Geography of Ohio 135 



southwestern part of Ohio, whose journeys eastward through 

 Pennsylvania were frequent, but very difficult either by the 

 up-stream river route, or by the old "Wilderness Road." West 

 of Wheeling, the National Road followed this highway, called 

 "Zane's Trace," to Zanesville. By 1833, the National Road 

 reached Columbus. Without much delay it was continued 

 through Springfield into Indiana. 



I suppose the Roman roads and later road-building of Euro- 

 pean countries furnished the suggestion for this undertaking by 

 our government. The advantages of the national road were 

 never questioned; but the fact that the original plan, to carry it 

 through to St. Louis, was not accomplished may imply that the 

 returns were considered inadequate for the investment. It is 

 unfortunate that a people, which early recognized the advantages 

 of good highways, should have forgotten them as soon as they 

 commenced to build canals and railroads. Only in recent years 

 have we come again to recognize the advantages of cheapening 

 the cost of natural products by making less expensive the first 

 part of the haul to markets. 



In Ohio we have much valuable limestone. We have no crys- 

 talUne rocks, except the "nigger heads," the material that is 

 used so extensively for roadbeds in New England. But with 

 our limestone, and selected sandy lime formations, it should be 

 possible to make durable roads. I have noted that most com- 

 munities are startled at the great expense of building even the 

 cheaper roads. It is felt that large sums are required for the kind 

 of roads being constructed. Another generation may justly 

 accuse us of squandering it. It is far cheaper to spend double 

 the amount which is being put into some of our highway improve- 

 ments, thus getting a roadbed that with, a slight annual expendi- 

 ture would endure for generations. It is unfortunate that Amer- 

 icans cannot look at the matter of building highways as do some 

 European states. 



