The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-03-22
The Plank Road.


"Ido . writes quite a sharp article
on the plank Road, III which he gives US
a few" for speaking favorably of the
institution in former issue. We had
minated that it was rather muddy on
previous occasion. and some of the par
ties interested protested that our remark
might be construed into an unjust refiec-
ton. We then asked to be heightened
on the subject, and were posted up as
stated in The Wig Of the S,h instant
edo" gives another version Of the
story, and we feel very much inclined
to adop, the old woman's maxim when
she threw the hatchct among her children:
{" Be it amongst you, my hands are clear
of it,"
For The Cecil Wing
FOURTH DISTRICT, March II, 80.
Mr. EDITOR Il noticed in the local
column of The Wig of March S.h,
paragraph which l presumed to be
editorial.
do not for a moment imagine that
the author would knowingly misreprcsent
such low " institution as the road
he referred 10.
happen to have some knowledge of
the road from its origin to the pres
ent time, and in JUS ice to the public
must denouncc the article in the The
WAig as false, and intended to give
wrong impressions to the people in regard
to i.
The article referred to said &" the road
failed to pay expenses after fair trial. "
Here let me say the road never had
fair trial; it cost ST, 200 which was, we
will admit, $4,000 too mnch. Now we
are able to show, that toll collected
annually under judicious management
amounted to $1,000: of this 81 800
would pay 6 per cent on the CAPT al,
leaving 81 900 for necessary REPAIRS
Now as to repairs, there we're parties
anxious to take one-balf the road and
keep it in good order for ten years
for $500 mile, in the following
paymen s !; $50 the first year, $50
the second year, $50 third year, and
500 for each of the remaining seven
years binding themselves at the expi-
ration of the time, to have good turn
pike in place of the plank road. This
could have been done wi h prof, to all
concerned, as some six of the parties
would have had the work done close at
home, and also have had the some drawn
ON the road clear Of expense. AS it is
large guam tiles of s:onc have been drawn
on, and left in heaps, for over three
years, serving only as scare-crow to
brighten horses. This, perhaps, was the
purpose Of the additional charter
Those who have the charge of the
affairs of the road at the present time,
have boastcd that the "new charter"
was for a "mud road" (Which from
present appearances | judge to be SOY
and have rcpca cdly said they did not
care d-n for the road or the people,
so 1t pa,d them. | suppose it does pay
them, from the fact hat "he company
have expended $500 over the earnings
ofthe road" You seem to give lin your
articlc) the impression that by the pres
cnt " moths opuandi," of turnpkins,
and crawling, the public may expec; a
good road," some day.
1t would, however, be we'll for them
to know that the first stockholders of
the road have been entirely cheated
out of their money, as well as number
of It's creditors, including poor laboring
men employed in repairing said road
The stockholders money has been paid
to parties to go to Annapolis TO use
their influence Nth the Legislature in
order that they might be assisted in their
schemes of robbing the community
Some of the parties boastcd that they
had got charter for all "Meirpu1poSes, "
| have carefully examined the pking
and graveling operations on said road,
and must say that you had been obscrv-
ing the movements of the "stonc fleet" and
portable "gravel battery" which moves
daily over this great " internal improve
mcnt," turning many of the loaded
teams and carriages, out of what little
good road there is, into mud deep enough
to stall them going down hill, you would
not have made the statement you did
No one need expect even tolerable
good road made by throwing a HATEFUL
of what they call small stone in wi h
large stone between the rotten plank.
may a. future day have some inter-
esting particulars to send you in refer
cnce to the road and its former manage
| ment. lido
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