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The¡¡Paths¡¡of¡¡Inland¡¡Commerce£»¡¡A¡¡Chronicle¡¡of¡¡Trail£»¡¡Road£»¡¡and¡¡Waterway

By¡¡Archer¡¡B¡£¡¡Hulbert






PREFACE


If¡¡the¡¡great¡¡American¡¡novel¡¡is¡¡ever¡¡written£»¡¡I¡¡hazard¡¡the¡¡guess¡¡that¡¡its¡¡plot¡¡will¡¡be¡¡woven¡¡around¡¡the¡¡theme¡¡of¡¡American¡¡transportation£»¡¡for¡¡that¡¡has¡¡been¡¡the¡¡vital¡¡factor¡¡in¡¡the¡¡national¡¡development¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡£¡¡Every¡¡problem¡¡in¡¡the¡¡building¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republic¡¡has¡¡been£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡last¡¡analysis£»¡¡a¡¡problem¡¡in¡¡transportation¡£¡¡The¡¡author¡¡of¡¡such¡¡a¡¡novel¡¡will¡¡find¡¡a¡¡rich¡¡fund¡¡of¡¡material¡¡in¡¡the¡¡perpetual¡¡rivalries¡¡of¡¡pack¡­horseman¡¡and¡¡wagoner£»¡¡of¡¡riverman¡¡and¡¡canal¡¡boatman£»¡¡of¡¡steamboat¡¡promoter¡¡and¡¡railway¡¡capitalist¡£¡¡He¡¡will¡¡find¡¡at¡¡every¡¡point¡¡the¡¡old¡¡jostling¡¡and¡¡challenging¡¡the¡¡new¡¡pack¡­horsemen¡¡demolishing¡¡wagons¡¡in¡¡the¡¡early¡¡days¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Alleghany¡¡traffic£»¡¡wagoners¡¡deriding¡¡Clinton's¡¡Ditch£»¡¡angry¡¡boatmen¡¡anxious¡¡to¡¡ram¡¡the¡¡paddle¡¡wheels¡¡of¡¡Fulton's¡¡Clermont£»¡¡which¡¡threatened¡¡their¡¡monopoly¡£¡¡Such¡¡opposition¡¡has¡¡always¡¡been¡¡an¡¡incident¡¡of¡¡progress£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡in¡¡this¡¡new¡¡country£»¡¡receptive¡¡as¡¡it¡¡was¡¡to¡¡new¡¡ideas£»¡¡the¡¡Washingtons£»¡¡the¡¡Fitches£»¡¡the¡¡Fultons£»¡¡the¡¡Coopers£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Whitneys£»¡¡who¡¡saw¡¡visions¡¡and¡¡dreamed¡¡dreams£»¡¡all¡¡had¡¡to¡¡face¡¡scepticism¡¡and¡¡hostility¡¡from¡¡those¡¡whom¡¡they¡¡would¡¡serve¡£


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Worcester£»¡¡Mass¡££»¡¡¡¡June£»¡¡1919¡£






CONTENTS

I¡£¡¡THE¡¡MAN¡¡WHO¡¡CAUGHT¡¡THE¡¡VISION¡¡II¡£¡¡THE¡¡RED¡¡MAN'S¡¡TRAIL¡¡III¡£¡¡THE¡¡MASTERY¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡RIVERS¡¡IV¡£¡¡A¡¡NATION¡¡ON¡¡WHEELS¡¡V¡£¡¡THE¡¡FLATBOAT¡¡AGE¡¡VI¡£¡¡THE¡¡PASSING¡¡SHOW¡¡OF¡¡1800¡¡VII¡£¡¡THE¡¡BIRTH¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡STEAMBOAT¡¡VIII¡£¡¡THE¡¡CONQUEST¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡ALLEGHANIES¡¡IX¡£¡¡THE¡¡DAWN¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡IRON¡¡AGE¡¡X¡£¡¡THE¡¡PATHWAY¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡LAKES¡¡XI¡£¡¡THE¡¡STEAMBOAT¡¡AND¡¡THE¡¡WEST¡¡BIBLIOGRAPHICAL¡¡NOTE





THE¡¡PATHS¡¡OF¡¡INLAND¡¡COMMERCE

CHAPTER¡¡I¡£¡¡The¡¡Man¡¡Who¡¡Caught¡¡The¡¡Vision

Inland¡¡America£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡birth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Republic£»¡¡was¡¡as¡¡great¡¡a¡¡mystery¡¡to¡¡the¡¡average¡¡dweller¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Atlantic¡¡seaboard¡¡as¡¡the¡¡elephant¡¡was¡¡to¡¡the¡¡blind¡¡men¡¡of¡¡Hindustan¡£¡¡The¡¡reports¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡had¡¡penetrated¡¡this¡¡wildernessof¡¡those¡¡who¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡the¡¡barren¡¡ranges¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Alleghanies£»¡¡the¡¡fertile¡¡uplands¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Unakas£»¡¡the¡¡luxuriant¡¡blue¡­grass¡¡regions£»¡¡the¡¡rich¡¡bottom¡¡lands¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡and¡¡Mississippi£»¡¡the¡¡wide¡¡shores¡¡of¡¡the¡¡inland¡¡seas£»¡¡or¡¡the¡¡stretches¡¡of¡¡prairie¡¡increasing¡¡in¡¡width¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Wabashseemed¡¡strangely¡¡contradictory£»¡¡and¡¡no¡¡one¡¡had¡¡been¡¡able¡¡to¡¡patch¡¡these¡¡reports¡¡together¡¡and¡¡grasp¡¡the¡¡real¡¡proportions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡giant¡¡inland¡¡empire¡¡that¡¡had¡¡become¡¡a¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡pathless¡¡desert£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡a¡¡maze¡¡of¡¡trails£»¡¡trodden¡¡out¡¡by¡¡deer£»¡¡buffalo£»¡¡and¡¡Indian¡£¡¡Its¡¡great¡¡riverways¡¡were¡¡broad¡¡avenues¡¡for¡¡voyagers¡¡and¡¡explorers£»¡¡they¡¡were¡¡treacherous¡¡gorges¡¡filled¡¡with¡¡the¡¡plunder¡¡of¡¡a¡¡million¡¡floods¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡rich¡¡soil£»¡¡a¡¡land¡¡of¡¡plenty£»¡¡the¡¡natives¡¡were¡¡seldom¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡day¡¡removed¡¡from¡¡starvation¡£¡¡Within¡¡its¡¡broad¡¡confines¡¡could¡¡dwell¡¡a¡¡great¡¡people£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡as¡¡inaccessible¡¡as¡¡the¡¡interior¡¡of¡¡China¡£¡¡It¡¡had¡¡a¡¡great¡¡commercial¡¡future£»¡¡yet¡¡its¡¡gigantic¡¡distances¡¡and¡¡natural¡¡obstructions¡¡defied¡¡all¡¡known¡¡means¡¡of¡¡transportation¡£

Such¡¡were¡¡the¡¡varied¡¡and¡¡contradictory¡¡stories¡¡told¡¡by¡¡the¡¡men¡¡who¡¡had¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡portals¡¡of¡¡inland¡¡America¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡not¡¡surprising£»¡¡therefore£»¡¡that¡¡theories¡¡and¡¡prophecies¡¡about¡¡the¡¡interior¡¡were¡¡vague¡¡and¡¡conflicting¡¡nor¡¡that¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡schemes¡¡of¡¡statesmen¡¡and¡¡financiers¡¡for¡¡the¡¡development¡¡of¡¡the¡¡West¡¡were¡¡all¡¡parts¡¡and¡¡no¡¡whole¡£¡¡They¡¡all¡¡agreed¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡richness¡¡of¡¡that¡¡inland¡¡realm¡¡and¡¡took¡¡for¡¡granted¡¡an¡¡immense¡¡commerce¡¡therein¡¡that¡¡was¡¡certain¡¡to¡¡yield¡¡enormous¡¡profits¡£¡¡In¡¡faraway¡¡Paris£»¡¡the¡¡ingenious¡¡diplomat£»¡¡Silas¡¡Deane£»¡¡writing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Secret¡¡Committee¡¡of¡¡Congress¡¡in¡¡1776£»¡¡pictured¡¡the¡¡Old¡¡Northwest¡¡bounded¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Ohio£»¡¡the¡¡Alleghanies£»¡¡the¡¡Great¡¡Lakes£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Mississippias¡¡paying¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡expense¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Revolutionary¡¡War¡£*¡¡Thomas¡¡Paine¡¡in¡¡1780¡¡drew¡¡specifications¡¡for¡¡a¡¡State¡¡of¡¡from¡¡twenty¡¡to¡¡thirty¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡acres¡¡lying¡¡west¡¡of¡¡Virginia¡¡and¡¡south¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡River£»¡¡the¡¡sale¡¡of¡¡which¡¡land¡¡would¡¡pay¡¡the¡¡cost¡¡of¡¡three¡¡years¡¡of¡¡the¡¡war¡£**¡¡On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡Pelatiah¡¡Webster£»¡¡patriotic¡¡economist¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was£»¡¡decried¡¡in¡¡1781¡¡all¡¡schemes¡¡to¡¡¡¨pawn¡¨¡¡this¡¡vast¡¡westward¡¡region£»¡¡he¡¡likened¡¡such¡¡plans¡¡to¡¡¡¨killing¡¡the¡¡goose¡¡that¡¡laid¡¡an¡¡egg¡¡every¡¡day£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡tear¡¡out¡¡at¡¡once¡¡all¡¡that¡¡was¡¡in¡¡her¡¡belly¡£¡¨¡¡He¡¡advocated¡¡the¡¡township¡¡system¡¡of¡¡compact¡¡and¡¡regular¡¡settlement£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡argued¡¡that¡¡any¡¡State¡¡making¡¡a¡¡cession¡¡of¡¡land¡¡would¡¡reap¡¡great¡¡benefit¡¡¡¨from¡¡the¡¡produce¡¡and¡¡trade¡¨¡¡of¡¡the¡¡newly¡¡created¡¡settlements¡£

*¡¡Deane's¡¡plan¡¡was¡¡to¡¡grant¡¡a¡¡tract¡¡two¡¡hundred¡¡miles¡¡square¡¡at¡¡the¡¡junction¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Mississippi¡¡to¡¡a¡¡company¡¡on¡¡the¡¡condition¡¡that¡¡a¡¡thousand¡¡families¡¡should¡¡be¡¡settled¡¡on¡¡it¡¡within¡¡seven¡¡years¡£¡¡He¡¡added¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡this¡¡company¡¡would¡¡be¡¡in¡¡a¡¡great¡¡degree¡¡commercial£»¡¡the¡¡establishing¡¡of¡¡commerce¡¡at¡¡the¡¡junction¡¡of¡¡those¡¡large¡¡rivers¡¡would¡¡immediately¡¡give¡¡a¡¡value¡¡to¡¡all¡¡the¡¡lands¡¡situated¡¡on¡¡or¡¡near¡¡them¡£

**¡¡Paine¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡while¡¡the¡¡new¡¡State¡¡could¡¡send¡¡its¡¡exports¡¡southward¡¡down¡¡the¡¡Mississippi£»¡¡its¡¡imports¡¡must¡¡necessarily¡¡come¡¡from¡¡the¡¡East¡¡through¡¡Chesapeake¡¡Bay¡¡because¡¡the¡¡current¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Mississippi¡¡was¡¡too¡¡strong¡¡to¡¡be¡¡overcome¡¡by¡¡any¡¡means¡¡of¡¡navigation¡¡then¡¡known¡£


There¡¡were¡¡mooted¡¡many¡¡other¡¡schemes¡£¡¡General¡¡Rufus¡¡Putnam£»¡¡for¡¡example£»¡¡advocated¡¡the¡¡Pickering¡¡or¡¡¡¨Army¡¨¡¡plan¡¡of¡¡occupying¡¡the¡¡West£»¡¡he¡¡wanted¡¡a¡¡fortified¡¡line¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Great¡¡Lakes£»¡¡in¡¡case¡¡of¡¡war¡¡with¡¡England£»¡¡and¡¡fortifications¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Mississippi£»¡¡in¡¡case¡¡Spain¡¡should¡¡interrupt¡¡the¡¡national¡¡commerce¡¡on¡¡these¡¡waterways¡£¡¡And¡¡Thomas¡¡Jefferson¡¡theorized¡¡in¡¡his¡¡study¡¡over¡¡the¡¡toy¡¡states¡¡of¡¡Metropotamia¡¡and¡¡Polypotamiabrought¡¡his

¡£¡£¡£trees¡¡and¡¡houses¡¡out¡¡And¡¡planted¡¡cities¡¡all¡¡about¡£

But¡¡it¡¡remained¡¡for¡¡George¡¡Washington£»¡¡the¡¡Virginia¡¡planter£»¡¡to¡¡catch£»¡¡in¡¡something¡¡of¡¡its¡¡actual¡¡grandeur£»¡¡the¡¡vision¡¡of¡¡a¡¡Republic¡¡stretching¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡setting¡¡sun£»¡¡bound¡¡and¡¡unified¡¡by¡¡paths¡¡of¡¡inland¡¡commerce¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡Washington¡¡who¡¡traversed¡¡the¡¡long¡¡ranges¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Alleghanies£»¡¡slept¡¡in¡¡the¡¡snows¡¡of¡¡Deer¡¡Park¡¡with¡¡no¡¡covering¡¡but¡¡his¡¡greatcoat£»¡¡inquired¡¡eagerly¡¡of¡¡trapper¡¡and¡¡trader¡¡and¡¡herder¡¡concerning¡¡the¡¡courses¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Cheat£»¡¡the¡¡Monongahela£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Little¡¡Kanawha£»¡¡and¡¡who¡¡drew¡¡from¡¡these¡¡personal¡¡explorations¡¡a¡¡clear¡¡and¡¡accurate¡¡picture¡¡of¡¡the¡¡future¡¡trade¡¡routes¡¡by¡¡which¡¡the¡¡country¡¡could¡¡be¡¡economically£»¡¡socially£»¡¡and¡¡nationally¡¡united¡£

Washington's¡¡experience¡¡had¡¡peculiarly¡¡fitted¡¡him¡¡to¡¡catch¡¡this¡¡vision¡£¡¡Fortune¡¡had¡¡turned¡¡him¡¡westward¡¡as¡¡he¡¡left¡¡his¡¡mother's¡¡knee¡£¡¡First¡¡as¡¡a¡¡surveyor¡¡for¡¡Lord¡¡Fairfax¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Shenandoah¡¡Valley¡¡and¡¡later£»¡¡under¡¡Braddock¡¡and¡¡Forbes£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡armies¡¡fighting¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Ohio¡¡against¡¡the¡¡French¡¡he¡¡had¡¡come¡¡to¡¡know¡¡the¡¡interior¡¡as¡¡it¡¡was¡¡known¡¡by¡¡no¡¡other¡¡man¡¡of¡¡his¡¡standing¡£¡¡His¡¡own¡¡landed¡¡property¡¡lay¡¡largely¡¡along¡¡the¡¡upper¡¡Potomac¡¡and¡¡in¡¡and¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Alleghanies¡£¡¡Washington's¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡this¡¡property¡¡was¡¡very¡¡real¡£¡¡Those¡¡who¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡explain¡¡his¡¡early¡¡concern¡¡with¡¡the¡¡West¡¡as¡¡purely¡¡altruistic¡¡must¡¡misread¡¡his¡¡numerous¡¡letters¡¡and¡¡diaries¡£¡¡Nothing¡¡in¡¡his¡¡unofficial¡¡character¡¡shows¡¡more¡¡plainly¡¡than¡¡his¡¡business¡¡enterprise¡¡and¡¡acumen¡£¡¡On¡¡one¡¡occasion¡¡he¡¡wrote¡¡to¡¡his¡¡agent£»¡¡Crawford£»¡¡concerning¡¡a¡¡proposed¡¡land¡¡speculation£º¡¡¡¨I¡¡recommend¡¡that¡¡you¡¡keep¡¡this¡¡whole¡¡matter¡¡a¡¡secret¡¡or¡¡trust¡¡it¡¡only¡¡to¡¡those¡¡in¡¡whom¡¡you¡¡can¡¡confide¡£¡¡If¡¡the¡¡scheme¡¡I¡¡am¡¡now¡¡proposing¡¡to¡¡you¡¡were¡¡known£»¡¡it¡¡might¡¡give¡¡alarm¡¡to¡¡others£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡putting¡¡them¡¡on¡¡a¡¡plan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡nature£»¡¡before¡¡we¡¡could¡¡lay¡¡a¡¡proper¡¡foundation¡¡for¡¡success¡¡ourselves£»¡¡set¡¡the¡¡different¡¡interests¡¡clashing¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡end¡¡overturn¡¡the¡¡whole¡£¡¨¡¡Nor¡¡can¡¡it¡¡be¡¡denied¡¡that¡¡Washington's¡¡attitude¡¡to¡¡the¡¡commercial¡¡development¡¡of¡¡the¡¡West¡¡was¡¡characterized¡¡in¡¡his¡¡early¡¡days¡¡by¡¡a¡¡narrow¡¡colonial¡¡partisanship¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡a¡¡stout¡¡Virginian£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡stout¡¡Virginians¡¡of¡¡that¡¡day¡¡refused¡¡to¡¡admit¡¡the¡¡pretensions¡¡of¡¡other¡¡colonies¡¡to¡¡the¡¡land¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡mountains¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡But¡¡from¡¡no¡¡man¡¡could¡¡the¡¡shackles¡¡of¡¡self¡­interest¡¡and¡¡provincial¡¡rivalry¡¡drop¡¡more¡¡quickly¡¡than¡¡they¡¡dropped¡¡from¡¡Washington¡¡when¡¡he¡¡found¡¡his¡¡country¡¡free¡¡after¡¡the¡¡close¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Revolutionary¡¡War¡£¡¡He¡¡then¡¡began¡¡to¡¡consider¡¡how¡¡that¡¡country¡¡might¡¡grow¡¡and¡¡prosper¡£¡¡And¡¡he¡¡began¡¡to¡¡preach¡¡the¡¡new¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡expansion¡¡and¡¡unity¡£¡¡This¡¡new¡¡doctrine¡¡first¡¡appears¡¡in¡¡a¡¡letter¡¡which¡¡he¡¡wrote¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Marquis¡¡de¡¡Chastellux¡¡in¡¡1783£»¡¡after¡¡a¡¡tour¡¡from¡¡his¡¡camp¡¡at¡¡Newburg¡¡into¡¡central¡¡New¡¡York£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡had¡¡explored¡¡the¡¡headwaters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Mohawk¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Susquehanna£º¡¡¡¨I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡help¡¡taking¡¡a¡¡more¡¡extensive¡¡view¡¡of¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡inland¡¡navigation¡¡of¡¡these¡¡United¡¡States¡¡£§the¡¡letter¡¡runs£§¡¡and¡¡could¡¡not¡¡but¡¡be¡¡struck¡¡by¡¡the¡¡immense¡¡extent¡¡and¡¡importance¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡the¡¡goodness¡¡of¡¡that¡¡Providence¡¡which¡¡has¡¡dealt¡¡its¡¡favors¡¡to¡¡us¡¡with¡¡so¡¡profuse¡¡a¡¡hand¡£¡¡Would¡¡to¡¡God¡¡we¡¡may¡¡have¡¡wisdom¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡improve¡¡them¡£¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡not¡¡rest¡¡contented¡¡till¡¡I¡¡have¡¡explored¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡country£»¡¡and¡¡traversed¡¡those¡¡lines£»¡¡or¡¡great¡¡part¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡which¡¡have¡¡given¡¡bounds¡¡to¡¡a¡¡new¡¡empire¡£¡¨

¡¨The¡¡vast¡¡inland¡¡navigation¡¡of¡¡these¡¡United¡¡States£¡¡¨¡¡It¡¡is¡¡an¡¡interesting¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡Washington¡¡should¡¡have¡¡had¡¡his¡¡first¡¡glimpse¡¡of¡¡this¡¡vision¡¡from¡¡the¡¡strategic¡¡valley¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Mohawk£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡soon¡¡to¡¡rival¡¡his¡¡beloved¡¡Potomac¡¡as¡¡an¡¡improved¡¡commercial¡¡route¡¡from¡¡the¡¡seaboard¡¡to¡¡the¡¡West£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡was¡¡finally¡¡to¡¡achieve¡¡an¡¡unrivaled¡¡superiority¡¡in¡¡the¡¡days¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Erie¡¡Canal¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Twentieth¡¡Ce

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