The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-07-26
For the Journal.
The Plank EgOnu.

NlE' EhtToR'-lt Is well known 10 the cltl-
zens OF this county, that for some years past
plank road has been in course of construction
from Perrysburg to Bowling Green it having
been completed nearly to the latter place.
Since the commencement Of this road, the i'm.
provcment of the adjoining country must have
been apparent to every one acquainted with il.
The forest has disappeared before the ak Of the
| husbandman, and where few years ago the
deer fed in quiet security under massive forest
trees we new see iuXurant fields of corn or
herds OF cattle quietly grazing on well cleared
lawns; comfortable houses and good barns have
taken the place of shanties; fields of grain srt
waving gracefully in the wind on our praires
where few years ago coarse grass or under
brush alone broke the monotonous view. We
handle dollars now where we employed cents
them
Among the courses which have effected this
change, the plank road has not been the least.
1t mas not only been matter of convenience
| allowing the people to do their business at
Prwysburg at all times of the year. with ease
and comfort, when without it, ths road would
have been impossible; but over it our produce
I has been sent to market in proper time and at
less than half the expense that it would have
been, if tho road had not been there, as we shall
presently see. The bitches constructed by its
sides have also added much in draining the
country through which it passed
Owing to the extreme aatness Of the country,
the state of the roal before it was planted
and perhaps in some degree to the carelessness
of the company, the road was never as even and
level as many expected. But still it was re.
paired from year to year as the inCumbrance Of
the company, and the facilities Sor getting
plank would allow. We understand that for
a while last spring, plank could not be obtained
and the road in places become considerably cut
up by the heavy loads of grain which were
continually passing over il.
Through the influence of a few men who
knew the embarrassing state of the company,
or might have known it by making inquiry who
have not been the first settlers of tho county.
who nave not undergone the hardships of pioneer
life in the Black Swamp, who did not know the
wishes Of the people throughout the townships
which had aided so materially in building the
road; but who had few loads of corn to haul to
Perrysburg upon which they did not like TO pay
toll, the road was condemned, the toll stopped,
repairing ceased, and those men allowed to haul
their corn tree of toll, while hundreds were de-
priyed of road As far as those men could
possibly deprive them of it, men too, who had
much more produce to go over it than those i'm,
mortal tiVe.
Now fellow farmers what is to be done Is
the road to 60 down aud we have nothing but
mud road or what is worse Let us suppose
that it does 20 down, and the company is not
encouraged to repair it, what will be the con.
sequence? With the prospect of crop, which
was never so Hattering, where, and how are you
going to market it? Perrysburg must be our
best market while we haye'a good road, it being
at the head OF navigation.
Let us suppose that the produce Of but four
townships passes over the road which eyery-
one will admits very small estimate Sup
pose one sixth part of thoss four townships are
in grain this year which is Ii 800 acres, each
acre produces thirty bushels, which gives gives
4d0,5O0 bushels. Now as from fifty to sixty
bushels can be hauled at each load upon the
plank, the toll upon this amount is 1886 90, |
the precise amount which the immortal fve |
propose to save those townships. Now for the |
other side and see how much it costs us to save |
this amount Of toll with the road as it will be
by next season, if not repaired. All will agree !
with me that twenty-five bushels will be quite
as much Of a load as fifty or sixty bushels now.
The cost of hauling this grain -four cents per
busnel) aud the toll amounts to S2l $500, this
is with the plank road. Suppose you could get
it hauled for eight cts per bushe without the
plank road, which is a low estimate, then the |
cost would be S36, 96i 90, showing total loss
on marketing the prasent crop, BY letting the !