Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-05-12
AN OLD TINE DOCUMENT.

Our venerable fellow-citizcn, Col. II
@. s. Key, has furnished Us. for cxami.
nation. With . manuscripts contribution oil
Col. Athanasius Fenwick. q gentleman OF
,srts and learning. well known TO many
elders still surviving to Us, on the sub
get Of internal improvement in our PEN
iassla. Tie permission Of Col. Key for
the publication Of this manuscript having
been ob:ained, and as i. cmbodies the pio-
neer idea Of connecting Washington city
BY way Of our county with the scaboard.
and contains besides many sensible sng-
ges,ions in regard to our public roads,
ve have thought that it nigh. inter-
est our readers to see it. The man.
uscript was intended for publication in
the Naiiosal Ini,Rigencer, but was- ncv-
e.. We believe, printed. 1t was. proba-
Ny, written about the close Of the last
We: With Great Britain. and is, consc-
quen,ly, over fifty years old.
"Re.ding some time since in your pa
per the proposition of a surveyor TO short
en- the road between Baltimore and Phil
sdelphia by Strengthening the road and
building a bridge across abe SnsGnehnn-
IA, which this gentleman says will cut off
u miles. n saving Of no small importance
90 the public IN general and especially TO
those who have urgent business or fire.
Qucbtly travel tie road. | was induced to
rrcsen, view Of the saving that might
be made ~ STRENGTHENING the road from
the City of Washington to Norfolk. In
the view mean TO take. shall follow
the road and notice the distances as laid
down in Bradley's map of the United
States. the general correctness of which
10 universally admitted. The distance BY
che mail stage route from the City of Wash
ington, through Williamsburg to Nor
fs!k, IS stated by Mr.. Bradley's map to
be 23S miles. The distance by the stage
vcsd from Washington. through Peter
burg to Norfolk, is $50 miles. The dis
lance from tho City Of Washington by
shc stage road to Leorard'owu is by Mr..
Bradley marked at 80 miles thence TO
the mouth Of St. Mary's is Is miles :;
thence across the mouth Of the Potomac
10 Northampton Court House is II miles;
thence by the post road through Lsncas-
Ter. urbana, Gloucester. York and Ham2-
Con 20 Norfolk, is 10o miles-in all from
Washington to Norfolk by that route 1872
miles. making difference between this
rouse and the road through Williamsburg
20 Norfolk Of torty-sir miles. and between
that and the road through Petersburg to
Norfolk Of six;y-seveu miles. The dis
tsnce from the City of Washington to St.
Nary's in q straigh, line through a coun-
try celebrated for good natural roads is
co miles; thence in line straight across the
Potomac to Kinsale is 10 miles thence
IN . straight line Ia UThana is - miles :;
thence in . straight line 10 York is 80
mills; thence by the usual road to lamp
toa IL l6 miles; thence to Norfolk Is
niles, altogether making the distance BY
that route leo miles. maxim: n differ
ence between tue road through Williams
borg TO Norfolk aud the Strengthened
read Of 20 miles. aud difference bet xeen
the road thrcagh Petersburg to Norfolk
and The Strengthened road Of 90 miles. 4
saving 80 great on = road forming q link
ia the cham connecting the Northern aud
Southern States is of sufhcicat importance
70 attract the atteniion OF the Govern
nens, and in case Of its establishment.
the Legislature Of the State Of Maryland
vceld. NO doubt. give encouragement to
improve and turnpike road which will
Be productive Of infinite advantage TO
three Of the largest counties in the State
The cnly aud sole obstacle which is i'm
rostant in transporting the mail by the
rosss suggested. is the crossing Of the Pc
semae. To those Who know any thing Of
the coassruction Of Potomac pilot boats.
With which St. Mary's aboands. this diff
t<a,sy appears ideal TO these boats which
euffet the sevsrest storms on tbs ocean.
The riv,r Potomac could never present. an
obstacle to their a>sage. Tie model of
these boats exceeds any in the world. and u
packe, boat on the largest pilot boat mod
81 would. in any weather, cross the Po-
tenae from St. Mary's TO Kinsa!e. pre-
seating as she does Two Larbors Of easy
entrance On both sides immediately op-
r0sise. win: ST. Masys aud Cone.
A line Of stages from Philadelphia
tArcssh the Eastern Shore Of Maryland
10 Noethampten Ccar, House is councc-
ed By . packet boat with Norfolk. on she
oprssi,e SIDE VI the Chesapeake. The dis
ssnes ftSm Cherry stone, the landing near
NersAaapsoa Coar, House to Norfolk, is
90 oilss across. the very Lroaiest and
ness exposed part Ut the Chesapeake
II thea IN Intercourse is constantly and
safely kept up across an expanse OF water
ei 60 nilcs, and 30 much exposed as tia.
part Of the bar evidcn:ly is 10 the draft
and svell Of the ocean, how incousidera-
he must be the difficulty IN crossing tie
Psscese fie@ 81. Mary's to Cone. oaly
IN niles vide or oac-six:h Of ~. above
distance. Mech more considerable are
he ohseaeks fssned ty the deep clay and
unevessees Il the read from Washington,