Wichita eagle., 1886-12-28
A GREAT HIGHWAY.
THE NATIONAL ROAD LAID OUT
NEARLY SEVENTY YEARS AGO.


2 Interesting "Reminiscences In Connectio,
l with the Once Popular Thoroughfare
/, Historic Associations-Noted Passenger
, Over the Road.
How few know anything Of the Hnationa
roadp It has been SO eclipsed 10 railway
that many well-infoE1ned people don: know
tlat such structure was ever built
Away back in 1918 there arose serious sppre
hension that the growth Of the west would
cause disaffected politicians to want differ
eyt capitai-"a western union"-and during
Monroe's administration congress, under ths
advocacy Of Henry Clay, tom" Benton
Gen. Lewis Cas-, Thomas Ewing and Andrew
Stewart, made appropriations from the
national treasury, and the work vcs vigor-
ously executed Beginning ut Cumberland
mountain, it extended across Pennsylvania
Virginia. Ohio and Indiana westward The
design was to connect the national capital
with st. Louis.
The road bed was reduced - . grade OF
five degrees, was made thirty-Gve f,et wide,
AID niecsGanliAed 1ie under part wns
chiefly e stone, placed on edge, a. Is now
the cese ia cities, ard covered with pieces
that would 60 through - RsA sd Q kalf
ring. The national ro&d wa free - al. II
was Eaaiptsined BY rAs general government
for dosen years, sat il 1S5e, AxEsaeh defer
eace to Gen Jackscn's IDEA q s>ate sover-
oigrty," Is wm tzl1si ever b IL E1atss
through which it was built
POPULAR rxoReUsXEARH
Much iserss.iAC rsaixisccRcs might be
| ~ Z Z A
Ia 1857, whez war IVES E.reesaaS& becween
tbs ssaRtxy szd Fre1oe, these was sach
suspicion Of eynp thy between tse French in
Lolis:eA& and the enemy that quick mail
ro-ate WIS estsblished via tais road, end the
Mississippi river contracts were let with the
rcqu;rcsaent Of speed to average ten wiles per
| hour. The entire highway Yves laid off into
sectiors, three boys and nine horses being re-
! CURED 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 popular thoroughfare. There was soon
es high as $50 great Conestoga six-horse
teams" per day. That is the same number as
the railroad trains that pass over the Penn
syIvenia railroad now daily to and from Jer-
sey City. There were four or five four-horse
Presidents freGuented this highway, and
On such occasions men were posted at hilltops
by the roadway to wave their red bandanas
is signal Of approach for the distinguished
travellers The people would assemble and
render both vocal and instrumental music.
Much of the 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 Tyler, James K. Polk, Santa Anna
and the Marquis de Lafayette.
CHAT WITH PoLK's WIDOW
James K. Polk! How the name stands out
in the list To be assured about the stories
told on the subject called on the venerable
Mrs Polk. At my greeting she said size was
feeble, but he'd never in the several years it
had been my fortune to know her appeared
quite SO bright, so graceful ard 80 elegant
"Ah, yes; have often been over the great
national road es it was called, and it revives
many pleasant "reminiscences. Friends used
to ask NE if 1 were not fstigued in making
those trips, but | would tell them that in
those days | knew not the sensation of being
tired. Why, We didn't travel in the ordinary
stage coaches of that day True we did
travel in public carriages, but gentlemen
could make arrangements to travel e1clu-
sively, and would stop over at night Er
Polk was fourteen years slscessively in con-
eress, ana we often journcyed thet way: not
slvays We went to " Washington twice in
in Our private carriage. Our route would be
down the Cumberland 30 the Ohio end I'D
that te Wheeling, end Sheass a9sss by the |
national Rad to Cumberland, NJ The cars
ran from thence to Baltimore When Mr.. |
Polk wss elected president We went THAT way |
and cksoesd ssr 1t TIE ReAy house, Ne |
junction q teaGt resA nd Re enc leading |
frsn Baltimore - WshhGss. There was |
great crowd there and he nsess q speech. |
What magnificent scenery a ssaa therssgi- |
foe srsss The Allegheny Ds~aaeinl I had !
- 0P0i0eo - eW tssTney that sfser gave |
sDUans,A - ~ e6ssdh. Ca team rra |
away, I'D ws ni<kt havV base nsch mere |
UAas1Ats, ~ O. & - hsSa 81 azd |
- HFiv@ cAsckod - sebscs. Dst - car |
,iaas ws Eps1a D. In, EnAsz frsu |
lisoR, w. csssA1V sAA1Afvs - ~. Mr.. |
PsA - sthD Id e1 Asz - ssr-
rAaes. ~ -. L. VeS0sA - ksP -, and |
h sAsA - - Pu1 ~ fe0 q Il, NOD. I |
~ -, M - Asav.A - S.esse.sy b uAGs |
way n vG ssU0V O0AanAA
via knnknR