The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1907-12-28
EARLY DAY PLANK ROAD.
When the Railroads Came This Mis-


souri, Highway Was Abandoned
This talk about highway across
the State recalls to mind similar en-.
terprise prosecuted in the interior of
the State in the steamboat days." says
the Kansas City Star. ut was TWEEN.
ty-five-mile plank highway between
Glasgow and Huntsville" recently re
marked Milton c. Tracy Of Macon, Mo-,
whose father was interested In the road
and who used to live in Huntsville.
The road between Huntsville and
Glasgow was a succession Of clay hills
the greater part Of the way and in
muddy weather the Christian religion
made scant Roadway in those parts
We didn't know 1t then. but we do
now. that those mathematical red hills
were a blessing to Missouri, for they
served to develop the largest and
strongest mules in the world and their
bsg-boned descendants are now moving
more merchandise than the steam cars,
Glasgow was the distributing point
for up-the-country merchandise. A doz
en- hack lines run out from there, the
main one Of which journeyed to Hunts
vile. The traffic over those molasses
candy hills became SO great and was
attended by so many difficulties that
something had to be done. Various
kinds of road material were discussed
and timber decided upon because II
was plentiful and most Of the pioneers
were skilled in its use. The hills were
cut through and the bottoms raised So
the roadway was fairly level. Oak
plank, twenty feet long, two inches
thick and eighteen inches wide were
nailed on heavy stringers, laid close to.
gether. There were five tollgates, with
tariff rate Of a cent a head for stock
8 cents for man on horseback and 10
cents IL he Travelled in a vehicle. A
footman paid the same as other ami.
mals-1 cent.
There was a keeper at each tollgate,
and his job with the road company, to-
gether with a cottage and garden do
mated for his use, made him a fair
living. His rake-off on the tolls was
90 per cent.
work on the plank road was begun
In April, 1858, and the last spike was
driven in October, 1854. 1t was gigan.
tic enterprise for that day and the peo-
pie thought it solved the transportation
| problem for all time. They didn't dream
, that within four or FIVE years steam en-.
glnes would be cavorting around In
these parts and that the bulk Of bust.
ness would sweep by regardless of the
river.
| AT Huntsville the arrival of the first
coach on the new road was made a gen
! eral holiday by official proclamation
The schools were dismissed and but lit
tie of anything was done until the
mail coach got In. / was among the
crowd Of youngsters that gathered
around In admiration too deep fol
words.
The Glasgow and Huntsville ROAD
, Company was duly Incorporated con
Germ and had Its officers just like 9
railroad company. William Smith, whc
LIS yet living at Moberly, ran the stage
line. A coach left Glasgow and Hunts
vile about the same time each morning
furnishing daily mail each way. Anci
Bros. operated large freight vans ant
did a healthy business. The late w
r. (Bob) Samuel of Huntsville wal
secretary for the road, an importan
position which paid quite we'll during
the days of the roads activity.
Roanoke, in Howard county, was tn,
/ biggest town between the terminals. l
grew up into quite a place during tn,
plank roads prosperity and man,
stores were operated there. But by ant
by the railroads came, the old road wa
torn up for firewood and Roanoke wa
marooned far back in the country
swelling a long list of once good town
that have become lost or forgotten"