94 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



occasioning a great saving of time in the transportation of all articles of 

 trade; and, lastly and principally, it enjoys the paramount advantage of 

 commanding an unfailing and ample supply of water on the summit. For 

 these reasons the preference has, ^\'ithout hesitation, been given to the southern 

 route." 



He ends his interesting report with the following paragraph: "The 

 prosecution of this extensive surve.v, by subjecting to mimite inspection a 

 very interesting portion of our country, has tended entirely to confirm the 

 vicAv in which the examination has its origin. It has conducted the brigade 

 through a region abounding in every natural advantage, fertile in soil, pre- 

 senting great facilities of communication, and lying immediately adjunct, 

 on one side, to a stream which will soon be rendered navigable throughout 

 its length, and covered with the bustle of an active trade; and, on the other, 

 to a great arm of our Mediterranean waters, stretching itself into the very 

 heart of a rich and, soon to be, a populous country; and furnishing, for the 

 naval defense of our internal frontier, a safe and convenient harbor, easily 

 fortified, and affording every possil^le advantage for a naval dejjot. The means 

 of uniting the two, have now been sufficiently developed to render it certain 

 that that valuable improvement may be effecterl at a small comparative 

 expenditure of money and labor; and a path has l:)een fully opened for the 

 enterprise of a young, but rapidly advancing State." 



The Era of Txtehxal Imt rove.ments. 



Between 1830 and 1835 there was a great awakening of the public road 

 spirit in the United States. The era of "Internal Improvements" was on, 

 and canals, railways and improved roads were projected, either on paper 

 or in reality in many of the States. The people of Indiana caught the fever, 

 and in 1835 the Legislature authorized the surveys of six important routes, 

 as follows: 



1. A route for a railroad or turnpike road from Madison via Indianapolis, 

 Danville and Crawfordsville to Lafayette. 



2. A route for a railroad or turnpike road from Cra\\'fordsville via 

 Greencastle, Blooraington. Bedford and Silera, to New Albany. 



3. A route for a railroad from Evansvllle via Princeton to Vincennes. 



4. A route for a railroad from Vincennes to Terre Haute. 



5. A route for a macadamized turnpike road from New Albany via 

 Greenville, Fredericksburgh, Paoli, Mount Pleasant and Washington to 

 Vincennes. 



6. The completion of the surveys and estimates on the LaviTenceburgh 

 and Indianapolis railway. 



Noah Noble was then Governor of Indiana, and, at his request, made to 

 the United States Topographical Bureau, tor an engineer of ability to take 

 charge of the surveys, Howard Stansbury, the U. S. Assistant Civil Engineer 

 who had made the survey for the Lake Michigan- Wabash River Canal, was 



