72 Internal Lnprovements. 



pike ; from Stockport to Philadelphia 239— total 329. 

 It is evident therefore, that as the route to New York 

 has 40 miles land carriage, more than the route to Phi. 

 ladelphia, nothing is wanting to secure even some of 

 the trade of the middle counties of New York, but the 

 improvement of the Delaware and Susquehanna. But 

 if this were problematical on account of the difference 

 in distance, this objection is more and more removed 

 every mile to the south and west of lake Otsego. 



2. I will not, however, dwell upon the trade of the 

 middle counties, although I am persuaded that the 

 greater part of it may be acquired by Pennsylvania, ei- 

 ther by the Susquehanna or the Delaware, should the 

 legislature improve those rivers. The most important 

 object is a communication with the extensive and im- 

 portant country from Seneca lake to lake Erie ; and I 

 do again aver, that the whole import and export trade 

 into and from this country may be acquired by this 

 state, through any or all of five distinct routes. Which 

 of those routes should be first made perfect may be 

 ascertained sufficiently w^ell, perhaps, by the subjoined 

 statements ; my opinion is, that the improvement of 

 the Susquehanna from the boundary line would an- 

 sv/er all the present purposes. 



The turnpike road, which is now making from Cats- 

 kill, on the Hudson, to a point on lake Erie, 20 miles 

 north of Presqu'lsle, passes nearly in a direct line 

 from east to west, and is 296 miles in length. This 

 road passes at the head of Seneca lake, which head is 

 almost exactly half v/ay between the extreme ends of 

 the road at the Hudson and lake Erie. I shall there- 



