Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-11-19

'''',s sils is severed one 9th part, on two
s,.,. by the superior row.
Far the Alexasdriia Daily Adeerfiser.
Mr.. SNowpEH,
THE angry manner in which writer
under the signature of Numbers has written
s,neerning the route of the Turnpike road,
vi be an apology with those better ac-
.sa,;ated with the subject, for the many
.,istakes and strange arguments to be found
: hat peice. When he arraigned the de-
s;son Of the majority ofthe board, it would
l,ve been fair to have stated what was the
.o;ut really in dispute but in his attempt
s state this, he has made a grsat mistake.
The dispute is whether the road shall be
crooked or strait 1t rs not merely wile-
her it shall take southern or 1oester,l
route. When the law required it should
. combinc shortness of distance with con-
',enience of ground the majority of the
Commissioners were of opinion that they
would disobey the law and act contrary to
heir duty, and contrary to theinterest oil
,he Stockholders. and contrary 80 the inte-
rest of Alexandra, if they established a
crooked way by Centeryille more than two
miles and an half further thar the strait
way BIZ the Court House to the ford at Lit
as River, point to whichthey were oblig-
.dto go. The crooked way was rot only
iur.her. but the ground was worse, and the
materials were fewer, for making the road,
and many more bridges were requisite.
This was ascertained by their own observa-
aon, and the written report of Simon Sum
mers. They did not feel any obligation
solay of the road according to the divid-
ing line of the Ravensworth estate; for
both Nicholas Fitzhugh and Giles Fitz-
hugh have consented that the strait road
from the Trough Hill to the Ford, may
pass through their lands, which are of con-
siderable extent. Nor did they conceive
they would be justified in accommodating
their friends, Mr.. Keith, Colonel Deneale,
and others, through whose lands the crook
ed way by Centerville passes, by preferring
that to the one which shortens the distance
more than 2 miles in about 80: for the dis
lance by the Court House, from the Trough
Hill to the Ford, does not exceed thirty
miles. Whether the road was northern or
southern was not the point they consider
ed, but which was the most eligible and
the nearest route from Alexandria to the
Ford.
Another great mistake of that writer, Is
in supposing the Turnpike Road was ever
intended to draw to Alexandria the pro-
ducts of those portions of Virginia conve~
nientto Fredericksburg or Richmond. Ii
such had been the intention, the Ford at
Little River would never have been a
point fixed by the law. But it was intend
ed for the advantage of that part of the
western country, naturally convenient to
Alexandria, and which sometimes might
trade to George t own and Baltimore. So
far as rivalship was considered, the Virgi-
MIA Assembly had these parts of another
state in view.
Another mistake IN this writer is that he
supposes the country west of Little River,
WILSON, 6ndthe Potomac and Shenandoah
sonavigable, that they will have but little
use for Turnpike Road: if the navigati-
On was now complete, and the road now
complete, all persons, at some, seasons OF
the year, would usc the road, FOR parts OF
their crops, or they would come unseason-
solyto market. It's probable those situ-
ate ten miles from the Potomac, and not
more than sixty from Alexandria, would
hot use the river at all. 1t is true Mr..
Meth, whose protest isreferred to as au-
.aoritys appears very sanguine concerning
the navigation of those waters, and the
sqonsr these water conveyaacies are com.
pleted the better. Still, however, the OBJ
Ssructions by ice and drought will make
HAan.