Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1916 — Brick Paving Project Awakening Old Echoes on Historic Road. [ARTICLE]

Brick Paving Project Awakening Old Echoes on Historic Road.

Ohio is reawakening old echoemou the highways of her granddaddies. The National Pike, or Cumberland Road, as it was sometimes called, is being restored to a condition surpassing its ancient splendor, for instead of a rough stone pike, the ancient route is to be paved 16 feet wide throughout the state, a major portion of the projected milage being brick. Thomas Jefferson, in 1806, signed the first act for a highway to connect Cumberland, Md., with the Ohio

river. It was completed to Wheeling in 1818, to Columbus in 1833, and thence by successive stages to Indianapolis, Springfield, 111., and Jefferson City, 1 Mo. This road was the great highway of immigration for the central states A single day would see scores of hurrying stage coaches and hundreds of wagons drawn by oxen. Most of the early statesmen and Presidents 'passed over it at one time or an- ' other, and the dilapidated inps that abound along the route are replete with traditions of the great men who were their guests. This road was gradually abandoned by the national government to the states, as the problem of maintenance became acute, and for . - years it has received almost no attention. It could scarcely be distinguished from the unimproved mud | roads of the vicinity. To prevent a recurrence of this indignity to an old landmark, the Ohio state highway department is directing that the improvement be of as nearly permanent character as possible. The brick pavement through Belmont county has practically been completed within the last year. Guernsey, Muskingum, Franklin and Montgomery counties also have their portions in advanced state of construction. One of the puzzles of the old highway is the famous crooked bridge in Belmont county, whose lines do scribe a compound curve. Whether the builder considered his design ornamental or whether he sought fu fit the road to the staggerings of belated pedestrians has always been a subject of conjecture. Most of the stone bridges built in the earlier days are as sound as ever, and would be considered good construction in time. While the ol<j road will never resume its former relative importance, it is expected to become an important route of auto travel and to facilitate the marketing of farm products. The improvement program has already doubled the value of adjoining lands for a large part of the distance.