The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-07-26
REPORT
OF TIE SEcRETaRroF TREASURY;
ON THE SUBJECT OF
PUBLIC ROADS q CANALS,
Made an pursuance
OF RESOLUTION OF sENArE'oF MARCH g.
IcoNrINuED.]

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South of the Potomac few artificial roads
have been undertaken. From Alexandria one
Is now progressing in Northwestwardly dircc-
1ion towards Midtlleburgh.- -Another has lately
been commenced from Richmond to Ross's coal
mine. But the only one which, so far as any ac
counts have been received, is completed, ex-
tends 1o miles from Manchester opposite to
Richmond, in Westwardly direction to the
coal mines of Falling creek. This road, SO feet
wide, is gravelled and has cost $4,000 dollars ;
but the last miles did not cost more than at the
rate of 5000 dollars a mile !; : Yet is sufficiently
substantial, tile route bciIS very level to admit
Wagons carrying 4 tons.
The greater progress made in the Improvement
of roads in the Northern parts of the union,
must be principally ascribed to more compact
population, which renders those improvements
more necessary, and ut the same time supplies
with greater facility the means ofeftectng them.
The same difference is percepdble in the num-
bsr of bridges erected in the several states.
In the Eastern states, and particularly in Mas
sachusetts, wooden bridges uniting boldness to
elegance, and having no defect hut want of du-
rability. have been erected overthe broadest and
deepest rivers. In the lower counties of Penn
sylyani9, stone bridges generally found across
all the small streams. Both in that st2te, and
at some distance Eastwardiy, bridges with stone
piers and abutments, and wooden superstrue-
tnre are common over wide rivers. Ofthese the
most expensive, and which may be considered
the first in the United States, is the perma-
nent Schuylkill bridge near Philadelphia, erect
ed by company at an expence OF 100000 dol
lars. Its length including the abutnents does
not exceed $50 feet, and it is supported only by
two piers and the abutments But those piers,
195 feet apart, are of the most solid workman
ship, and one OF them was sunk at depth of
more than "a feet below low water. The bridge
Is AZ feet wide, and the wooden superstructure
IL enclosed and covered with Single roof
The want of bridges South Of Pennsylvania,
even on the main post road, is sensibly felt.
One lately thrown across the Potomac, three
miles above the city of Washington, and which
without any intervening piers is wholly suspend
ed to iron chains extending from bank to bank,
deserves notice on account of the holiness of its
construction, and of its comparative cheapness
The principle of this new plan, derived from the
tenacity of iron, applicable t, all rapid
streams of moderate breadth
The general principles ofinproved roads seem
BY sii.I,si,-
ing, the angle of ascent, which ought not to ex-
ceed, whenever practicable, degrees and a
half, and under no circumstances S degrees Cd.
A sufficient convexity in the bed OF the road,
together with bitches and drains, all which are
intended to prevent the injury caused by standing
water or freslets Sd. An artificial bed of pound
stones gravel sufficiently substantial 10 sup
port the weight of the carriages III general used
on the road either for the conveyance OF persons.
or for the transportation OF merchandise. !
On the last point 1t appears from the facts AL |
ready stated, scattered III the communicate |
onsreceived on that subiec 1st That the stones
ought To be similar in QUALITY and reduced to tic
same size, which should not exceed three inch |
es in diameter: Cd. That the preferable quail |
ties of stone, rank in the following order-hard !
black stone, granite, flint quartz, blue lime |
stone, white do: Sd. That the stratum may be |
either OF pounded stones 10 inches thick, or of
pounded stones 10 inches thick, with two inches |
of gravel over the stones or entirely of gravel |
ID inches thick Attn. That when the materials |
are equally convenient, the e&rence of those /
three modes win not materially differ, but that |
the rate Of expence depends principally on the |
number of hills and bridges, distance of mate |
rails, breadth Of The road and price of labor !: !
and 5th. That the general adoption of broad |
wheels for the transportation of heavy loads, is |
necessary to the full enjoyment of the adyanta- |
ges expected from the most substantial artificial
roads.-On the degree of conyexity and on the |
proper shape TO be given to the natural bed Of the
road under the artificial stratum, a diversity of |
opinions seems to prevail
The roads heretofore made may be divided into |
three general classes.
1. Those where the only improvement con- |
sists in the reduction of hills, and in the convex
atty and bitches of the road, whereby the angle |
OF ascent is rendered more easy, and standing |
water excluded but where the natural soil is |
used without any artificial stratum. The cxpence
bf these roads may vary according to oc;,i cir
cumstances and the perfection of the work, |
from five hundred one Ihous md dollars in the
Eastern states, and may be introduced with adj |
vantage in all those districts of country, where |
wealth does not admit more expensive improve
ments, or where the materials OF an artificial |
stratum are altogether wanting. it is only the
last case, that they nay be considered as a natl
onal object and no other Improvement besides |
bridges and causeways; is perhaps practicable |
in tic lower cousJry of the southern states. l.
ron, and even timber rail roads, may however
be sometimes substituted in those level parts of
the country, where stones and gravel M. not to
be found.
2. Roads prepared above, Of reduced
breadth and covered with thin coat of gravel
not more than SIX nine inches thick; such IS
the Turnpike lately made between Trenton and
y unswiok These roads, the expenee of which
may be estimated at about 5000 dollars mile, |
may be used whenever the frost does not Iaatcri-
ally affect them, and in every climate, wien they
are intended principally for the conveyance
of persons, and not for the transportation ofhea-
Wy loads.
g. The artificial roads Of the best construction,
such as have been already described. These
whennot exceeding % feet in breadth, and ex-
cept in the vicinity of large cities, will cost at
the rate Of 1000 dollars a mile, exclusively of
biidges oVerlarge rivers. Aud they must be re-
sorted TO, whenever conlr1eyciai road for hea-
w trsnsportationis intended, particularly in the
middle states, or rather in the United States be-