158 A. L. Bishop — The State Works of Pennsylvania. 



of outlying territory. It was even proposed to unite the waters of 

 the Atlantic with those of the Ohio and Lake Erie by a chain of 

 interior navigation.* In his message to the legislature in 1790, 

 Governor Thomas Mifflin said : — 



"The very laudable attention paid to the survey of roads and 

 rivers is conclusive proof of the importance of the object, while it 

 furnishes an example highly deserving of your imitation. Every day, 

 indeed, produoos an additional incentive to persevere in improve- 

 ments of this kind. The commercial policy of insuring the trans- 

 portation of our produce from the interior counties to the capital 

 is dependent upon the ease and facility of the communications that 

 are established throughout the state; and when we consider Penn- 

 sylvania not only as the route that actually connects the extreme 

 members of the Union, but as a natural avenue from the shores 

 of the Atlantic to the vast regions of the western territory, imagina- 

 tion can hardly paint the magnitude of the scene which demands 

 our industry, nor hope exaggerate the richness of the reward which 

 solicits our enjoyment." 



In harmony with the trend of popular feeling, there was formed 

 at Philadelphia in 1789 "The Society for promoting the improve- 

 ment of Road and Inland ISTavigation," composed of enlightened 

 citizens from various parts of the state. Within two years it had 

 a hundred members. The meetings were held Monday evenings 

 during the sessions of the legislature to suggest schemes and pro- 

 posals for promoting trade and communication between the different 

 parts of the state and of the Union. On February 7th, 1791, this 

 society, of which Robert Morris was president, presented a memo- 

 rialf to the legislature containing a detailed and comprehensive 

 view of the various routes suitable for roads and canals from the 

 seaboard to the interior of the state, the West and Lake Erie, and 

 the adjoining states. Maps and estimates of expenses necessary to 

 build the proposed lines of communication were also furnished. 

 This memorial is an important landmark in the early history of 

 transportation in Pennsylvania, showing clearly the elaborate 

 scheme of internal improvements contemplated by its originators. 

 In the light of later developments, that part proposing to connect 

 the eastern waters with those of the Ohio and Lake Erie is pecu- 

 liarly interesting, in that it shows conclusively that, long before 

 connection had been made with the West by the Erie canal, public- 



* Haz. Reg., I, p. 409. 



•j- Full text of this memorial in Haz. Reg., II, pp. 119-122. 



