Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-01-02
CUMBERLAND ROAD.


CUMBERLAND ROAD.
The following memorial, reported by Mr.
EDWARDS of Madison, to the House of Rep
resentahves, has been adopted by both house:
Of assembly.
Whereas, The extension of the National
road west of Vandalia, is matter of great
Importance to this State: ind mhereas
the comparative estimates of Mr.. Shriver
in his report conclusively shew,
LIST. That, with all his Offsets, the north
ern route is the most direct,
I'd. That ithas less extreme grade; and
that, by the union OF these two advanta-
ges, it ''would be travelled with the same
load and power in shorter space oftime,"
but for the greater imagined difficulties
of icrriage,
Sd. That the nature and situation of the
grounds, in the comparison of the two
routes, is most clearly favorable to the
northern route, inasmuch as on the south
ern route ''roads ever in the cheapest
modes of construction, are attended with
considerable expenses; whereas, on the
other side, the county being more level.
the Formation of a road adapted to the
wants of g new country, is attended with
but little difficulty and cost,
18th. That the facilities for the construc-
ton of the Ibrthern road are more abun-
dant,
9Th. That It's construction would cost
less by SlI,9O,
9TH. That the northern route admits of
vastly oreatei irpDrovemantS ond , r,uch
more dense pI pulation, because of its ex-
pansion ''intd wide and extended plains of
prairie land, he soil OF which is fertile; pre-
senting theie fore considerable induce
ments to the hgrcultufalst,"
Ith. That counting out the population
OF st. Louis the northern route, even at
that early day contained a larger popula-
ton than the other by two thousand five
hundred souls,
lind 7Utersas, the route through the town
OF Alton, on the Mississippi river, three miles
aboOe the mouth of the Missouri, has many
essential advantages over either the north
ern or southern, and more especially that
OF being son a straight hne'' from Wanda
liza to Jefferson City,
find zuhereos, All the acts of Congress
on this subject have required the said road
to be located son straight hine," and have,
not outstanding the recommendation of
the commissioners, expressly excluded St.
Louis from the survey; the first act of
May 18th, 1920, requiring the commits
sioners, to be appointed under the said act,
"carefully to examine the country be-
tween Wheeling in the state of Virginia,
and point on the left bank of the Missis-
sippi river, to be chosen by said commits
sioners, betpeen St. Louis and the mouth of
the Illinois riper; and to lay out road from
Wheeling aforesaid, to the point so to be
chosen on the left bank of the river Mis-
sissippi; the said road to be on a straight
line, or as near so, as, having due regard
to the nature and situation of the ground
and water courses, over which the same
shall be laid out, shall be deemed expedi-
ent and practicable" The report of said
commissioners, of the Sd January, 1921,
under the said act, showing that, under the
above instructions, 'sthe point of termination
ofthe road on the Mississippi, should be made
aboDe the mouth Of the Missouri" but pray
ing, for certain reasons, that st. Louis
might be included within their discretion.
The last act of the Sd of March, 1925,
produced by this very report, providing
that the commissioners should 'scomplete
The surrey heretofore commenced by virtue of
the first mentioned act, and extend the
same to the permanent seat of Govern
ment of the state of Missouri; the said
road to conform, an all respects to the proofs
ions Of the said recited act, except it should
pass by the seat of government of the
states Of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois,"