Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-12-05

The Cumberland route, then. excluding its adj
ventitious superiority from going through popu :
ious and thriving town, would seem TO possess
natural advantages, which upon the broad princ-
pie OF extending the national road by the shortest
and most practicable route, should obtain rrefe
renee over the Springfield route. For Carler's
being but FIVE miles west OF Cumberlantl,o il is
one mile shorter; it requires less length of bridges
and caaseways: il is equally well provided with
materials, and it seems 10 be susceptible of nearly
the same graduation.
g The deyelotement of ,iese facts may seem
some'"ha, at variance (says the report) with the
existence OF those advantages I have a,cri,ed 10
the Springfield route; but If what l. have said be
anali1.ed, il will appear that the advantages ari-
butec1 to the Springfield route were, LIST, that
Wills mountain il less formidable on it than on
The road 10 Cumberland; and next, That Spring
Gap mountain, crossed by the Cumberland route,
Is smrely asoidedby the Springfield route E
guvalent however, TO the inst advantage is ihis,
that the road from Cumberland TO CaIte.'s is al
ready made, and TO coun,ebalance the second is OPP
posed the disadvantage OF crcuitous route,
whereby The distance is increased beyond that
from Cumberland. I shall, therefore, assume
the Cumberland route as that entitled 10 the pre-
ference
From SherrGrd'S Store 10 the pl!ley of the
ShenandooE.--" a more general description OF
this section OF country will enable 10 present
view OF the comparative merits OF the Gerrards-
town, Guadalupe and Winchester routes; Tor al
though we have In front of us several continuous
ridges, they are but Of that inferior grade OF which
mention was scarcely made, while speaking of the
Jhdrti,Sbuyg Route. l then took occasion TO
state some striking differences in the features OF
that route from either Of those from Sherrard's
Store; and in particular / remarked tina, Sleepy
Creek mountain and Third Hill, each high and
steep mountain On that route, did not stretch FAR
enough south TO interfere with any route from
Bioomery Gap. The Barrier mountain was like
wise spoken OF as more formidable the Mar
tin.burg route than on any other, still formidable
on u route from SheTrara's Store to GeTraraS-
f0,on; and completely broken the routes 10
Guadaloupe or Winchester Herein, then, the
two last mentioned routes possess decided advan
iage over that TO Gerrardstown; but still is
their superiority increased, wien we md, there
is, general depression of all the ridges in the
direction OF Guadaloupe or Winchester. This is
apparent at single glance, particularly in the d.
rection OF the Gusdaloupe ro,t tie, where the de.
preston seems greatest; although the ridges are
nearly Uniform in their character south of their in
tersec,ion by the Gerrardstown route, that do
not think there would be any material difference
in the expense OF ooisning the graduation
for the Winchester for The Guaialoupe route"
1.-The following table will exhibi; the length and
graduation OF the section between the Great Ca
capehon mountain and the Valley OF the Shenan-
doah, by the present road 10 ether GeITaIds:own,
Guada!onpe or Winchester: