CONTENTS—Old Channels of Trade, and Travel—Art and Science—New
Channels—The Wilderness—Loyalists Traveling on Foot, from Kingston
to York—Formation of Roads—Act of Parliament—1793—Its Provisions—
Crooked Roads—Foot-path—Bridle-path—King’s Highway from Lower
Canada—When Surveyed—Road from Kingston Westward—Its Course—
Simcoe’s Military Road—Dundas Street—Asa Danforth—Contract with
Government—Road from Kingston to Ancaster—Danforth Road—1799—
Misunderstandings—Danforth’s Pamphlets—Slow Improvement—Cause—
Extract from Gourlay—Thomas Markland’s Report—Ferries—1796—Acts of
Parliament—Statute Labor—Money Grants—Commissioners—Midland
District—Distribution—The Cataraqui Bridge Company—The
Petitioners—An Act—The Provisions—The Plan of Building—The Bridge—
Toll—Completing the Bridge—Improvement of Roads—McAdam—Declines a
Knighthood.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.
The channels followed by the Europeans, as they penetrated the unknown
wilderness of America, were those indicated by the Indians, who had
themselves for centuries followed them, in their pursuit after the
chase, or when upon the war path. The great routes mentioned elsewhere,
are the natural ones, and no other could have been pursued. It was only
when art and science followed emigration to the new world that new
channels were opened up, and the canal and railroad superseded the old
devious ways along the windings of rivers.
Prior to the visiting of Europeans, the Indian paths were more or less
trodden as the requirements of food and the existence of prey led the
hunter here or there, or the war cry led them to the deadly encounter.
But when the Europeans initiated trade by giving for furs the attractive
trinkets, and such articles as contributed to the Indian taste of
comfort and grandeur, then there were more regular and frequent
travelings from the sea-board to the far west.
The occupation of Western Canada found the country in its primeval
state; a vast wilderness, and no roads. The only way of traveling from
one clearing to another was by the canoe and batteau, or by foot through
the trackless woods, guided by the banks of the bay, or a river, or the
blazing of the trees. For a long time not even a bridle-path existed,
had there been horses to ride upon. Even at a late date, journeys were
made on foot from Kingston to York along the lake shore. The formation
of roads was a very slow process. In the year 1793, an act was passed
“to Regulate the Laying out, Amending, and Keeping in Repair, the Public
Highways and Roads.” The roads were to be not less than thirty feet, nor
more than sixty wide. Each settler was under obligation to clear a road
across his lot; but there was the reserve lands for the Clergy and
Crown, which were not provided with roads. Any one traveling the older
settled districts will be struck with the devious character of the
highways. The configuration of the Bay Quinté, and the mode of laying
out the lots to secure a frontage upon the water, tended to cause this
irregularity. The settlements being apart, when a communication took
place between them the shortest cut would be taken, so far as hill, and
marsh, and creek would permit. The consequences were that many of the
roads were angular with the lots, or running zigzag. In later years,
some of these roads were closed up, but many remain to mark an original
foot-path. The banks of the bay and of creeks and rivers were naturally
followed, as sure guides, or perhaps as an Indian path. And thus
sometimes the road was made not direct, but roundabout. In the survey of
the concessions, provision was made for roads between the concessions,
and cross-roads were to be left between every fifth and sixth lots.
Many of the main roads were at first marked by the blazing of the trees,
when made through the woods, after a while a foot-path could be seen,
and then boughs were trimmed off, that one might ride on horseback; and
in time the sleigh was driven, and finally a waggon road was made.
Government was slack in giving funds to open up the country, and the
legislation, for many years, in reference to the subject, seemed as if
it was intended to do as little as possible, forgetting the fact that
“the first improvement of any country should be the making of good
roads.” But it soon became important to have a mail road between
Montreal and Kingston, and between Kingston and York, and then by way of
Dundas to the Thames, and to Niagara. Says Mr. A. Sheerwood, “I
recollect when the King’s highway was established from the Provincial
line to Kingston, the line was run by a surveyor named Ponair, with a
surveyor under his direction by the name of Joseph Kilborne. The
distance from the Provincial line to my father’s farm, three miles below
Brockville, was ninety-five miles, and from Brockville to the fort, this
side of Kingston, fifty miles; at the end of each mile was planted a red
cedar post, marked on it the number of miles from the Provincial line;
this line of road was made some years after the first settlement, but I
have forgotten the year.” The original mail road between Kingston and
York did not altogether follow the present line. At first, from
Kingston, the road followed the bay shore to Bath, and continued along
the shore to Adolphustown to Dorland’s Point, where was established a
ferry to communicate with Marysburg at the Lake of the Mountain; thence
the road followed the shore to the head of Picton Bay, and soon to
Bloomfold, Wellington, Consecon, by the Carrying Place, and continued to
closely follow the lake shore. Subsequently this great highway was
called the York Road when going towards York, and the Kingston Road when
going towards Kingston.
Gen. Simcoe intended to have a grand military road from one end of the
Province to the other. This he lined out and gave it the name of Dundas
Street. But he left the Province before his intentions were carried out,
and but a small portion was then constructed; while settlers had located
here and there along the proposed road, and had cleared land and built
with the full expectation that the great thoroughfare would shortly be
opened up. But years passed away, before this was done. Piece after
piece was here and there made passable, until at last the road was made
through the length of the Province.
The late Mr. Finkle of Ernest Town writes: “An American gentleman came
into Canada, 1798, by the name of Asa Danforth, and made a contract with
the Upper Canada Government, to open a road from Kingston through to
Ancaster, at the head of Lake Ontario, which road he completed.
Danforth’s home was at my father’s (Henry Finkle), before and after the
contract was taken. The work commenced in 1798, and was finished in
three years time.” This road passed through Prince Edward by Wellington.
Danforth “became dissatisfied with the government when the settlement
took place, and left Canada with a bitter feeling, so much so, that he,
some time after, sent to my father a package of pamphlets, he had
published to shew the injustice of the government transaction. He
desired they should be circulated through the country along the road.
However, the pamphlets were not distributed, and the fact never became
generally known.” For many years the main road was called the Danforth
Road.
As time advanced, the road between York and Kingston was gradually
improved. The great hindrance to road making is sufficiently indicated
by the following, taken from Gourlay. It is the expression of a meeting
of yeomen, held at the village of Waterloo, Kingston, February 2, 1818,
Major John Everett in the chair. Among other things it is asserted that
what retards the progress is that “great quantities of land in the
fronts and public situations, that remain unimproved, by being given
very injudiciously to persons who do not want to settle on them, and
what is most shameful and injurious, no law is made to compel them to
make or work any public road; but this is to be done by industrious
people, who settle around. Such lands remain like a putrid carcass, an
injury and a nuisance to all around: at the same time, to the owners,
this land increases in value, without their being made to contribute
towards it, at other men’s expense. Our worthies, a few years ago,
passed an act, that required a poor man to work three days upon the
public roads, and these over-gorged landowners but twelve days, and
others, with twenty times as much property, doing no more. It would
excite surprise at Governor Gore’s signing such a bill, if it was not
known that the Parliament voted him £3,000, to buy a piece of plate.”
Says Thomas Markland, in a General Report of Midland District:
“The same cause which has surrounded Little York with a desert, creates
gloom and desolation about Kingston, otherwise most beautifully
situated; I mean the seizure and monopoly of the land by people in
office and favour. On the east side, particularly, you may travel miles
together without passing a human dwelling; the roads are accordingly
most abominable to the very gates of this, the largest town in the
Province; and its market is often supplied with vegetables from the
United States, where property is less hampered, and the exertions of
cultivators more free, accordingly.”
In 1797, Parliament passed an Act, which was the first “for the
regulation of ferries.”
In 1794, an Act was passed “to make further provisions respecting
Highways and Roads.” An Act was passed, 1798, respecting “Statute duties
on Highways and Roads.” In 1804 an Act was passed “granting £1,000 for
repairing, laying out new roads, and building bridges in the several
districts.” Again, in 1808 £1,600 was granted for the same purpose; and
again the same sum in the following year. In 1811, £3,450 was granted.
In 1812, an Act was passed “to prevent damage to travelers on the
highways of the Province.” All persons meeting sleighs or waggons to
turn out to the right, and give half the way. Two or more bells to be
attached to every sleigh.
In 1812, it was found that “many roads were unnecessarily laid out;” to
remedy this, every one had to be confirmed by Justices of the Peace, and
if this were not done, the party who applied for the survey should pay
for the same.
In 1814, £6,000 was granted for Highways and Bridges; and the year
following, “£20,500 to be appropriated,” and Commissioners were
appointed on the road, to receive £25 each. Again, the year after,
£21,000 was granted.
In 1819, Parliament passed an “Act repealing and amending certain
portions of previous Acts,” by which a more elaborate provision was made
to secure statute labor. This was again amended in 1824. In 1826 was
enacted to grant £1,200 for making and repairing roads and bridges—Item:
“In aid of the Society for improving the Public Roads,” in a part of
Ernesttown and Kingston. In 1830, £13,650 was granted “for the
improvement of Roads and Bridges,” of which the Midland District
received £1,900, to be expended as follows, by contract after public
notice: “On the Montreal road, between the Town of Kingston, and the
limits of the County of Frontenac, the sum of fifty pounds. Joseph
Franklin, Elijah Beach, and James Atkinson to be Commissioners for
expending the same: On the road leading from the Town of Kingston, to
the Village of Waterloo, the sum of fifty pounds; and that Samuel
Askroyd, Horace Yeomans, and Benjamin Olcott, be Commissioners for
expending the same. On the leading road from Kingston to the Village of
Bath, the sum of one hundred pounds, and that Henry Lasher, Joseph Amy,
and Prentiss J. Fitch, be Commissioners for expending the same. On the
road leading from the Village of Waterloo to the Napanee Mills, the sum
of three hundred and fifty pounds; and that the Treasurer and Trustees
of the Kingston and Earnesttown Road Society be Commissioners for
expending the same. On the road leading from Loughborough to Waterloo,
the sum of fifty pounds; and that Samuel Aykroyd, John Campbell, and
Henry Wood be Commissioners for expending the same. On the road leading
from the fifth Concession of Portland to the third concession of the
Township of Kingston, fifty pounds; and that Jacob Shibly, Byron Spike,
and Thomas Sigsworth, be Commissioners for expending the same. On the
road leading from Bath to the Township of Camden, the sum of fifty
pounds; and that Ebenezer Perry, Benjamin Clarke, and John Perry, be
Commissioners for expending the same. On the road leading from Wessel’s
Ferry, in Sophiasburg, to Demorest’s Mill, the sum of one hundred
pounds; and that Abraham VanBlaricum, Daniel B. Way, and Guilliam
Demorest, be Commissioners for expending the same. On the road between
the widow M’Cready’s and the north-east of Chrysler’s Creek Bridge, in
the seventh concession of Thurlow, the sum of twenty-five pounds. On the
road in the township of Huntington, leading to the township of Madoc,
and surveyed by W. Ketcheson, in one-thousand eight hundred and
twenty-eight, seventy-five pounds, and that Jacob Jowngs, of Thurlow,
Garret Garritson, of Huntingdon, and James O’Hara, of Madoc, be
Commissioners for expending the same. On the road leading from the
Napanee Mills to Belleville, the sum of eight hundred pounds, and that
Allan McPherson, John Turnbull, William Post, David B. Soles, and John
Mabee, of Thurlow, be Commissioners for expending the same. On the road
leading from VanAlstine’s ferry to the Carrying Place, the sum of two
hundred pounds, and that Simeon Washburn, Esquire, Charles Biggar,
Esquire, and Jesse Henderson, be Commissioners for expending the same.”
During the same session, “there being reason to believe there would not
be enough means on hand to meet the grant,” an Act was passed to raise
by loan £8000. The year after another Act was passed to raise by
debenture the sum of £40,000 more to be appropriated to the several
districts. The Midland district to receive £2,200. Among the
specifications, were “in the Indian woods” £200 for the bridge at the
mouth of the little Cataraqui, £50 “to assist in erecting new bridge
across Marsh Creek, near William Brickman’s, in Ameliasburgh,” £20. “To
erect a bridge across East Creek, at the east end of East Lake, £50.”
“On the road leading from Belleville to the Marmora Iron Works, £250.”
On March, 25, 1828, there was passed an Act respecting “a road between
Ernesttown and the Gore of Fredericksburgh.”
The Preamble says, “whereas, in consequence of a dispute having arisen
between the Justices of the Peace of Ernesttown and Fredericksburgh,
respecting the right of either party to take charge” of the road, and to
which party the right of repairing it belongs, “in consequence of which
dispute, the aforesaid road though much traveled from necessity, is
dangerous and difficult to travel, on account of being left, in a great
measure, for a long time past, without being mended,” &c. It was enacted
that the two townships should equally take charge and keep in repair the
said road, certain portions being allotted to each.
In 1827 an act was passed to incorporate “The Cataraqui Bridge Company.”
Up to this time the communication between Kingston and the opposite
point of Frederick, was only by boat. The Act, or some portions of it
cannot but be interesting: “Whereas John H. Glover, John Marks, John
Macaulay, John Kerby, Christopher Alexander Hagerman, Michael Sproatt,
John P. Hawkins, Robert Moore, Charles Jones, Stephen Yarwood, Augustus
Barber, George Calls, Richard Williams, James B. Forsyth, George
McBeath, Adam Krieu, John S. Cartwright, Robert D. Cartwright, Alexander
Anderson, George O’Kill Stuart, Laughlin Currin, Donald McPherson, James
Jackalls, the younger, Francis Archibald Harper, John Cumming, James
Sampson, Elizabeth Herchmer, Catharine Markland, Anne Macaulay, John
Jenkins, and Edward Forsyth, have petitioned to be incorporated,” &c.
(This furnishes us with the names of the more prominent persons at that
time interested in Kingston). “And whereas, they have represented, by
their agents, that they have made arrangements with His Majesty’s
Government, in case the object above recited be carried into effect, for
the passage of Military and Naval stores, and of the officers and men
belonging and attached to the various Military and Naval departments,
for a certain consideration to be annually paid by the Government, and
that for the purpose of this incorporation, they have subscribed stock
to the amount of £6000.”
The Act of Incorporation provided that “the said Company are authorized
and empowered, at their own cost and charges, to erect and build a good
and substantial bridge over the great river Cataraqui, near the town of
Kingston, from the present scow landing on the military reserve,
opposite to the north-east end of the continuation of Front Street to
the opposite shore on Point Frederick, at the present scow landing on
the Military Reserve, adjoining the western addition of the Township of
Pittsburgh, with convenient access thereto at both ends of the bridge,
to and from the adjacent highways, at present in use; that the said
bridge shall be at least twenty-five feet wide, and of sufficient
strength for artillery carriages,” &c., &c.; they shall also be at
liberty to build tollhouses, and toll-bars; Provided always, that there
be a draw-bridge not less than eighteen feet, in some part, for the
passage of all vessels, which bridge shall be opened at all hours
required without exacting toll, and a space for rafts between the piers,
forty feet.
The amount of toll to be demanded from man and beast, and vehicle, was
fully specified in the Act.
The Company was to be managed by five Directors, Stockholders to hold
office for one year from each last Monday in January. The bridge was to
be completed within three years.
It was provided that no ferry should be allowed, nor other barge.
The final clause enacted that after fifty years his Majesty might assume
the possession of the bridge, upon paying to the Company the full value
thereof, to be ascertained by three arbitrators.
March 20, 1829, an Act was passed extending the time for completing the
bridge, two years from the passing of the Act.
We have seen how the roads throughout Canada, were gradually
constructed. As time advanced steps were taken, sometimes however very
tardily, to place public thoroughfares in a more passable condition. We
believe the road from Kingston to Napanee, was the first to be
macadamized, which for many long years was the exception in an execrable
road, stretching between Kingston and York. The originator of
macadamized roads was John Loudoun McAdam. He was born in Scotland in
1756; emigrated to New York when a lad, and remained in that City
throughout the Revolution. Under the protection of the British troops,
he accumulated a considerable fortune, as agent for the sale of prizes.
At the close of the war he returned to his native land, with the loss of
nearly all his property. His system of making roads is too well known to
require description. The British Government gave him £10,000, and
tendered the honor of knighthood, which he declined, but which was
conferred on his son, James Nicholl McAdam. He died at Moffat, County of
Dumfries, in 1836, aged eighty years.