the life of thomas telford-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　rapidly　reduce　their　contents　to　feet　and　inches　after　a　mental

process　of　his　own。　　Withal　he　was　endowed　with　an　extraordinary

activity　and　spirit　of　enterprise；　which；　had　his　sight　been　spared

him；　would　probably　have　rendered　him　one　of　the　most　extraordinary

men　of　his　age。　　As　it　was；　Metcalf　now　became　one　of　the　greatest

of　its　road…makers　and　bridge…builders。



＇Image＇　John　Metcalf；　the　blind　road…maker。



About　the　year　1765　an　Act　was　passed　empowering　a　turnpike…road　to

be　constructed　between　Harrogate　and　Boroughbridge。　　The　business

of　　contractor　had　not　yet　come　into　existence；　nor　was　the　art　of

road…making　much　understood；　and　in　a　remote　country　place　such　as

Knaresborough　the　surveyor　had　some　difficulty　in　finding　persons

capable　of　executing　the　necessary　work。　　The　shrewd　Metcalf

discerned　in　the　proposed　enterprise　the　first　of　a　series　of

public　roads　of　a　similar　kind　throughout　the　northern　counties；

for　none　knew　better　than　he　did　how　great　was　the　need　of　them。

He　determined；　therefore；　to　enter　upon　this　new　line　of　business；

and　offered　to　Mr。　Ostler；　the　master　surveyor；　to　construct　three

miles　of　the　proposed　road　between　Minskip　and　Fearnsby。　　Ostler

knew　the　man　well；　and　having　the　greatest　confidence　in　his

abilities；　he　let　him　the　contract。　　Metcalf　sold　his　stage…waggons

and　his　interest　in　the　carrying　business　between　York　and

Knaresborough；　and　at　once　proceeded　with　his　new　undertaking。

The　materials　for　metaling　the　road　were　to　be　obtained　from　one

gravel…pit　for　the　whole　length；　and　he　made　his　arrangements　on　a

large　scale　　accordingly；　hauling　out　the　ballast　with　unusual

expedition　and　　economy；　at　the　same　time　proceeding　with　the

formation　of　the　road　at　all　points；　by　which　means　he　was　enabled

the　first　to　complete　his　contract；　to　the　entire　satisfaction　of

the　surveyor　and　trustees。



This　was　only　the　first　of　a　vast　number　of　similar　projects　on

which　Metcalf　was　afterwards　engaged；　extending　over　a　period　of

more　than　thirty　years。　　By　the　time　that　he　had　finished　the　road；

the　building　of　a　bridge　at　Boroughbridge　was　advertised；　and

Metcalf　sent　in　his　tender　with　many　others。　　At　the　same　time　he

frankly　stated　that；　though　he　wished　to　undertake　the　work；　he　had

not　before　executed　anything　of　the　kind。　　His　tender　being　on　the

whole　the　most　favourable；　the　trustees　sent　for　Metcalf；　and　on

his　appearing　before　them；　they　asked　him　what　he　knew　of　a　bridge。

He　replied　that　he　could　readily　describe　his　plan　of　the　one　they

proposed　to　build；　if　they　would　be　good　enough　to　write　down　his

figures。　　The　span　of　the　arch；　18　feet；〃　said　he；　〃being　a

semicircle；　makes　27：　the　arch…stones　must　be　a　foot　deep；　which；

if　multiplied　by　27；　will　be　486；　and　the　basis　will　be　72　feet

more。　　This　for　the　arch；　but　it　will　require　good　backing；　for

which　purpose　there　are　proper　stones　in　the　old　Roman　wall　at

Aldborough；　which　may　be　used　for　the　purpose；　if　you　please　to

give　directions　to　that　effect。〃　　It　is　doubtful　whether　the

trustees　were　able　to　follow　his　rapid　calculations；　but　they　were

so　much　struck　by　his　readiness　and　apparently　complete　knowledge

of　the　work　he　proposed　to　execute；　that　they　gave　him　the　contract

to　build　the　bridge；　and　he　completed　it　within　the　stipulated　time

in　a　satisfactory　and　workmanlike　manner。



He　next　agreed　to　make　the　mile　and　a　half　of　turnpike…road　between

his　native　town　of　Knaresborough　and　Harrogateground　with　which

he　was　more　than　ordinarily　familiar。　　Walking　one　day　over　a

portion　of　the　ground　on　which　the　road　was　to　be　made；　while　still

covered　with　grass；　he　told　the　workmen　that　he　thought　it　differed

from　the　ground　adjoining　it；　and　he　directed　them　to　try　for　stone

or　gravel　underneath；　and；　strange　to　say；　not　many　feet　down；　the

men　came　upon　the　stones　of　an　old　Roman　causeway；　from　which　he

obtained　much　valuable　material　for　the　making　of　his　new　road。

At　another　part　of　the　contract　there　was　a　bog　to　be　crossed；　and

the　surveyor　thought　it　impossible　to　make　a　road　over　it。　　Metcalf

assured　him　that　he　could　readily　accomplish　it；　on　which　the　other

offered；　if　he　succeeded；　to　pay　him　for　the　straight　road　the

price　which　he　would　have　to　pay　if　the　road　were　constructed　round

the　bog。　　Metcalf　set　to　work　accordingly；　and　had　a　large　quantity

of　furze　and　ling　laid　upon　the　bog；　over　which　he　spread　layers　of

gravel。　　The　plan　answered　effectually；　and　when　the　materials　had

become　consolidated；　it　proved　one　of　the　best　parts　of　the　road。



It　would　be　tedious　to　describe　in　detail　the　construction　of　the

various　roads　and　bridges　which　Metcalf　subsequently　executed；　but

a　brief　summary　of　the　more　important　will　suffice。　　In　Yorkshire；

he　made　the　roads　between　Harrogate　and　Harewood　Bridge；　between

Chapeltown　and　Leeds；　between　Broughton　and　Addingham；　between　Mill

Bridge　and　Halifax；　between　Wakefield　and　Dewsbury；　between

Wakefield　and　Doncaster；　between　Wakefield；　Huddersfield；　and

Saddleworth　（the　Manchester　road）；　between　Standish　and　Thurston

Clough；　between　Huddersfield　and　Highmoor；　between　Huddersfield　and

Halifax；　and　between　Knaresborough　and　Wetherby。



In　Lancashire　also；　Metcalf　made　a　large　extent　of　roads；　which

were　of　the　greatest　importance　in　opening　up　the　resources　of　that

county。　　Previous　to　their　construction；　almost　the　only　means　of

communication　between　districts　was　by　horse…tracks　and　mill…roads；

of　sufficient　width　to　enable　a　laden　horse　to　pass　along　them　with

a　pack　of　goods　or　a　sack　of　corn　slung　across　its　back。　　Metcalf's

principal　roads　in　Lancashire　were　those　constructed　by　him　between

Bury　and　Blackburn；　with　a　branch　to　Accrington；　between　Bury　and

Haslingden；　and　between　Haslingden　and　Accrington；　with　a　branch　to

Blackburn。　　He　also　made　some　highly　important　main　roads

connecting　Yorkshire　and　Lancashire　with　each　other　at　many　parts：

as；　for　instance；　those　between　Skipton；　Colne；　and　Burnley；　and

between　Docklane　Head　and　Ashton…under…Lyne。　　The　roads　from　Ashton

to　Stockport　and　from　Stockport　to　Mottram　Langdale　were　also　his

work。



Our　road…maker　was　also　extensively　employed　in　the　same　way　in　the

counties　of　Cheshire　and　Derby；　constructing　the　roads　between

Macclesfield　and　Chapel…le…Frith；　between　Whaley　and　Buxton；

between　Congleton　and　the　Red　Bull　（entering　Staffordshire）；　and　in

various　　other　directions。　　The　total　mileage　of　the　turnpike…roads

thus　　constructed　was　about　one　hundred　and　eighty　miles；　for　which

Metcalf　received　in　all　about　sixty…five　thousand　pounds。

The　making　of　these　roads　also　involved　the　building　of　many　bridges；

retaining…walls；　and　culverts。　　We　believe　it　was　generally

admitted　of　the　works　constructed　by　Metcalf　that　they　well　stood

the　test　of　time　and　use；　and；　with　a　degree　of　justifiable　pride；

he　was　afterwards　accustomed　to　point　to　his　bridges；　when　others

were　tumbling　during　floods；　and　boast　that　none　of　his　had　fallen。



This　extraordinary　man　not　only　made　the　highways　which　were

designed　for　him　by　other　surveyors；　but　himself　personally

surveyed　and　laid　out　many　of　the　most　important　roads　which　he

constructed；　in　difficult　and　mountainous　parts　of　Yorkshire　and

Lancashire。　　One　who　personally　knew　Metcalf　thus　wrote　of　him

during　his　life…time：。　　〃With　the　assistance　only　of　a　long　staff；

I　have　several　times　met　this　man　traversing　the　roads；　ascending

steep　and　rugged　heights；　exploring　valleys　and　investigating　their

several　extents；　forms；　and　situations；　so　as　to　answer　his　designs

in　the　best　manner。　　The　plans　which　he　makes；　and　the　estimates　he

prepares；　are　done　in　a　method　peculiar　to　himself；　and　of　which　he

cannot　well　convey　the　meaning　to　others。　　His　abilities　in　this

respect　are；　nevertheless；　so　great　that　he　finds　constant

employment。　　Most　of　the　roads　over　the　Peak　in　Derbyshire　have

been　altered　by　his　directions；　particularly　those　in　the　vicinity

of　Buxton；　and　he　is　at　this　time　constructing　a　new　one　betwixt

Wilmslow　and　Congleton；　to　open　a　communication　with　the　great

London　road；　without　being　obliged　to　pass　over　the　mountains。

I　have　met　this　blind　projector　while　engaged　in　making　his　survey。

He　was　alone　as　usual；　and；　amongst　other　conversation；　I　made　some

inquiries　respecting　this　new　road。　　It　was　really　astonishing　to

hear　with　what　accuracy　he　described　its　course　and　the　nature　of

the　different　soils　through　which　it　was　conducted。　　Having

mentioned　to　him　a　boggy　piece　of　ground　it　passed　through；　he

observed　that　'that　was　the　only　place　he　had　　doubts　concerning；

and　that　he　was　apprehensive　they　had；　contrary　to　his　directions；

been　too　sparing　of　their　materials。'〃*＇1＇



Metcalf's　skill　in　constructing　his　roads　over　boggy　ground　was

very　great；　and　the　following　may　be　cited　as　an　instance。　　When

the　　high…road　from　Huddersfield　to　Manchester　was　determined　on；

he　agreed　to　make　it　at　so　much　a　rood；　though　at　that　time　the

line　had　not　been　marked　out。　　When　this　was　done；　Metcalf；　to　his

dismay；　found　that　the　surveyor　had　laid　it　out　across　some　deep

marshy　ground　on　Pule　and　Standish　Commons。　　On　this　he

expostulated　with　the　trustees；　alleging　the　much　greater　expense

that　he　must　necessarily　incur　in　carrying　out　the　work　after　their

surveyor's　plan。　　They　told　him；　however；　that　if　he　succeeded　in

making　a　complete　road　to　their　satisfaction；　he　should　not　be　a

loser；　but　they　pointed　out　that；　according　to　their　surveyor's

views；　it　would　be　requisite　for　him　to　dig　out　the　bog　until　he

came　to　a　solid　bottom。　　Metcalf；　on　making　his　calculations；　found

that　in　that　case　he　would　have　to　dig　a　trench　some　nine　feet　deep

and　fourteen　yards　broad　on　the　average；　making　about　two　hundred

and　ninety…four　solid　yards　of　bog　in　every　rood；　to　be　excavated

and　carried　away。　　This；　he　naturally　conceived；　would　have　proved

both　tedious　as　well　as　costly；　and；　after　all；　the　road　would　in

wet　weather　have　been　no　better　than　a　broad　ditch；　and　in　winter

liable　to　be　blocked　up　with　snow。　　He　strongly　represented　this

view　to　the　trustees　as　well　as　the　surveyor；　but　they　were

immovable。　　It　was；　therefore；　necessary　for　him　to　surmount　the

difficulty　in　some　other　way；　though　he　remained　firm　in　his

resolution　not　to　adopt　the　plan　　proposed　by　the　surveyor。

After　much　cogitation　he　appeared　again　　before　the　trustees；

and　made　this　proposal　to　them：　that　he　should　　make　the　road

across　the　marshes　after　his　own　plan；　and　then；　if　it　should　be

found　not　to　answer；　he　would　be　at　the　expense　of　making　it　over

again　after　the　surveyor's　proposed　method。　　This　was　agreed　to；

and　as　he　had　undertaken　to　make　nine　miles　of　the　road　within　ten

months；　he　immediately　set　to　work　with　all　despatch。



Nearly　four　hundred　men　were　employed　upon　the　work　at