Rapid stage
lines and freight waggons of large capacity passed to and fro. Droves
of cattle and hogs were frequently met, passing over it to an Eastern
market. More than $1,800,000 had already been spent by the National
Government on its construction, being "advanced" in anticipation of
the land sales.
Here the hand of compulsion showed itself. The States of Indiana,
Illinois, and Missouri, with whom bargains had been made for spending
part of the proceeds of the land sales in building roads to their
borders, complained that a road to the Ohio did not fulfill the
contract. Hence the road was extended through the capitals of these
States, committing the Federal Government for many years to come to
one form at least of internal improvement. The farce of "advancing"
the money was continued a while longer.
Of the four great highways over the Allegheny watershed, contemplated
by Gallatin in his report in 1808, the Cumberland Road was the only
one realised. No excuse similar to the one under which it was begun
ever presented itself, and the party vision was not sufficiently
national to undertake public improvements unless in disguise.
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