SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 27 



that the bridges are, for the most part, substantial, well 

 built, and even elegant in their construction.* A circum- 

 stance which enhanced much the expense of the valley 

 road, was the necessity of propping it in many places by 

 a stone wall or parapet, amounting in the aggregate to at 

 least one-fourth or one-third of the distance. The road 

 has, however, along this route, the advantage of being car- 

 ried almost on a dead level, and in the other parts, where 

 it crosses the mountains, it must be acknowledged that the 

 ascents are better regulated than on any other road we have 

 ever travelled. But a great defect which prevails throughout 

 the whole route, and which we had not expected to meet with, 

 is that of using stones of too large a diameter on the road. Af- 

 ter all the improvements which have been, of late years, made 

 in this important branch of engineering, and after the very 

 just celebrity which the M' Adams' roads have obtained in 



•At the extremity of one of these bridges, a monument has been 

 erected by a Mr. Shepherd, one of the principal contractors of this 

 road. From an inscription on the monument, we learn that it was 

 erected by " Moses and Lydia Shepherd, in honour of Mr. Speaker 

 Clay, as a testimony of their gratitude to him, and of their high vene- 

 ration for his public and private character." Mr. Clay is known to 

 have advocated this undertaking, on the floor of congress, with much 

 talent and zeal. There are, we believe, as yet, but few instances of 

 monuments erected in our country by private individuals, to comme- 

 morate the public services of our statesmen, and we must regret that 

 the taste which designed, and the hands which executed this monu- 

 ment, were not equal to the liberality which provided for it. We have 

 seldom seen a more clumsy attempt at allegory, or a more unfortunate 

 introduction of emblematical figures. The inscriptions are also equally 

 deficient in taste, in grammatical construction, and in orthography. 

 In order to improve its appearance, the stone in itself a beautiful build- 

 ing material, has been covered with a wash or paint, which, having 

 scaled off from some parts and remained upon others, contributes to 

 giVQ it a motley and uncouth appearance. 



