1^ ^> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) i# t/ & ^ ^ ip 1.0 I.I ■^ 1^ 1 2.2 u 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ' ^ 6" - ► Photographic Sciences Corporation ?3 WIST MAIN STREET V'iSSTBR.N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 \ •^ \\ *>** ' •^ ^ ^-*'K'/XXL'Ii, in ,l,e C/rrk-s Office of the DUtrlet Conn of the En.tern District of PennsyU-ani.. Prinwl l.y T. K. cc P. O. CcUica. 4 INTRODUCTION. TiiUKK years since, a work was piiblislicil umlcr the title — " A Mantal of tfir riuNcipr.F.si AM) I'liACTici; OF KoAi) Makinu, \i\ Wii.mam MnriiKMi Gillesph:, rrolessur of Civil Kngiiiet'i-int,' in Union Colh-jio, New York." In the prcl'iice to that work, which ou<,'ht to be a Imml-liook in every common Bchool in the Union, it i.s very justly renuirkeil that "the common roails of the United States are infiriur to thorn of any ollwr cirillz&l count ri/. Their fauU.s arc those of direction, of slopes, of sliajie, uC siirfucc, ami f^eneriiUy of ileliciciicy of all the attri- Ijutcs of iroo'l mails. Smiie of these ilefect.s are, inileed, the iinaviiidable results of tlie scantiness nf eajiital ami JabDiir in a new country, but most of them arise from ignorance either of the true ])rlnciijles of road-making, or of the advantages of put- tinft these principles info practice." Nothing can be more obvious than the ell'ect of good or bad roads on the value of land in the, region where they exist ; and unfortunately the very system commonly called — "free trade" — wiiich scatters instead of concentrating the cultivators of the soil teaching tliem to g.i looking for tlie d'Mirest market to sell in, and the cheapest to buy in— that system which most enhances the ?irv<:isili/ for good mails, is tiie very one which most impairs and lesscms the i)ower to make or to connnaml them. We knjw of no school, except our Military School, in which are regularly and thoroughly taught the principles of an operation, or work, which is intimately connected and interwiivcn with every stej) in the liusiness and i)Ursuits of rural lif(!. No, not a ste]) can be taken, in any direction, or for any purpose, that dues not bring into plav the ditl'erence between n road more or less favourable ♦o the movement to be made, and the operation to be performed: the resistance or diHiciilty. and of course the costs of triinsportation depending on the nature of its surface, elireclion, und elopes: in a word, on the materials and mode (d' construction; and yet not one farmer's sua in ten thousand, is taught the A, li, (', of that which every day of his life is to affect his persuiial ciimf;irt and the profits of his labour ! For our jiart, we have nothing to reproach o\irselves with on this poir.t. On tlic contrary, again and again, have we dwelt upon the importance of systematic instruo- tion in all our schouls, on all these sulijects — the construction and management of gates, mads, bridges, iS:c. In the old American Farmer, us far back as lSl!l»— thirty years ago — we endeavoureil repeatedly to show, how towns and cities, by establishing good roads, might rapidly promote their growth in population and wealth : and how, to repeat our own words, "the fruit of the nursery and the produce of the plough, which are now in some localities almost valueless for want of easy transport to market, would vield to the laborious husbandman a liberal reward." In fact, if we were called upon to designate b\it one useful fruit of iiu'essant anxiety to promote the wel- fare of American .Vgi'iculturists, we are not sure that we would not turn to articles, that would of themselves mak(\ a volume, written and published from 1820 to 18'!0, in the American Farmer, on tlie iinpniiaiicc of yood roads and canals and the prin- ciples of thrir conKlniclitin. At that time, nothing had been said or thought of about Planlc Roads; but we are now satisfied that I'lank Roads may be made extensively and highly instrumental iu the advancement of the value of lands, the growth of towns, and to the progress of the arts, which is but another word for the progress of civilization itself. And hence 8 4 TNTKODITTION', it ii> tliiit wi! rcjirico ill tliu o|i|iiiiiiiMii_v III' lii'ic iiti'-cniin;.' tlip must tli(ir(m;:li sl l';ir us we lire iiwiirc nf, hiis vi't ii|i|i('iin'i| ill iiliy ciniiitry. Witlmiit liic |i1c;i»mi(' ipf licin;; ii(i|U:iiiift'i| witli till! iiiiiliiir. Ml'. KiM;si(iiiii, tliis cssiiy i.s ('iioiijjli tn iinlii'iili' Ills ]priptici('ii('_v iis n civil ciiv'iin'i'i'. Miii| liis i.ict, lis ;i 111:111 III' liiisiiu'ss; anil tin- valiii' wliicli must io^mII I'lniii tlic i'iii|ilii,viiiriit 111' ills ii;_'ciHy. to 111! wliii liiive iicrii-iiiii I'll' scivifi's ill thiit very iiii- [icii'tiiiit liiMTirli III iiiij.istrial iiii|iiiivciiiciit. Ill tlir .Inly iiuiiilicr, we |iiililis|ici| an essay (Hi tlic cuiistnictiiiri of I'l.'UiU iluails, Isimlly wiilii'ii I'll!' " Till' I'Iniii'li. tlic I 111. aiiij llic Anvil, ' liy tiic llnii. ('. \]. Claiikk. Tiiiiii;.:li li.i-tily sjiclchcl in llic miil-l nf liis ijiiiics as a iiiciiilicr nl' ('oii;:vcss. tlio 11 iiii'c it ill' atlriii'tcil, aiiil tlir ir.in^rci' nC it In jntii'nals in iliU'ciTnt ]iai'ts nl' tlio cmiiitry, have siitisticij us tliiit tin- pulilio iniiiil is in |iui>iiit nl' iiinrc niimitc jirac- tical iiistriii'tinii mi tlic siilijcct. The ri'.iiii'i' will lint t'iiil In iiiitii'i' ill tlii- t'nller aiel ninre clalmrate cs«;iy, the snpjily (■!' sniiie niin>;inns ill tlie niie tn whirli we have rel'eirc.l, ami which was nieaiit niily ns nil iiiiiliue I'nr the ini|iiii'ei'. He will iinlice here, what we hail nurselves siiicu witiicsseil in the re|iaii,- nf a pLiiiU rna'l at Cnhnes. N. V., the cailtinii ti> •• hrcak- jnilits" in iayiiii.' ilnwii tlie .-lee|ie|s, lis well as the iimre exact estimates here ;iivcii (if the iiclii.il CI -t nl iiiateii.ils aid ciiiistnictinii, nf all the voails nf this snrt alreaily built in the I'liitc'l .'^tatcs. ninl in C.anaila. The ailvice it eniitaiiis iils(i iifraiiist laying tlie jil.Mil; ir.a;;i'ii.illy, .Ve. l''nr ihe rea-niis pivcii. we think it well tn make frmii tho " Maliii.al " afnrcs.aiil the fnllnwiiii: extract. S|.cakinj.' nf layiiiir ilnwn the planks, I'rnfc-snr 1 1 1 i.i.iisi'ii; says:^- I'nr a siicjle tr.ack, the planks (Usually hciulnck, pine, nr n.ik, accnr.lini: tn the Incality.") shoiilil he citrlit feet Imiir, aid three nr fmir inches tliick. aii'l 111' laiil acrn-- the rn:d at nj/if tiir/l'.s tn its Icirjlli. If !aii| IciiLithwisc nf the rna'l, Imr-es wniiM he ninre liaMe tn slip, ami the eids wniihl snmetiiiics rise up : if lai'l n1ilii|iiely, mic cnil wmiM ti'iel tn spiin^j; ii|i when the weijilit nf 11 vehielo prcc'l iiiili;ilancci| iipnii the nlhi.r.'' The ninve niie eniiteiiiplaics the ]iracticalii!ity aid tlie !iilvaiitafrps of these m.iilsi, tlio mnrc niiiiierniis seem tn lie the points at. .aid the wi'lcr the circles williin which they 111, ly lie lieiiclicially intrniliiccl. Tn say iinlhin;: nf their teidcncy tn cnh.ince Iho v.alac lit all laids tn which they are accc-itile. their aetinii nii the j.'rnwlli nf nianii- factiirini: aid cnmiiicrci.al tnwns aid villa;.'i's, l,y tlic increase nf supplic- tn their inliahitanls, aid liie enh.rjicnicnt nf ilirir cninmerce, ( their cnn-triictinii liein;.' m.aiie, uidcrccitain circiiiiis|aMce», a matter nt' municipal uidcrtakiiiL'. I Laying' all tlieso views nf the sulijcct asiili-. every re.a'Icr nii niir tiile-watcr.s can call tn iiiinil sninc Incality within his ki.nwlcilue, w here a plank rn.iij mieht iii.ake mines nf nre, nf inarlilo, (if ;;)'.iiiile, nr nt' marl ; aiel limlics nf wnml .ami lliiilier laiel .av.ailalile ; that arc imw uiius.'il ami rcmlereil wnilliless hy the expense nf lran-|iiirl.atinii. Tn aiil every niio in fiirmiiiL' an c-limate nf what may li ■ iriiin-'il hy the inliniliiitinii nf such mails, ami tn assist in uidi'rstaidin;^ where tiny may lie plntitalily ciiii^Iriicteil, is the nliject which prmiipl- 11^ tn lay licfnic niir icailers an e~s,.|y which leavi's little nr nnlhiiifr fiiiihcr tn lie Icarncil mi the siiliicct. With these view-, we siiliinit it tn the hires sell liy letter at the city nf llmlsnii. Cnluniliia (,'nunty, N. Y., nr care nf LnckwouJ i. (.'n., imlilisliei's, l.'j'.i rirnmlway, -New Vnrk. ri:\v wo 1 IDS on rLAXK no ads. Anrlf. ^VlTlll^■ tlic lii.M three yi'iirs, tlu! j.luiik-road system has become a part of the ecuiiuiiiv III" (lie stall! of New Vnfl<, Siieeial oiiaetmeiits have been lliaili: to meet Ihe cireiiiiislaiiee, ami lieliee in tlie western part of the state private enterpriser lias been iilinmlantly eiilisteil in this sjiecies of iinpri)ve- ment. So satislaeturv liave been thi: resnlts, that the iu'i<.'hb(airin;.' and )nure remote soiitiierii stales have eomnieneeil to inipiire what are the l>enelits whieh jilanlc roads e\tend; and it would seem that this improveil mode of eoninmiiiealion is likely to bei-onie ^'em-rally introdiieed. N'ery little has hitli'erlo been said upon the siibjeet, ami the writer lias thonL'lit thai it would not be nnaeeeptable to many, to enter upon an in(|uiry as lo the mode of eon>triielioii and tle> probable eost of plank roads, and their advaiitaL'es and disadvantages eon.-iihtred in ennnection with the old road- way ~brinj.'in;.' forward statements of the results which are admitted to have proceeded ininiedialely from the introduction of plank roads. It must, how- ever, be allowed, that liilherlo, with the advantages which are diri'ct, and recoHiiiseii by all, some deme.'its have been found. These, the writer believes he will be aide to eslaldish to have j^'rown up from vicious principles of eou- struetion, and can be guarded against, and in the greater part averted by Jirudence and care. lllSTIlllV. The lir>t plank roail laid down in inis continent was on the road leading oast iVoni 'i'oronto, during the government of Sir l''rancis ]5ond Head, iii rpper <';inada, in Is:;,")-,';!'.. And this fact is recorded in the Ue])"rt of the ('( inmissioners of (lie \'(MUMjre Street lioad, dated "JOth January, \^'M. It was laid down experimentally, with i'J feet plaid<, without any principle of eonstrnetion, beyond laying the plank on slet'iiers. The circumstance is 'l;us commenteil upon : "Tlic trustees liiiviiiif cNiiniiiicil t!ic iiiccc el' iiliuiko'l mail mailc lust year, ni I tiii'linjr tliiit it iiiiswcreil n iimcli licttcr iiurpef-e tliaii coiilil li;ive lieuu unticipatoil, liiitli with rcjiinl In tlic ciisi! nt' trnvclliii;,' mM'I tiic vitv tritliiif; cx])eiisc iiltcu'liiifr the Uecpiiifr till' Slime in rcpiiir, cuiiic tn tlic ik'toriiiiiiiitiuii ol' iirocei'iiiiis: witii tiic same: tiiey in'i'(iriliii;:ly cniitniclcd with tlio pnijii'lctor nf tlic ste.ini saw-mill tn iilank one mile, wliicli WHS eiim|ileleil ill a very short time, for the sum of t-'c'o. (SlilOO.) excliiivc of fniaiiinn- "n' clniiiiiels, ami liiyiiijx on a coat (jf loam, or siiud, to ]iievoiit the wciH- hy horses' i iilks and friction of the wheels. They beji; further to «tiite the vuail has ^fiveii more (reiieral satisfaction to the country, and as it is evident from the I xiierieiice they liiive already had, that the cost atteiidiiiu; it is very little more than oiie-t'ourlli of M stone road ; ami the expense of kcepinjr a ^Macadamized road in repair liein^r lirciiter than was anticipated, they have altogether ahandoiicd the idea of Mae- udaiiiiziii;.', and liavi; eontracteil for contimiing the [ilank road early next season." 'I'here is no certainty tis to the originator of the experiment, ft is, how- ever, gcnefjilly believed to have been Mr. Darcy IJoultou. J)uring tlieVollowing year, troubles broke imt in Canada, and all public works were stojiped, uutil the iirrival of Mr. Thompsou, (afterwards Lord Sydenham,) 6 A FEW WORDS OX PLANK ROADS. wlipn an iiniiftus was givon to the wlmlc <'ountry. Tlic TTon. I^fr. TTatniltnn Killaly was aiijioiiitctl I'rcsiilciit of tin- Hoard of Works, and under lii.s diri'ction plank roads bccatn*! ono of tlio iniprovcnicnts of tlic day Tlicy wtr(> intnidtici'd with j,'r('at success in rpper Catiada. Tn Lower (^mada, Col. the Hon. tlcor!.'*' r'atheart* was the means of tlie first jdank road being laid down between fionirueil and Cliainbly, in 1X41. As yet, notiiinjr had been (b»ne in tliis state towards betteriiifr the lines of cnnniiiuiicalinn, and it was reserved for the eity of Syracuse t(» ))o the first tn set other localities an (example. In lSo7, tlio Salina ami Central Sijuaro l{oail was laid down under the direction of the Hon. ^Ir. (ieddes and Mr. S. Alvord, who are entitled to the credit of havinjr introduced the pIaid<-road system in the Cnitecl States, and of haviuf; contributed most of the improve- ments on the ihi'i/kh o/h rini(/i ob.served in Canada. One cannot help eontrastinern Kmul, whiih eoinmenee^ at Alhaiiy. A farmer who had a larffc timlieved farm, havinjr S'lld the wooil, carted it to tins side of the jtlaiik road, and pileil it. His eontra<'t was to take the wood into Albany, a distance of eleven miles, at .Sl.iVi per cord for hauliiij.'. With a single team his load consisted of a cord and a half, and having engaged to transport plaster for a milh-r, at 7.") els. tin.' ton, he loaded his wagon for the return trip, which was weighed in the usual manner for tho adjustment of tho carryiuj.' account. Tli(! ordinary load was three tons. 'I'ho trips backward and forward wore easily made In a day. Thus his receipts wore Cartage 1] cord of liard wood, Oi', §1.50 ?L'.2r) " 3 tons of jilnster, (fi) lo cts -.-5 $i.r.o Payment of tolls, 11 miles each way, 22 (^ U •";{ Return per diem $1.17 That groat loads can bo drawn on Macadam roads (nv inotal roads, as they arc iiften called) cannot Ijc; called in (pu:stion, but at the same time it is to be remarked that, on the first construction at least, tho resistance to the tractive power will be greater than on tho smooth, even, compact surfaei! of the ])lank. A jieriod must even intervene bidore the metal becomes solid ; and those who have at all watched how metal roads are influenced, admit the ne- cessity of constant repairs. In and about largo towns tho main Macadamized avenues have annually to be covered with an entire coat of metal, and the road, to be kept in order, has o(»nstantly to be watched fronj tho day tho stone is first placed upon it. Thus, independently of the difTerenco of surface of the best nu'tal road and of the ordinary plank road, constant repairs increase the resistance. When newly laid, the resistance for heavy trains on the latter has been calculated variously at 1 in !)S and at 1 in 70, while that of the stone road in perfect condition is named at 1 in (57. Jiut while tho plank road for at least two years after it has be'en laid down retains an ecjUality of surface, the stone road is never in such order that so low a ratio oi resistance can be received. In ordinary condition, the resistance of 1 in 25 is received. Taking a mean of tho two, we may call the averagt; resistance of the Macadam road 1 in d'l. 'I'o recapitulate, we have the two resistances: On tho platdv road I in "0. On the .Macadam road 1 in 4(5. Nor can it be said that this comparison is much exaggerated. Even those who differ from it supply data but little less favourable. Tho ctmiparison even eonlinues as both roads are worn. On tlie .Macadam road the i/cfrifus, which in dry weather fiinls vent in dust, in wet weather exercises considerable re- sistance, so that wdiatever inerpialities exist are felt in all weathers; whereas on the plaidv road, in dry weather, tho cavities wdiich are worn are traversed imperceptibly by tht; tiro, for they are closed up by the indurated sand and earth deposited on tho surface. IJut in wet weather it is not so — the sand softened l>y tho water offers no resistance to the tiro, which sinks down to the worn ]ilank. And as in pine roads the surface is generally worn with regularity, although inferior to a now road, there is nothing strikingly objectionable in it, after it has been somewdiat worn. 8omo comparison can therefore bo made between a Macadam road and a ])lank road in that state. In dry weathT the planks, being protected by the .«and placed over them, present a hard regular surface ; while on tho Macadam road whatever is bad is felt by the traveller without counterbalancing influences. Nor in wet weather is the .m 8 A FEW WOHD.S O.V TLANK ROADS. plunk r't:i.l iimcli ilitrrinnitol. Vxr so loiip as tlic iiluiks iirc firnily fixed mij do not spriii;:, iIhtc is little iiicri'ascil friction; hut with rcpml to Macudiim- izt.l roads, iiidr|Miid(iitIy of ruts and lioics, tlio rcsiHtancf is IncrcaHcd )iy tho Tiulvcri/i'd stone, fdrincd \f nn a Macadam and on a plank road. It has heeii asserte(| that horses tra\cllin^' mostl} or occasionally over plank roads are mined lieforo thi'ir time. Hut it will l>e found that this opininn rests alto^rether upon what is (ilisi'rveil to uccur, either when the plank surface! is hadly ennstructed, or where the ]Mi\ver of tlu' animal is mismana^red. If, for instance, the strin^'- crs are laid without eare, the jiercnlations of the water increase the defect, nnd any weight passin;^ over the road is succeeded hy a rchound varying' with the velocity of the ])assai:e ; and it is this reliound or elasticity whieli operates perniciously on tlu! horse. It is only necessary fir a man to run some little distance on a causeway havinij this defect, and he will feel at once the difference lietween a well and ill constructed road. .^IisnnlnaJ:cnn■nt is a principal and freipient cause of deterioration of the horse's vitality and cnduramc. Owing to the trifling resitttance eneimntercd on a plank road, and the consc(|uent ease; with which a j:rcat weiLdit is drawn, drivers, without noting the rate at which they travel, press their Imrses lieyond their strength. The axiom has long heen received that it is sjieed, not weight, which destroys the horse. " It is the pace that kills " The argument against the jdank road derived from this ohs^rvation, and making its inference from the very exi'id- Icnee of the road, is |)alpal)ly vicious. On the Alhany road two gi'iitlemeii in a hired huggy with an ordinary hack, went a distance of twtdve miles out, and returned. This was in the nmnth of April last, at the hreakiiig uj) of the winter, when the other roa(l> were nearly imjiassalde. The distance be- tween two gates, five miles, was jierfnrmed at the usu.al natural gait, without the animal being in the least kept up to his work, in tweiity-three minutes going, and twenty-seven ndnutcs returning. On their return to Alliany, the hor.frengih, can work longer and be alway.s in belter eou- cition on a |ilaidc road than on any road whatsoever. Suflieieiit data an! at hand to t'orm .i jn'oxiniate ratio ef the superior advan- tages (if the plank mad. Tho jtre]ionderanee in favour of the plank road, as compared with a com- mnn country road, may be stated as ranging from L'i to I, to (J to 1 — vary- ing with the season and the locality. The former ratio may be considered to denote the average comparison, at tlie eommen<'ement of the bad season, on gravelly soils — the latter, where the road pa>ses through heavy sand, l-'arm- ers take a cord and a half of green wood, in place of half and three (piartcrs of a cord ; Sll bushels of rye and I (Ml bu.-liejs of oats, when, formerlv, they carried -U> and i)0 bushels ; "JOO plaid: in the place of SO toJM). Thisisdone at tlie rate of four miles an hour; whereas, tliree miles an hour, when tho road was in tolerable order, was considered rapid travelling with a team. A mannfaoturur of I'tica formerly trans]»orted from the railroad to his es- tablishment — a distance of seven miles — ten bales of cotton per dav, with two team.<, which made, each, but one daily trip; but on the recently cuu- JM,' A FHV WoiU)S OX IM.AVK KOADS. striiftid plunk ritatl, Miic tc mn |iiifuriii> tlir ji.iinicy Mvicf, dcliviriii).' l."» li.ili'S • lail}. Till' aviTiij."' wciiflit of i\ Ixilc uf cufripti is '» i-wf. ; tliiTi't'iirc, oiio fcaiii is now ('i|iiiil fii till- wiir!; iif7:"i iw(., wiiiii- mi flic nlij rnail it was i'(|nal diily til '_'."• cwf. 'j'lii'M' Inails iiiiist 1. 1' coii^iilcn (| lair avrrap' liiiril(ii-<, witli- out till' i'111'ri.'ii's of till' liiPi'M- Ik iiiL' imt'iiirly taxril. On ;i Icvfl, ,Mui:ii|ain, Kiij.'lisli riiail, writers a^rifi' that tlu' ixtrciiii' W(i;rlit of ilraii^rlit for u siiii,'!t; iiofsi', in jicrft'cf eoinlitioii, is ;il(H> llis. — ami that "to plari'on iiiun' )' coiiifs ii crui'ltN ," wliicli woiiM ^'\\f the iiiaxiinmii powrr of tiai'tioii toa tciiu of tl'Jttll 'llis. That sin'li is inferior to tin- aiiioiiut \\hiili has heeii earrieil oii a plank road, without (listres-iing the Imrscs, tlio iiiciih'nt of six tons taki ii on the ^'aliiia mail is a prn.if While, therefi.rt?, we take '■> to ;»} tons as ii iiieiliiini loail on u plank r"acl. wi' may assume 'J tons to he lair (Iraui^ht on the Maeadani road — the same time to he made hyeaeh. These calculations would ;/ivc a ratio of.'! to "J in favor of the jdank road. ]\lr. tiillespie, ill his work mi roads, rates the dill'erenei' at twice as much. CnMI'.Ml.VnVK <"nsT ol' TIIK TWii IKiAlis. The next iii(|niry i^ the comparative cost of plank and Macadam roails. Tlii.x, of course, will vary with localities. Known results in one region will assist, in forming estim.atcs for another. It i.> stated ill the rrpdM of the Commissimieis of l.nanl of U'orks of (.'a- nad.a, tor the yc:ir einling IS^S, that the average cost of th" lifty-six miles of Mac;ii!aiiii/ed mad iiiidci the jurisdiction of the ,>iontreal turnpike trustees, was .S.'Ml'cJ per mile. Two mihs were laid hy the way of experim 'lit, co>tiiig .?•'!•_')».■> per mile — the, lowest price at which any .Maciidam road wa.s made — the greatest cost lieing Sjsss. IJut on this road, extending seven miles from JNloiitreal to liachiiie, there was heavy cutting on two hill.v Tlii' repairs for the last eight years have ln;cii, aiiiinaily, !?"J(I(> a mile — ahout •-, of the origi- nal cost. At t^iielicc, the average co.-t of thirty-mie miles was .^UdiMl per mile; till! re]iairs amounting per mile, annually, to!?|(l.'); ^'■ of the whole eo.-;t. On the Port Hope road, the ri'pairs per mile were !?o(IO; on the road from Toronto to Springlieid, ^'>\ 1 ; hut this mad is de>erilied as worn, out in jiiaiiy places. Therefore, the cost of a .^lae.•ldalnized mad may bo safely :i--iiiiicd at J'^.'llOd per mile, with the necessity of an annual cxpeiidiiure of alioiit ijl.'iO ]Hr mile. 'I'he lo-t of a plank mad depends on contingencies, Init may l'<' stated, with tolcralile aei'iiraey. to range fmm 81'JIMt to .':^•JIMI(l per mile, w in re there is no extraordinary item of expenditure, and aeeordiiiL' as tin- mad may lie liiiilt of hard wood, — maple, or hemlock. The read.'r is referred to Appendix Js'o. 1, where tin' prices of .some of the roads emislriu'ted are given in a .'Schedule, with other items in connection with this ini|uiry. For till' sike o!' estalilishing a comparison, a medium cost, .SlTTiO per iiiilo, is assumeil. The repairs which a pliiik mad will need for the first two years might to lie trilling. To a great extent, at this early period, they depend upon the mode in which the mad has lieeii constructed. If it has hccii Well kept up and W( 11 drained, and the .>leepi'rs have been carefully laid, there is litth' fear of the mad settling, iior will any of the jilank become loose. Kveii mi madn laiilt before i .\|iericnce had pointed out a gooil mode of construction, the repairs were not a heavy charge. The ('h.ambly and iiOiigiieil road, Canada J'];ist, was laid down in ISH, with white liine, wliicdi generally lasted about four years. It has since been renewed, and the mad has been more carefully constructed ; and there is a reasonable expectation that it will last seven years. The ordinary annual repairs have been >}'■!■ a mile. It is nut possi- -fM 10 A FEW WORDS ON PLANK ROADS. bio to give the exact traffic, as the tolls for sixteen miles are fanned out for 5552'20 per annum. It cannot be considered, hy any moans, that this road is too favourable a criterion, for it was among the first built on the con- tinent. I assume that one man can keep miles in repair during the first years of the road, and the following estimate of yearly expense will be found nearly correct in practice : 1st year ?2.00 2.1 " 5.00 lid " 7.00 4th " 10.00 5th " 10.00 6th " 15.00 7th " liO.OO 8th " reliiid Averaging annually for 7 years, say §10. SdO.OO After the third year some of the planks may require to be replaced ; but no serious repairs will be called tor, especially if pine be used, which, being clear from knots, however worn, will afford no impediment to the travel, until the plank break through, when it will become necessary to raise them. The eighth year we may consider that the road will require re-covering. From the roads already built, we are satisfied, that at this period the stringers are comparatively uninjuv'il; and, therefore, the cost of plank and the labour of relaying have only to be taken into account, viz. : 5280' X 8' X 3"=127.0OO feet, board measure. Timher, (siiy) (,i\ $1 880.00 lU'laving — per mile 120.00 rartiise— 127.OU0, say (W) $1 127.00 Sanding siirfuco 150.00 $12Sr,.(M) It is almost needless to remark the price of the timber is the main matter for consideration ; but it will be seen that the sum assumed is by no means a low one — hemlock having Ijccn purchased at ^o.oO. Working upon those libiTal data, we can arrive at a proximation of the comparative cost of a ])lank road and iMacadaniizod road — including the r<'pairs for seven ycsars — assuming that at the expiration of the sovontli year, the planks have been relaid and t!!<' .'Macadamization thoroughly repaired ; both roads, consequently, being in perfect order. }'f,in/c lioad. Orijriii'i'. tost i)er mile Sl""iO 7 yi'.'irs re])iiiis (a) flO 70 Cost of relaying 12HG M'icii(» FOR cnillS IIMM WriKII TIIKY IlUN AND THE i'it(»i'i:iaT Tiir.oidii aviikii tiikv I'Ass. Tliojio skoptieiil of tlie advaiitiiiri's wliicli plank mails liavo oxtcmlcd in tlio t;linri spa^'c of a few iiioiitlis, would do well to examine into the results col- lectL'd l>y the writer, wliicli lie apjiends in detail. Indeed, tlio conininnieations leadinL' to and from cities are paramount in importance for the furtherance of prosperity. A city which has heen rendered by art or nature accessible (jii every side becomes the centre of tho surround- in;i country — its nia per thousand — being the diffi'iciice of expense in transporting it to water communication. Hut the luuiberer experiencesa greater advantage. Heretofore he has had to lie out of the moaey paid for carting, for six months; 12 A FEW WORDS ON I'LANK ROADS. wiiitcT liaviiif; lieon the nnly porind when lunil^n' could ]iv broufrht down. Witli the jiliiuk road, luniljcr can lio rcinovod in any season, and be can keep it by liini until the opening- of the niivigation. 1"lu! price of firewnod in Foiidii liiis, im ocjcasions, been as high as 8G — the ordinary price was B'-'>\. Tiie iinifdrni cost is now 8-.7;J — and can always be purcliascd ; when formerly, the weather often prevented wagons from coming in, and, as usual in such cases, the poorer popuhition sufl'ered. Fultdnville and .Jdhnstown road, five miles in length, has been cnntinued a further distance of ix miles, to IJennett's Corner. 'J'he comj)any liad to purchase an old bridge across the ]\loliawk, to connect Fultiinvilie witl the country north of the river. On opening the road, the bridge-toil was reduced from nine cents to four cents, including the toll of the road to the second gate. The increase of travel has been 'J;') per cent. Property in Fulloiiville has incrcjised in value about 10 ])er cent. The traffic between the two banks of the .Mohiiwk liii^ lieeii doubled; along tin; line of road farms have risen in value. This ro;id is, also, one of the communications openeil to Ibunilton county ; and at its termination, lauds have been affected to the extent already described. I'tr'A. — One hundred and sixty-three miles of jdank road mny be said to belong to this city and converge towards it. The.sc roads, further, connect the city with roads leading to Jacket's Harbour, a distance of .seventy miles, and to Oswego, a distance of sixty miles. Prior to the introduction of plank ro.ids, (luring the fall ami sjiring, farmers could not take to the eity loads ex- ceeding S cwt. At these seasons, the streets, markets, and hotels would bo dc.si'rted, presenting a painful aspect of depression erte(l that business has increased 100 percent. The streets bear witness to tliis prosperity, for in all weathers they present a bustling and aiiiniated appearance. Indeed, it is on wet days that farnurs often prefer driving to the city, having little occupation at home in bad weather. Property has incre.i-ed in vahie 1.") pei nt. ; the jtopulation '2'> per cent. A new trade has gmun up. On tiie nortlii'rn road, the wonllen manufac- tures ill operation, smne few miles I'mm (tica, were in the habit, nn I lie cnio hand, of obtaining tluir supplies liy the ciinal — ami on the other, of import- ing tiieir mamifactured arlicle> by the same C(unmuiiication. 'I'hiv now jiurchase the raw nuiterial at ("rica. and stdl their goods tiien — liius cicating a more profitaiile and bi'tter kind nf business, (ienerally, tiie plaid< roads 'tica prov(! tiiat the travel is soon doubled. What rati' of increase low camiot be anticijiated. The surrounding woml lamls iiave con- y increaseil in value; furnu'rly, tlu'y were .'^^carcely .salealde. The is now I'.'giilarly cut ; ciiiisei|uently cord-wood has liei'U reduced in value dill' dollar and a half a cird — the difference of cai'ting IVom bits smne short distance from l'tic;i; and, as ;!."),() jier cent. Till' Plica, Clinton, ami Waterville, and the Ptica and Walerville roads, furnish a good instance of the intlui'Uce of phiidv roads. Tin; latter was the old main road, and when the former was built, all the traffic was turned to the new road; and the little village of Hartford, situated on the old road, was aliout will f. sideral timliii com sun Init hi: n\- t 'J'he of now frail J'acti roai said hillei will mile o to ••^ Oi abiiii Oi in v, S.-i ril \r. iJjari A TT.W TVonnS ox I'LAXK ROADS. quite ilcscrti'fl. Tlio result Wiis tlie (Ictcriiiiiiatinii of tlio rcsiilcMits tbrn? to Ic tliriiiiL'li -New llartt'nrJ t" I'ticii, liy has ■ n Kills, was tlio (1 t(i the ijud, waa ■'■tiiriK'il to the road, hut property lu- cent., ami ill Watervillc 20 per cent, iliu ailvauee on property has heeii 15 continue a nind direct fnoii Watervil which means the lost travel not oi' creased in New Jlartford about ;■ On the (tieaand Frankl'ord ro;: , per cent. HoMK is the centre nf one hundred and forty-ei;;lit miles of plank road : as in tliecase of I'tica, the trade has heeii efpialized — for there is business for every day in the year, and its amount is much extended. The storai.fe and forwarding business has increased iioi l^er cent, while travel t(j and from liome and adjacent places has been doubled. Property coiiimaiids a iiimdi more ready stile at an advance of 1(1 per cent., and a general impetus has been given to this enterprising little city. On the Home and Oswego road, lamls have increased in value 85 an acre j formerly, they were not saleable except at a great sacritice. On tile IbiMie and Western road, the increase has beiju 85 an acre. On the l{ome and Taberg road, the advance; has been 85 an acre. SYK.AfTsK. — Ninety-nine miles of plank roads run into Syracuse, and their benetieial intliieiiee upon the prosperity of the city is fully established. Tlio city has become the focus of a lively and an extended trade, and it is consi- dered that these roads have been more instrunienta! in conducing to priisperity than the Krie Canal. The forwarding trade has received a great stimulus. The population has more than doubled; and as in the case of I'fica and Itome, there is a steady trade in the fall and spring of the year — the periods of bad roails — when before there was none at all. Ileal estate has increased in value 15 per cent, north of the canal; on the Salina side, tlit; increase averages '!') [h'Y cent., and in some locations directly on the line of the road Wolfe street property has more than doubleil in value. The roads have had iniicli infiueiiie on the price of wood, having kept the supply regular, and the ja'iec uiiil'irm. Owing to the .Salt Works at Saliiia, a great i|iiantity of wood i> usid, to tlie amount of ;]25,O0O cords annually. A large sup]ily coiues by tlie canal, Imt about 75,(1(10 cords are brought in from the surrounding eounlry. The stock generally was laid in during the siimniiT, but the supply did not always e(|ual the deeuind, and the price was often high. Thi- began to be seiisilily felt the winter preceding the construction of the Saliiia and Central Sijuare IJoad, when tlu; price; rose to 8ii and 8s. 'J'lie enii-tant ]irice of cord-wood now is from 8'2'2 to 8.') a cord. The holders of woc'llaiids also havt; been directly beneiited, as wood on the ground is now worth 5li cents a coi'd ; whereas, with the f uauer iniperfeet means of transjiori. it was valueless. Tin; dcniand fa- barrels fir the ns^' of the niaini- fai'turcr ot >ali has increased, and it has been pos-iiile by means of thi' plank I'oail to sustain the supply at unif'oiMii prices, 15 per cent, lower; nor can it bo said that this reduction has been niaile at the expense of the bari'el-iuakcr, since double loads are now drawn. Tlu' liarrels were formerly brought tVoiu williiu a i|i-!ancc of foui'tccn miles. Tiny now coiue a distance of til'ty miles. W'ooil is also bi'ought double the di.-taiice it was foriiiei'ly earled. ( >ii the Saliiia and Ceiiira! Sipiare ro.id, tarm land has iucrea--ed from 8'J to >^\'> per ae|-e. 'I'lii< iiicre.ise exleiids three miles each side of the road. < In the Svrncusi' and .Manlius ('enlre road, land has iticreii.H'd in value about s^lO an acre. Oil the S_vraiu>e and ]5ridpoit road, property live miles out has increased in value 85 an acre. Saliua, liivei| I, and Clay road, land lias increased the value of property at least 50 per cent.; cspeei.illy wood lots, which have been brought into the market for the iirst time. i 14 A WAV A\(>i;l)S O.V I'LAXK ROADS. On tlie Svnicnso fiinl Tiilly rum], |iio|icrty caiiiiot ho jiiirclinscd within $;') jpcr acre nf thi- nl'l inicc 'I'lu- himls are jri'iicrully lieM in gn.'utcr inipm'tani'c. Some f'ai'ins havr inci'cascil $1(1 an acre. i''"1 That the advantai'cs of a |ihiiik road arc licM in hi<;h ' 1 r' V cstiinatiun, may he pinved h_v th(> accuiiijianyiiig .sketch. '' 3 l'"anii('rs wlm ]ia>.s \)\ the Smith Onondaga N'aiicy, if they -- fiilhiw tlie direct road i marked Ohl Country lload, Fig. \), wliicli has heiii nsed for tlie last forty ycar^. \\n\r heavy ^ grades to asceml ; their loads are fonseijuenily very much ^ lessriird. This led tiiem to a]i]>ly to the directors of ilio , 'iiiUy road to make tlie road A JJ, a distance of two mihis, ^ so that they might get on the plank roail at 15. The JN comjiany took the maltei' into consideration, and concluded n th.it t!ie cost of the right of way was a serious impediment, and declined to niideifake the ini]ii'(ivement. l>ut the farmers of Onondaga Valley have suhscrihcd among them- selves -SI.')!)!*, to hiiy the right of way; and they otier to pay the usual tolls over the section to he constructet iMiieticial. Tiir ,-anie efh'ct of liringiiig all the surrounding trad(! to a ccntial point, ••md I'ipializing it throughout the year, is to he i-ecogni.sed lure. I'mperty has risen in value •_*■"> jier cent. — population is fast increasing, 'i'lie retail traile lias ilmtiled. (hlur hiisiiu'ss has heeii extended one-!ii'tli. '{'lie didivei'v of lumlier has exceeded all former retuiais. Steamlioat travel has iiicreaseil. The niilliug trade, with regard to Hour and shorts, has been multiplied. Wheat is not raised in the county, and farmers were in the liahit of buying their Hour from the nearest manufacturer; now, from the ea.se of draught, they proceed to O.-wego, a distance of .seventy miles, or le>s, as the case may he, and there juindiase their wheat, whi( h they get giduml on their own account at custom mills near tlieie. Thus a large trade in wheat has grown u]) in Oswego. The markets are always regularly and well .su|i]died at reasonable prices; whereas, wdien the roads were liad. butter Would rise from twelve to sixteen cents; hams from twelve to lifteen cents; wood from s^:2 to R4; hay from •*(> to S]'2. in the article of wood it may ]>(.' otimateil that the sfe.amlioats ami canal boats consume Ifl.OdO cords, and the inhabitant' l.'i.iMKi. The price of tlii; former — being a softer description of wood — is Si..")'!; the latter cnsts .Sli. This low price is mainly attribu- talile to the plank roads, tor although a great <|uaiitity comes in bv the canal, a large .- upply is olitained in the neighbourhood. The reduction of the ]irice, (jwiiig lo the introduction of plank roads and the increased faeili- tie,- which they extend, is estim.ated at .'?!, making a saving to the inha- bitants of .S.');"),).)!'!) annually. 'I'lie maxiiinnn value of Land within lifteen miles of Oswego, is .?4l) jier acre, the minimum -ST. The lea>t c;ilcuhitioa of increased value on the lines of road may be nanu'd at 10 ]y tlie current jirice. he kioiws wliat he c:in count upon. His grain is Wdrtii what all grain fetclies in the next market, deducting tlie cnst of cartage to ta.ke it tliere, wiiieli lie can calciil.ite to a cent, aiiij dcdiver wlien lie iicimIs money. Tlie adjdiniiiL' tannery (and tlc^ pniliabiiity is that there is one within twenty miles) will buy liis liarlc. His curd-wiinil can be c'lrried tiic same distance. He sell<. iiir renmneratiiig prices, bis jierishable prii(luce, such as vegetables and fruit, |iuiii]ikins, c(irn->talk and fall ap]iles, wbicii limugiit him, previously, a very small sum. as the imiy market was in the small villages where there was little demand fur tliem. The wear and tear tn bis Icirse, harness, and veliielc is redueeil at least one half. The tnlU nut unly jiay tlieiiiselves in this s;i\iiig, but I'veii leave a surplus in the pueket of the fanner which wnuM ntherwi-e have been spent on repairs. Hnrse-shoes last twice the time. Instead nl' freipieiit new shoes, it is unly nccessar}' to have the uld unes |ieriudicaliy reniuved. The very labiiur of cleaning the hurse cumes intu i-alculatiun ; une fanner assuring the writer that in very Viad weather, setting aside all i[\u tiun uf increase of load and saving of time, he wuuld sooner ]iay the tujls than have to ruti down his horses in the state they iist'd to be after travel on tin; uM ruaij. The ]irice of cartage having generally been reduced where ]ihink roads have liccn laid down, it becomes an impiiry, whether it is at tin; cost of the team- ster. Sume iii>tan<'es arc given in a furiner part uf this A/v,rA///'< , aiwl we will iiddiice t wu others to show that the increase of load carried, and the time maile, mure than cuimterbalaiiee any rediieiiuii of jiriee. On the 'i'aberg and iJome road, there is a fiirnaee nine miles from Hume, from whiidi furnace to the canal at Uume, .SI."J.') ner tun was furmerlv iiaid for eartiii'i. 'I'lic load ea(di way was jirecis(dy one ton, e(jual tu twu tons jier day at SI .'J.")— giving .Sl*. "id f.ir the d;iy's work. .\uw, the price alluwed is 80.7"); but the te.ainster takes twu and a half tuns each way, cipial tu iiv(> tuns per day, at ', . §0.7")=:i.7:") Deducting toll for eighteen miles, say .... '-';» being an increase of one dulhir in the daily wages of the teamster. 16 A FEW WOUnS ox I'LANK ROADS. Tlio KmiK! and Turin ni;iil passes tlintuL'li a dairy country, and cliccso and Imtlcr arc hruiiLiiit I'V it f" thci canal, wlicn; tlicy arc sliiippcd. Formerly, farmers ljrnii;.dit I'ldU llis. to tlie canal, and tuok two days to jro and rcliiru; — now tlicy cart fmrn forty to fifty ewt., and rotiirn the sanif; day. Tiie smallest load carried i< t!iirty-si\ tubs of butter. A farm ten miles off from !i eitv is almost as mar as one only a mile frnm it; tlie siirjilus distance liciniT in calculation eiiuvertilile into time. IJut at a more cxtendeil distance, sav one Iiiiudrcd luiles, it is wnrtli while (■.xaiuininif how the plank road can compete witii the railroail. Canals lieinj: main links of water communica- tion, do nut sut:u'('st themselves as a m;!tter of in(|uiry. IJiit many ve.Lielalile products now liml their way to mark'ct by the railroad ; and if it can be esta- blirhcd that a farmer, usini; his own motive power on the jdank mad, can travcd at half the cost, a very es.scntial benefit is established. I'blllh lil.llll. /i''lil Ii'o„raction. with a wairon to n)ake a return trip, briiiiiiiiL' back all his family may require from the city; sutdi as a ipiintal of cod li-h. a clu-t of tea, a barrel of jiork and Hour, assorted articles, cheaper than he could buy them jit a country store ; ton-ether with the experience of his trip, and the infor- mation ]ii(dved 11)1 at the inns where he h:is stoppcil ; and all for exactly h.ilf the cost, if he ha'l scut by railroad, ami had his bu~ine.~s done liy an au'cnt. It is ]))•( siijiposed that the farmer can be absent from his farm, witlioiit injury to himself On Sunday, the farmer can <:o to church with rcL'ularity, which was not jilways possible in tlui fall, wiieii the church was one fourth of a mile tVom tin; farm. He can live with mon; friendliness with his nei;.diboiirs — for tlit; jilaiik roads have led to an increased intcri'oiir:-e lietweeii families. Socially, the fariue," become^ :i better and ;i wiser man. lie can meet pe^iple of his own jiursuits more fre(|Uently, and converse upon priees curi'ciit and improved modes of farmiu'j'. lb; learns wdiat is new, and what benctits any pariieular exjierimeiit has led to. In case of .-ickuess, relief can be olitaiiied readih', and with de^pateh ; and if niedic.il skill can save the head of a familv or a yoiiriLr wife, the pliysiciaii can |p( sipipu Ipi'ipiiLdit to tie' beilsidi'. Imb'cd, all till' aplvanta^es whi(di result fViPiii a ripail ipf supi'rior cxcidleiiei' ac<'rui' t'p tlip' fii-mer. 'I'lu'ri' i< iippthiim- which mp mueh retar'ls impripvencnt as impi'rfect cipiiimiuiications. " ( (f all iiiM'titions," says one ipf tln' greatest writers'' of till' day, '-the alphabet and printiuL'-press ahpiit; exce])ted — tlnpse itiventions whiidi abriilni' distaiici' have (hme most lor ci\ili/.ation. I'lveiy improvement of the means (pf liPcoUKPtioii beiielits mankind, miprally and intellectually, as well as materially; tinil not oidy facilitates the intcrchane-c pf tlie \ irious jiroilui-tioiis rif naliire and art, but tenils to remove natiipnal 1 lid jiripvincial anti[iathies, and to biml together all the branches of the great human fimily." If I'ver sueh a remark could be directly applidl, it is to sictioiis traver-i.'d * M'U-nHhi>j. Hist, faijflaiiil, Chap. iii. ^\ A FEW WORDS ON PLANK ROADS. 17 uesc and iiriiH'i'ly, rut urn; y. 'l"ho ( A\ iV( iiu (listMllC'O ili^tiiiii-'t,', mail <-:in immili-it- .('J^dlillllo I he csta- nnul, cau ....sni.'ift kct"...'..'ew Vork, by the plank-road law, arc not to exceed one cent and a half per mile for a vehicle drawn by two animals ; and one half cent per mile for every additional animal; for every vehicle drawn by one animal, tliree-(|uarters of a cent per mile, and for each horse and rider, or led horse, half a cent per mile. In the (iriginal enactment, the pnifits of the road were limited to adiviih'nd of ten per cent., and the approj»ria»inn of ten per cent, as a sinking fund. ]Jut this clause was repealed in 1X41) ; so the above tolls can be levied irrespective of profits. There are, however, some non-paying exceptimis, such a.s jurors, witnesses, troo))s, and travellers attending religinus meetings. AVith tiieaboverates.the j»rofits I if exist ing cum j)anies have been made, and tin. best criterion I ifthecharacteroftlie stock is to examine what these j)riilit>iiavelietn. Some few companies dejiart from the rati'S jirescribed, and charge less ; taking (ii cents for the five miles. Some cmnpanies agree witii the farmers to charge the distance j)er mile they live from the gate. These cases arc exceptions to the geni'ral rule. Amoni' the manv roads construeted in the state, some few have liecn built more as the means of opening up the communication tiian as an investment. In these, farmers have freely subscribed. Hut, throughout the slate, it can be asserted positively, that (he stoek of no jilaiik road is lielow par. Nor can any stock be bought, except from individuals who are ]iresscd for money, and, in common with plank-road stuck, have to sell other property, to obtain it. Where the travel is limited, the jilank will of itself decay, and need restoration, without a suflicicncy of receipts to pay for restoring it. Hut from such a postulate, no deduction can flow. A road, to be remunerative, must first be reipiired. A good road increases travel j but there must bo other causes to create it. 8 18 A FTW WOUDf? OX PLANK KOADS. Utit if, on tlio oflior lmn',000 was only paid in, is now worth 8r.0.(l()0, and is at par. Ibi.MK A.',!) Wkstkun UdAD, built six months, declared a dividend on 1st May of .') per cent., laying by a sinking fund. About 40,0(10 teams pass annually. KnMK AND TAiiKidi l!>i'iif,'('rs, fur S"-*.;")!); tlio horses going Imckwiirds and fiirw.inls th(( sjiiik.' iiitic iiiih'x each dny. On the Siilina nnd ('ciifral S(|iiari> mad, one stage carries sixteen passon- pers sixty-nine miles, fur !?•'{. ;'»(!; whih'uii the Syracuse and (Oswego mad tho stage carries lifteeii jiasseiigers thirty-livu iiiilos in four hours for 70 cents, while tile raiimad charges one dollar. It is. therefore, eviilent, that travelling at the rate of seven to nine milca j(er hour, is iMrfornied on the |ilank road at throe cont.s per mile. \\'e have then thes(! results : The cost of the railroad i.s at least twelve times as great as tluitof tho j)lank road. Tliat travel for short distances can bo done for less on the plank road than oil the r.iilroiid. In average distances, the fare on the plank road is three cents per niilo, wliih' oi! the railroad the fare is from* two to two and a half cents per mile : — nevertlu'less, in one instance the stage faro has been less than on the rail- road. Time is the only strong point of view fiivourahlo to the railroad, and it is found that the distance e;in ho perforine(l in one-tliird the time on the rail- road to what it can he made on the jilank road. Whether to ^rain this advantaL'C such nti additional expense ought to be ineiirnd, cannot l)e considered )>y the writer, abstractedly ; but one fact i.s certain, that in an agricultural country it is manit'estly to tlu; greatest benefit of the farmer to have a well-laid causeway on which he can use his owa motive power in bringing his jimduce to market. I'lank mads are the feeders of railroads and canals, and arc not inferior to cither in their particular u.^es. In some instances, indeed generally in mnnu- facturiuiT distrii'ts, speed is indispensable. IJut economy of transport, in an agricultural section df country, is the main point. In a fornuT i)art of this work it was shown that the farmer can siu-ccssfully compete with a raiimad within one hunilre(l miles of tin- market ; therefore, it would seem that tho jjlank road is of more utilit\- to him. And it has this influence upon his ju'o- perty, that it raises it considerably in value — u remark which does not apply to tlie sanu> extent to railroads. There are a class of travellers who turn asiile from the railroaxposed to the burning heat of tlu; sun. An examination of a plank long in use, is sufficient evidence of this fact. Against some of the influences it is not possible to guard, and they come under the head of wear and tear. J5ut good construction will do much to obviate others. In the advertisements for the plank-road tindier, great care has been taken to spe- cify tiiat the plank has to be sawed out of sound timlier, free from wan(> sap, rottenness, knot holes, and excessive knottiness. Still these jirecautions are valuele.ss where the tindjcr is naturally imperfect, and in spite of the fears that pine becomes " dosy," yi-llow pine is a duralde wood, free from knot<, and is, tiicrefore, jireferable to hendock, as it will keep Imiger sound. The most imjiortant point in the construction of plank roads is drainage. Without drainage, however well a road may be otherwi.se hud, it cannot remain in good order. And a sufficient ditch .should be cut, at least two feet ■^^^ ^Cf/tr^ "o-o nn-EUT ""•"j^-*^ A TF.Vr WDHPS OX I'r.AVK TIOADS, ;i '4 if '? Im'Iow tlic rntwii fif rii.'nl. 'I'ln' rnnl >liniil(l l.c wiH ciiiwricd up, mu fluit the water wniild rcmlily tl(»w f'rntu if, willi :i linn I'nl iiiiidi' fur tlic ^liiii'/crM. Wliiri' flic siiil liiis liri'ii iiiMiJi', ii Ik iivv ruljrr (mIiIcIi cmii lie (nnniil wifli ii jinrlinn (if flic fi'iinlv nf a !iii';;i> I'lccii niik) .xliciiilil ln' |i;i«^-ifil uvit tli(> rmid- wiiy, fill it is |H'rt"i'(fly •iriii. and tliu slcopcr .xhoiild lie iinlu'ddrd in tliK h.iII, fill flic foji is nil a level wifll tile earth. 'I'lie jihiliks fliili, laid tlM1l.>VerseIy, re(|iiire to )»' well iiiaiiled, until liriiily ••ettled ; care liein;^' taluii to drive eucli lionic to the one laid hehind it. (Si^o cut ita;:e '21.) The iiiodo of layiiii; down striii;r('r.«* variis with the soil; ami on thi.s j)oiiif there is some ditfereiiee of epinioii. If is ^'iiierally coneeiled, however, that sand does not reipiire so liea\y a strin>;er as clay. On the Saliiia iitid Syracuse road, in order to ensure th(iroii;;h and cffei'five draina^rc, a fratis- ver«c fall of two inches has heeii ;:iven to fhe planks. With such ii declivity, (iis i.s here ^liown,* ) the load is unci|Uaily ilivided, and the weight * The trnnsvcrse full of the roiiJ is here Bliown exutrMcnitcil. fo olpfniii ii ilimrrnm. It is cviilciif tliiit the lo!icl limy ho vicwi'ij us tlic roiilliiMt lit" two fiirccs. n |iri's('iitcil liy ilic slccjt- ers. I>rii|i|iiiii: fiuin the cciitif of pravitv, liiicM |i('ipciiilii'tiliir to tiie riiMil mill to tlic liiiri.(ciii, wc toi'iii ii ti'iaii'ilc, tlic iipcx i)t' which, it is ulllln^t II Wiivk of i-ll|icl(ld;rilliiill to >:iv, is ci{UmI to the Mlljilc of declivity of tlic roinl. ( >nc line of the triarifrlc. tliiit pcriiciiilicular to the hovi/.on, ilhc ilircction in whidl the wcij:hl of the loiul fulls, I iliviijcs the spiicc hctwccn the wheels into two iiiici|iinl parts — the jrrcatcr hciii^r Inilf that ilis- tiiiicc, /i/ii.'i u leiijith ci|iiiil to 11 fraction of the ilist.uice which the ceiiti'i' of jff.'ivity is fioiii the roa'l- wiiy. This fnictioii is of courso cnuiil to the ratio (jf declivity of the road. It is therefore plain, that the lo.nl falls in the proportion of these Jiiici|iiiil ili'^tanccs. Siipposiii;; the declivity - iiii'lics in H feet = '2 iiiche-i in '.Ml inches, we Inive u fall " ; un interval of 1 ft. ti" is left from flic cud of the plank to tho striiiiicr, with a space of six inches hctwi i m the striii;.'i rs, euro being tiikun that the ends of no two strin;.'crs moot a flic same puiul, ho as to •' break jMjiuta" — as the joints in masonry arc broken. y\ ,!• Vw • % Fig. 2. ^ Ua Fi(j. 3. ' liffercm c of weight not a matter for considcra- , ^ -tnietiou of the axle is the only important point, and therefore, that the stringers should he cjual in strength, in both positions, Others, HL'ain, think tl tion ; afid ur";e that the ( 24 A FEW -WORDS ON PLANK ROADS. ■<■)■ -•I placed together, 4"x 3", with the joints broken, as in sketch fig. 3. This has liecn done on the Albany Road. On the Alhms' Creek lload, llochester, the stringers are also laid double, but the scantling is 2"x 0". In Honic parts of Canada the stringers are altogether dispensed with, and the planks have been laid on the bare ground; the cxporinient was not fortunate. Uut an essay made with one inch boards is considered successful. Those boards are laid longitudinally, about three inches apart, and the planks are exposed only to one intluence of the two which act perniciously — that of the raiu and sun — the mildew being prevented by the lower plank. N^ rxA i^ A\ M Ki 1 ^ N H ■1 Fl;f. 4. _ F/;/. r,. On the llonjc and AVestern road, the four stringers, each ;{" x 5", are divided as per sketch fig. 4, being l(i ini'hcs apart. Most peoplu agree in the main fact, that the stringers re([uire breadth, A FEW WORDS OX I'LAXK ROADS. 25 A ', aro aJth, rather than thickness. For this reason, experienced ongineors have retluoed tho nnniher of stringers to three, each of (5 inches in width. One being placed in tlie centre, ()"x 1", aiid two otliers (j"x -", hiid 2 ft. from it, as at lig. 5. Th(! reason assigned for this distribution, is to give some support to the tread of the horse. In order to guard against any settling of the phmk, the joints of tiie stringers are so laid, as to be made never at the same point. And in order to obviate any derangement of the joint, a lapjjing piece of two feet, exfcmling one foot on eaidi side of it, is placed close to the point of junction, giving firnniess to the stringer in its bed, and making it the more incapalde of being disturbed by the motion ])assing over it. \\'liere the stringers are laid singly, this la))pin.'r piece is paramount, and ouglit always to be introduced. The planks ought to be laid at right angles to file stringer. On this point there is but one opinion. The transverse declivity, which some reconnuend for drainage, is named at one inch for the eight feet, in sandy soils, where tlie water is rapidly absorbed by the sii/is/r(ifii))i ; but as the contrary result is experienced in clay soils, a fall of two iiu-hes in the eight feet has, in such instances, been thougiit necessary. The ends of tlie jjlaidcs, according to one opinion, ought not to be laid together in a straiglit line. They should, alternately, ex- tend three inches out, jiresenting the ajipearance of a tootheil slide. See fig. !s'o. '2. 'I'lie intention is, to prevent a deep rut from being formed along the planks, which, in a single track, is frcijuently occurring. The ends thus inegclarly placeil are protecte(l by the soil of the road, which is crowned up sullicirntly over fheni, to aid in kee]mig the jilanks in their ])lace on the stringer. Side sluices are cut through tiie earth to the level of the jilank, iu the lower side of the deelivity, at about a rod interval. The better description would be to make the diicetions, "where necessai'v ;" lor no )positive rule can be laid down, and to carry this point out satisfactorily, the road must be oft(Mi examined during wet weather, and egress must be given for tlie water to run off. without penetrating between the planks. l)Ut, in order to acipiire drainage, other modes of construction are reeom- nieuded. The transverse declivity is open to some objections; causing additioiiMl wear, both to tlie road and the' vehicle. Therefore, it must be ajipareiit, that if tliorougli drainage can lie olitained on the length of the road, without any counterbalancing disadvantages, it is preferable tor the jilank to be laid transversely on a level. To gain this drainage, it is evident that, when the road is perfectly level, buejiiudinal grailieiits must bi' formed liy art, It is the ojiinion of most jiractieal men, that is to say, parties in tlie habit (if (hiving stage-coaches, and teamsters, that horses travelling over an undnlatiug road suffer less than when p:issing over a le\el road. It is sonu what strange that this ((iie.-tion lias not been the suljecf of in- vestigation, either in the proeeeilings of the State Legislatures, oi in the ]iarli iinentary committees of (ireat llritain, wlu'U impuries have bei n made Illative to roads. Nor can much be learnelied from tinu' to time on both sides of the Atiaulie. With the limited means at the disposal of tiie writer, be has found but two writers who recur to it. .'NIr. (iillespie imd the ^celebrated .^Ir. Stevenson, — and the foiiiiev merely adduces the latter as an authority. In the article on roads, in the Ivliidiurgh •"ycjopedia, written by Mr. Stevenson, a very cursory notice is made of the conip.irison. He draws no delinite eoneliisious, though evidently leaning to an oiiiniiiii in favour of a h'vel — and merely cites the authority of an emineut * Tiie urdiitect uf Skcrryvur liglitliouse. 26 A FEW WORDS ON PLANK ROADS. 'I conipiinitive aniitoiiiist, Dr. ]>arehiy of Edinburgh, which Mr. Gillespie also quntes; the hitter remarking : " It is siiiil that alternatioiis of aseent, >eeiit, and levels, call into play different ninseles, allowing some to rest, while tiie other.s are exerted ; and thus relieving eaeli in turn. J'lausihle as this .speculation appears at flrst glance, it will he found, on examination, to be untrue. " ' .My aei(uaintance,' writes Dr. Uarclay, 'by no means enables nio to explain Imw a hor.sc should be mova fatigued by travelling on a mad, uniformly level, than by travelling over a like space upon one tiiat crosses heights and ludlows; but it is demonstrably a /i^/.s'' iut it is not to follow, that, if the theory by which they account- ed for their experience was faulty, their experience was also ermiieous. Such, howi'ver, has been assumed. For while anatomists have disproved the existence of the causes jiopularly assigned for the facts, they have denied the facts the theory was intended to explain. Coach masters and others interested, howi'ver, distinctly rec( ijrtnse tl 10 diflerence in the condition of the horse; and the experieiu-e of men aildicted to iield-sports leads to a like conclu,u t of travel on a deail level.* * Tliu ni')>t uiiiliilatiiisr cnui'sc in tlic riiiti.'d .^tatcs is LcNin^rtoii, Ky., wlicrc the fastest time ii.is liccn uiinlc at lailc licals. It i,- ciii^tniiiary Utv tcMinstcrs to asM'it, licit tn ilraw dii tlic ice is innic lalmiir to the horse, than what tiicy undergo witii the ilrauglit en a lunger and liillv vuud. rici scvt ili'i\ .lay 'J it'll l.ac niv le'v. the Ciiui fllwa will liecii I' tliis . IIIMC ' hor, uinlii Uas) oM li lierei the I •luiK'vy, it' work, Livr the ,\v the nlievu tl^M•rt to iiliMiir to iUv ruu'l. A FEW WORDS ON PLANK ROADS. 27 But against the introduction of this principle, where the road is naturally level, must be urjred the groat expense. It is, therefore, a f|uestion of cost for the directors of a road to decide;. We learn, however, from this infjuiry, that where the road is naturally undulating, there is no necessity to lay the planks transversely on a declivity, and that it is only necessary to do so on the level. The opinion of the writer inclines towards obtaining drainage on a level, by the transverse fall, in preference to paying the great diflerence of price — more especially where the profile of the road varies in other directions, and the dead level is not continuous. Hut in cases like these, it is not possible to lay down general rules. The writer has, therefore, put before the reader both views of the question ; and the circumstances under which the road is to be constructed, aud the judgment of the engineer, must determine the choice of grade. The following is the amount of lumber required per mile of plunk road : r)2>^(l'X^'X''i"=l-'M-'l f<-'Ct board measure for superstructure. 2— o'.'8()'x:!'x4"= Kl.iVlO 2— 5280'xaxS"= 21,120 :^l,i')HO feet hoard measure for sleepers or stringers. S20 rods layinp and ditching (<(} $1. Thus the cost of a hard wood road at the rate of §10 per 3000 feet, boiird measure, cartage included. 1211,710 @> $10 12r)7 .S2, 000 f(,r .stringers of hemlock, C-f,. §0.50 208 Construction •'120 $17115 This is quite independent of grubbing and heavy cutting ; and where the ground would re<(uire much formation to bring it to the roud Led, allowance must be made to meet the cost. Sand or line gravel should be strewn over the road suiTieiently to save the calks of the horse's shoes from cutting the plank, and the tire of the wheel from wearing it. All agri!e that the .saving of wear is from 40 to 50 per cent. ; for the grit, independently of preventing the shoe from cutting the wood, pene- riic writer has been assured, by a personal friend and a gentleman of extended expe- rience, tiiat a pair (if liis horses, reniarkalile fur their gt'e:it ]uiwers of enduiance, tested severely on several occasions, were never olf their feet, except in one instunce. wiien driven iVnin Hudson to I'oughkeep.sic ou the ice, which fur them was a moderate tl;iy"s WMi'k. The same gmitleman also adds another instance of his experience; anl. eertiiinly, if the ]in'fercnce must ever he given to the level road, it must he fur the saddle horse. '• In tiie fall of lSt8, on acciumt of ill iiealth, I rode fi(im Albany tu Niagara and liiick — ,, distance of aliout eight hundred miles. During that ride 1 invarialily found my hoise seemed the freshest wiu'ii his preceding day"s work hail imt been dune on u level road. He Mii)ieared nioi'e tii'ed. 1 rememlier. after thirty-tive miles ti''ive!led on the tow-path of tlic canal, than after much longer rides over an ordinary line of Cuuntry. " .'Sinci- that time 1 have had occasion to take several long and hard rides, and have ahviiys ub-erved the same result. '• 'hie day succeeding a hard drive, isthe best for observing its effect : and I think it will generally he found tliat horses are tiien more ajit to be stitf or dull if they have lieen driven ciiielly on a uniforndy gradeil road, during tiie previous day. " [.\s I'ostinaster of I'.altimore, imd .\ssistaiit Postmaster (leneral, the ]iublisher of tliis I'.ssay— tlie editor uf tiie I'lough, the Loom, and tiie .\nvil — had, for many years, miiidi intercourse with old stage projirietors, and often leained from tiiem that stage ' horses always working on level roads would break down sooner tlian if working on undulating roads, hong liefore tiie railroad was constructed between lialtimore and Wiishiiigtuii, the celelirated " Fuller's line" of stages was put on in opposition to the old line, and tlie rate of travel was so much increased as to make a still well-reinem- hered I'p'icli in stage travelling lietween tlie two cities. The iirst time we travelled in the New England Hue, these ditl'erences were noticed iu its favour: The "ribbuus'' 28 A FEW WORDS ON PLAXK ROADS. \i tratcs into flii> frraiii and furnis a protoctivc coat, wliith the travel indurates, and, penetrating' lietwH^cn tlic interstices, it in some measure jirevents the pas- sage of tlie water in wet weatiier. It is not possilde to keep tlie water en- tirely out; l)ut d to take up the plank and relay them with less grades Itefore they are totally destroyed. It is, therefnrcj considered an eeonouiy to reduce heavy grades even at the expense of some cutting to 1 in 20 — the saving in the wear of plank paying for the extra expense ; (•o)isr(|Ueutly, it fnllows th;it the less the ac- clivity the los the wear, until it re;i<'lies the aiiglr at which lior.-es can ascend by putting firth little additional puwer beyimd what is called for nu a level. On plank roads thi.; may be assumed proximately at I in 4(1. The writer here concludes his remarks, lidieving that lie has established the moderate en>t and the great bencHts of plank roads. As yet they are but an experiment in tiie I'liiteil States, and novelty may have aided to obtain the sujiport tli"y have received. It is to be hoped that permanent good will re- sult, and that canlul construction and good management will jirove the extent to which they are adapted to advance the great problem of civilizatjou — V ro;:ress. were ]int in th<^ >/foff'l /ininh of voll-ilrossod, pdlite, \vcll-lit'}iiiv(Ml, "siieirt" men, nri'l tlic ti'Miii ilrivoii at spcoil il •■/.• ••/.. '•/.' O X ^ o = . ^ * B C - y. §3 ^ ^ a c> ^ c e /J -h ••/.• •>.• I-/.. •■/.■ !i? : 'h '1^ ■■/■ '7/ ■■/■ •■/> y mads alone, which mi|i|iIv the place of rivers, to th(i hanks of which these ii[reat towns would < t!ierwise be necessarily contiiied. While, therefore, it would he an mexciisat'le waste of money to construct a c.jstly road to connect two small towns which liad little interco\irse, it would he erjiially wasteful, and is n much more fre- fjuent short-sightedness of economy, to leave uniinjjroved, and almost in u state of nature, the communications bt.'lween a i^reat city and the interior regions from which its daily sustenance; is drawn, and into which its own manufactures are conveyed. Amonuf the most remarkahle conse(nieiices of the improvement of roads, is the rapidly increasinir jjroportion in which their benefits extend and radiate in every direction, as impartially and henignantly as the similarly diverging rays of the sun. Around every town or market-place, we may conceive a number of concentric circles to be drawn, enclosing areas from any ])art of which certain kinds of produce may be profitably taken to the town, while from any point beyond each cir- cumference, the expense of the carriage of the particular article woidd exceed its value. Thus the imier circle, at the centre of which is the town, may show the limit in every direction beyont, which j)erishable veiretahles, or articles very bulky or heavy in proi)onion to their value, cannot be pro- fitably brought to market; the next larg(!r circle may show the limit of fruits ; and so on. If, now, the roads are improved in any way. so as in any degree to lessen the expense of carriage, the radius of each circle is correspondino-ly increased, and the area of each is enlarged as the sfjiiare (jf this ratio of increase. 'I'hus, if the improvement enables a horse to draw twice as much, or to travel twice as fast as he did before, each of the limiting circles IS ex|)andfd outward to twice its former radius, and embraces J'oitr times its former area. If the rate of improvement he three-fold, the increase of the area is nine-fold i and so on. All the produce, industry, and wealth which by these improvements finds, lor the first time, a nuirket, is as it were a new creation. Supposing that by these improvements the average speed over a whole country be only douiilod, ihe whole population of the country (to borrow a metaphor from an accomplished writer) would have advanced in ma^s and placed their chairs twice as near to the fire-side of their metropolis, and twice as near to each other. If the speed were ayain doubled, the imicess would be repeated ; and so on. As distances were thus gradually anni- liilated. the whole surface of the country would be as it were contracted and condensi'd. till it was otdy one immense city : and yet, by one of the modern miracles of science weddfd to art, every man's field would be found not only where it alwavs was, but as lar^re as e\t'r it was, and even larger, es- timaliiiLr its size by the increased profits of its iirotluctions. QUF.STIO.VS. 1. Wliy aro ;,'ii(iil roads a liiliniir-MiviiiL' iiivriiiiori ? •J. Why is tlif frrixle oi' a road a inattor of jircal iiul"irtai]i'f ' li. W'fiat is tli(" dilliroiiii" ui I'xpciisi' in liaaliii;: on a Icvid road and mi a road w illi an ini linali.iii oC out' (ii T). ft' a mad can lie so iniprnv fil as tn Pnalilc one Imrsc li> liraw npnn it a loail lai 1 out moni'V fan viili ^'nod pi'oiioiiiy Kc n|iiin till" ini|ircivrnu'nl ? ti. Arc till' iiroliis of a road I'onlini'il to its actual uwiicrs '. 7. liciw do von jirovc this? S. ll(i«' is tlic Mnricnltu''al interest directly licncliied by ;;(iod rotids '. ','. lldW indirectly lieneliled ' 1 10. Ainmm the reniarkalile ci'nsci|nctices of the iiii|iro\i'nicnl cl' icjads is what f II. .'^hdW how tlie>c lielielils extend ? I J. What is ihi' clI'Tt ii|ioii a ci.iiirnnnity that hefere reijiiired three, what aineian of hy diPiihliny thcsiiecd nl'itscowiimain alionsi 82 UOADS. 'A SECOND LESSON. KOADS. (Omtinuetl.) As iIm.' limits of this work will not admit of nil oxtciuled treatise on road- makinn, wo must be coiitt-iit with f,'iving such j;ciuMal directions for their constriK'tidii as eyery farmer should he acfjuainted with. 'riuMt' are five iiiijiorlaiil points to be considered in the construction of all roads — 1. Their direction. iJ. Their slopes or inclinations. 3, Their cross section. 4. Their surface. 5. Their cost. IMPOIITANCK or STnAKillT.VKSS. Every road — other things beinjj eqi a! — should be pfrftcth/ sfraiucfif^ so thai its lenirtli, and therefore the time and labour expended in travelling upon il, should be the least |)ossible ; i. c, its (iliifjieiiiiiis, or directions, de- partiiiif from one extremity of it, should constantly tend towards the other. Any uiniecessary excess of Icnj^th causes a constant three-fold waste: firstly, of the interest of the capital expended in makiiitf that unnecessary portion ; secondly, of the ever-recurrinif expense of repairini,' it ; and, thirdly, of the time and labour emjjloyed in tra\elling over it. ADVANTAfiKS ()K ClIlVINd. The importance of iiiaKim,'- the road as Icvi:/ as possible, will be explained in the next section. y\nd as a road can in few cases be at the same time straight and li'vel. these two requirements will often conllict. In such cases, sli-(t);j:htni.ss ahould (i/irai/s hf .siicri/irrd to ohhtin a ItrrI or to make, the road lens ntrrp. This is one of the most important principles to be ob- served in l;iyinuf out or improvim,'' u road, and it is the one most often violated. A strais;lit mad over an tineven and hilly country, may, at first view, when merely seen ujioii the map, be pronounced to be a bail road; for the straii'htness must have been olitained either by sutimiltiiiu to steep slopes in ascendiiii,' the hdls and descendiiiL'' into the valleys, or these natural obstacles must have Iteen overcome liy incurriiii,' a ^^reiit and unnecessary expense in niakiiiif deep cuttiuijs and iillinus. A trood road should wind arnund these hills instead of rutmiiiLr over them, and this it may often do without at all increasiii'j' its length. l>y way of illustration, take an apple, lay it upon a table, and draw a level line from stem to eye, by ^'ointT round it. and it will not be found oni; particle loiicer than if the line were drawn between the same poiiils passiiiL^ over the tup. Precisely SI) may thecurvinir I'oad arniuid a hill i/e ofiiMi no lon'j'er than the straiL''lit otie over it ; for the latter road is slraiL;lit only with ri.'feieiire to the vertical plane which passe.s ihrouijh it. and is curved with retereiice to a horizontal plant;; while the funner level road, tlinuifh curved as to the ver- tical plane, is straitjht as to a horizontal one. Ijith lines thus curve, and we call the latter one straiyht in j)reference, only because its vertical curvature is less apparent to our eyes. The dilierence in leni:th between a straii^ht road and one that is sliii;htly curved, is very small, if a road between two places ten miles apart, were made to curve so that the eye could nowhere see I'arther than a (juarter of a mile of il at once, its length would exceed that of a perfectly straiirht road between the same points by only about one hundred and fifty yards. Hul even I the level and curved road were- very much lont'or ihaii the straight and .■•teep one, it would almost always be better to adojjl wie former, for oil It a lior-e ciuild safely and rapidly draw his lull load, while on the other he c(juld only carry pari of hi'; load iij) the hill, and must diminish his speed in descending it. As a gem ral rule, the horizontal length of a road ROADS. 33 may Ik; [iilvantut,M'<)ii.sly iricn-tiMMl, u> avoid u!i ascent by at least twenty times the |)i!i'|)en(li(Milar liei",lil wliicli i.s to Iw thus saved ; that is, tu escape a hill a hiiridied I'eet hiyh, it would he nr' ,,i'r for the read to make such a circuit as would increiiNe iis |('ii.;lli two lliiusaud feet. Farmers :ire too unwilliiitr to allow a road to run llirouLjh their farms in a windiii^^ line. They attach more importance to the sipiareness of their fields than to the improvement of the lines of their roads; not heiu'jf aware how much more labour is wasted liy them in travelliuLT over these steep roads, than there would lie in cultivating; an awkward cornin- of a (i(dd. This feelinir is carried to such excess in some of ihe Western States, that the roads run nUtiiir tlat section lines, and as thest; invariably ])oitit north, south, east, or west, it I'olhjws that a person wishinif to cross the country iu any other direction, must do so in rectan^nilar ■/.\'^y.n'fs. QCKSTIONS. 1. W'liMt lire" til"' iiM|"irl;iiit |Mp|iit'< in lie S, Wiiit i- tli>' ilill'iTciirc in tin' li'ii::ili of corisidi'ii'il in llic i'iiii~lriiil]iiii III' rn;iils ^ two mmiU liitwccn uvn ("liiil-i icii iiiili's U. Wliy i- .-liiii'ililiicis iiii|iiirt:iiit ( I i\|iiirl, wln-n oni- rniid is sn nirvi'il ;istii|)rf- y. Wli!it is tlu'clli'cl iif iiriiii Hsary jcnulli ? vriit tlic vyi\ Iniiii sceint; liirtlu-r ihiui ii 4. SlriiijiliMicsH .'•Ijiiiilil iiKviiys lin Micri- i|iinricT nf ii inilc iif it at ;i tinif, ami u hni fii'cd til what? ! till- utliiM- is sirai^'lif? fi. Why iiiny a siraiu'hl rnail ini'i'i'ly lici'ii | '.'. What is ihi- nctieral l■||l(^ by whirh li|MMi till- map, III- L'i'iM rally |iriiMiimin'i| a ijir Iii'ii/imii:'! Ii'iiu'th nC a mail may l,i; iii- bail nmil ' Ii, lliiw ilij ynii [irnvi' that a mail may « iiiil nrniiinl ;i lull \\iilii>iii mrn'a^niL' lis liMi^lh' 7. Is lliiTi' any ureal ilillciciiri' ill lln' l(>ii}ith III' a mail slit;lilly (miim'iI, and om- that is -Ira, 'hi ' rrra-i .1 111 iiri'-i'ivr a level ' |o. Why >lir.iil'l t'armers wicrifico the shape 111' their lielils in winding roads ' II. What i> ihe elleel of ;hi,^ prejinliee aiiinii;; larinurs in the West ! the TlilKi) ij;ss()\. SI.OI'I'.S.- Loss OK I'oWKIt ON l\'CI.IV.\Tin\i5. FiVerv road shniiJd \if itrrfrrt/i/ livtl. If it be ii"t, a larire portion of the streM'.'ih of the hoisfs wlin'li travel ii will be expnidi'il in raisliHj: the load up till' asceiil. When a wi-iiiht is drawn U|i an iiii'liiii'il |ilaii(!, the resist- ance of the force o| "ravily, or the wi'iL;lit to be overcome, is such a part of the whole wein^ht as the heiijlit of the plane is of its lent,rth. If, then, a road rises one foot in every twenty of its length, a horse drawiui,'- up it a load of one ton, is compelled to acliially lift up one-twentieth of the wlmle weiL^ht — J. f. one liiiiidied pounds ihioiiLih the whole height of tlie ,:ent, besides overcomin','' the friction of the eniire load. The power of a horse, owinir to its anaiomical form and Lireat weiirht, is much diminished upon an ascent, and in even a greater ratio ilian that of a man. 'rboiiLrh a horse on a level is as stroiiij as (ivt! men, yet on a steep hill it is less stront: than three ; for three men, carryiuL;' each on.' hundred pounds, will ascend lasti'r than a Imrse with three liimdred poiimls. Inclinations beiiii^ always thus injurious, ar<' particularly so where a simrle steep slope occurs on a lonu line of roail which is comparatively level. It is in that case especially important to avoid or to lessen this slope, .since the load caiiied over the whole road, even the level portions of it, must be reduced to what can lie canied up the ascent. 'I'lius, if a lony slo|)e of one in twenty-lour occurs on a letcl road, as a horse can tlraw up it only one-half of his full 1 1, he can carry over the level [larts of the road only lialf as much as lie could and should draw thereon. 84 ROADS. Tho lind rffiTts of this .steppncss arc csppciiilly fi'lt in winter, whrn ice covers till' roiid, (or tho sli])pcrj- surfiicc (•luiscs (hiii. 11. What will decrease the distance on dirt roads i [The Kiliiors are indelitiHt, in a great mea.siire, for what is most nsefnl in tho.so lessons to ProlesMir (;illes|>ie's admirahle work on road-making, thai ought to be in the haiuis of every reading fanner.] ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLANK KOADS. PLAN, MATlllUALS, COST, AND DUUAIilLITY. WAsniMQTo.v, Mun 2'j, 1S50. J. S. Pkinnku, Ivsqlirk: Dkaii Sir — In n|»Iy to yours of tlit; Hth iiist., I have to say Mint I have s(M'ii jilaiik roiuls coiLstructi'd, and have milt! on them, aiij uni iutt^rostud in two of cons'KhTuldo extent. Tlicre arc throo of these mads that touch on my farm, anil pass on it over two in'des. They are the hest roails iina^'inalde-— hetter liy far than tlie hest jiaved or "macadamized" road, jileasunter for tlie person ridinjr, easier for the animals, and far less destructive to the carriaj^es that roll upon them. In the Statu of New York they liave adopted, hy common con.sent, a jrrade of not over one foot in si.xfeen, ami this is rij^idly adhered to. A jrooil span of horses will draw, on a road of that grade, a hundred hushels of wheat ilil.ty miles in a day with ease ; a smart span of horses will draw forty hun- dred forty miles a day. I mean hoiscs nf gnod hieed, action, hone, imi.-Mnw — si.\ inches — is i imugh to make cajiital sleighing, and yim can drive in ihe night a.^ well as in th(,> day, for the horses will iii.-iiiu:t- ively keep the road, 'i'iie roads are usually eighteen feet wide, and the ci'utro of it oidy is coveieil with plank eight feet long. In a very sandy soil there is no need of a raised I'oml, as the porous nature of the soil ahsorhs the WafcT without the aid of any drain. In other soils the road is formed like a turnjiike, with suitalde well-formed drains or ditches each side, giving the lie.-t chaiu'C for the water to run off. The intention is, to have iio water standing on the roail or hy its sides. Vour road heing thus formed, the first process is, to lay the ".s/;///(/( / s" as at AA. These should be of two inch plank and not less than one foot wide, and, on every account, are far ]irefcralil(' to sipiare scantling. 'I'hcy should I"' .-o im- heildeil in tiif road, tiiat the soil in' material of the road shouhl he plump u\\ to and even with their upper surface ; and at such distance a|)art, say four feet from centre to ci^ntrc, as that the wheels of the carriage, with the urdinary length of a.xle, will travel over the centre of the stringers. These stringers are hoth to he of the same grade, and the ,r have no earth or other matter or luatcrial on tin ir surface; and each plaid; must be settled with a "eoiii- mander," or l.irg'' wiodt ii mallet, until it ii -t.- Ilai and plumb on the string- ers, and solid un the groiunl fVom end t'l i ml, no sj/aci; being left for air beneath them. Kach plank . hould be laid elo,-e to the preceding one, and ON TlIK COXSTHUCTIOX UV I'LANK UOADS. 37 88 ON THE CO.VSTRUCTION OF I'LAXK ROADS. driven up to it with tlio coinniandcr. No pinning is nccossiiry. When the road is thus well laid, it is very diiticult to raise a plank. It can hardly he done, except with a lever. The plank heing laid, the next business is to em- bank u little more earth on the sides of the road, so as to raise the road on each side at leasL tnree or four inches above the surface of the plank. It will soon pack so as to be on a level, and should not be permitted to be, when packed, lower than the surface of the phink — thus the planks are kept from moving endwise, and it is easy to get the wheel of the wagon on to the plank, when it gets off when one carriage is passing another, or otherwise. A\'here there is no lieavy grading and not an unusual amount of bridging, ami where plank can be delivered on the road for five dollars a thousand, one thoiisaiid dollars will pay for making a mile of plank road. Tiiere is some inconvenience and some additional expense in cutting the plank only eight feet long, that length is not .suited to the sled on which the plank is brought in winter from the woods to the mill, and it re((nires a greater number of logs to be loaded and sawed and a greater number of jilanks to be handled. This inconvenience may be obviated by cutting the logs of any convenient length ; say twelve feet, and laying the plank di- ini'nitillij across the sleej.ers. It is needless to add, that when thus laid, the sluice-ways are covered without the aid of cross pieces. This mode of laying the jilank diagonally h..s net found much favor, but it is thuught that jilanks thus laid will wear longer than if at right angles with the stringer.^, and that the wheel rolls easier on a jjlank lengthwise, or partially so. ])Ut if this mode is adopted, it is desirable that Lhere should be, at inter>'als of half a mile, a change in the direction of the planks, as is illustrated in the diagram, which also shows the position of the stringers, and the mode iu wliieh the sluice is carried, as at 13. Unless there is this change in the di- rection of the plank, the wheels of the carriage will crowd and grind on the same >lioulder of the ;ixle and the same linch pin all the time. It is a [irojuT j.recaution to have "washers" against botli the shoulder of the axle and the linch ])in always covered with some anti-friction compositi(»n; otherwise, in fast driving, the hub of the whijel will heat. There is iu most axles what is called the '•gather," that is an inclination which induces the wheel to run iIr. Kingsford's essay, being desirous that the reader sliould possess all that is in our j)osse.ssion on the Hubjecl. If there be any discrepancy in the suggestions of ditlerent writers, lu' r:iu decide for himself. On tlie whole, with the statistics and directions hen^ given, any man, (U- company, nniy, we apprehend, decide as to the cost and e.vpeijicney nf building a jiLink road; and with such directiuiis and diagnims, any good carpenter can execute the work. THE MOULDEBART. The implement here illustrateil, is now nmre generally known than it was twenty-six years ago, when the present Ivlitor nf the i'liuigii, the Loom, and the .\uvil, eaused it to be engraved for the American Earmer, from a work, then recently publisheil, on El-KMisit lIisisANlntv. It seems to have served as a nnidel fur scrapers usihI in the construction of turnjiike and other roads, water-ponds for cattle, iVe., and it is obvious that such an iniplenieut would be highly useful for many purposes, besides making jilaidv and other ro;i(ls, where loosened earth is to be moved to a short dis- tance. I>y its means, fir example, old dunghills and farm yards, being ploiii;he(l up, nitiy be (|uicli Iv collecte(l in masses, ready foi- being transported liy oilier conveyances to any distance. It might be iised too fir constructing rough ditches, and for collecting tlu' ploughed earthen head-lands for making COIMpO.-itS. The author of the woi'k on l''leinish Husbandry says, "Too much cannot lie saiil in favour of its etiicaey in removing soil from one part of the fiehl to another, in the easiest and most t>xpeditious niaiuier, which has estalili>hed its general use in Maiidcrs, and ought to recommend it everywhere. The jicrson \vhu drives with long rein.s, by pressing moderately on tiie handle as 40 THE MOULDEBART. If tlio horses go forwaril, collects and transports about five cwt. of earth to the place where it is to be deposited ; which is effected in the most siuniiuiry manner, by his letting go the handle. This causes the front or edge of the machine to dip and catch against the ground, whereby it is at once inverted and emptied of its load. The extremity of the handle, to which a rope is affixed, by this inversion, strikes against and rests on the swingle tree bar, and in tnis manner the Mouldebart is drawn along towards the accumulated earth, when, by taking up the rope, the driver draws back the handle, collects his load as before, proceeds to the spot which is to receive it, and the horses are never for a moment delayed." Ik should be shod with iron on the lower front side, and is drawn by a pair of horses or oxen with swingle trees. We hope the representation of this implement will not be deemed inappro- priate in this connection. To some it may be new even now, thougli not to the extent that it was when presented to the public eye so many years since. There is nothing that contributes more to good and efficient management, than to have an abundance of good and efficient implements and machinery: a point in which most farms are sadly deficient; and especially in regions of country where circumstances compel the agriculturist to cultivate only such things as will bear keeping and transjiorting to distant markets, in sueh case, so much is extracted -..nd borne away from the land, and so little restored to it, that the land and its owner become poor together, and bud machinery and decay take the place of enterprise and good implements. THE END. tr^t f ^ I