The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-01
THE OLD NATIONAL
HIGHWAYS PAST.
Some History Of the Famous Thorough
fare.
ITS GLORY HAS DEPARTED
Talk OF Repairing the Highway
Great Men Travelled Over 1t -
Building OF Railroads Almost En-
tirely Vacated 1t

| While the state OF Maryland is once
again being stirred up over the ques-
ton of selling its holdings in the Ches-
apeake and Ohio canal, which runs.
from Cumberland to Washington, d.
C., distance of 1874 miles, the people
of Pennsylvania are considering the
question of modern scientifically con
structed highways and the efficacy of
state aid for rebuilding the old nation
al road, which was the predecessor of
the Baltimore & Ohio steam route
which was completed 10 Wheeling ia
1852. The old road played an impor-
tant part in the early development
of Baltimore, as that city. by come
ton with the Frederick pike to
great extent, was its eastern termin-
us, until the Baltimore & Ohio rail
road was completed to Cumberland
in the fall of 1912 The old road was
one of the most important steps in
the evolution of modern trade and
I travel. At time when the great
tide of emigration was pouring into
the Mississippi valley it was more
than any other institution the means
of Fastening the development of the
great west. The grand old highway
was instrumental! in turning the
course of emigration from the south
| to the west. Over it were carried al
most endless population and millions
of actual wealth and the middle west
was by its clasp linked to the new
and boundless acres of the North.
1t was the first and only highway
that was built by funds from the ma
tional treasury. The question of in
ternal land and water communication
was in the midst of our fathers ieven
| before the revolution. George Wash
| ington was one of those most interest
ed III the matter, and as early as
| ITO he visited the west, examining
| the lay of the land and the friend of
the streams. There through the
| southern Ohio section over which he
was guided bya old Indian, Nema-
| colin, and still later he cut a road.
through the same forest. This was
called the Braddock road, and was
! displayed at length by the national
highway which threaded its way
over the same route
The national turnpike, commonly
called the Cumberland road, was one
hundred and seventeen miles in
length, of which thirtyt passed
through Maryland From the time
it was thrown open to the public, in
the year 1918 until the coming of rail
roads west of the Allegheny noun
tains in 1852 the national road was
the one great highway oyer which
passed the bulk of trade and travel
and the mails between the east and
the west. Its numerous and stately
stone bridges with handsomely turn
er arches. its iron gates, attest the
skill of the workmen engaged on it's
construction and to this day remain
enduring monuments of it's grandeur
and solidity, all save the imposing
iron gates, which have disappeared
by process OF conversion prompted nv
some utilitarian idea savoring in no
little measure of sacrilege. MANY of
| the most illustrous statesmen and he
roes of the early period of our natural
existence, passed over the national
road from their homes to the capital
and back at the opening and closing
of the sessions of congress. jackson
Harrison, Clay. Sam Houston, Polk.
Taylor, Crit enden, Shelby, Allen,
Scott, Butler, the eccentric David
Crockett and many of their contem-
| poraries in public service were famil-
lar figures in the eyes of the jewellers
by the roadside.
| As many as twenty.four horse
coaches have been counted in line
at one time leaving Cumberland on
their way to Wheeling Large, broad
wheeled wagons covered with white
canvass, stretched over bows, laden
with merchandise and drawn by six
| Conestago horses.
The national road proper was built
from Cumberland, Md, to Wheeling,
Va, by the United States govern
ment the intention being to establish
| it as far as st Louis. It's protector and
chief supporter was Henry Clay,
whose services in its behalf are COM
memorated by monument near
Wheeling. Henry Nesson, former
congressman, was also an advocate
of il, and on one occasion the advo-
cate of it.-KingwOod Journal.