Agricultural museum 53 



'' come into It from its own waters or the Misslssippf, 



* it is nearer through the Potomak to Alexandria, than 



* to New- York, by 580 miles, and it is inlerru)3ted by 



* one portage only." — It is also observed, that the roU^ 

 by Poto'n^k is less liable to interruption by ice, or b^ 

 wars with our neigiibours, the Anglo-Americans, ot 

 the Indians, than that to New- York, which is our fron- 

 tier on the north through almost its whole Ici gfli. 



'1 hcse observations derive additional weight and im- 

 'portance iVom the circumstance, that goods are, at this 

 'timii, m the present state of the river and roads, fre- 

 quently bo-ited up from the D.strict of Columbia to. 

 Cumberland, and taken from thence to the Western 

 Waters, at a lower rate than they could be taken there 

 from any other sea port. Ccl. Lyon, a member of Con- 

 gress, for several seasons past, has taken large quanti- 

 ties by that rout to the Western Country— Goods have, 

 last summer, been sent by Gene<al JNJason, the Super- 

 •int ndant of Indian Trade, from Gcoig<'town to St 

 Louis on the Mississippi, near the mouth of Missouri, for 

 a less price than the}' could be taken by waggons from 

 Philadelphia to Pittsburgii— rand Furs and Peltry have 

 been brought fj-om thence to Georgetown to greater 

 advantage, than if they had been taken to market by 

 way of JNew Oi'leans, enveloped in the moist atmos- 

 phere of the Mississippi and the Gulph of Mexico. 



These are facts of no trifling moment — they afford 

 tlie strongest iadueements to the people of the District, 

 and to the farmers and holders of real piopcrty on or 

 near to the waters of Potomak,. and en or near to the 

 roads leading from those waters to the Western Cour^ 

 try, to unite in their exertions to extend and com- 

 plete the avenues of intercourse, which promise such 

 important resells. Roads, canals and nas igable rivers, 

 are the arteries and veins thai give hfe and vigour to 

 industry. They are of the utmost utility both to the mer- 

 . chant and to tiie farmer ; bui espeeiallj to the farmer; as 

 the produce of the covmlry which is cairkd lo marketj, 



