Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-15
house OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Aprl IL.

The Speaker laid before the S1ouSe IoihIhu'
nication from the Secretary Of War, transmit
ting the report Of the Board OF Internal I'M
provemen,, relative to the examination OF an
eastern, a middle, and western route Tor ROAD
between the City Of Washington and New or-
leans; which was referred to the Committee Oh
Roads and Canals. 80.
This report is characterized by the ability
which usually distinguishes the veteran at the
head of the Board, (Gen BERNARD,) and we are
able. at present, only, for The want CT time, to
give our readers the following extracts from
that most interesting documents:
Extract from the Report.
"In order TO facilitate the COMPARISON be-
tween these three routes, we shall present, under
theGorm Of table, the general results that the
reconnaissance affords with respect to them
As to the Middle Route, we adopt In this table
its upper section, without prejudicing by anti
cipation any thing against its lower section
We adopt, also, with the same restriction, the
Western Route, passing through Rockhsh Jap.
EASTERN ROUTE.
Ertent throughout ,chich materials can generally
be procured, approrimatireiy-24o miles.
Erteat THROUGHOUT ,chich there ,riH be q scarcity
ofnateriaLs, approrimaiiUeiy-s9 smiles.
Quality of soils trarersed by the route General
pro,cfh of fi,nber.-Rich in the bottom of the val
leys, but sandy in the intermediate parts. The
predominating growth is pine.
Total length ofbridges-6 miles, 626 yards.
Total length of Causs,oay-35 miles, $50 yards
Gyaduatioa-735a miles Of %; 1924 of 50; and
l4oi of40.
Population-Whites 2o2,4So, Colored 2lo,-
.2s4-Total 4l2,7l4
Distance from Washingtont to Ne,r- Orleans, from
the summary of reconaoiSsance-ll 1863 miles,
Probable Dsstance-llS6 miles, of which So
at % and under, 3-s at 80 and above 9.
MIDDLE ROUTE.
Extent throughout ,chich materials can generally
bsprocwed, approrrmatiyely-752 miles.
Ertent throughout ,chich there ,oN be a scarcity
of materials, pprorimatively-354
Quality of soils trauersed by the route. General
sro,cth of tin,6er-From Washington to the
Charlottesville river, rich in the valleys, clayey
in the intermediate parts. The growth is oak.
From the Chatahouchie to New-Orleans, rich
in the valleys, but sandy in the Intermediate
parts The growth is principally pine.
Total length of Bridges miles, l473 yards.
Totallsngth Of Causs'cay-s9 miles, $50 yards.
Graduation-7l4 miles Of %; 324 OF g; and
l66 Of -.
Population-Whites 262,3S5; Colored l64,-
632-Total 426,967.
Distance from Washington to Nsw- Orleans, from
the summary Of reconnoissance-l2o4 miles.
Probable Distance-llo6 miles, Of which SIS
at 60 and under, s-s at % and above 9
WESTERN ROUTE.
Ertert throughout which materials can generally
Be procured, approrimafirsiy-7s2 miles
Extent throughout tchich there WW be a scarcity
of materials, approrimatiDety-Sss miles.
Quality of soils harersed by The route. General
Waehi m tha
Cahawba, richjn the valleys, clayey and good
quality in the intermediate parts The OAK
and hickory predominant from Cahawba to n.
Orleans, the valleys and prairies productive;
the parts intermediary unproductive. Pine and
oak general growth
Total length of BRIDGES miles, o53 yards.
Total length of CauseDay-24 miles, 1911 yds.
Graduation-662 miles of %; $50 Of So 1861
of 20.
Populafion-Whites o4,2e5; Colored lo7 1899
Total Sl2, l94.
Distance from Washington 10 Ne,c Orleans, from
the summary of reconnoisance-l, l47a miles.
Probable d,stance-l i 40 miles, OF which SIS
at % and under, and S-8 at 50 and above 9.
From this table, we draw the following con-
illusions with regard to the comparative merit
Of the three routes under consideration.
Materials The middle route and the Wes-
tern route are about equally provided with ma
terials. In this respect they have the advan-
tage over the Eastern route.
Soa-The soil along the Western route is
generally better than that along the middle
route. On the eastern route 1t is inferior TO
that Of the othertwo.
Bridges.-The Western route will require
less bridging than the Eastern and middle
routes-these two latter about the same.
Cause,cays.-The Western will require
less length Of causeway than the others-the
Eastern a less length than the middle
Graduafion.-It will be obtained with less
EXPENSE for the Eastern route than for the two
Others, but it will become more expensive for
the Western than for the other routes.
PopuLation.-The Eastern and middle routes
have nearly the same amount Of population,
for the counties, districts, and parishes which
thew traverse; but for the Eastern route the
white population is TO that of color as one to
one: and for the middle route, the white pop
ulation is to that of color as three TO two. AS
to the total population ofthe counties, districts
and parishes, on the Western route, 1t is about
three-quarters of that of the other routes; but