Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-07-15

1eeH completed I'll the rate OF 500 dol
lars mile.
The q Reia:er Town" turnpike, in a
dire9ioa extends f6
miles To that village whence two braf,-
ches extending one 10 and the other 90
mics further, will enter penna ylvania a,
TWO different places. The road % feet
wide, is covered wtha stratum 9 ioches
thick, Of pounded slo0es no more than
inches in diameter. The angle of ascent
does moi exceed 3 degte-s and a half -
Zen miles have been completed at 10000
doilarsa mile, and he work is progressing.
The capital Of the company amounts TO
go 600 dollars.
The capital of The " Fredercl, town"
turnpike company amounts to 100000
doiiaTs: aud the company is authorised To
open the great western road, as lar as
Boonsborough, beyond the Blue Riage,
and 81 miles from Baltimore. The an.is
OF ascent viii moi exceed degrees; IN;
road has conveXity of 9 inches, and on
4 breadth of22 feet is covered with stra.
tun lo inches thick of pounded stones,
not exceeding inches in diameter, over
which are spread two inches OF gravel or
coarse sand. The FIRST 60 miles mex, 70
Baltimore, have cost at the rate of oooO
dollars, and the next IL miles are CONTRACT.
ed Tor at the rate OF 9 900 dollars, and the
next /? miles are contracted for AT the
cate of z 600 dollars nile.
The distance from Boonsborourh 10
Cumberland, at the foo, of the Allegheny
mountain, following the present road is
IS miles, and although the company is
not yet authorised TO extend the turnpike
10 that place, the ground HAS been survey
ed, and il is ascertained t;iat the road NAV
be continued with an angle of ascent not
exceeding 4 degrees. The ascent of the
road laid out by the u. 5. fom Cumber
landto Bro~n,viIle, on the Monosgahe,a
does not exceed 5 degrees, and the dis
lance is y miles: waking The whole
distance ola turnpike road from Baltimore
10 The Davigahle waters of The Ohio, soT
miles. The distance from the CITY o.
Washington to the same spot on the Mo
nonsaheia is some miles shorter, being a.
mas already been stated, The shortest com.
municauou between tide wa err and the 1,a
Vigable western waters.
South ofthe Potomac few artificial road
have been undertaken. From Alexandra
o"e is now progressing in northwest.
wa'diY direction towards Siidd!eburef,.--
A 30 her has lately been commenced from
Richmond TO Ross coal nine. Rut TIL,
only one which, so far as any accounts
have been received, is completed, extends
10 miles from Manchester opposite to
Richmond, in west~ardly erection to
the coal mines or Falling creek. This
road, So feet wide, is graveIled and has
cost so 600 dollars bat The last miles
did not cost more than at the rate of 5000
dollars mile. Yet ii is sufficiently sub.
siantial, the route being very lsyel, TO al
init Wagons carrying four Ions,
The greatest progress made in The i'm
provement of roaos in the northern part.
of the union, must be principally ascrbed
TO more compact population, w!;ch ren.
ders those Improvements MOI necessary
and az ;he s.ne time supplies with great
er facility the means Of eifeel.ng them
The same difference is percepubie in the
number OF bridges erecl,ed in The several
! states.
In the eastern states, and part;cularly
Massachusetts, wooden bridges untiug
5o!dness to elegance, and having no de
feet but want OF Durability, have been er-
ecied over the broadesi and deepest rivers
In the lover counties OF PENNSYLVANIA stone
bridges are generally found across all tb,
small streams, Both in that state and a.
some distance castwardly, bridges witf
stone piers and abuiments, and wooden
supeIsrnc,ure are common over wide ri
vcrs. Oh these the most expensive, and
which may be considered as he first in the
United States, isthe permanent Schuyl.
til' bridge near Philadelphia, erected BY
a company at an expense pf 100000 dn .
ars. Its length including the a6utment
does not exceed $50 feet and it is SUP
ported only by two piers and the abul
msnts. But those piers, i95 feet aparl
are of the most solid workmanship. anc
one Of them SINK a, depth Of more thar
"a feet below low water. The bridge !.
~ feet wide, and the wooden supers,ruc.
ture is enclosed auC = yercd with singl,
roof.
The want Of bridges south Of Pennsyl
ysnia even on the main post road, is sen.
sibly felt. One lately thrown acros
re Potomac, three miles above the cit
of Washing.o7, and which without On,
Intervening piers is wholly suspended {,
iroe chains extending from bank 30 bank