The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-06-26

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tween here and Wheeling. This law
for the first time authorized a super
intendent to be appointed by the
President. l believe he was David
Shriver, Esq. In 1925 S150.000 were
given to be used between Canton and
Zanesyille. Ohio .; in 1927 $50, 900 be-
tween eur city and Wheeling; in
1873 Sl00.000 to extend the road be-
yond GAINESVILLE, Ohio in 1881 the
aggregatessum of 1914, 1855 was ap-
propriated for the same OBJECT in
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; in 1882.
S15O,000 to be used east of the Ohio
river. The law of 1888. chapter 70,
is an assent to the act of Virginia
taking control of her part of the
road. The act of 1884 appropriates
S45O, 900 to be applied in Ohio, Indi-
ana and Illinois, and $500 900 east of
the Ohio river. In 1885, $500, 900 in
Ohio, 500 900 in Indiana and $780,
1868 for the road east of the Ohio.
This was the last money appropria
ted by Congress for the road east of
the Ohio river. Things were now
tending westward strongly. In 1886
100000 were given to Ohio's part.
S25O,O00 to Indiana and $3.50, 900 to
Illinois; in 1887 $50, 900 to Ohio and
100000 each to Indiana and Illinois.
and in 1888 the sum of S150,OOO was
appropriated to each of these then
rising States-that is, for the road
within the limits of each State. Here
Congress seems to have tied up its
purse firmly, and never opened it
again. so far as this object is con-
cerned. Nearly all these sums spent
east of the Ohio river came FROM s:,s'
general funds of the government, but
the money applied on the road in
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois was taken
entirely from the proceeds of the
sales of the public lands within these
States.
The "Cumberland road" commenc.
ed on the west side of WHIPS Creek,
crossing Willis Mountain at Sandy
Gap, following the general route of
Braddock, first one one side, then on
the other, rarely on the identical
line. | suppose they had some awe
of the British generals il-luck, or
rather bad generalship. II appears
that Brownsville was the first ohiec.
tive point to be reached. The man.
ner of construction was first to clear
and grade the bed and then to closely
overlay it with strong fiat rocks, and
upon this face or foundation. was
placed covering of coarsely broken
stone, and earth, and thus completed
was considered very fne road.
Technically, it was called the Conn
berland road" but popularity it was
known as the National road, because
it was the Nations enterprise, and
no man did so much for it as its great
friend, Henry Clay. He was affec-
tionately called it's father, and many
are the times he passed over it in his
forty-tive years of public service.
Its many prominent and costly
stone bridges and culverts are all to-
day as sound and safe as when built,
except the parapet walls, which
have nearly all been thrown down by
what the law properly calls malicious
persons. Although much repaired,
these structures still have deSpoiled
from such vandalism
Two of these, the Little and Big
Crossings. about twenty miles apart,
are very noted in their character,
quite different from the order Of
bridge architecture of the present
day. The former, which we passed
over in our recent ride, with lis i'm
mense semi circls arch of great width
and height, is wonder in itself ;
and the oft.repeated query is, why
all this immensity of cost and labor,
when much less would haye answer
ed? The answer is, it was all right
In 1916, but all wrong in 1880. In
aiter years the superintendent, David |
Shriver, told Of the anxiety he had
about the success of this work. The
greatarch rested on strong wooden
structure, which was so arranged as
to be thrown down by taking away
a Key, something like launching a
vessel. The general impression was