The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1825-01-08

obstacles 10 the regular and
rapid tran smission Of the mail on ;his route.
On direct line from Washington to New
Orleans. che distance is $50 miles This line
passes near Warrenton, Charlottesville, Lex.
ington, Big Lick. G,aysoh Court Flo,,-e. in
Virginia; Ashvillc. in North Carolina: thence.
through the Indian country by Cahawba and
ST. Stephens, In Alabama, to Pearltpn. near
Lake Borsne thence to New Orleans
The northwestern part of North Carolina. .
through which this line passes, 4, so noun
tarious as to render deviation to the 50 nth or
north, in constructing q road, indispensable.
A deviation to The aorth, So &c to avoid the
mountains, will pas,by or near Fothcringay,
Wythe Court house, Christiansburg, and Ab
ingdon, in Virginia; Knoxville, in Tennessee;
thence, through the Tennessee Valley, by Ca
hawba. to New ORLEANS, on nearly a straight
direction. This route is estimated at l,056
miles, including ten per cent. for the variation
trsm straight line, from Washington to
Knoxville /; thence 70 New Orleans; and is be-
lieved to be the dearest direction practicable
tor post road from Washington to New Or
leans. The varistion, 10 as to pass by Knox
Vile, would not increase the distance more
than SIN miles. a deviation to the south, so
as to avoid the principal mountains, would
pass near Salem, ~ North Carolina, Green
vile, IN South Carolina, and Athens, in Geor
GA. This route would not vary, at one point.
more than GO miles from direct line. and
would not increase the distance. by line pas
sing through the above places, more than sew
en- miles
The route by the way of Warrenton. Abing-
don, and Knoxville, affords great facilities for
the construction Of mail road Through
virginia and Tennessee, the materials are a
bundant for the formation Of turnpike; and
through the states VI Alabama aad Mississippi,
is believed. from information which has
oeen obtained, that in no part of the Union can
an artificial road OF the same length, be con
structed at less expense On this part Of the
fontc, the general face of the country Is level.
and The soil well adapted to the formation of a
solid road Some information has been com
| municsted to this Department on this subject
out II docs not come strictly within the scope
OF the resolution IF a substantial road were
! MADE, IN this Direction, to New Orleans, the
na'i could be transported TO that place, from
TINS ely, I'm eleven days If the road were to
pass through the capitols of Virginia, North
| 'aro'ina, South. Carolina, and Georgia, il
| cou,d be conveyed in less than twelve days
Inc route on which the mail is nov trans
ported to New Orleans, although more circu.
| itous than some Others, in the present condi
'ion OF the roads, is the safest and beet. There
are many Instructions on it. but they are less
numerous than on any other Greater celeri
~ and safety are given to the mail on this
route than could be given to It on any other,
20 New Orleans. aid it passes through, and
supplies. many important towns and villages
and th,ckly settled parts Of the country.
IN the winter and spring seasons of the year,
the mai on this route, as on all others in the
same parts OF the country, is sometimes en-
.re'y INSTRUCTED by high waters; and, when
TINS Is not the case. it Is frequently much in
Iufed by the mail horses swimming creeks and
.nonGn swamps of considerable extent The
h1ction from the movement OF the mail horses
IS certain to destroy all newspapers that be.
come wet, and not unfrequently, letters are
much oblierated When the mail is con.
siderable time Immersed in water, as has often
been the case on this route, il is impossible to
secure II perfectly from injury.
The Department now pays at the rate Of
hfty two dollars and seventy six cents, a mile
'or transportation Of the mail three trips i'm
each week, to New Orleans On a good turn
PIKE road. it could be conveyed in a stage as
often, and in less than half the time, at the
same expense. And what is a most important
consideration. the utmost security would be
gwen to the mail by such a transportation and
very considerable increase to the reccipts of
the department
have the honor to be- respectfully. YOUR
ooedient servant, JOHN MCLEAN.
Hon JOHN GAILLARp