The Republican., 1947-12-25

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Valley problem the early days national history The
Badck and Fob Roads of French and Indian War times were in
adequate; would impractical
lu hre opo" constitutional grounds to the Federal Govern
making internal improvements The need urgent however that
Congress decided to build road the mountains
March 90 1906 President approved pprOpriatng
$4,000 Cumberland the Ohio Wheeling officially
known the "Cmbed Road The road commission appointed by the
President consisted of Eli Williams and Thomas Moore of Maryland and
Joseph Kerr Ohio Josiah Thompson they employed and au-
I % 1 10 ] , M f +b Ih T pb from Cnberond to bs
Gonrgahea passing Meadows, the Cassemn
1foncg at Red Stone Old Fort (owrsve Where connection with
rightfway had been cleared
Brownsville construction miles of
Cumberland signed April l6 and May 1911
completed letting"
cary
The work contracted thence to the Youghiogheny in August 1873 and
nigh prices and apprehension failure Of The whole road
was not completed and opened to traffic to the Ohio until 1878 Cost OF
building the road the from Cumberland to Uniontown
per mile. Funds raised
by the Government from the sale Of public lands in Ohio was planned to
build e road the Mississippi River but finally built only far
Springfield Ohio
was originally supposed that the new Maryland would
of fortunately
plan abandoned; Cumberland Road paraled and sometimes
the Baddc Road only mile the old road
bed (S the June, l947, Gldes Starr Most of its
thru the virgin forest increasing the but the road well laid
cut that to the present day. few changes of location have been necessary
The law provided for sixty feet goway and grade not exceeding
five degrees The broken with hand hammers laid
larger
length of the road from Cumberland to Wheeling was 1872 miles
Ct which 34a miles Maryland The highest point the National
Road is the Mountain
From the time thrown the public in 1918 until the
of the railroads 823 the National Pike the highway
passed of
East and
Stage coach lines established carry the
beland Whee$85
Inn. ,c.rs f5:t I t[ I1 + n1iJ f T5nL Gtn o1;tI d
lodging
products in vicinity popu-
iaon and prosperity increased A steady stream of emigrans p VEST
ron Preside
HARRISON Polk and Taylor and Senator Henry Clay travelled the Cunber
land Road on their Washington Abraham Lincoln stopped Union
his IN 1916.
THE STATES objected providing the
TAKE OVER keep the Cumberland Road passed
bill providing for the collection of tolls; this by President
Monroe The Federal Government finally decided the road
the thru which passed Maryland
provided repaired Eoye
Ieshach appointed
Captain Thomas End president of similar body for Pennsylvania
The of deporabe
nde2 date of August 1882 Lieut. Mansfield reported
Cumberland: general
nosse of the road the state find the road shocking condition.
and rod of will require it almost
pasb purpose leaving here tomorrow particular measurement
and survey Of the road as it is and the requisites put it complete
repair -
Coges finally appropriated money for repair of the road and its
bridges, Capt put charge
Of the Ohio The
supervision of army engineers In 1885 Congress made it's last APPROPRIATION
tie Cumberland respective
Tolls were then collected for at toll gates of which
Pa The Baltimore completed 1922
GOLDEN AGE AND DECLINE The B. and O. Railroad reached
OF THE Cumberland in 1842 but was not COM
pete Wheeling
terred from trains at Cumberland carried rapidly
the the Ohio
covered
Of livestock equally many
prosperous
But stage coaches and Conesga could
uy with propelled reached Wheeling
Pittsburgh Q852) travel the old pike declined rapidly
became farm houses Toll collections
We hear of the hoof
And the COACH rafting
For the steam king rules the
And the old to die
But the old pike did die passed Federal
Road Act designed connect the State highway
system of interstate highways In the
old Cumberland Road, designated 40
In 1885 Albert Rose U. Of Public Works wrote:
Toby, travelled from
Lav ha Nm. --r.I i'm