The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-06-01

IAA
land road is historic ground. con-
secrated by the bleeding feet OF
heroic nation builders. over IL
toned the young surveyor, wash
ington, nursing dreams OF empire
in his pr, phetlc vision. Later,
over this same route tramped the
scarlet. coated British grenadiers,
led by the boastful Braddock,
whose grave is still green beside
the deep trail cut by the ponder
Gus wagons Of his ill-starred ex-
petition.
After the colonies had achieved
their independence the Braddock
road was the pathway over which
the veterans of the Revolution
plodded painfully to take up
even a greater work in the settle
ment of Ohio, Kentucky and In
diana-Virginia'S imperial gift to
the infant republic.
Discomfort, deep seated and
bitter, followed the rapid settle
ment of the Trans Appalachian
country. Despised, rldiculed and
neglected by the tidewater pa
tricians in control of the Fed
eral Government, the settlers of
the Western valleys turned in
almost justiiable treason to the
support of the conspiracy of
Burr, involving the pathetic trag
edy of BlennerhaSsett. An indie.
| pendent republic, or a group of
republics in the great Central
West, seemed certainty.
At this grave crisis in the
affairs of the young republic far
sighted statesmen united III a sue
ceSSful demand for a great road
that would pierce the mountain
barriers and bind together for
ever the States of the Atlantic
seaboard and the vast empire of
the Mississippi Valley. In 1902
President jefferson signed the
bill for the survey of the national
pike from Cum berland to the head
waters of the Ohio. The first
contract WIS awarded in 1911,
aud i'll 1918, the year of its com
pletion, flood OF traffic of unex
pected proportions began to poul
over this new highway. The ma
TONS first great problem of
secession had been met and solved.
In 1925 began the extension of
the national pike from Wheeling
to st. Louis, through the seats OF
government of the States Of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois.
The reconstruction of the old
national road will Iesurrect in a
measure tue vanished glories OF
the famous stage coach days
when John Bunting "Jim" Rev
nolds, Billy Armour, dave
Gordon, Jim" Burr and a host
of other forgotten heroes of the
road handled the reins over the
mettleSome horses with the salts
flying consciousness that in pop
ular estimation they divided the
hOnors with men whose names
are now imperishably elm balmed
in history. The mau of wbip and
rein of the old days was distinctly
a parsonage. He had a far reach.
Ing acquaintance and a vast store
of yarns. He was news center,
and the idol Of the tavern loafer'
and the envy of every small boy
from W ashingtOn to st. Louis.
Scattered along the old road
at frequent intervals were the
taverns, the nerve centers of { 6
highway. Many of them were
famous hostelries in their day, but
their glory has long departed
Only a few remain, quaint and
moss covered monuments of the
past. Here and there along the
pike the old buildings lie in ruins,
and In many instances Others
have been converted into farm
houses. 1t is expected that. with
the reconstruction of the old road
many of these ancient ta,erns
Will be rebuilt, restoring the most
picturesque feature of the life OF
the old turnpike.
The first taverns along the
route were bnilt of logs, and con-
sisted OF only two rooms and a
great fireplace, before which the
tired travellers slept in their
blankets, curled up on the punch.
con floors. Their evolution into
the more pretentious structures
came with the increase of traffic
aud Ill the palmy days of the
great road they furnished accom-.
modations to suit the most exact.
ing. Among the odd names the
taverns Sported were: Sign of
the Rising Sun, Sign of the
Orange Tree, Temple of June.
six Mile House, Sign of the
Golden Swan, Sign of the Indian
Queen, Sign Of the Green Tree
ana Sign of the Cross Keys-tes.
Iimony TO the general illiteracy of
the time and the tnnnni..