USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 39
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OLD NATIONAL PIKE .*
The greatest American road project of the century was the National Turnpike road.
The palmy days of the Old National Pike are referred to in the annals of local history as the days of events and stirring times. Washington was then undoubtedly more
* Extract from address of Hon. E. F. Acheson, delivered before the Daughters of the Revolution.
in the publie interest and public eye than it is today. It was a stopping place on the old road and through here ramo all the stage coaches, the United States mails for the great western country and all that travel which was the start of the founding of the great states of the west. There is undoubtedly no more important period in the town's history than the days of the National Road. Clus- tering around this road are the tales of the taverns, with their distinguished guests. Here many receptions were given to presidents of the United States, eminent states- men and others of note.
The history of the National Road, its early waggoners and stage drivers are all part of the history of Washing- ton County and its people. They form one continuous story of an interesting period of the town's history and during a time when history of the most important char- acter was being made.
General Washington was probably the first man to ap- preciate the importance of building a road across the mountains to what was called the western country. He came out into this section after the elose of the Revolution in 1784 and made a personal examination of various- routes. It was on this trip that he first met Albert Galla- tin, a young German, who had located a few years before on the eastern bank of the Monongahela at New Geneva. Gallatin is credited with having pointed out the first practical way to secure the construction of a public road. In 1802 Ohio asked for admission as a state and Gallatin .. who was Secretary of the Treasury in Jefferson's cabinet. suggested that ten per cent of the proceeds of the sale of land in the new state be applied to laying out and making of roads leading from the navigable waters empty- ing into the Atlantic to the Ohio and continued after- wards through that state; such roads to be laid out under the authority of Congress with the consent of the several states.
Gallatin's plan was adopted with the exception that five per cent was to be devoted to road building instead of ten, and three-fifths of this amount was to be used within the state of Ohio. This created the fund for the inauguration of work on the road and constituted the compact between the United States and Ohio which led to so much discussion afterwards. The first legislation on the Cumberland road was in 1806 when an act was passed authorizing the president to appoint three com- missioners to lay out the road. He was also to seenre the consent of the states through which the road would pass aud to take such measures as he might think wise in constructing it. The sum of thirty thousand dollars was appropriated for this survey. It was to extend from Cum- berland to a point on the Ohio River somewhere between Steubenville and the mouth of Grave's Creek.
When Jefferson transmitted the first report of the com- missioners to Congress he stated that the consent of the
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legislatures of Maryland and Virginia had been received, but the consent of Pennsylvania had not yet been grauted. The commissioners wanted "the shortest distance, the best method of diffusing benefits and to give considera- tion to the comparative merits of towns and settlements."' These commissioners, two of whom were from Maryland and one from Ohio, decided to recommend a route which would have been practically direct from Cumberland to the Ohio. This would have carried the road far south of Washington, through Greene County. Every effort was made by the people of Uniontown and Washington to have the road take a more northerly course. They induced the legislature to insert in the act granting the consent of Pennsylvania to the construction of the road, a pro- vision that its route be altered so as to pass through Uniontown and Washington. This change was brought about largely by political influence.
It should be remembered that 100 years ago this corner of Pennsylvania was densely populated for that day. When the first census was taken in 1790 Washington County had a population of nearly 24,000 and the four counties west of the Alleghenies, a total of 63,000. Wash- ington County's population was greater than that of any other county west of the Alleghenies and it continued to hold this place until 1830. In 1800 its population was 28,000 though portions of the county had been cut off by the erection of Greene and Beaver Counties. The Pan- handle counties of West Virginia had a population of about 10,000 and Jefferson County, Ohio, of 8,000. That part of Ohio was being rapidly settled. The region south of this was comparatively sparsely populated so that as the road was to accomodate as many people as possible, Washington County had a good casc.
Our population gave the county at that time for mem- bers to the legislature, a state senator and a member of Congress. It had almost one-half the population of Phil- adelphia and one-seventeenth of that of the entire state. Our town was fortunate also in having a friend at court. Gallatin had been elected to Congress in 1794 through the influence of Dr. McMillan, to represent the Washington and Allegheny district, although he resided in Fayette County. He was re-elected in 1796, 1798 and 1800 from this district which then embraced all the territory west of the Monongahela and the Allegheny north to Lake Erie. To be chosen in a district in which he did not reside was about as high a compliment as could have been paid. He had many friends in this town and was favor- able to the route proposed through Washington. As a member of the cabinet charged with the execution of the work he was in a position to wield great influence.
After the Whiskey Insurrection when the laws were strictly enforced by the Federalist officials, Washington County became practically solid iu support of the old Republican party. In 1804 not a single vote was cast in
this county against Jefferson. Before the decision as to the route of the Cumberland Road between the Mononga- hela and the Ohio was made, Gallatin wrote to Jefferson, in 1808, saying that Washington County uniformly gave a majority of about 2,000 votes "in our favor" as he put it, and if the road did not pass through this county Jefferson's party would lose the State of Pennsylvania at the next election. This indicates how strong publie feel- ing was here. He enclosed to the President a letter from a man whom he said was an influential and steady Re- publican of this county. This letter was written by David Acheson and Mr. Gallatin's reply has been preserved. Jefferson, though he deprecated the political influence which was brought to bear upon him, ordered a survey of the road through Washington. The commissioners reported against this route. Our people persisted and a long struggle ensued.
In 1811, however, Congress passed an act authorizing the president to permit deviations from the courses al- ready run aud under this act the line was changed to pass through Washington. Gallatin was still Secretary of the Treasury in Madison's cabinet, a position he held con- tinnously for thirteen years, or longer than any one else has occupied a cabinet position.
Theu a spirited contest arose between Steubenville aud Wheeling. Each wished to be the terminus on the Ohio. Henry Clay who had early become an ardent advocate of the Cumberland Road, personally investigated both routes. In oue of his first speeches in Congress Clay stated that he was accustomed to come up the Ohio to Wheeling and go east through this section to the national capital. On one of these trips the roads were so bad that he could make no more than nine miles in a single day. Clay drove over the route between Washington and Steubenville, stopping at West Middletown. He threw his influence in favor of the Wheeling route. The grateful citizens of Wheeling and vicinity erected a monument to his memory ou the line of the road near that city. Claysville, Wash- ington County was called in his honor and Fayette County gave his full name, Heury Clay, to one of its townships.
The first contracts for work on the Cumberland Road were let in 1811. They were for the section extending ten miles west of Cumberland. The United States mail coaches were running from Washington, D. C., to Wheel- ing in 1818. The road was sixty-six feet wide and stoned thirty feet. When work actually began there was great enthusiasm along the line of the road. Laborers rejoiced at the prospect of work and many farmers found em- ployment for their teams. The first appropriation made in 1810 was for $60,000. The next year $50,000 were appropriated. Appropriations were made by each sub- sequent Congress until 1838.
Though spoken of as completed through this county in 1818, the road was really not finished. In many places
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only a single layer of three inches of broken stone had been spread. With the great travel over it the road was soon in had condition. In order to secure money to repair it Congress passed a bill in 1822 authorizing the erection of toll gates. President Monroe held that the law was uuconstitutional and vetoed it. lle thought that the gov- ernment did not have the power to pass such a measure for internal improvement. The friends of the road then planned to have it put into repair by the government and turned over to the several states. This was done. The macadam system was adopted and the bed of the road made thirty feet wide. Ohio accepted the road but Penn- sylvania would not do so until several hundred thousand dollars had been expended in putting the portion of it iu this state in thorough repair. The legislature in 1831 authorized the ereetion of six toll gates; three of these were within the limits of Washington County. On April 1, 1835, Pennsylvania formally accepted the road and the gates were opened.
When the road was finished to Wheeling a flood of travel and traffic set in over it. As many as twenty four horse coaches were frequently seen in line going east or west. Innumerable droves of horses, cattle and sheep passed over it. The stage houses were located at a dis- tance of about 12 miles apart and the taverns for the accomodation of drivers of the conestoga wagons averaged ono for every mile of road between Cumberland and Wheeling. An old driver said about 15 years ago, that he had sometimes seen thirty-six six horse teams, a hundred mules, a thousand hogs and a thousand cattle from Illinois at one of these old taverns iu one night.
In a speech in Congress in 1832 T. M. T. MeKennan said that before the road was built it cost $120 to $200 per ton to bring goods from Baltimore to the Ohio River and it took from four to six weeks. After the road was built goods could be brought iu half the time and at one- half the cost. It now costs $3. Before completion it took eight days to carry the mail from Baltimore to Wheeling on horseback onee a week. After it was finished mail stages made the trip in forty-eight hours, and two went each way a day.
"The most important official function of the Cumber- land Road was to furnish means for transportation for the United States mails. The strongest constitutional argument of its advocates was the need of facilities for transporting troops and mails." The great mails of that time were conveyed over the road much as they are now over the railroads. The postoffice department advertised for bids and let contracts. Great stage companies took these contracts. Through mails and way mails were es- tablished. Express mails, similar to our fast mails on the railroad, were inaugurated. These mails were conveyed in remarkably fast time for that date. In 1837 the con- traet for carrying the great western express mail over the
Cumberland Road provided, that it should reach Wheeling in thirty hours after leaving the National capital, Indian- apolis in sixty-five and St. Louis in ninety. Mails also came through this place for Kentucky, Tennessee and points as far south as Mobile and New Orleans; also for the great northwest, which was then being opened. The Washington postoffice was a great distributing office. Mails were sent from here to Pittsburg and points in northwestern Pennsylvania and in northeastern Ohio. As late as 1840 the Washington postoffice was one of the largest and most important west of the Alleghanies. On special occasions remarkable time was made by the mail coaches. Polk's message declaring war against Mexico, was conveyed from Cumberland to Wheeling, a distance of 131 miles in twelve hours. The time from Uniontown to Washington was three hours; from Washington to Wheeling it was three hours. This was by the National Road Stage Company, conducted by L. W. Stockton, father of Mrs. Dr. Thomas MeKennan and Mrs. Rebceca Wishart.
In 1825 Congress authorized the extension of the Cuni- berland Road through Ohio. This act was greeted with intense enthusiasmn. It had been feared that the road would be allowed to stop at Wheeling as the Ohio River could be used for navigation a good part of the year. The road was projected almost in a straight line. A large portion of it was loeated by Jonathan Knight, United State Commissioner, who was a resident of this county. He was afterwards the first chief engineer of the B. & O. railroad. The aets admitting Indiana, Illinois and Missouri contained the same provision as the act admit- ting Ohio. Five per cent of the receipts from the sale of lands was to be devoted to the extension of this road which was to pass through the capitals of Indiana and Illinois to the capital of Missouri. The road was actually completed only to Springfield, Ohio. It was partially completed from there across Indiana to Vandalia, Illinois, which was then the capital of that state. Two surveys were made from Vandalia to Jefferson City, Mo., the northern by way of Alton and the southern hy way of St. Lonis. No work was ever done, however, on either one of these surveys.
The construction of the National Road put Washington on the principal highway of commerce and communica- tion between the east and the west. It brought through the county many distinguished persons. No less than nine presidents of the United States passed over this road. President Monroe was here in 1817, while the road was building; John Qniney Adams in 1837 and again in 1843; Jackson, Harrison, Polk and Taylor on the way to the National capitol to be inaugurated. Lincoln on his way to Washington to take his seat as a member of Con- gress. VanBuren and Tyler. Other men of note were Webster, LaFayette, Crittenden, of Kentucky, Sam Hous-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
ton, Texas; Geu. Santa Anua, of Mexico; Senator Ben- ton, of Missouri; Gen. Scott, Davy Crockett, Blackhawk, Lewis Cass. P. T. Barnum brought Jeuny Lind through here on her famous tour. Washington was in touch with the busy world. The Old Pike gave our people an op- portunity to see many noted persons. It also brought some visitors not so desirable. The Asiatic cholera came here more thau once, following the line of travel up the Mississippi and Ohio and aloug the Cumberland Road. These visitations put the entire population into a panic. Whole families were sometimes wiped out by the dread disease.
The Old Pike, as Colonel Searight loved to call it, con- tinued to be a toll road for 70 years, from 1835 to 1905. While the amount of toll collected was considerable, being $10,000 annually in Washiugtou County, where, as many as seven gates were in operation during its later years, it was not sufficient to keep the road in proper repair. Friends of the old highway here concluded to ask the state to make it free and put it in first class condition. A bill was drawu by James I. Brownson, Esq., of Washington, which was introduced in the legislature by Representative D. M. Campsey, of Claysville. At first it met with little favor. Governor Pennypacker, always interested in his- torical subjects, thought well of the measure, and it finally passed and was approved by him. It appropriated $100,- 000 to repair the old bridges and roadbed. The legisla- ture of 1907 appropriated another $100,000 for the same purpose. State Highway Commissioner Hunter estimates that it will take an additional $600,000 to put the road within the state in first class condition. Eighty and four- tenths miles of the old road are within the limits of Pennsylvania so that it will cost about $10,000 per mile to restore the old pike.
The total cost of the Cumberland Road to the govern- ment was $6,824,919.33. The part of the road between Cumberland and Brownsville cost $632,425 or $9,745 per mile. The section between Brownsville and Wheeling cost $1,069,575, or $17,313 per mile. The average cost of the road between Cumberland and the Ohio River was $13, 000 per mile. West of the Ohio the cost was less than half this. While the total cost of the road seems small in these days of great enterprises, the undertaking was a bigger task to the United States 100 years ago than the digging of the Panama Canal is now. In 1809, the year before the first appropriation for the road was made, the total receipts of the United States were $7,261,000. Last year the receipts were $762,000,- 000, or more than one hundred times as much as in 1809. One hundred years ago our country was so poor that sta- tisties of wealth were not compiled. When the first re- turus were made in 1850 the total wealth was only $7,000,- 000.000. In 1904, the last year for which statistics are available, the wealth of the country was one hundred and
seveu billions. It is safe to say that the wealth of the United States is fully one hundred times greater than it was when work on the Cumberland Road began. The cost of the Panama Canal is not likely to exceed one-third of the income of the United States at this time, while the cost of the Cumberland Road about equaled the entire iucome of the coutry at the time it was started.
WASHINGTON AND WILLIAMSPORT TURNPIKE ROAD.
The road known as the Washington and Williamsport Turnpike runs cast from Washington to Monongahela City. It was built under the terms of a statute passed in 1816 to construct a series of four roads leading to Will- iamsport, Robbstown, Mount Pleasant, Somerset, White Horse Tavern on the top of the Allegheny Mountains, to intersect the Harrisburg and Pittsburg Turnpike near the town of Bedford.
On the 18th of March an Act of Assembly was passed authorizing the construction of a turnpike "between the town of Washington and the bank of the Monongahela River at the town of Williamsport." The commissioners appointed to open books for subscriptions were Alexander Murdoch, Joseph Pentecost, Thomas H. Baird, James Mitchell, David Hamilton, Alexander Reed, John Hill, Jacob Kintner and Andrew Monroe. The company was required to commence the road within five years and to complete it within ten years; the work was commenced within the required time, but not completed aud several extensions were obtained, the last on February 7, 1831. It became a very valuable road for convenience of travel.
On May 12, 1894, a largely signed petition was pre- sented to the Quarter Sessions Court of Washington County, alleging that "the Washington and Williamsport Turnpike Road, upon which tolls are charged to the travelling public, is located wholly within the said county and extends from the Borough of Washington, Pa., to Monongahela City, and that it would be for the best in- terests of the people of the said county, for said turn- pike road to become a publie road, free from tolls and tollgates.
It was alleged by some of the witnesses that the turn- pike was not well kept in repair. Some witnesses tes- tified that the Dry Run Road from Monongahela City to Valley Inn, connecting with another township road from Valley Inn to Ginger Hill and this with another road from Ginger Hill to a mile aud one-half east of Washington, were parallel and very close to the turnpike and were in much better condition and more travelled than the turn- pike.
On the 17th of August, 1894. the viewers reported that it was for the best interests of the people of the county of Washington that the part of said turnpike road be- tween the easteru corporate limits of the borough of East Washington, and the western corporate limits of Monon-
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gahela City, should be made free from tolls and toll- gates, and recommended that said road be condemned and made free to the public travel. The viewers allowed no damages to the turnpike company. An appeal was taken from the report of the viewers and the case was finally closed June 4, 1895, by decree which gave the turnpike company $650.00 damages and condemned the turupike road from publie use, free from tolls and toll gates.
Since the passage of the general law of 1905 relating to turnpike roads it has been taken over by the county. Fifteen miles and 3,979 feet of the Washington and Will- iamsport Pike are to be improved by the county at a cost of $151,629.
OLD PITTSBURG AND WASHINGTON TURNPIKE.
(From the Canonsburg Notes, D. II. Fce, editor.)
The old Pittsburg and Washington Pike was no mean highway in its day, however deficient it may later have become. Its glory, whatever it amounted to, faded with the coming of the railroad, and the old pike became little more than an ordinary country road.
The Washington and Pittsburg Turnpike Road was built by a company of the same name and style, which was chartered under an aet of incorporation passed March 25, 1817, which required the company to com- mence the road within three years, and complete it within ten years from the passage of the act. Books were opened for subscriptions on the 16th of June in the same year. The route having been located and surveyed under direc- tion of John Hoge and Col. John Morgan, of Washington County, and John William Baldwin and Mr. Cowan, of Pittsburg, work was commenced and pushed with consid- erable vigor, bnt financial difficulties intervened, which were only slightly relieved by a state subscription of $12,000 to the stoek, authorized by act of the legislature passed March 26, 1821. By the report made to the state department, dated March 23, 1822, it is shown that ten miles of the road was then completed of the entire dis- tanee of twenty five miles. Individnal subscriptions had been received to the amount of $50,000, and the state subscription of $12,000.
At the expiration of the ten years allowed by the charter for completion, only seven miles ont from Pitts- burg, and ten miles northeastward from Washington, or to a point just east of Morganza were opened to travel, and tolls were taken on them. To prevent a forfeiture of the charter the company procured the passage of a supplemental act (March 20, 1827) extending the time two years, and a further extension of two years was granted by act passed March 19, 1829. This was found insufficient. Further extensions of time were obtained by Maj. John Ewing, of Washington, superintendent of construction.
Meanwhile the state had made further subscriptions
to the stock of the company, aggregating about $40,000, the last installment of which was dated February 1s, 1836. In 1813 the stock owned by the state was soll to Judge Thomas II. Baird, of Washington, Judge William Wilkins, of Pittsburg, and others. Soon after the completion of the road the property of the road was sequestrated, Maj. dolin Urie being appointed sequestra tor, and so remained for many years. The building of the Chartiers Valley Railroad destroyed all hope of more prosperous times for the turnpike, and it was finally sur- rendered to the townships on its route, except the seven miles between Canonsburg and Washington, which for some years later was maintained as a toll road.
After the retirement of Major Frie from the office of sequestrator, Aaron Behout was appointed to the position. The company about this time erected a toll house and toll- gate just outside the western limits of the town, near the intersection of the pike and what is now Highland avenue. But the people did not take kindly to the move. They said, what was true, that the pike was not in good enough condition to warrant the company in demanding toll, or the people in paying it. As time went on, and it was found that all the money collected was used in paying the toll-keeper, the opposition of the people became more pronounced. Some would endeavor to pass the toll-gate without paying toll, and a number sneceeded in doing so, at least on several occasions. Others would drive a long way around rather than pay toll, the taking of which they characterized as an outrage and an imposition.
Indignation meetings were held, more than once the toll-gate was removed and the toll-house set on fire, and finally the honse was upset, and it began to look as though there might be a turnpike rebellion to add to the whisky rebellion. Who committed the outrages against the pike company's property was never known to the general pub- lie, and no arrests were made of persons charged with the unlawful acts.
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