1848- 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
175 
PliAim HOADS, 
We are indebted to Philo White, Esq., for a copy 
of a Report on Plank Roads, submitted by him to the 
Legislature of Wisconsin. This document furnishes a 
more full and complete exposition of the advantages 
of this description of roads, than we have before met 
with. The first question considered is, what kind of 
roads are best adapted to the present wants of the 
community? And though railroads are admitted to af¬ 
ford the greatest facilities under particular circum¬ 
stances, yet it is concluded that there are many situa¬ 
tions where a class of thoroughfares less costly, “ and 
more practical for every day usef are called for. 
The advantages of plank roads, over Me Adam or 
stone roads, are, that the former can be made in all 
situations, without regard to the character of the soil ; 
that they are less liable to be affected by frost, 
(which is sometimes very injurious to McAdam 
roads) ; and that they can be built and maintained at 
much less cost. It is calculated that horses will travel 
with wheel vehicles, one-fifth faster, and draw one-fifth 
more weight on a plank than on a stone road. “ In 
fine,” (says the report,) “plank roads are preferable 
to those of McAdamized stone in cheapness, in case of 
draught and in comfort to passengers; greater speed 
being attainable on them with less assistance to draught; 
and stage owners say that they are less fatiguing to 
horses than stone roads, at the same rate of speed.” 
Plank roads, it is said, were first made in Russia; 
and their first trial in America was in Canada, where 
they were made by Lord Sydenham, who from a long 
residence in Russia, had become well acquainted with 
them, and was thoroughly convinced of their utility. 
We. are informed that the Canadians are now so well sa¬ 
tisfied of the great advantage of these roads, “that they 
have gone more extensively into the use of them than 
any kingdom or republic on the globe.” These roads 
are chiefly in Canada West—-the aggregate length of 
the different lines already constructed, being between 
400 and 500 miles. We are not aware of the entire 
number of miles of plank road actually finished in the 
State of New-York, but this report informs us that the 
various lines for the construction of which companies 
have been organised in this State, amount in the whole 
to a distance of 500 miles. 
As to the width ofthe track , or the length of the plank 
used, the report states that it has been shown “most con- 
clusively, that for a single track, eight feet is preferable 
to a greater width,” and that where a double track is wan¬ 
ted,it is best to make them separately of that width. The 
planks are laid across the bed at right angles. In regard 
to the necessity of more than one track, the report 
quotes the remarks of Mr. Geddes, in relation to the 
Salina road. Mr. G. observes “great speculative ob¬ 
jection was made in the start to but one track; but we 
have now the entire community with us in deciding that, 
on all ordinary roads, one track is fully sufficient. The 
reason is this: the travel in wet weather is entirely on 
the plank, except the turning out of the light teams; 
but they seek the plank again as soon as they can get 
around the team met or overtaken, so that the turn-out 
track is not cut with any continuous lengthwise ruts, 
and perhaps the wheels of not one team in a hundred turn¬ 
outs will strike the exact curve of another ; consequent¬ 
ly, in our experience, our turn-out track being well 
graded, passing the water easily and rapidly from its 
surface, remains perfectly hard and smooth.” 
Sleepers or Stringers. —In one or two instances, 
roads have been made without sleepers—the plank be¬ 
ing laid immediately on the graded earth. The planks 
have kept their places quite well; but it appears to 
be the conclusion that it is best to use sleepers or sills. 
“ The sills,” (says the report) “ should be well 
bedded in the earth, their top surface barely in sight, 
and the earth in which they are embedded should be 
broken and pulverised, so as to leave no stones or other 
hard substances to obstruct their settling evenly, and 
thus permitting the earth to sink down firmly on the 
earth as its main support. Two stringers only are 
used on the Salina road, 4 by 4 inches in siae and none 
less than 13 feet in length; they should be so laid as 
to break joints, as in laying brick, or putting on siding 
that is, the ends of the stringers on one side should not 
be laid opposite the ends of those on the other side. 
About <3 feet 8 inches is the proper width between the 
two lines of stringers, for an 8 feet single track road, 
which will bring them under the wdieels of most road 
vehicles, and thus give a continuous bearing on them. 
One set of sleepers of good timber and well bedded, 
will last as long as two or three plankings.” 
Grading.— It is directed that the road should be 
graded twenty-one feet wide, “ measuring from the 
inside top-lines of the ditches on each side.” Great 
care should be used that the road be kept dry by means 
of side ditches and cross culverts. They should be 
made fine, firm and smooth. 
In regard to lengthwise grading, it is observed that 
short rises are sometimes made of one foot in ten, 
though they are generally from one foot in twenty to 
one foot in thirty. Mr. Alvord’s remarks on this sub¬ 
ject are quoted. “ It is easier to go over the same ele¬ 
vation on a plank road than on a common dirt one; for 
on plank there is no cutting into the substance passed 
over, nor encountering of stones by the wheels; and if, 
as it ought to be, the plank way is covered w r ith a 
slight coating of earth, the only danger suggested, the 
slipping of the animal, is avoided. It would be a 
prettier sight for the eye, were w r e to grade our plank 
roads more level; but while their practical utility is 
not lessened in any perceptible degree by their unevbn- 
ness, economy forbids the expense of levelling them for 
ornament .” 
The kind of timber used for planks is oak, hemlock 
or pine. Oak lasts as w r ell as any wood, but is slippe¬ 
ry in wet weather. The wear by abrasion is calcula¬ 
ted at one-fourth of an inch in two years; “ and as 
planking will not break through till one-and-a-half or 
two inches of the surface is worn away, it follows that 
the duration of the plank, [if of pine or other soft 
timber,] would be eight years.” Oak would generally 
last, it is thought, fifty per cent longer. 
The cost of plank roads is estimated at from $1500 
to $ 2000 per mile. 
Pla,nk RooAs preferred by Farmers. —The opinion 
is advanced in the report that “railroads can never be 
made to take the place of teams for the transportation 
of grain, &c., withm one day’s drive of a market, be¬ 
cause the former can carry the cheapest for that dis¬ 
tance.” 
“ There are seasons when work is slack with almost 
every farmer; yet his teams are daily censuming as 
much food at such tim.® as when fully employed. Avail¬ 
ing himself of these seasons, he can haul his produce 
to market with a very few shillings’ expense, in addi¬ 
tion to what would have been incurred had his team 
remained idle in their stalls.” 
