'26 EXPEDITION TO THE 



expense, amounting to nearly two millions of dollars, 

 (^1,995,000,) which has attended its construction, can be ac- 

 counted for but by a reference to the difficulty of making a 

 road across high and steep ridges, which perhaps had not been 

 sufficiently explored, to ascertain the lowest levels and the 

 most accessible points ; and, as we think, to the injudicious 

 manner in which the original contracts were given out. We 

 were credibly informed, that in most cases the original un- 

 dertakers did nothing themselves, but portion out their con- 

 tracts to a second set of contractors, and in some cases it 

 happened that the third or fourth set alone performed the 

 work, the other contractors sweeping away immense sums 

 without any labour.* Had the route been properly divided 

 into small lots, and these only given to such as were really 

 qualified to execute the work, no doubt can exist that a 

 considerable saving would have been obtained. The letting 

 it out into large sections had the disadvantage of making 

 it an object of speculation, and of alarming many who 

 would otherwise have offered themselves as contractors. 



Another cause of the great expense which attended it, 

 Avas the location of its western end in the valley of Wheel- 

 ing creek, instead of carrying it over the high land. Some 

 difference of opinion exists in the country as to the pro- 

 priety of this selection. We were informed by many, that 

 this location had been made, rather with a view to benefit 

 private interests, than with a careful regard for the public 

 good. Certain it is, that the number of bridges which were 

 required in the route through the valley, added very con- 

 siderably to the expense of the road. There are no less 

 than seventeen bridges over the main creek, within thir- 

 teen miles of this valley road. It is but justice to observe, 



* One of these is said to have accumulated in this manner a fortune 

 of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. 



