The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-06-17
planned and hurried forward on q grand
Bcale. Two bills, one for part OF road
Lee Al, Mn Il A. NJ. Il Il

planned and hurried forward on granf
Bcale. Two bills, one for part OF roat
from the National road to tho Gull, ant
one for an extension 10 Washington city
were left over for Jackson's administrn
lion, and vetoed by him In May, 1880
Up to this time twenty.three bills, ap
propriatipg Ss,500,0 900 for the National
road had been passed by Congress and
signed by Jefferson, Madison, Monroe
and Adams; and Jackson, notwithstand.
Ing his yetoes OF other bills, signed a bill
Tor this road. Congress was regarded as
simply a trustee 10 use the money set
aaide for this road by tho several acts
admitting to the Union tho States OF
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. The up.
Precipitation bills referred to this fund or
to tho fund set apart at tho organization
OF the Northwest territory. Up to 1880
tho sales Of land aggregated SCI, 5D7.O 900,
and there had been spent on tho road
2,lsl 1903 Oh.
Political newspapers Of tho summer Of
1880 show lively times in political
circles, and factious opposition was
blamed with tho subsequent delays In
road and canal building; but n more
powerful factor In bringing TINT result
was the progress OF railroads In that
same year passengers by one OF the stage
lines over the National Road were given
n ride Of a fow miles on tue Baltimore
X Ohio, which was run by horses be.
tween Ellicotts Mills and Baltimore.
Congress had just decided TO wait till
that railroad and the Chesapeake md
Ohio canal both reached Point OF Rocks,
when 1t would decide which was tho
tittest to Dc aided across the Allegheuics.
The railroad soon outran both canal and
turnpike. We have the finest railroad,
In tho world, because We have given
them our whole attention, but there ID
now no reason why we should not 20
back and take up the arrested develop
ment Of our turn.pikes.
The National road Wis killed by the
railroad, but for time 1t was galvaniz
cd into great activity by connection with
that railroad. After the railroad had
reached Cumberland, and until 1t got
across tho mountains to Wheeling, In
1858, the pike carried beyond Cumber.
land nll that the railroad brought to
that point; both ia passengers and
freight.
Political difficulties we're got rid OF by
the surrender Of this road as fast rs com.
pleted to tho States. Those parts in
Pennsylvania and Ohio were bartender.
ed in 1881, and Maryland and Virginia
got theirs in 1888. The surrender seems
to have long been but legal fction-|
the States wero nominal owners and |
were allowed control, while Congress
paid all expenses. On the claim OF un-
finished portions. 100000 was obtained |
III 1884 by those States 10 whom the road !
had been given. In 1885 an appropria-
ton Of S5iG,lS6 was made, to BE- expend-
ed only when those States should for
nnliy accept tho road; but up to 1888
s52O,S3B more was obtained. For Iu.
iiana's portion S625,000 was appropri,-
ted and 500. 900 for Illinois, and yet H.
liana's part being still unfinished in
1913 was surrendered with wood and
stone from the public lands to finish it.
IN Illinois stone was hard to get, other
plans were proposed, and the road was
never finished in anything like the
style Of the Cumberland road. Work
stopped altogether about 1850, when, in
III, a round six.million dollars had been
'pent.