The Old Pike / A History of the National Road, with Incidents, Accidents, and Anecdotes Thereon

by Thomas B. Searight

“In the table of quantities and cost, this feeder is made to cost a very large sum (two or three words illegible in the MS.) if the dam above Cumberland 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,
Washington, August 10, 1833.

Sir: The Secretary of War has just returned to this place, having passed over the Cumberland 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 passed upon the road. You will, therefore, repair to Cumberland without loss of time, ascertain the exact location of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal 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 Canal Company. This being done, you will communicate to the department the result.

Very respectfully, &c.,
WM. H. C. BARTLETT,
Lt. and Ass’t to Ch. Eng’r.

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

Engineer Department,
Washington, 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 Canal Company for its canal, and the new location of the National Road, in consequence of the Canal 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, Cumberland, Md.