waterville, and th
~ Utica and WaterviIle roads, furnish good il
Is stance of the influence of Plank Roads. Pro-
20 ersy has ad zanced 20 per cent in Watervlle.-
lion the Utica and Frankford road, property h'
! increased Is per cent in value. Rome is the Gel
s Ire Of l48 miles of Plank Road. AS in the ca
ii of Utica, the trade has been equalzed, for the
& is a business for every day in pae year, and !
d amount is much extended. The storage and 70
ID warding business has increased SSB per cen
- while travel 10 and from Rome, and adiacel
& lnlaces has beer doubled Property comman