Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-08
FOR TIE ADVERTISER.
Plank Roads-What they do for the
Farmer

|
Nix EDITOR As the Advertiser is medium
for the communication Of ideas and information,
permit me- through its columns, to tell to your read
e1s, what think and know Of the Plank Road sys-
tenn system which, though successfully tested in
onr own District, has not yet received the favor and
tcrests demand There those among us, whose
incrcdulity or want of observation veil from their
eyes the truth and they still regard this system Of
improvement as one Of tho chimcras OF the times,
| or us one Of the meteoric humbugs Of modern pro-
gresssts. There are men in all communities, whose
mental oblquity and narrowness Of purpose, keep
them in the Of great and beneficial results until
faster and more expansive minds have established
their truth by hazardous experiment and practical
success. Such skeptca obtimista c,ist in this COM
munity; individuals who decry every thing that
savours OF improvement as the abortion Of I" Young
Americas" progressive genius, and oppose it with
all the violence Of envy and fogyism. This class
of citizens are usually denominsted :" Old Fogies,"
mot because they arc old men, Iapprehend, but
because they read old books Il love old books or no
books at all, and pertnscouDly adhere 10 old prn-
ciples and antique customs. They live in error and
are one Of the retarding element, 70 human ad-
vanc-msnt; they are drones in society, and ,hei,
bsh.ng influence 10 manifest .upon the manly
struggles Of every laudable enterprise. II were a
waste Of time 10 attempt the hrrculean task Of re-
moving the optical scales that hide truth from these
interesting specimens of the genus homo; they are
{ joined unto their idols" and with them "Iet Ma.
ture take it, COURSE"
It is to the doubtful, the timid md the active
friends and staunch believers in Plank Reads that
would speak. would convince tho doubtful; dis
pei the fears Of the timd, and encourage the ad-
ranced and enterprising few mho are already en-
gagged in the good work.
am no enemy to Rail Roads. So far from it, /
hope to see every Road now projected in the State,
completed and in successful operation. In politi
cal and Commercial point of view, Rail Roads arc
far-rrry far superior to any and all other systems
of in:ercommunicatinn, travel and transportation; !;
but for social and agricultural purposes, Plank
Roads claim superiority, and they infinitely Of
greater utility, convenience and advantage to VII
lagos and farming communities through which they
pass, than any Other systc,n Of road-making yet
presented 10 our understanding.
have had occasion TO give some attention 10 the
history, construction. and effect Of Plank Roads;
and the result Of my limited Investigations, has been
to impress upon my mind three important truths:
First, that Plank Roads are cheaper construction
and repairs than any other system Second, that
they enhance the value Of I'D accnt landed interests
in greater ratio, and enable the planter to realise
greater profits than ,ln any other Road and lastly
that they pay better dividends 10 Stockholders than
any other Roads, These are the rulrs-,here may
be isolated exceptions.
Departing from the usual sermonical order Of
discussing ,hrce-fold subject, propose to vndi-
cate the second truth only in this papcr-namcly,
that Plank Roads tend in greater degree to ap-
prcciate landed property, and are of greater and
more general utility to the farmer, than Rail Roads
are Il can institute compaiison with no other
system, because we have no other among us except
the old fashioned mud road) -
1t has long since been'acceeded' by all observing
men, that land increases in value, corresPondingy
with the increase of facilities for the transportation
of the products of the soil Ito market; and tlls,
take it, is rule that has no exception where tho
soil will sprout peas or produces whnrebc,rics: for
if it holds good in one case it must in ALL If then
the facilities afforded the planter and the andhodcr
for the transportation Of their produce to markct
and their supplies in return by the Plank Road, are
equal to the facilities acquired by Pail Road, the
appreciation, or enhancement of the value Of their
land n,ust be in the same ratio. But Plank Roads
confer domestic or local advantages, which the Rail
Road does not, over and abnvc the marketing con-
venicncc, that materially effect and influence the
prices Of real estate, shall presently proceed to
show.
Rail Ro9ds are sminently useful in their peculiar
and most natural sphcre-the shortening of d;Stan
COS md the annihilation Of time. They often Of
ncalculable advantage to the Cities, Towns and
Villages situated at their tcruIini. To the Manu-
facturrr they furnish the cheapest means for the
transportation Of his Machinery, Co,tons, Coths
and Cassimercs; and to the Merchant they are Of
very great utility and convenience. In the COM
mon course of trade, he necessarily accumulatrs-
at short pcriods-large quantities of produce and
merchandise in his Stores. and the frequent changes,
and rapid fluctuations O PRICES tcqurothat he should
have the convenience Of quick transit, and rapid ex
change in order to enable him 10 realise profitable
yield upon the hazard Of his capital. And to the
modern travellers peace and comfort, they are
l.. nd hal b;, lair
amid a constant sash-cra.h uproarious-rush hther
and thithcr; and he il borne along in confused
train ofthuught, rs fast as the comets flight dispos
ing Of neutrality-suspicious., ideas and objects, 4, they
enter his craneum, with corresponding rapidi.y,
unit, speed becomes his ruling passion, when he is
srzed with fit Of gn-a-head tivcncss, and a forty
miles per hour, mathematics Rail Roads in general
for not running ahead Of time. (It is no bull,
mean schedule timc) Rail Roads are also useful and
necessary Tor Government purposes, and the poiti-
cal advancement and aggrandizcment Of our common
country. In the Transmission Of slaves, troops, mail
matter, &c, the exchange Of commodities between
different and remote climcs and the intcrcommun-
cation Of different States and different sections Of
this world Of Sca-grt frccmen, their good influence
is sensbly felt and gratefully acknowledged
In all these particulars, Plank Roads, Of course,
will be ovcr-shadowcd by comparison; but there
are local pursuits, home wants, social pleasures, and
agricultural interests to be subs. rived, TINT arc Of
paramount importance to planting people sand
before which these floating clements Of society and
Government sink into comparative infignifcancc.-
To the planter, Rail Roads arc Of no earthly adran-