The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-01-02
STORY OF THE
NATIONAL ROADS
Known as Cumberland Road" From
Cumberland to Wheeling.
1T WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BUILT
By the Government Under Supervi-
sion of Eneineers-The Old Brad
dock Road Followed Indian Trail.
A Timely Road Story.

great hdIlOndl IOdu HOu the pen
of Mr.. Jacob Brown. The story
as told today is complete in itself
and is full of interest.
The Cumberland road commenc-
ed on the West Side of Wills
Creek in the then town, following
the line of Braddock's road about
five miles, crossing Wills Noun
tain at Sandy Gap, then with its
present line. But about the year
1883 the Eastern line was chang
ed, following Mechanic street, up
Wills Greek, through the Narrows
then westward towards Frostburg.
The first mile post or marker on
the road, being of cast iron with
two lettered faces, was placed at
the corner of Mechanic and Balti-
more streets about the year 1884,
with one at the end of each mile.
The first had this as part of in
scription: "I3I miles to Wheel
ing" Some years ago this initial
marker was recklessly destroyed.
What an outrage upon history.
There are yet some of the like
monuments standing along the
lifeless road. Al! on the north
side. Many have been broken and
destroyed. Old acquaintance feel
like saluting when passing along
by one of them. About the year
1915 the Baltimore Turnpike came
into existence, under a charter
granted by the State of Maryland.
1t commenced in the East and
ended at Cumberland, thus con-
Meeting with Cumberland or Ma
tional road. In early times there
was continuous road from Balti-
more to Wheeling.
Notwithstanding the large sums
of money spent on the making of
the road in 1880, it was found to
be in worn out condition. Little
Of it was left, except the rough
stone bed. The heavy traffic and
travel had reduced it to that i'm
practicable state. The old patch
ing system of repairing here and
there, with few broken stones
and coverings with earth would
not answer. They would wear
and wash away soon. 1t was seen
by thoughtful persons that a new
system had to be sought and
adopted. The matchmaking plan
was decided upon and carried into
effect. This was a system invent
ed by John L. McAdams, a dis
tinguished road builder, and en-
gineer. The mode of making such
roads was to break up stones into
pieces of an egg size and spread
them over the roadbed to a con-
siderable thickness; in this case
nine inches, and then to have them
packed and solidifed by the usage
of the road. This great national
enterprise was commenced about
the year 1882, and was done under
the supervision of the War De-
partment. Some of the most
promising and talented young men
of the army were specially selected
as engineers, the names Of Mans
field, Delefeld, Mckee, Bliss, Het-
sell, Williams, Colquit, and Cass,
all West Pointer, engineers, the
names of Mansfield, who became a
major general in the United States
Army. and fell gloriously in the
battle at Antietam in 1862. Geo.
w. Cass, nephew of the great
Senator Lewis Cass, was the last
to depart.
Lime stones were quarried
whenever they could be obtained,
and in some instances drawn five
miles or more by teams of four and
six horses, and strung along on
each side Of the road, and then
broken by sledge hammers in
Jumps of 5 to 10 pounds, and then
broken into small pieces by round
hammers in the hands of laborers
in sitting position 1t was very
hard and tedious work, but the
pay was good, and the working