The record-union., 1893-12-14
TEE NATIONAL ROAD.
Something About the Great Road
Highway
The United States Government Con-
structed Before the Railroad
Era Set In.
TEE NATIONAL ROAD.
IContributed.l

there are who have no knowledge, or DtI
little. of the most remarkable and grand
est achievement of its kind in the history
of our country. I mean the great Ma
tional road. In the history of public
thoroughfares it stands alone unrivaled
and unparalleled in the Union in It's
origin, building, management. peculiar
greatness and its fame and notOriety.
1t is rich in biographical and historical
lore and had its civic and social influences
in the wonderful States through which it
runs.
The deep interest and importance, both
of a National and local character, which
attaches themselves to this thoroughtare
can be appreciated fully only by those
who have seen il or have rode over 1t with
an ever-present consciousness that 1T
glories in a lame to which few highways
can lay claim in the fact that it has borne
up host of our old-time political cele-
brates, the United States Presidents, the
Vice Presidents, the Senators. Congress
men and other civic magnates. But more
of these further on.
The National road was built in 1918, the
second year of Mr. MOnroe'S adnllnlstra-
ton, and the expense OF it was drawn
from the National Treasury.
The surveyors initial stake was driven
In Cum berland, Md, and the chain was
carried through the sovereign States OF
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio
and Indiana, while the projected survey
was to extend on to st. Louis.
An Act of Congress required that the
great work should be begun at once and
carried into immediate completion.
Thereupon it was located by a corps of
United States Engineers and was carried
through under their direction, and that
in violation Of States rights as held and
insisted upon by the democratic party.
But the measure was supported and trOt-
ted through on the grounds, as was
claimed, that the great road would prove
q national cord to bind together the East
and West as one nation in common and
natural interests.
On account of the rapidly growing
Vest and its development, and the mac
feasibility of the new to the old country,
and the old to the new, except by the way
OF New Orleans and the Gulf, there were
some strong apprehensions that there
might be founded a new Western Capital
Tor the new Western Union, with the Al
Ieghenies for the dividing line. The
plausibility of such a political terminus
presented itself with great force to the
keen penetration of such men as Henry
Clay. Thomas II. Benton, General Lewis
Il
Ewing, who, TO prevent what to them APP
peared disastrous to the Union, exercised
their influence in passing an Act to con-
struct national thOrOughfare across the
mountains and valleys 10 the Father of
Waters.
The National road is very wide, and
was once practically wider than it is now,
not being kept in good repair at present,
with a smooth regular rOck-bed i'll most
T1lapog with STONES pHcAWISn soma
thing after the manner of the Nicholson
pavement, upon top OF which was placed
macadam "beaten fine enough for each
piece to 90 through an inch and half
ring"
1t had the spacious width of thirty-five
feet, and four carriages could drive it
abreast comfortably. 1t had low max
imum grade of five degrees of elevation.
Strange to say, as if by mild instinct, it
sought it's course up and down the mount
ain and over the hills, avoiding ravines,
valleys and streams, that they might not,
as is claimed, incur the expense of bridges
along water courses or be in great danger
of slides and floods or driven to sudden
and sharp elevations from valley ana
hilltop. But it is thus at a vast national
expense to cross and keep at the summit
of mountains and cross the hills with
highway that the traveller and tourists,
from the day of its construction until it
shall not be passed over more, is furnished
q picturesqueneSS of natural scenery
which staggers description with the pen.
Now, you are on the top of high, over
looking mountain, with a vast range of
gOrges, craggy spurs, narrow ravines,
with the tranScendent glOrleS Of autumn,
where a CrOpsey having made bankrupt
his capacity for colors, might with mod
est propriety let fall the delicate brush
from his skillful hand and yield with
grace to the supernatural artist.
Or now it is spring; you ride with
abated breath aloft upon a terraced high
way cut out of solid stone. Above you
hang great rock powders threatening to
leap adown upon you merciIeSsly, while
below you for hundreds Of feet you look
down upon dells and crystal streams, and
the wild magnitcence of evergreen color
ings and over crag and rock, rivulet and
cascade; between great mountain peaks
hangs a deep blue oZonish drapery in eX
uuisitely delicate shadings-a realm of
enchantmennt, where fairies dance in the
golden broken sunbeams which fall aslant
from old Sol, over the lofty, irregular
hilly ranges.
Such gorgeous grandeur of chromatic
tinges, such Yernal beauty and delicate
apparelling produces symptoms of q GER
tain kind of dyspepsia, scenic dyspepsia,
and then one turns to rest and read upon
the smooth-faced rocks the spicy, pithy ad
yertisementS of the village you have just
left behind or about to reach. Who has
the best boots and shoes; who the I'M
ported dry goods, and who the finest
cigars. While one wonders ''who?' and
echo whispers ''who?" he is landed down
to the base of huge mountain sentinel
and driving in a graceful speed over
huge stone bridge which holds about it
an air of romance.
Its very material and structure show
that it was placed there to defy the raw
ages of time and the forces OF natures
destructive elements. One hears the
noise of the rushing, busy, boisterous
cascade, and looks back as If to inquire
whence it came and whittier it is going.
You have time to leave the question, take
a long breath and you plunge into du-
plicate scenery with variations.
But my purpose Is not to describe ma
tural scenery in superb gorgeousness and
almost supernatural richness, but to fur
nish some interesting historic facts.
The National Road was splendidIy fin
ished up and good enough for all, and
what was better still, free to ALTO man
and beast, the Senator and plebeian, the
President and his constituents For
twelve years it was supported as Ma
tional Road, until in 1880, when in excel
lent good order, it was turned over to the
States through which it passed, which
was done in Difference to General jack
sons idea of States sovereignty.
A great change in 1929 was brought
about in the improvement of the road,
when the entire bed of larger stone was
removed and replaced with eighteen
inches of limestone or Medina granite,
broken fine. This was also done at the ex-
pense ofthe Nation. After this repair it was
transferred to the States through which it
passed.
The States Immediately erected toll
gates along the line at short intervals to
gather revenue for repairs. Quaint look
ing houses are the toll-keepers' protec-
ton. The front of the little stone or brick