Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-04-19


the Potowmac admitted Of any longer deI.v
I found that, from S,aunton ia The 6x.i
point nm the top Of tho Allegheny meunt.in.
TWO different routes may be taken.
One of them will retain MANY sections nj !
!ho existing road /; and, in that respect, grove
Tess expensive. The other will be entirely
new, but certainly the better road, and ought |
TO receive the preference for turnpike 80 |
feel wide; IN which case, the preserving of !
part OF tho present road would cease to be an |
object
This last route crosses the North noun. |
tain through Buffalo gap; opposite to which
in the Shenandoah mountain, is found Hold |
ges draft Throug h this, a much better road
than the present one could be made. This
direction would entirely avoid Shaw's ridge
ana lead TO Stewards gap in the Bull Pas.
tuIe mountain. There is nlready a road in
TINS gap, which, with sems additional labor
could be made perfect turnpike. Opno
site this gap. in Jackson's msun,ain. there
is an opening along Stewards run. tho en-.
trance OF which would cost much labor. for
For 300 yard.; but, tho overcoming of this
)d'ihcatty would procure much shorter di-
rect'on than the Crab run, whose length 10
entirely lost distance, and would, besides.
az have already mentioned, avoid aI,ogetb-
er Straight Creek mountain.
Ii might be objected, that this route is from
to 4 miles from The line: but, I am con-
v'nced that II will twithstanding be found
10 be the shorter the two: for, the other
road deviates grea, deal from the straight
course through Jennings gap; about half u
mile is lost ascending Shaw's ridge; as much
must he lost in graduating the ascent on ths
Bull Posture, and through the Crab run a
distance OF 9 miles is travelled between two
Ia ~ irL l,
these windings, there he added the necessity
+ of ascending and descending Straigh, Creek
mountain, which is both steep and narrow
II cannot be doubted that, as lar as Back
Greek mountain, the existing road is longer
than the other. But, both must pass over
'h's last mountain, before reaching the Aile>
yhany; and the distance lost by the old road,
10 Erecting 1t, will serve 10 bring the new
one back to the general line. would, there
lore, not hesitate to recommend the latter
route, fl turnpike was intended but. as
the expense OF opening a common narrow
road there would be much greater than the
improving OF that which is now travelled. il
appeared TO me that present circumstances
would make II advisable TO adopt the last plan,
and ! consequently examined it with the
view OF making OF il good communication
from IL 10 Is feet wide. Over this dimension
obstacles would be found 10 It. which by
making il as expensive, must determine the
selection of the other route Under the con.
vlction then, that common road will suffi-
c.entiy satisfy the present wants of tina, Sec
lion ot the couatry, l submit The following
conclusions:
/ IL. From Slaunton, to and through Jen.
nings' gap, the road is travelled 10 the Warm
Springs; and, although susceptible of i'm.
provemsnt, may be used in its present state.
\ p. Across theSLenandosh noun tain, some
chnngss IN the graduation, near tho Top of
the dividing ridge, may be made to lengihen
the slope, and thereby diminish the danger
OF this par. of The road. In consequence Of
these notifications, the road would cross the
dividing ridge, about 800 yards north OF the
present place: This, and all other changes.
will he designated on the map On the sub.
Ject OF the luckless location of this road, |
beg leave TO offer few remarks. In gen.
eral, In making road across q mountain, il |
IL very common to penetrate 10 a considers.
BILE distance, between two spurs along run
and then to rise, by graduating from the head
OF this run TO the top Of the mouniais. This
IS usually doEe, on account of the facility Of |
approaching to the feot of the mountain almost
on level and, also, because where a stream
takes its rise, the dividing ridge is lower. |
But, on the other hand, i, generally happsns,
that spurs are in the proongation Of spurs,
and brooks head on opposite sides, so that the
dividing iidge is almost always narrow steep
and rocky In addition 10 which, as the ba>
SEES of spurs become broader, rs they increase
IN height, il follows that the space between
them is much contracted, where they Join
the main mountain; and that, not unfrs-
quently, there is hardly room lelt for gradual
ting on either eide Of the dividing ridge A
road, under such circumstances, is necsssa.
rily muddy, rocky, and icy, at the foot Of the
hill, and both steep and very winding on The
dec'ivity OF the very barrow partition be.
tween the two slopes. That q mountain |
must he crossed at lowplece, is self.e ideni;
but that ii is only one Of the many requi.
sites.for making good mountain road, is al
SO plain fact. The most eligible ratio be- |
tween the base and height of slope oil con.
siderable length, being that of Id to l, or a.
bout ore mile for every l25 yards rise, tie
different low places in the vicinity of The Civ.
co direction must be examined, and the dis
lance corresponding TO each elevation deter
mined. That point then, towards which the
graduation deviates less from the intended
course, must receive ihs preference, even i'll
little higher; provided, Of course, that the
ground do not present obstacles to counter.
balance the advantage gained IN point of d.
rection. u, with the other advantages, that
OF southern exposure can be sombned, the
road will be properly located in such place,
aher having liked upon the point where a
mountain must be crossed, the distance,
which corresponds 10 the height 10 be- oh.
tanned, must be measured along the foot Of
The mouniain or spur, and then The gradua-
ton INV be made with ram r,leta raoSIar;tv