Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-11-28
From the National LateMgencsrs
ROAD FROM ALEXANDRIA TO GEORGE
Town

~ a So
ROAD IRON ALEXANDRIA TO GEORGE
Town 81
The session of the legislature of the u
nited States being just at hand, it is wor.
thy OF attention that there exists a case al
the Metropolis of this country which calls
for legislative interppsilion In the economy
of the public roads: / mean in the sh me-
tul example of negligence which ex.sss ex
posed to The censure of travellers between
Georgetown and Alexandria. / presume
u will be unnecessary TO offer either evil
dehce or argument 10 impre the public
Eaina with an evil SO self evident, and so
dangerous to all who have occasion to pass
in the night.
The INSTANCE cited is however, not a
new one ; it is only of an unlimited number
OF examples, which every where, Dervade
this country; and which have, every where,
exisie ed in all countries antecedent to the
establishment of tHrnbikes. 1t is within
the memory of middle aged men, that
England (Which now exeels all other coun-
tries ia this species Of lmprovemen,) was
in a similar predicament; and there is no
doubt but thar country, which now exhibits
surnpIkes equal 10 The road before the Pre-
sident's door through every part Of the
kingdom. and where the arts, manufactures,
agriculture and of the land have
kept pace with the facilities of conveyance,
would have Gunt med for centuries if she
had adhered 10 tn mistaken prejudice
of working her roads by statute labor, and
continued IN the p acflce of Scaloing them
zUih zveeding hoes 10 avaid bresentments at
county court
The great and amiable doctor Anderson,
the agricuAurdhst, who never went TO bed
a night since he approached ma lhood with
out leaving an grateful world in arrears
10 mis- labors, expresses himself on this sub
! iecs as follows:
y" There is no popular prejudice have
ever met with that is SO unreasonable as
TIA, which prevails against turnplkes. In
most other cases the people. are anxious 10
throw all public burthens upon the rich ra-
Their than the poor but the case is directly
reversed In this instance, The roads are
all made where no turnplkes exist, by the
labour Of the poor, for which they receive
no paynen. I; many OF whom neither have
horses nor carriages ever to travel on these
roads but the rich If consequence OF that
labor, are enabls d 10 lpl In their carriages
a, their ease, and while they are thus cut
ting up the roads contribute nothing to put
them 10 repair. G.
A turnpike act, which subjects these
| persons, and others who are to use the
| roads to a tax to put lhem in repair, is OBJ
| piousiy the most equitable plan for making
the roads that ever could be devised, and
| shifts the bur,hen, in the first instance, from
HE shoulders of the poor to those OF the
wealthy one would imagine that a turn
| pike act, on this principle, ought to be uni
~versaliy a very popular thing"
Does It not merit a question:, under this
fair mode of reasoning, whether the inha.
bitan,s OF, Washington, George own, and
| Alexandria, ought not immediately TO hold
public meetings, and correspondence, on
the question of petltlonlng Congress for an
act to facilitate their mutual intercourse, and
10 promote tie public interest and dccomm0-
dation. bv the Incorporation Of a company
for extending a turnpike road, he nearest
and best level, ffom the t0wn Of Alexandria
to the ferry at George Gun
/ could say a great deal on this topic,
which, being too volumnious for a news
paper may, perchance, be the subject OF a
pamphlet, while | tatry amongst you; bur
if any should question me on the score OF
advantage in the road now proposed, | am
free TO answer, according to my observa-
ton,
*Agricuture Of A6erdeensdirs, page 1872.