Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-04-28
THE PLANK ROAD AGAIN.

Rough az it is we must take the plank road again,
md give expression to few more jolts of thought
But this time We have less to say of tho Company
than Of their sovregns and (shoud-be) supporters
the people.
First, of the road. There are three hands now
employed in repairing the whole twenty-sl1 mes!!!
It may surprise distant readerS to hear oi suc
IN unparalleled force being actually engaged upon
only that amount Of plank road. But incrednous as
they may bo We assure them that such is tho fact Ii
they are still unbelierers would ask them to re-
member that this is old Edgesld, energetic old Edge
fold If they still cannot realize tho marvellous TACT
can only reiterate the assevcrstion before their as
toni,hed eyes, that tho Edgsdcd and Hamburg Plank
Road Company have now employed upon 'neif ~
mile. Of dilnpidated road all of three negro mon
armed and equipped with full-Izcd sioyel apiece
having also ut hand for extraordinary emergencies
one of Collins celebrated axes, to say nothing OF
reasonably good msttock by aome unknown naKOr'
But tho results Of this powerful force are not cs' aS
tonshipg than the forco itself They throw sand up
on tho road with such remarkable velocity as to con-
cea decsyed planks and fill up holes to the extent OF
fifty and sometimes hundred yards per diem, and
this too with tho additional labor Of putting in one,
two, three, and sometimes four planks for that
distance. At this rapid rate Of progress, it is esma-
ted that the whole road will be gone over in some 3l5
working days with good luck in all the ramihcatons
Of the operative department. They will then inuc-
diatcly wheel around and commence again,-again to
perform this wonderful round of labor Taking into
consideration thon the further fact,-that the i'm
proyeuent thus effected is pcrceptible by attentive
travellers for three or even four weeks after it has
been wrought out tho reador can form some idoa OF
the speedy amendment of the entire road likely to
follow the present udciousy extensive and (may We
NO. add) extensively judicious organization OF the
Plank Road Force.
Next of the people, Hero We drop badlnagc. The
Plank Road Company is not the only party to which
blame attaches in tho impending failure Of this work.
The people also are to blame for their remissness Of
patronage Wo know that this charge does not apply
to all We believe indeed that tho majority of trav
oilers, whether with carriages, busgieS wagons or OK
carts, givo the road the advantage Of their CUSTOM
But there is minority who do not; And there arc
very many who patronizc tho road going down who
take the dirt coming back. For those who refuse to
take tho road both going and returning thero is no
allowance to be made. They thereby refuse to aid
on to success work of manifest Importance to their
District injurng themselves we'll as others by tho
act They arc thus really the foes Of useful progress
and botches upon the public spirit of tho District
1t is not going too far to say hatthey fall short Of
their duty as good. citizens 50 long as they wiluly
persist in this species Of contuncious opposition to
the general wolfare. Some excuse themselves in this
course on grounds of aversion to the company for
somo real or fancicd injury Those should remember
that it is not the Company only who are to lose By
this refusal Of patronage, but in the end probably the
entire District, themselves included WeknOw Of no
better illustration than this, of the old saying Of
"cuttrg of ones nose to spite his face" For to
those who take tho road and to those who do not,
the increased eonvencnces, furnished thereby, are
such as mast and will, and do tell upon the general
prosperity, in the chcapenng of goods, tho apprecia-
tion of real estate, and otherwise. But how much
moro apparent is this cutting off of tho nose" when
estimate tho advantages Of time saved to the plan
ter, of hardship avoided for his horses and mulcs
and other similar privileges, all Of which he might
atain by paying his toll and forgetting his aversion
to the Company or to individual membcrs Of it. The
excuse is no excuse and should not be acted upon by
any desiring to occupy the position Of an inde
penden. and public-spirited citizen.
But again, there arc many who take the road going
down but refuse it coming back They take the road
when their wagons loaded until every wheel crcaks
as it turns upon its axle, but refuse it when their
loads are of and the whecls all running easily
and lightly They take the road when their loads in
ure it ut almost every step Of their toas but refuse
it whom no such injury would follow In other words,
they take tho road when realizing from tho Company,
thereby, moro than fair yalua received for their dollar
bill, but roruso it when the gain might possibly fall
on the Companys side. Now we do not at all insin-
uato that farmers, or any others, act thus any
deliberate calculation. Perhaps not five in o hun
dred Of them ever thought of tho matter in this light.
Yet such is unqucstionably the true view of this too
common practise among them; And it is followed by
yet another evil consequence to tho Plank Road. 1t
Causes just enough of travel on the adjoining dirt
road to pack it, without cutting it up in wet weather,
or making it heavy in dry weather. The dirt road is
thus made q much moro formidable competitor than
it would otherwise be, and takes of travel and Gus
tom proportionntely from the Plank And thus the
thoughtlessness of the planter in refusing to take the
road back which enabled him and hi, overburdened
wagon to 90 down to market with comparative case,
endungers the interest. Of the Company beyond
his Withholding the return custom of his wagons. d
1t is only necessary to suggest these considerations
Every intelligent reader will take them UP and test
them by bis own good sense; And VIC trust that
moments reflection upon thom will, with many, have
the effect of determining them hereafter to lend the
Plank Road Company the aid of theiScustom fully and
unstintngly. Surely the road is grcat public benefit
even when only toleraby kept up. Surely its aban-
donment would be. felt by thousands as q gricvous
disaster. While thon we clamor for its Improvement
lot US not forget to lOnd it all patronage. Why,
i. would be better to pay double toll for couple Of
years than to let 80 useful an enterprzc fail into
ruin But this will not bo necessary if evory man.
with every kind of load light or heavy, in all kinds
Of weather, going and returning, will persistently
stick to tho Plank and eschsw the Dirt Road. In no
other way con We now hope to save the work. Let
evory ono then reflect upon what he will loscby its
down fall, let him ponder his duty in the premises
both to his own interests and to the general good
and no can but think that tho result will bo matter
of common congratulation. The road will be gus
tanned, and its benehciarie, both Company and poo
pe will be made glad by its established pormanency
and effective amelioration.
SIN the case Of wagons engaged in hauling at so
much q hundred, this injustice is worry palpable