CUMBERLAND ROAD

May 24, 1830

(To accompany bill No. 483.)

Mr. Vinton, from the Committee on Internal Improvements, made the following

REPORT:

The committee on Internal Improvements to whom was referred the petition of the Members of the last General Assembly of the State of Ohio, report:

The petitioners, composing a large majority of the members of the last General Assembly of the State of Ohio, residing in different parts of the State, concur in representing that the transportation of the mails would be facilitated, and the public interest promoted, by changing the location of the national road, so as to pass through the towns of Dayton and Eaton. The committee have ascertained that the national road, on the line run by Mr. Knight, the Commissioner of the United States, between Springfield, Clarke County, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana, does not strike a single town or village, and that a part of the country on that line is flat and wet, and thinly inhabited. By deviating from this line, so as to pass through Dayton and Eaton, an expense in the construction of the road, estimated by Mr. Knight at $7,945, will be saved. But this saving the committee consider as comparatively unimportant, and among the least of the advantages to be gained by a change in the route. The materials for constructing a firm and durable road are more accessible and more abundant on the route through Dayton and Eaton; the country is fertile, populous, and rapidly improving; the population of Montgomery County may be estimated at 25,000 inhabitants; that of Preble, at least at 15,000. Mr. Knight, in his report, states, that it has been truly said, “that, by adopting the Dayton route, Mad River and Stillwater, two large branches of the Miami, would be avoided; and that once crossing the Miami River at Dayton, would, in that case, be substituted for the crossing of the same river higher up, and also, for the crossing of Mad River, Buck Creek, and the Southwest branch, commonly called Stillwater.” Dayton, the county seat of Montgomery County, is at the head of the Miami Canal; its present population is stated to exceed 3,000 inhabitants, and to be rapidly increasing. From the extensive water power in that town and its vicinity, and its other natural advantages, there seems no reason to doubt that it will become, at no distant period, one of the most important manufacturing towns in the State. For a more particular enumeration of the commercial and manufacturing advantages of this town, and of its rapid improvement, the committee refer to the statement of the Mayor of Dayton, made under an order of the Common Council, and which the committee make a part of this report. Eaton, the county seat of Preble County, is a flourishing town, containing a population of 630 inhabitants situated on the East bank of

St. Clair’s Creek, a stream affording a valuable water power, and is surrounded by a fertile and well settled country. Besides passing through Dayton and Eaton, the road will also pass several villages, the most important of which are Fairfield, in Greene County, between Springfield and Dayton, and West Alexandria, between Dayton and Eaton.; the latter village contains a population of 300 inhabitants, and is situated on the west bank of Twin Creek, a stream affording important manufacturing facilities. The increased distance, by passing from Springfield, through Dayton and Eaton, to Richmond, Indiana, is estimated by Mr. Knight at 31 miles. The committee are aware of the full force of this objection to the deviation from a direct line, but they believe it ought to yield to the many and strong considerations of public utility, which recommend the preference of the route through Dayton and Eaton.

It is believed, that, to facilitate the transportation of the public mail, was a primary object in the construction of the national road. It is obvious that this object will not be promoted by locating the road within a few miles of county seats of so much importance as the town of Dayton and Eaton. The late Postmaster General, who was personally acquainted with the country, stated, to a former committee, his opinion, that the public interest would be promoted by this deviation from the direct line. The committee believe that the facilities which will be given to an already great and rapidly increasing commercial, agricultural, and manufacturing interest, and to the transportation of the public mail, by this change in the route, will be an ample compensation for the increase of distance. In a road of this description, the convenience and accommodation of the inhabitants of the country through which it is made, and the increased facilities of communication between important points, are considerations of great weight, and may well justify a deviation from a direct line.

The representations of the petitioners of the advantages to be derived from the change in the route, are entitled to great respect; and as to most of them, are necessarily free from the imputation of suspicion of personal interest. Your committee, therefore, recommend that the towns of Dayton and Eaton be made points in the national road, between Springfield, Clarke County, Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana; and report a bill accordingly.