The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-07-05

lhah the Otheri which, while il effects n
saving OF timber, is at the same time an.
advantage from the facility it affords in
turning curves, by putting several wide
ends OF butts together in succession
The thickness of the planks varies on di(-
ferent roads from three to four inches,
though the former Is much the most COM
mon The stringers are pretty uniformly
ioar inches square, and any convenient
length from fifteen to twenty feet. and
SIMPLY laid end to end without any splic-
ing or fastening. In some instances planks
three inches thick and twelve inches wide,
have been recommended and adopted.
but the four inch strnger is much the
most common, and appears TO answer the
purpose well, as little reliance is placed
upon She stringers for the bearing.
Two men place the plank in its place,
and third standing upon it, with a hea-
Wy wooden maui made of sound piece
of timber two and half feet long, and
eight inches thick, with o pin through
one end tor a handle, strikes the plank II
blow upon its edge in the middle to drive
it up to its fellow. Then three or four
blows are given upon the surface of the
plank at different points, when it becomes
firmly and accurately settled down to the
stringers, carrying with it the earth whicl,
had been filled above the strngers, and on,
which the plank now mainly depends for
It's support. One more blow on the edge
OF tire plank finishes the operation, by
which time another plank is ready, and
the process is rapidly repeated. Each
plank Is alternately laid in and out, or
JuttIng past each other about three inches.
for ths purpose of assisting the wheels to
rise Hpon the road in the event of rut
being formed at the ends of the plauk.--
Fbe pIanks, however, are all cut the
same length, and are either delivered up
on the ground eight feet long, or sixteen
feet If the latter, they are piled up and
sawed IN two with cross cut saw.
'The timber used is Uniformly hem
lock, which Is cheap, but very imper-
feet timber. Besides being exceedingly
knotty, It is soft and exceedingly porous,
absorbing water almost like a sponge;
which, unGer these circumstances is very
prejudiciaI to its durability. The est.
mate OF its durability in Plank Roads is,
however. seven years; which is about all
we could expect Of good heart pine in this
climate.
'ln order to facilitate the escape Of the
water that falls upon the read, the pIanks
are laid with an isefnatiom towards the
ditch, on that side of the graded road on
which the plank are hid, Of two inches in
six feet, OF say three inches in the length
OF the plank, so that all the water that
does not fail immediately at the Joints, is
condNcted OIL at the ends. 70 effect this.
" straight edge with carpenters cvcE
properly adjusted to it. is used in laying
down the stSingers, the ends of it RESTING.
upon ether stringcr and their respective
elevations arranged accordingly.
''Now follows The filing IN of earth at
the ends OF Che panks necessary to keep
them from moving lateraly-as they are
not attached TO the stringers by any Kind
OF tastcnlng whatever; ut iher spikes, pins
or anything Of the kad beiug necessary
and to facilitate driving upon and of the
road. This filling is commonly raised Il
bout three inches at first above the planks,
so that when it becomes thoroughly set.
tied and compacted by use, it will be at
least as high as the ends of the planks -
If it should settle below this attention
must Immediately be given to RESTORING
the proper elevation by the addition Of
more eayth. A slope on the ditch side
ShouId be given of about three inches to
the foot. The earth which is used in the
tiIhng m may be obtained from the bitches.
The bitches are, Of course, an essential
part OF the work, and all the care and ex-
pense bestowed IN hrst opening them, and
afterwards keeping them clear and in or
der, will be amply repaid; and on no ac-
count must this be neglected. They
should be two feet wide on the bottom,
and two feet below the top of the pIanks.
son that side of the graded road rot
occupied t,y the plank, good earth road
must be made resembling in contour the
side Of the road laid with plank-ditch
- and. all. This, of course, is intended to-
apply where single plank track is used;
and 1t will be matter, ofsurprise with all,
Iventure to predict, On first travelling on
plank road as it was with me, how
completely and conveniently single track
accommodates large business. | could
discover no Hfore Inconvenience in vehi-
cles passing each other than in The streets
OF Macon. Fhis had appeared to me
great difficulty and objection to a single
track, and | was surprised to find how
little foundation it had, in fact, and how
we'll single track answered all demands
upon it. The great bulk Of travel being.
upon the plank and the earth road being
only used TO turn out upon, it has little
tendency to cut up and become rutted, as
it will seldom happen that a vehicle in
turning out will take the exact track of a
previous one.
"Some Of the roads leading from the
principal marts are laid with double
track for a distance of three or four miles
but, even here, the second track might
apparently have been dis Densed with with
out any Inconvenience. When double,
or second track is laid down, it is simply
aduplicate of the first, and has no direct
connection with it; a space of from two TO
iour feet is left between the two, which il
filled with earth raised little above e-
ther track.
'tThis is obviously, as a general rule,
preferable to doubling the length of the
panks and laying the two tracks in con-
nection. There may be cases, however,
where this course might be expedent"
The experiment thus far has been emi-