The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-02

tional EOad Needed Repairs.
Flainfield. Ind. April st was right
over thar under that elm that Stare Drfy-
er Mason Wright dumped President Van
Buren, into mud puddle for a $ hat"
and as though 10 impress the point Of
consideration the Quaker repeated, 'fer
a $ hat"
President Van Buren, entered upon his
duties IN 1891, just when the nation was
reaching one OF her most severe CONNER
Ga! crises. The opening Of the West"
as the great issue al that time, and all
centered around internal Improvements"
The business Of the country was then car
Red on over waterways and highways.
All traffic was carried by canal Ioats and
on stages. and the proposition To improve
this public service in the interior was
che OF the very greatest moment. There
were many other Obligations just at that
tlme pressing IN on the nation, and the
Frances were getting low.
During his term of office there came a
general demand for extra appropriations
Tor the construction Of roads and i'm
prOvements of canals and other water
ways Seeing that the nation was CTamp-
ed and realizing that it was also being
sandbagged by lot of contractors who
were taking everything in sight. he vetoed
the appropriation bill. This brought about
such a great sweeping storm of alleged
irdignation that in tight Of the fact that
he was 10 be candidate in 1910. he felt
that something must be done. He prop
erly attributed most of the disapproval to
h1 3.
was driven TO taking a trip of investiga-
ton. Incidentally it may be added thai
the trip was the first one made by any
President INFO the States west OF the
original thirteen.
First Presidential Tour.
His trip was outlined over the national
read, which rLns from Baltimore to St.
Louis, and was then as at present the
greatest road in the nation. The finest
stage coaches, the fastest horses, and the
best drivers We're arranged i'm relays 50
that he might cover the territory in the
fastest. most elegant and most comfort
able style possible. He was accompanied
by his Secretary of State. They rode, as
a general thing, or top of the stages, and
he inspected the road. leaving it here and
there TO so to some capitol or city or
to inspect some canal work. Il was three
weeks after he left Washington that he
landed i'm Indiana. Up to that time he
had not had reason 10 change his policy
on the internal Improvement appropri-
alton bill veto. The road was in very fair
condition, though ne admitted it might be
improved upon. He thought, however,
that the funds provided for annually were
sufficient if expended with some discrimi-
nation to place the road and all other i'm
provements, in very fair condition and
keep them So
At present it is not known what was !
the sentiment in Indianapolis on the in
ternal Improvement question. but what |
ever it was the city laid it aside and |
gave Martha Van Buren, a reception !
worthy of the city. He was wined and |
toasted, and festivities were planned |
which would nave taken a week 10 carry |
out. But he stopped them by the posi-
tive announcement that he was not out |
on pleasure jaJnt, but on a trip of in |
spection, and that he would only remain !
in indianapolis until the next day He .
made several statements which showed !
most conclusively that so far he nad not .
changed his mind on the internal i'm /
provements. He thought the provisions
" ere diiipitr anu he liiLlHldNtI lllsil II
berry OF public funds was quit there would /
be no need OF more funds for the internal
improvements.
irving to Convert Him.
An old Wing named Hale had charge of
the stage coach line between Indianap-
Oils and Terre Haute. He was a very
pronounced advocate of the internal i'm
provement bill. and was in his way.
of q contractor. He talked
with Van Buren, about the road ever
which he had 10 carry his contracts, and
stated that the national road from In
10 st. Louis was really IN a
bad state. ana that because Of oceans of
mud he could hardly get his stage coach
through. But Van Buren, gave him a deaf
ear. He ordered his stage TO be on hand
the next morning, and about noon he and
the Secretary came oct and took their
places on top of IT, and were given a
glorious farewell from the city.
Hale had decided that he would have TO
impress upon Van Buren, the necessity Of
more funds for Improvements. He called
lis driver, Mason Wright. to one side and
offered him a new - nat and relief from
III damages if ne would dump Van Buren,
n the deepest mud mole on the road.
|
IL accepted the offer He took on sup Z
Jly OF nerve" and drove the stage cut
The trip from indianapolis 70 plainteld
vas untve1tfJl. The TCal out Of Indian .
polls was pot bad, but after the stage :
rept down several mills into the lower !
3nds through which the national road
assed, the good gravel disappeared and ,
here were many bad Tuts. These grad I
ally became worse and worse. Just out
ide Of Plainfeld there was a great mo-
ass through which the road passed. d,
here were two paths through II.
Gave Van His Choice.
Wright drew rein just as he approached I
and stopped TO take a survey. After
some m3E1en.s ne turned 70 !
AN Buren,, who was Oh top Of the stage,
al asked him which way ne should 90 4
here was good method in all Of this
he driver had gone through that mora "a )
lTee times week for several years he \
new that the north path, which looked 1
be more threatening, was, in fact, z ] I
ght and the mud and water would only :
1me up half way to the nubs, while
le southern passage, which looked nee
lOTgh when compared with the other, :
as really dangerous TO the most ex-
sTienced driver. II led under q great n
N tree Van Buren, readily fell into the Q
ap and told him TO the south" Wright ! n
III 81 his horses and gave them the p
hip. The people WHO had gathered On