The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-02

hcIc Tie bCAASS Akf11C
it possible to carve out of the terri
tory contiguous TO the Missippi val
ley thirty-cwo grand commonwealth
whose histories are pride and boast
Of its magnificent citizenship.
History Of One Like All.
Permit me to give you brief his
tory OF one OF these great public
as a history OF one is, IN
3 greater or less degree only, the
history Of all / was born. more than
q half century ago, in the little town
OF Claysyille, Pa, on the old national
turnpike leading from Cumberland,
Maryland, to St Louis. Missouri,
road which, at the time OF its projee-
ton, was as prominently in the mind
OF the American people, and which
elected as much controversy and dis
cussion as the railway legislation
does today: It was born Of the agita-
ton brought On by the public men
who were strongly urging works OF
internal improvement It's strongest
a1yocate and promoter was Henry
Clay. and there stands, rsar the
ErlSs town EH1ci1 Gears hsz EaEe, =
uaET-sm ts-LE n tGn1r GS his
rusUGry s- hsa friends, E.1s McEzz
msn1 is hIiIH Of E-usI szcns.. ErgnEr
fssE hEn, and It. muuussd by 4 fsEu-s
&c Tie G1GtfHas 1f Liberty; Esus. AID
weather hnH airuu8r dilistaraEaf mat
nGuiss dg.Irr Within has 5txsasf Mhsrz
Tar aIinGRf a cauf1IrYr r.ns Hcacr-yy-
tnsns arz Eleg.f1lis.. ON Gne zsss. vas
rEA MasCryEcM Time VIII EZg
every zEeE1czE1rn aaI rs4re-err
EBst gratifying 70 rzE1rzzI czzn- and
the humh3est suTer, freely rlucIed
under the shelter Of the tree OF h5-
erty, is more TO be desired than ali
the trappings OF regality. Forty
fourth year Of American indepen-
dene, Ammo Domini, 1920"
Henry Clay, and other great men
Of those times, travelled over its
course in going to Washington, D. C.
Washington, himself, honored its
taverns and inns with his presence
in the youthful days OF our young
republic. This highway rested legal
1y upon an Interpretation of the con-
stitution held by those favoring in
ternal improvement as a means of
investing the government surplus: it
was projected in 1902, but the actual
Su4Au<AS wac NV DC6uu ulllu i.
Thirty thousand dollars was the first
appropriation made for its use, but
Notwithstanding the war in 1872. it
was pushed slowly over the Ale
ghenies toward the Ohio river. which
it reached at wheeling, Va, in 1916
In 1873, $685., 100000 was appropriated
for its extension and it was pushed
on across the Ohio river; it reached
Columbus, Ohio, in 1893, and Indian
apolis, Ind, in 1910; it was graded
TO VsndaEa, then the capital OF hi
nois. and marked out to Jefferson,
No, but was never completed that
far under government auspices. It's
estimated cost was 5000 per mile,
but its actual cost was far greater
than that amount, reaching the enor-
nous surn Of $4,000 per mile.
The days when this great highway
was In its glory were gay and pic
tuTesque. It's course was lined with
towns of national importance which
are now gone and forgotten. The
Thousands Of t2yerus and road frouaes
along its course have vanished and
are replaced By the modern railroad
hotels
Stage Lines Known.
The great stage coach lines ocer-
ated then were IL well known in their
day as the railroads are today. Their
advertisements Of their speed, safety
and appointments, as compared WITH
those of rival lines, were as preten-
tious as the railway dvertisemeuss
LOT the present day, and their crzehes
bore as aristocratic names az those
found upon the parlor cars and pail
mans OF the present time. There was fa,
tense rivalry between the rival Ifnea.
resulting in rebates, deductions IN
freight and passenger rates, ard
competition was as bitter and reIer,t.
less as that between our present raa-
way systems before the government
attempted the regulation OF rafes and
sought to abolish all preferences.
This road was the great mail route
ITO Cincinnati, St Louis, and Other
western points and the stage Hnea
made a great struggle in tJ,e;r 60,