The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1886-12-07
A GREAT HIGHWAY.
THE NATIONAL ROAD LAID OUT
NEARLY SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

NEAfNLf OENEN VGNnO NV.
Interesting "Reminiscences In Connection
with tho once Popular Thoroughfare.
Historic Associations-Noted Passengers
Over the Road.
How few know anything of the national
roadr IL has been so eclpsod by railways
that many well-informed people don't know
that such a structure was ever built
Away back in 1878 there arose serious appre-
hension that the growth of the west would
cause disaffected politicians TO want a differ
emit capital-"a western union"--and during
Monroes administration congress- under the
advocacy of Henry Clay, "Tomr Benton,
Gen. Lewis Cass, Thomas Ewing and Andrew
Stewart, made appropriations from the
national treasury, and the work was vigor-
ously executed. Beginning at Cumberland
mountain, it extended across Pennsylvania,
Virginia, Ohio and Indiana westward. The
design was to connect tho national capital
with St. Louis.
The road bed was reduced TO q grade of
five degrees, was made thirty-hve feet wide,
and macadamized. The under part was
chiefly of stone, placed on edge, as is now
the case in cities, and covered with pieces
That would go through an inch and half
ring. The national road was free to all Ut
was maintained by the general government
FOR a dozen years, but in 1880, through defer
once 10 Cen Jackson's idea of state sover-
eighty" IL was turned over to the states
through which it was built.
POPULAR THoRoUGHEARE
Much interesting rominiscence might DO
given of this great thoroughfore audit wars
In 1887, when war was threatened between
this country and France, there was such
suspicion Of syrnp thy between the French in
Louisiana and the enemy That quick mail
route was established via this road, and the
Mississippi river contracts were let with the
requirement of speed to average ten miles per
hour The entire highway was laid off into
sections, three boys and nine horses being re-
quired for sixty-three miles, and the time
given for the trip was six hours and eighteen
minutes.
Whether legal or not, the national road
was a popular thoroughfare. There was soon
as high as $50 "great Conestoga six-horse
teams" per day. That is the same number as
the railroad trains that pass over the Penn.
sylvania railroad now daily TO and from Jer-
sey City. There were four or five four-horse
mail and passenger coaches each way daily.
Presidents frequented this highway, and
on such occasions men were posted ut hilltops
by the roadway 10 wave their red bandanas
as a signal of approach for the distinguished
travellers The people would assemble and
render both vocal and instrumental music.
Much of tho national road Is still in good
condition, and its many historic associations
are enhanced by modern progress. While the
old cast iron posts yet remain TO tell of dis
tances to places, ETC., telegraph wires are
abundant, and there Is combination OF
things ancient and modern which give to
travellers by the old road much of rare in
terest
OF noted passengers over this road there are
recorded the names of James Monroe, An
drew jackson, William Henry Harrison,
John Tyler Dick johnson (vice-president
under Tylcr) James X. Polk, Santa Anna
and the Marquis de Lafayette.
CHAT WITH Folks WIDOW
James X. Polk How the name stands out
In the list To be assured about the stories
told ON the subject called ON tho venerable
Mrs. Polk. At my greeting she said she was
feeble, but had never in the several years il
Ind been my fortune to know her appeared
quito SO bright, so graceful and so elegant
"Ah, yes; have often been over the great
national road as it was called and ID revives
many pleasant "reminiscences. Friends used
TO ask me IL were not fatigued in making
those trips, but l would tell them that II
those days knew not the sensation of being
tired. Why, we didn't travel in the ordinary
stage coaches of that day. True, we die
travel in public carriages, but gentlemen
could make arrangements to travel exclu
sively, and would stop over at night. Mr.
Polk was fourteen years successfully in con
gress, and we often journeyed that way; no
always We went to Washington twice il
In our private carriage Cur route would b.
down the Cumberland to the Ohio, and III
that to Wheeling, and thence across by TIN
national road to Cumberland Nd. The car
ran from thence to Baltimore. When Mr.
Polk was elected president we went that wa,
and changed cars at the Relay house, th
junction of that road and the one leadin,
from Baltimore to Washington. There wa
great crowd there and he made speech
What magnificent scenery on that thorough
fare across the Allegheny mountainsi | hai
an experience on our journey that often gay
amusement to our friends. Our team raj
away, and we might have been much NOR
unfortunate, but one of our horses fell am
the driver checked the others. But the car
riage was upset. Dr. Linn, senator from
Missouri, was especially attentive to me. MI
Polk and others had emerged from the car
rioge, and DR.. Linn proposed to help me, an,
he asked me to put my foot on his hand
did so, and he helped me gracefully in tina
way. He was courtly gentleman Mash
vile American
TRANSMISSION of Blood.