Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1824-12-31
oTEzcx L. alceug.gx.EeT2
REPORT
REPORT
OF THE Po3rMssTER GENERAL,
On The subject on e most practicable Pcs, Route
from .Neic Orkars 10 WASHINGTON Ctr.

sur In obcdicure 10 resolution of the Sen.
ale oi the United States, adopted at their last
session, requiring die Postmaster General to ~.
port TO the "Scnaie, at the present session. the
most practicable pest route from New Orleans 10
Washington City, have the honor 10 state. that
the route on whica the mail has been transport.
ed, Tor several yeas past, from this Citv TO New
Orleans, is by the way of Fre5ericksburg and
abingdon, ia virginia; Knoxville and McSlin-
vile, IN Tcnnessc,; Huntsville RushvilIc. and
fikevliie, IN Alabama Columbus Jackson, Fort
Gibson, Washington, Natche2, and Woodviile. i'm
mississippi; thcnt,, by ST. Francisvillc and Bal
Ion kougc, TO Net Orleans. This route is est.
iua'eu al i,ooO mifs, and requires travel of "a
days.
The military rod, as il is called, from Column
ous In Miss to Jacksonville, i'll Lou. is nearly ON
u'fec' line iromthe former TO New Orleans
ana much nearer than the road by the way of
washington and Natchez. But tins road is re-.
presented TO be sdmuch out ofrcpair, as to rem
ger the regular transportation of the mail upon
II inpracucabie. The bridges and causewavs
nave niien INTO decay, and, in many parts, the
cnUire space, opeed for the road. has become
filled witllyoung Eiowths of timber.
some years sIntc, contract was made bv this
department, 10 uanport the mail TO New Or
leans, from this City, 10y Salisbury in North
carolina; Spartanburg, in SouthCarolina; Athens
and Fort Hawkins, in Geor gia .and Fort Stod
| dart, in Alabama, the distance bling compntcd
NJ I2oo miles. But there were so 0any obstruc.
uons on this route, arising from streams of water
ana oiucr causes, that il was founl impractca.
Die To perform the contract, " il walahandoncd
lhere IS mail route from Knoxville. in Ten
heSsce, by the way of Kingston, in the same
STATE; bennetsvis, Cahawba, and S, Stephen's
| IN Alabama, TO New Orleans, whichmaLes the
distance from Washington to that mace | oo9
miles. Bul the distractions on this route are
lknoWn 10 be nearly great as on th, route hv
| the way OF Athens aud Fort Hawkins
The post route 10 New Orleans, witch pa.ses
through the capitals OF the Southern states. is es
timated at 1912 miles. This distancd might be
reuuceu 10 LOO miles, If no greater deviations
from direct line, we're made, than would be ne
cessary TO obtain good ground for road. and to
pass through Richmond, Raleigh, Columbia, and
NiiiedgevilIe: thence bc Coweta and CT Ste
phens 10 New Orleans. a part of the Alabama
ana Mississippi mail, and the mail from the south
TO New Orleans, is transported on this route
bu'' III the lnterand spring seasons of the year
Tue numerous streams otwater over which there
are neither bridges nor ferries present ips,r-
mountab!e obstacles TO the regular and rapid
transportation OF the nail on this route
On d direct line from Washington to New Or.
ieahs, me distances 900 miles. This line passes
near Warrenton, Charlottesville, Lexing.on, b,
i-lck, Grayson CuarH House, i'm Vireinia; Ash
Hnic' III North Carplna; thence, through the Ia
L.. il.
Alabama, 10 fearlton, near Lake Borgne: thence
10 New Orleans.
ne northwestern part of North Carolina.
through winch TINS line passes, is so mountainous
40 W rehueT Il deviation TO the south or north.
III constructing road, Indispensable 4 devia.
'oii 10 Tie north, so as TO avoid the mountains
Mii pass oy or near Fothcringay, Wythe Court
liouSe' hfistiansburg, and Abingdon, in Virgi-
MA hnoNViile, IN Tennessee; thence throuef
the tennessee Valley, by Cahawba, TO New Or
eals, on nearly straight direction This route is
cSuiha'en M ooO miles, including ten per cent
ior the variation from straight line, from Wash
i"S'on 10 New-Oreans The variation, so as 10
pass 10y knoxville, would not increase tine dis
lance more than six miles. deviation to Oh,
south, so as TO avoid the principal mountains
You'd pass near Salem, in North Carolina
HreenvIlle, IN South Carolina; and Athens l.,
georgia. ms route would not vary, al any one
point, more than 90 miles tom a direct line.
ma would not increase the distance by line
passing through the above places more than Sc
zen miles.
The route by the way of Warrenton. Abiue
AoD and Knoxville affords great facilities for the
construction OF mail road Through virginia
ind tennessee, the materials are abundant for
me formation OF turnpike; and through the
states OF Alabama aud Mississippi it is believed.
tom information which has been obtained, that
!" no part OF The Union can an artificial rood of
On thIs part OF the route, the general face of the
ountry is level, and the soil wen adapted TO the
''rnatIon ot a solidToad. Some information has
oee' communicated 10 this department on this
SUBJECT, but 1t does not come strictly within the
scope of the resolution. If n substantial road
were made, in this direction, TO New Orleans.
l ne mail could be transported TO that place, from
ms cry, IN eleven days. If the road were to
pass through the capitals of Virginia, North ca
South md 1
conveyed i'll less than twelve DAYS
ne route on which the mail is now TRANSPORT
"a 10 New Orleans, although more circuiious
man some others, III the present condition ofthe
roads, IS the safest and best. There are many
distractions on il, but they are less numerous
lhan on any Diner. Greater CELEBRITY and safety
are given 10 the mail on this route. than conId he
gwen 10 il on any other, TO New Orleans. and Il
passes through, and supplies, many important
towns and villages, and thickly settled parts OF
the country
In The winter and spring seasons of the wear.
lhe mail on this route on all Others i'm te same
lar's OF me country, is sometimes entirely OBJ
s,,rncted by high waters; and, when this is not
the case, It Is frequently much injured by tbe
mail horses swimming creeks & tbyouoh sva,nns
OF considerable extent. The friction from the
movement OF the mail horses, is certain TO de.
SlrOJ all newspapers that become wet and moi
nnirequeutly, letters tUuch elaborated
When the mail is considerable time immersed
m water, ms has often been the case on this rone
IL IS impossible TO secure il perfectly from injury
Inc department now pays at the rate of fftv-
two dollars and seyeniy-six cents mile for the
transportation of the mail three times in each
week to New Orleans On 4 good TURNPIKE
DAD 1t could be conveyed in II stage as often.
ana IN less than half The time, at the same ex
pense And what is a most important consdc-
ration, the utmost security would he given TO The
msii by such a transportation, aud verv con
siderable increase 10 The receipts Of the depart
mcnt