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<strong>The</strong> Greet <strong>Western</strong> Roed ______________________________________________ ___________ — being only too pleased to get som e sort oJ ! means of com m unication v.lth tlia city, or their j dlBtant homes. Near the top o f the pass an other notice has been erected, conveying the Inform ation to visitors that here the descent begins, and, further adding, that “ G overnor M acquarie passed over this road in 1815." M A C Q U A K IE ’ S T R I B U T E . W hen the road was finished, G overnor Macquarie, to show his appreciation o f Cox’s w ork ,' sent him a letter, which was a public document, end the original is, naturally, carefully preserved amongst the fam ily archives. It sets forth clearly the great services rendered to the country <strong>by</strong> W illiam Cox, and the follow ing is a transcript of those portions which directly bear upon the first W estern R oad:— "Governm ent House, Sydney, June 10, 1815. “ W illiam Cox, Esq., Bathurst. "Sir,—<strong>The</strong> Governor desires to com m unicate for the inform ation of the public the result of his late tour over the W estern, or Blue, Moun- I tains, undertaken for the purpose of being ! enabled personally to appreciate the Im port- I ance of the tract of country lying westward o f j them, which had been explored in the latter j end of the year 1S13, and beginning o f 1814, <strong>by</strong> ! Mr. George W illiam Evans, Deputy-Surveyor o f Lands.................... “ To Gregory Blaxland and W illiam W entworth, Esquires, and Lieutenant Lawson, o f the R oyal Veteran Company, the m erit is due of having effected the first passage over the most rugged and difficult part of the Blue Mountains. . . . <strong>The</strong> favorable account given <strong>by</strong> 1 Mr. Evans o f the country he had explored, induced the Governor to cause a road to be con structed for the passage and conveyance of cattle and provisions to the in terior; and men of good character, from am ongst a number of convictB who had volunteered their services, ; were selected to perform this arduous task, on j condition of being fed and clothed during the continuance of their labor, and being granted , em ancipation as their final reward on the com - |pletion o f the work. “ <strong>The</strong> direction and superintendence o f this great work was entrusted to W illiam Cox, i j Esq., the chief m agistrate at W in dsor; and to j i the astonishm ent o f everyone who knows what was to be encountered, and sees what has been ; done, he effected its com pletion in six months ■ from the time of com m encem ent, happily w ith- 1 out the loss of a man, or any serious accident. ,j <strong>The</strong> Governor is at a loss to appreciate fully the services rendered <strong>by</strong> Mr. Cox to this colony ! in the execution o f this arduous work, which prom ises to be o f the greatest public utility, j <strong>by</strong> opening a new source of wealth to the industrious and enterprising. W hea it is con- | 6idered that Mr. Cox voluntarily relinquished the com forts o f his own house, and the society of his numerous fam ily, and exposed him self to much personal fatigue, with only such tem porary covering as a bark hut could e$ord from the inclem ency o f the weather, it is difficult to express the sentim ents of approbation to which such privations and services are entitled. Mr. Cox having reported the road ' as com - , pleted on the 21st January last, the Governor, accom panied <strong>by</strong> Mrs. M acquarie and that gentleman, com m enced his tour on A pril 25 over the Blue Mountains, and was Joined <strong>by</strong> Sir John Jamieson at the Nepean, who a c- : eompanied him during the entire tour. <strong>The</strong> follow in g gentlemen com posed the G overnor’ s su ite:— Mr. Campbell, secretary; Captain Antill, | m ajor of brigade; Lieutenant W atts, aid e-d e- can p; Mr, Redfern. assistant surgeon; Mr. Ox- j ley, Surveyor-G eneral; Mr. Mehan. Deputy Surveyor-G eneral; Mr. Lewin, painter and naturalist-. and Mr. G. W . Evans, Deputy-Surveyor of Laads. . . _ . _ . . <strong>The</strong> road constructed <strong>by</strong> Mr. Cox flown 1thij ruggod and trem endous descent (M ount Y ork) through all its windings, Is no less than thr«»e-quarters of a m ile in length, and has been executed with skill and stability, and reflects mveh credit on him. <strong>The</strong> labor here undergo * and the difficulties surm ounted can only be ap reciated <strong>by</strong> those who view the scene. In , or er to perpetuate the m em ory o f Mr. Cox a Feryices, the Governor deemed it a tribute ju stly duf to him to give his name to this grand and exi -aordinary pass; and he accordingly called it ' 'o x ’s Pass. . . <strong>The</strong> G overnor gave the name of Mount York to this term ination of the ridgre, in honor of his R oyal Highness the Duke o f 'fo rk . . . By eommand o f h!s Excellency the G overnor, John Thom as Cam pbell, Secretary.’ * M acquarie’s eugoliatic recogn ition o f C ox’s services in connection with this fam ous piece of engineering was richly deserved. <strong>The</strong> first cent-nary of the turning o f the first sod is an event which cannot be allow ed to pass w ithout recalling the great d ebt we owe to Australia’s worthy pioneers. _____ WESTERN ROAD. PIONEERS OF PAST HONOURED. THE GREAT BUILDERS. HISTORICAL RECORD. CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. Penrith was early astir on Saturday, to celebrate the centenary o f the tufn ing of the first sod of the Old W estern-road. A blue sky, flecked with fleecy clouds, and bright genial sunshine auspiciously ushered in the day’s proceedings. Num bers o f visitors a r rived <strong>by</strong> early trains from Sydney and the j surrounding centres. In the streets the display of flags and bunting made a pleasing colour contrast with the deep green foliage of the triumphal arches. H igh-street former! a picturesque setting for the day’ s function, an avenue of gum bushes stretching the fu ll length, spanned <strong>by</strong> arclies at intervals, i Festoons of flags fluttered in the m orning ; breeze. <strong>The</strong> decorations w ere a tribute to the “ m ighty dead.” as the Prim e M inister said at the official luncheon, and Penrith did full ju stice to the occasion. <strong>The</strong> p rocessioa and historic pageant which parded H igh-
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