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MAP #: 327P5

CARTOGRAPHER : POUSSIN, GUILLAUME TELL

DATE: 1827

SHORT TITLE : MAP OF A RECONNAISSANCE BETWEEN BALTIMORE AND PHILADELPHIA

REMAINING TITLE & ID : EXHIBITING THE SEVERAL ROUTES OF THE MAIL-ROAD CONTEMPLATED BY THE RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS APPROVED ON THE 4th OF MAY 1826 (ABOVE NEAT LINE). SCALE OF 10 MILES (BOTTOM CENTER OF MAP). "S. BERNARD BRIGr. GENl. MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF INTl. IMPROt. - WILLIAM TELL POUSSIN CAPt. TOP. ENGs. AND ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD" (IN SEMICIRCULAR AREA AT BOTTOM, TO RIGHT OF CENTER). EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS FOR PROJECTED ROADS, TRAVELLED ROADS AND TURNPIKE ROADS (TO LEFT OF PRIOR ENTRY). THE REVERSE SIDE IS BLANK. LONGITUDE (NOT SHOWN). LATITUDE (NOT SHOWN).

DATE OF PUBLICATION : S1827
PLACE OF PUBLICATION : WASHINGTON, D.C.
PUBLISHER : U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
LANGUAGE(S) : EN
SIZE (HEIGHT X WIDTH) : 23.0 X 79.3 CM.
SIZE - OTHER DATA : 37 X 93 CM. OM
SCALE - (RF) 1: : 188,500
LIB. OF CONGRESS # : -
Md. HALL OF RECORDS # 1 : G1399-523(2)
HUNTINGFIELD ACQ. # 1 : PG016-HGD
REGION CATEGORY : MAP COVERS SOME DETAILED PORTION OF MD/CHESAPEAKE AREA (2)
SPECIAL CATEGORY(IES) :
# SHEETS TO MAP : 1
MAP ORIENTATION : NW IS AT THE TOP.
RELIEF SHOWN ? : NO
HYDROGRAPHIC DATA : NONE
CARTOUCHE : NONE (1)
BORDER : PLAIN (2)
PRIME MERIDIAN(S) : NONE SHOWN
SEE ALSO MAP #s : G1399-523(1) FOR TEXT OF REPORT
BEST INFO SOURCE : THE REPORT ATTACHED TO THE MAP IS THE ONLY SOURCE FOUND.
DESCRIPTION : POSTMASTER JOHN MCLEAN ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR S. BERNARD AND W.T. POUSSIN TO EXAMINE THE MERITS OF SEVERAL ROUTES FOR A MAIL ROAD BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE AND RECOMMEND THE BEST, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ROUTES FOR CROSSING THE SUSQUEHANNAH RIVER, THE COST OF ROAD BUILDING, THE SPEED AND DISTANCE INVOLVED.

THEY EXAMINED EIGHT ROUTES, ALL CROSSING AT ONE OF THE THREE SUSQUEHANNAH CROSSING POINTS, PORT DEPOSIT BRIDGE, CONEWINGO BRIDGE AND HAVRE DE GRACE FERRY. THE EIGHT ROUTES ARE DELINEATED ON THE MAP. THE ROUTES SHOW TURNPIKE ROADS, COUNTRY OR TRAVELLED ROADS AND PROJECTED ROADS AND EACH INVOLVED MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN COST. ALL THE FACTS, DETAILS AND ITINERARY WERE PRINTED IN TABLES ATTACHED TO A "LETTER FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, TRANSMITTING A REPORT OF GENERAL BERNARD, OF SURVEYS OF ROUTES FOR A POST ROAD FROM BALTIMORE TO PHILADELPHIA", FEBRUARY 12, 1827, WASHINGTON:PRINTED BY GALES & SEATON[?], DOC. NO. 94 H.R., 19th CONGRESS, 2d. SESSION. THIS ALSO IS THE DOCUMENT TO WHICH THE MAP IS ATTACHED.

THE ROUTE RECOMMENDED WAS #2 FROM BALTIMORE, ABINGDON, BUSH, ROCK RUN OR PORT DEPOSIT BRIDGE, NORTH EAST, ELKTON, NEWARK, STANTON, NEWPORT, WILMINGTON, PRACTICAL FARMER, MARCUS HOOK, CHESTER, DARBY, HAMILTONVILLE TO PHILADELPHIA. THEY ESTIMATED THE ROAD COST, EXCLUSIVE OF THE LAND ACQUISITION AT $126,839.

THE MAP, WHICH IS ORIENTED WITH NW AT THE TOP, WAS UNDOUBTEDLY DONE BY WILLIAM TELL POUSSIN, WHO WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED CARTOGRAPHER AND CAPTAIN OF THE TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS. A NUMBER OF NAMES OF LAND OWNERS ARE SHOWN ON THE MAP, WITH BRIDGES, FERRIES, FORDS AND ROADS, ACTUAL AND PROJECTED. THE MAP WAS ISSUED UNCOLORED AND FOLDED TO FIT INTO THE REPORT, WHICH WAS 8 1/2 X 5".

DATA IS FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION OF THE HFC COPY AND REPORT.

EDITION & STATE INFO : ONLY A SINGLE EDITION AND STATE ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN MADE.

HFC OWNERSHIP DATA : HFC HAS A BLACK AND WHITE COPY OF THE MAP THAT HAS BEEN DETACHED FROM THE REPORT FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES AND ENCAPSLATED ON THREE SIDES WITH MYLAR AND LAID ON ACID FREE BOARD IN THE ENCAPSUSLATION. THERE IS SOME BROWNING AND SOME TEARS IN THE FOLDS. THE REPORT HAS BEEN BOUND IN A HARD COVER.

BIBLIGRAPHICAL REFS. : "LETTER FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, TRANSMITTING A REPORT OF GENERAL BERNARD, OF SURVEYS OF ROUTES FOR A POST ROAD FROM BALTIMORE TO PHILADELPHIA", FEB. 12, 1827, WASHINGTON:PRINTED BY GALES & SEATON [?], DOC. NO. 94, H.R., 19th CONGRESS, 2d. SESSION. March 11, 1988


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