Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-08-14
OLD TURNPIKE ROADS
HOW THEY WE'RE ESTABLISHED AND
MAINTAINED.

Early Success OF the wilderness
Pike--Iiieh Tolls and Poor Roads.
Sources For speculation--Lnck of
Knowledge of Road Contradiction.
The making of turnpike roads by
chartered companies was inaugurated
In the last quarter Of the eighteenth
century with the advance Of popula-
ton in the west says Maurice Q. Ed
ridge. State and national charters
were given to many turnpike compa-
MES, which at first yielded large prof
It's to capitalists. The establishment
Of tulnpikes and the maintenance of
them by toll, however, effected but
little improvement in the general sys-
TEN, and the tax imposed upon those
who were compelled to use many of
these roads was not paid without pro-
test.
The Wilderness turnpike was the
name of one Of the earliest of these
roads. From the Shenandoah valley,
in Virginia, it followed for some dis
lance the IIolston river, thence 1t
crossed the Allegheny mountains at
Cumberland gap to central kentucky.
This route was opened at first for pace
trains, but afterWard was so improy-
ed that it became the main road for
wagon trains from Virginia to the
valley Of the Ohio. a large commerce
was carried on between Virginia and
the west o4cr, this highway, and it
proved very advantageous to Kentucky
and adjacent states in their early set
Element and development.
During the first decade of this cen
fury the Wilderness turnpike was the
best highway south of the Potomac
river, but soon the traffic began to de-
crease, and the revenue became SO linz
tied that it was neglected. For years,
however, the tollgates were maintained,
and travellers were required to pay a
toll of 50 on passing the gates, which
We're 20 miles apart, although tools
had to be carried in the vehicle with
which to repair the portions Of the
road that We're impossible.
The desire to speculate in those days
was as great as it is now, and such
We're the profits Of some of these roads
that they were often the subject CT
speculation. 4 notable example of this
is shown by the organization Of a COM
pany in 1902 to build Il turnpike from
Philadelphia to Lancaster, a distance
of GO miles. The charter was secured,
and in ten days 2,2II5 Subscribers made
application for stock. AS this was
more than the law allowed, the names
were placed in lottery wheel, and 600
were drawn. With these subscriptions
the work was begun. The road build
ers of that day knew little or nothing
regarding the construction of high
ways, aud the mistakes made on this
occasion taught them some valuable
lessons. The land was condemned, the
trees fclled and the roadDCd prepared.
The largest stones that could be found
were dumped upon it for foundation,
and upon this colossal base earth and
gravel were spread. Then the work
was declared complete. But when the
ed on every hand, sharp stones pro-
truded from the surface and the hlrScs
received scratched and broken limbs
as they sank between the powders
ND to their knees. The gigantic error
Of the road builder was then made
plain INDIGNATION meetings were held,
at which the turnpike company was
condemned and the legislature blamed
for giving the charter. Had 1T not been
for an Englshman, who offered TO
rebuild the turnpike on the nacadam
plan. as he had seen roads built IN The
old country. improved road construc-
ton would have received severe
blow. The Epglishman's proposition
was accepted by the company. and ne
was successful in completing The Lam
caster and Philadelphia turnpike road,
which was then declared to be the
best piece Of highway in the United
States masterpiece of its kind"
Tho success of the Lancaster pike en-
couraged road building everywhere,
and before the first decade Of the new
century had elapsed many Of the well
settled states were voting money. set
ting apart revenues derived from the
sale Of public lands and establishing
lotteries to build turnpikcs between
PROSPEROUS towns in the east and to
the frontier. The prospect of increas-
ing their land values by the building
of good roads and the fascination of
roooiCintr LARGO dividends from invest