The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-30
Interesting Historical Letter from Jas.
T.. Wharton, Esq.
PORTSMOUTH, O., Nov. ..

PoR7sMourn, O., Nov. %. 1873.
CO.. Rarling, Esg, Wheeling, W Ia.
DEAR Sui shall not be able to reply
definitely to the questions in your favor
of the 18th, as to when and to what point
the National or Cumberland road was
completed, for two reasons, viz: this is the
worst place on earth in which TO get any
knowledge which man does not always
carry in his hat, and next, that the points
are both rs uncertain as Homers birth
place and time, or the position Of Mordin
at the table Of King Arthur; but am
disposed to give youa brief history of the
road from which you may be able to select
what you wish and then turn this over to
the tender mercies Of Mr.. Campbell, of the
ISTELLIGEScER.
Atthe close OF the revolutionary war
the government was without resources,
and the States owning or claiming the land
north and west OF the Ohio surrendered
theirtitle to it. Virginia claimed the lions
share under grant from James l., who
did not know whether he was granting SO
miles or eighty millions, q large share OF
which was in possession OF the French for
hundred years later, and thus Virginia
claimed TO be the mother OF States and
statesmen, especially of Col. Ben. Wilson
and Hon. Henry g. Davis.
The grant was completed in ISL, and
the government sought 10 utilize the land
for the payment OF her war debt. In lTS6
company was formed in Massachusetts,,
mainly OF those who had suffered in the
war, called the Ohio Land Company, and
they appointed as their agent to Congress
Rev. Manassah Cutler, OF lpswich-a
scholar and gentleman. He reached New
York, where Congress sat, July 8, l7S7
lie soon became popular with all the
members, north and south, and onthe 18th,
Nathan Dane, presented the Ordinance OF
1857 with the anti-Slavery clause, or the
Hamlet" left out. Cutler packed his
trunk 10 leave. The members gathered
round and promised all he asked, for they
were like the fellow after the woodchuck
had no meat for breakfast. The ordi-
nance was passed on the 18th and Mr. Cut.
Ter and few persons contracted for $780,
600 acres, paving out six million dollars;
obtaining from the "Board OF Treasury"
the provision that one section in every
township should be given for school pur.
poses, and the territory received withythe
same advantages US tho Atlantic States.
BY act OF lS02-S, this pledge was renew
ed, and in 1906, law was passed making
an appropriation for the survey OF road
from Cumberland, Nd, or rather from q
little below there, where the Winchester
road crosses Wills creek, then called the
north branch OF the Potomac, considered
navigable to that point-just as DGnkard's
Bottom on Cheat River, was considered by
Washington and the convention over
which he presided Mt Annapolis, the head
OF 1.-THE navigable waters OF the ohio1 70 NE
STATE Of Ohio at any point between Steuben.
vile and the molthot Grave Greek.
THE WHEELING BRIDGE.
1t was upon these two acts TINT I pre-
dicated the appeals and petitions to Con-
gress that went in yearly from 1885 TO
ISL for the erection Of o bridge across the
Ohio at Wheeling. One year 1t would
have passed, but for the opposing votes OF
urown member, LOWS Steenrod, who had
gone off with the Calhoun hefesy Of oppo'
sition to internal improvements by the
General Government. Twill here remark
that Mr.. Calhoun was thorough tariff and
internal improvement man until 1877
when no found that under these measures
the political power OF the North was in
creasing faster than that Of the South,
simply because the South was too proud to
work and too near omnipolence Tin their
own estimation) to progress.
Other appropriations were made, and in
1911 an appropriation was made toward
constructing the road from Canton, o.,
(now Bridgeport to GAINESVILLE. This was
nearly completed in 1925, and then an act
was passed supplementary tothe one Of
1890, providing fora survey of the line to
the left bank Of the Mississippi, between