The Old Pike Part 8

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., May 10, 1832.

_Sir_: Your letter to Mr. Ingle, the clerk of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.n.a.l Company, has been handed over to me, and I am authorized, on the part of the president and directors, to express to you our thanks for the considerate regard you have paid to the location adopted by the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.n.a.l Company, for the part of their work which will pa.s.s through c.u.mberland. The location adopted is that recommended by General Bernard, and the Board of Internal Improvement, over which he presided.

When the proposed change of the c.u.mberland Road immediately above the town was under consideration of the Committee on Roads and Ca.n.a.ls, I suggested the very precaution you now practice, which was to see that no conflict would arise in hereafter conducting the ca.n.a.l over its long established route, by a conflict with the location of the improved road, the value of which I know well how to appreciate. The hill above c.u.mberland, which it is proposed to avoid, was the worst between that place and Wheeling, if reference be had to the inclination of its surface. General Bernard proposed to feed the ca.n.a.l at c.u.mberland, and for some distance below it, as far, at least, as the mouth of the South branch, by means of a dam to be erected at a ledge of rocks crossing the Potomac about a mile above c.u.mberland. The dam was to be elevated so high as to conduct the ca.n.a.l over Wills creek at c.u.mberland, with an elevation of twenty-one or twenty-two feet above ordinary water in the creek. This was to be effected by an aqueduct across the creek. I presume at this season of the year the ledge of rocks is visible above c.u.mberland. Enclosed I send you extracts from General Bernard's report, which accompanied the President's message to Congress of December 9, 1826, and is now a congressional record. From that you may perhaps infer all that is essential to your purpose of avoiding a collision with the rights of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.n.a.l Company, who have adopted for the location of the ca.n.a.l General Bernard's report.

C. F. MERCER, President of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.n.a.l Company.

EXTRACTED--PAGE 55, DOC. NO. 10, 19TH CONGRESS, 2D SESSION.--EXECUTIVE PAPERS.

"The difficulties of this pa.s.sage (down Wills creek) are great, and continue for more than a mile. The ground then becomes favorable (_i.e._, in descending Wills creek from the west), permitting the ca.n.a.l to pa.s.s at the outskirts of c.u.mberland, to join with the eastern section. Adjoining c.u.mberland, the ca.n.a.l will receive a feeder from the Potomac for a supply below, and more especially to complete what is necessary in relation to the first subdivision of the eastern section.

"This feeder is proposed to be made navigable, in order to accommodate the trade of the Potomac above c.u.mberland. Its length is one mile, its width at the water line thirty feet, its depth four feet. At its point of departure from the Potomac, a basin is formed in the bed of the river, by means of a dam erected at the first ledge above c.u.mberland.

"This basin, comprehending an extent of about eight miles, will afford a constant supply of water, and also accommodate the ca.n.a.l trade of the Potomac. The levees around the basin, the dam, the guard lock of the feeder, and its aqueduct over Wills creek, are included in the estimate of this subdivision.

"In the table of quant.i.ties and cost, this feeder is made to cost a very large sum (two or three words illegible in the MS.) if the dam above c.u.mberland is supposed to be ever changed from the above location. The aqueduct over Wills creek is computed to cost $41,601; the length of the aqueduct, seventy yards; the number of arches, three; the span of the arch, thirty feet; the height of the piers, sixteen feet."

The above is a true copy.

C. F. MERCER.

May 10, 1833.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, August 10, 1833.

_Sir_: The Secretary of War has just returned to this place, having pa.s.sed over the c.u.mberland Road east of the Ohio. He feels great interest in this road, and is anxious that the operations on it shall be so directed as to obtain the best possible results. His confidence in your ability induced him to select you as its superintendent, knowing that under your management his wishes would be realized; and deeming it a work of much greater importance than that with which you are occupied on the Delaware, he has expressed a wish that by far the greater portion of your time should be pa.s.sed upon the road. You will, therefore, repair to c.u.mberland without loss of time, ascertain the exact location of the Chesapeake and Ohio ca.n.a.l along the valley of Wills creek, and so adjust that of the road as shall remove the present difficulties, and avoid any interference with the interests of the Ca.n.a.l Company. This being done, you will communicate to the department the result.

Very respectfully, &c., WM. H. C. BARTLETT, Lt. and a.s.s't to Ch. Eng'r.

Capt. R. Delafield, Corps of Engineers, New Castle, Del.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, September 12, 1833.

_Sir_: Your letter of the 9th instant, enclosing a plan and sections of part of Wills' creek, exhibiting the location of the National Road "as now constructed;" the ground selected by the engineer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.n.a.l Company for its ca.n.a.l, and the new location of the National Road, in consequence of the Ca.n.a.l Company having made choice of the route upon which the road was constructed, has been received. The plan has been submitted, with the approval of this department, to the Secretary of War, and by him adopted; and the construction of the road on the new location will, therefore, be proceeded with.

I am, sir, &c., C. GRATIOT, Brig. General.

Capt. R. Delafield, Corps of Engineers, c.u.mberland, Md.

c.u.mBERLAND ROAD, AT STODDARD'S, MD., September 17, 1833.

_Sir_: I enclose herewith plan and sections of part of the c.u.mberland Road between c.u.mberland and Frostburg, where an alteration has just been made in the location, by which a very steep hill is avoided, and the distance decreased.

By the new route there is a slope of 18-2/10 feet in a distance of 1,600; by the old road the slope was 53.9' in 700 feet on one side of the hill, and 35.7' in 900 feet on the other side.

This is now undergoing construction. The foundation of the center pier of the bridge over Wills creek is raised above water. Respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICH'D DELAFIELD, Captain of Engineers.

Brig. Gen. Charles Gratiot.

Chief Engineer.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, September 25, 1833.

_Sir_: Your letter of the 17th inst., enclosing a plan and sections of part of the c.u.mberland Road between c.u.mberland and Frostburg, where you had made an alteration in the location, thereby avoiding a steep hill, and decreasing the distance, was duly received; and I have to inform you that the alteration referred to has been approved. I am, &c.,

C. GRATIOT, Brig. General.

Capt. R. Delafield, Corps of Engineers, c.u.mberland, Md.

CHAPTER XI.

_On with the work--Wooden Bridges proposed for the new location up Wills Creek and Braddock's Run--The War Department holds that Wooden Superstructures would be a Substantial Compliance with the Maryland law--New instructions issued from Wheeling--The old bed to be retained--Two cla.s.ses of work--Frauds by Contractors--Form for Contracts forwarded from Brownsville--Report and Estimate called for by the Senate--The law of Congress renders a change of plan necessary--The Secretary of War greatly interested in the Road--c.u.mberland to Frostburg._

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, June 25, 1834.

_Sir_: In addition to the views of the department, communicated to you this morning, I now have to request that you will proceed to apply the funds available for the c.u.mberland Road east of the Ohio, with the utmost despatch consistent with the public interest. It is greatly to be desired that the repairs of this road may be completed before the termination of the coming fall.

I am, &c ., C. GRATIOT, Brigadier General.

Capt. R. Delafield, Corps of Engineers, New Castle, Del.

c.u.mBERLAND, Md., July 23, 1834.

_Sir_: I beg leave to call your attention to the act of the Legislature of Maryland, giving its consent to change the location of the National Road near this place, to turn Wills mountain by the route of Wills creek and Braddock's run, in which it is provided that certain bridges shall be constructed of stone, and to compare this act with that of the last session of Congress, and inform me whether or not I will be justified in constructing the bridges with stone abutments and wing-walls, and _wooden_ superstructures. There is a necessity growing out of the cost, the law requiring the road to be finished with $300,000.

From the most advantageous offers received, the bridge over Wills creek will not cost less than $15,000, constructed of stone, and if built of wood, planed, and painted with three coats of white lead, roofed with s.h.i.+ngles, will cost not to exceed $7,000. There are two other bridges on the same new route to be constructed, the ratio of expense of which will not materially vary. * * *

Respectfully, your obedient servant, RICH'D DELAFIELD, Captain of Engineers.

Brig. Gen. Charles Gratiot, Chief Engineer.

c.u.mBERLAND, July 24, 1834.

_Sir_: I have just finished comparing the numerous offers for work to be done on the 16 miles of road immediately west of this place. There is great compet.i.tion among very excellent and responsible men of the country, as well as from the railroad and ca.n.a.l below us.

The offers for the bridge render its construction with stone next to impracticable, under the law, to finish the road with $300,000. They are as follows: $22,000, $21,930, $23,323, $22,680, $24,000.

To construct the abutments I have offers at $3.80 cents per perch; that would, with the superstructure of wood, make the whole cost not to exceed $6,500 to $7,000. We cannot with propriety expend so large a sum for a stone bridge, with such limited means. I strongly recommend a wooden superstructure if compatible with existing laws under which we act, and beg to be advised as requested in my letter of yesterday.

Respectfully, your obedient servant, RICH'D DELAFIELD, Captain of Engineers.

Brig. Gen. Charles Gratiot, Chief Engineer.