Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-04-28
CORRESPONDENTS

- srecn CERTAIN .RemberS IF Cc~gyess amt the
Erecuttre otthe Clrifsd States, respecting the
erteaSinn Of the Cumberland Road, east,rnrd-
q, to the hide tcdier ~ the Potomac Rirer
WAsiIINGr;,H, March 90, 1926
SIR; Fhe undersigned Members of the Congress-
p The United Ss,es nf America, be- leave TO in
q tie the attention ~ the Executive 10 tie exped
:cy o. extending the National Road which con-
'ccis the rivers Ohio sud Potomac, from s,.ita-
5e point thereon, oastwIidly, 10 the District OF
o!umbia
j. Is believed by the undersigned iha; in H.,
announcement OF this public highway, it was the
opinion Q: the then President OF the limited
'ia,es that tie road should be conducted. west,
"a'dly, from the ride OF the potomsc 10 Mari
Ia al The mouth OF the Mu>kngum, so as TO
''t'S INC waters oil The two rivers, at points, from
'Yn!ch they are at al times navisable, To their
mouths.
Il the power Ia construct such road. and ,Le
~o'ga'on to exercise il, Be traced 10 th,. act of
Cypress of the Both of April, 1902, il certainly
variants II II does not require. that extension OF
Is ha'ISnai highway, which the undersigned pre
$4me 10 recommend.
Among the conditions OF the act, which enabled
zee people OF the Territory of Ohio to form SAT-
government and provide for their admission into
Le Onion, upon an equal footing with the ORR
Sha! States, tile third provided, That one-,ven,i
.'h part OF the het proceeds of tie public lands
ID 'he new Slate, which might be sold after the
'V.A OF June, 1902, should be applied to having
OAK ana making public roads, LEADING firm, tho
'TrtSatie waters emptying into the At1an,ic ~
re ohio river, 10 the State Of Ohio. ana ,b,,,gi
he same ""N 'oOs"
Sacl roads were required to be laid out. under
&c "u,lolty OF Congress, with the consent of the
sereFai States through which they might nags.
"y subsequent act, the five ger cent. fund
ALs oIt'aed '"'o TWO parts one OF three, and the
5lher OF two per cent The :irst was ple,Iyed fo,
ne construction OF roads within, and he last
Ut '"o Per cent. fund, for roads leading IN the
Stale. ~ '"'
ihe preparatory survey, authorized by this ac,
vas not required TO await the consent of the States
= provided tor the appointment OF Commissioners
% make the survey; and if when made thei, 20
port was approved by The President. he ,.a. ON
covered TO Obtain that consent In ASSIGNING Tho
"dues OF the Commissioners the Breadth NJ tho
road was prescribed aid the mode of its Je.ie,,a
'.oH' 1he manner Of constructing il was conf
"el 10 The President, and the FIRST approuria,ion
4" T"V'ooo to this oqect, was charged unon the
dV,"aI proceeds OF the two per cent fund and anv
"lheF money IN the Treasury, not otherwise az,
PfopIiated chargeab,e also, however. ,non ,,.,,
fei. IsaSls, by that fund, as it might accrue
ln'the .Hhment of re third condition Of the ,-io,
ec' o! loV=' wheeling Oh the Ohio and Climber
@Ad on the Potomac, were fixed upon, as the tyvn
extremes Oi the first OF those roads; de.i,oel h,
INA. "c'' 10 connect The haU{gqGic waters of fine
ONO and the Atlantic.
ne undefsisned cannot think that the ,rre chi
=; OF the acts, which they have quoted l',s t,.e,
-"'hiuHy observed, in tie extension of thi. ro,s
Al never warranted, IN their opinion. the termina
ION OF the road, Eastwardly at Cnn,berrsnJ. g..
'lc 4'iVef Potomac was not, in its natural state
AaFieable rom thence down, and with all liz .,b
e4n'nt ai'hcial improvements, ii is not always
80 ~ present II IS so mpeded in is ascen, b,, the
'"WGy OF Us current, as TO favor TRANSPORTATION IA
me W est as LITTLE if there were no nayioatio.
o. any "nle, and lis descending navigation il so
endangered by rocks, and DISTRACTED by sloaIs O..
20 oe often iinpracticabie by laden boats.
IL u ce conceded, that road teTnlinatip,, at
t"uI" h6her point OF the Potomac than Cun,ber-
and or even Western Port, would have corror,a
ed as little to the letter as TO the srir;, of t i
ca condition CT the act of 1902. SO in the ca,o,,,
foTaheous, as IN the present circumstances nj The
navigation OF the Potomac, The pojnt act,allv 49,
sumed ioT the Eastern extreme Of the N.,;oaaI
Road, could no, be rera-ieJ 80 1 '''e 4'd'iohai
tston. F''i'''eh' iImi-
me undersigned are the more disposed to press
MS view oi Tie Acknowledged Obligations nf 49,.
r. edera Government, 10 the States Of ,liy vac
because II has been recently determined he ~.
- ess 10 conduct this road westwaTdIv IN tho Nj
';ouri. ~ 'iie -'Ai'-
As the policy which prompted the foundation If
ems muhihceht work is thus farther de elo,sd 49,
t'ut Sishtd respectfully contend, that eype,Iien,
GO us extension to -
ne waters OF the Atlantic and the se,, IS e.,
General Government, by the shortest and best mac,
iicabe route. '' Pidc-
~ cannot be doubted, that j, was iye,.apso ,l,o
l'"csl centre Of the Union had been assumed ,o 10
IN ihe oTtbern Bank Of the Potomac. thar go,
doio ITS waters to the Ohio, was the frs, rvec,,
~ since the third condition of the act If fsGo
fpeciiied no particular river Of the narv n.,,i,a
We waters Of che Atlantic, which. HAVING H.
YiFces IN the Aegany, are separated bv ,bsf cI,;a
'Npognisns irom the Ohio
he fohcy OF 'his choice urgently reeuiyes the
eo,IlPletion Gifts obvious purpose
lie Ess!e-n extension Of this road he d:...,
'"l'e fo the tide water OF The Potomac i,ss ~,
4Ny very formidable obstacles To eoco,,,,,,
ani4si sFWse population, bat will fenav the ~,
,fiHsnt y The object Of the act of 1902. Inv g,s,,
y sVThgNs' at lnqe comparative exDeose' III.
s's1 'h9rSushfare Of the Eastern and Wcs,sra
oupposhS ihat an artificial road from ,l,. 1,;.
'ne' o. Columbia, towards che Ohio. ar,c, $50,
IuoRh Virginia, shall intersect The Cn,oj,s.i'"ss
Joaa AZ The most suitable point thereon /, La.
.seeT'dhei, by actual measurement. tb,, 1ss Os.h
''ce o'i"'en Wheeling snd ne CRY Of WsslioS-