Page:Final Report of the Northwest Territory Celebration Commission.pdf/32

 would instantly observe that it would be impossible for a modern vehicle to traverse this route, if it were a road. Yet, that is the original "Sproat Trail" over which brought his party to Marietta, and which must have been used by countless thousands before abandoned for an easier route.

Even as history records that the original party had to abandon their wagons and build sleds, the modern version had to build sled runners for their wagon when they were caught in a blizzard on the now desolate and forsaken old road from Burnt Cabins to Mountain House, Pennsylvania.

All in all, the pioneer road was straighter and shorter than are modern highways, and today's roads are not so well adapted to ox team travel in midwinter.

As a unique memento of the trip, and in response to many requests, the commission planned a daily diary or letter covering events of each week day. This required a portable plant to reproduce, fold, address and seal the mailings. The diaries were written by different members of the group each day; each bore an illustration on its front fold; they were reproductions of the author's handwriting; and each was folded in the old fashioned way without envelope and sealed with wax.

The idea was first rate, but the mechanical difficulties encountered do not recommend it for repetition. It was impossible to work at the task while enroute; ink would not work in cold weather, and in many cases lighting and power current was not available where stops were made.

It was frequently necessary to "catch up' on several issues at one running. This situation, with the inevitable losses in the mails, and the proper desire of subscribers to receive every issue properly postmarked made this feature a distress to most of those concerned.

The pioneers of 1787 concluded this overland trip at the then Simrell's Ferry—present West Newton, Pennsylvania—where they built five boats for the trip down the Youghiogheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers. They were ten weeks in building these boats:

"Union Galley"—a cabin flat boat 50 feet long by 13 feet wide. This boat, for some reason not yet discerned, is commonly called in history texts "Adventure Galley" or "American Mayflower". Rufus Putnam, in his diary written on the spot, makes no reference to either of these names, but does succinctly speak of the large boat being named "Union Galley".

"Adelphia Ferry"—an open flat boat 28 feet by 8 feet. This name bears a distinct relation to some thought in the pioneer's minds, for they named their settlement "Adelphia" before the name "Marietta" presumably in honor of the French queen who had helped the American cause so much, was chosen.

"Katling Tender"—a of about "two tons ".

These pirogues are unique and worthy of some description. The hollowed out log canoe was a most primitive type of boat and common to all who had an axe and fire available. But such boats