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

by Thomas B. Searight

Very respectfully, &c.
LEW. CASS.

His Excellency James Thomas,
Governor of Maryland, Annapolis.

Engineer Department,
Washington, September 12, 1834.

Sir: In answer to your inquiries of this morning respecting certain bridges on the Cumberland Road, in the State of Maryland, I have the honor to submit the following statement:

In applying the money appropriated by Congress at the session of 1831 and ’32, for the repairs of the Cumberland Road east of the Ohio river, it was deemed highly important to change the location of that part of the road immediately west of Cumberland to turn Wills mountain, as, by that means, a rise of several hundred feet, within a few miles, would be avoided. A survey was accordingly made, and submitted to Congress, and the change was approved. The State of Maryland assented, provided the part of the road embraced in the change should be “made of the best materials, upon the Macadam plan, and that a good and substantial stone bridge should be made on the mill-race, in the town of Cumberland, and over Wills creek at the place of crossing, and that substantial stone bridges and culverts should be made wherever the same may respectively be necessary along the line of said road.”

Estimates were prepared last fall for the entire completion of the repairs of the road from Cumberland to the Ohio. These estimates, which contemplated the construction and erection of bridges, in strict conformity with the law of Maryland giving her consent to the change of location, were submitted to Congress at the commencement of its recent session, and amounted to six hundred and fifty-two thousand one hundred dollars. Full and ample explanations accompanied these estimates, so there could have been no misunderstanding respecting them. A bill of appropriation was introduced, embracing their entire amount. This amount, after much discussion, was reduced to less than one-half, to-wit: $300,000, and the bill became a law, containing a section which requires that as soon as the sum of $300,000, or as much thereof as is necessary, shall be expended on the road agreeably to the provisions of this act, the same shall be surrendered to the States, respectively, through which the road passes; “and the United States shall not thereafter be subject to any expense for repairing said road.” Under these circumstances, it was plain that the system of repairs upon which the estimates were predicated could not be executed, and a change became necessary. The stone bridges referred to in the law of Maryland constituted a heavy item in the estimates, and it was entirely out of the question to build them without absorbing more of the appropriation than the absolute requirements of other sections of the road would admit. There being no obligation to finish the new location further than that imposed by the very great advantage resulting from its adoption, the question arose whether it would be best to abandon it, and return to the old road or not. After adopting every expedient, consistent with a faithful execution of the law, to diminish the expenses on other portions of the road, it was found that a sufficient sum would be left to construct this new portion of the best material, on the Macadam plan, and to build the abutments and piers of all the bridges on it of good stone, and in the best manner, provided the superstructures were made of wood. This was the best that could be done; and when it was considered that these superstructures, being made of the best materials, would, when covered and well painted, last, with a little care, from thirty to forty years, it was recommended to the acting Secretary of War, during your absence, to adopt them in preference to surrendering all the benefits that will result from the new road. The acting Secretary, considering that the approval of the measure would, under this state of things, be a substantial compliance with the law of Maryland, directed instructions to that effect to be issued to the superintendent of the road, which was accordingly done.

With great respect, &c.,
By order:WM. H. C. BARTLETT,
Lieut. and Assist. to Chief Engineer.

The Hon. Secretary of War.

Cumberland, December 12, 1834.

Sir: As one of the commissioners appointed by the Legislature of Maryland to report to the Governor and Council of said State when that part of the National Road within the limits of this State shall have been repaired agreeably to the provisions of the law of the State agreeing to receive that part of the road lying within the limits of this State; and a further act of the Legislature of Maryland, authorizing the President of the United States to change the location of a part of said road within the limits of Maryland, the change of location was authorized to be made on certain and positive conditions that the bridges over Wills creek and Braddock’s run should all be permanent stone bridges; and the road to be constructed with the best materials, on the Macadam plan (see the law of Maryland, passed December session, 1832, chapter 55). The plan of the bridges has been changed by the superintendent to wooden bridges, in direct violation of the engagements with this State. The President had no right to change the location of the road, unless the law of this State authorizing the change was fully complied with.