New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-29
From OHIO.
CINCINNATI AND MARIETTA RAILROAD.

CINCINNATI AND MARIETTA RAILROAD.
THE DIsCoMFORTs or TRAVEL IN OLD TINES
AGREEABLE CONTRASTS OF THE PRESENT
WITH THE PAST.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May L. 1857.
The recent completion of new and importsn!
line Of railway from Marietta to Cincinnati sug.
eests some curious facts BY way Of contracting the
former facilities Of travel and mails with those now
enjoyed in Ohio, and in fact in most of the Western
States. When the first colony landed at Marietta,
they were almost as much out Of the way Of receiy
Ing letters from their friends at the East people
are now at the Sandwich Islands. When, there
fore the House Of Burgesses in Virginia after
the settlement on the Muskineum was made at Ma
rietts, made an appropriation Of money 10 survey
and open a road from Alexandria, on the Potomac,
TO Mar eta, on the Ohio, il considered at the
latter place great affair, the opening Of a new
era. Ii is true there were no stage-coaches dashng
along between the places, waking echoes among the
Alleghenies, as the coachmen wound their ''merry,
merry horns" The nearest approach to vehicle
for travel was the heavy lumber wagon used to
transport goods to the Ohio Still the pioneers felt
a great deal nearer home when that rough road vas
cut through.
From DIR. Hildreth's interesting book learn
that the attention of our Government was early
turned to the subject of establishing postcomuuni-
cations with the Ohio Valley, not only for the sake
of the settler, but especially account of the mill
tary posts which were scattered along the Ohio.
In l1c6 mail route wes established To run from
Alexandria by way Of Leesburgh, Winchester,
Cumberland and Bedford to Pittsburgh. In l7S5,
similar route running through Lancaster, York,
Carlisle, Chambersburgh and Bedford WIS estab-
lshed to Pittsburgh. The law passed by Congress
ordained that the mail should be carried over this
route once i'll each fortnight. From this point the
mails or communications had to be sent by special
messenger, mode which WAS both costly and uu-
certain. In 1894 the Postmaster-(ieneral, with
Major Craig Of Pittsburgh and Col. OHara, de-
yised plan for nsuring regular mails down and up
the Ohio. Light but strong boats were built, de.
signed 10 be manned by the steersman and four
men. AS the savages still were hostile, every man
on the boats was armed The crew carried with
them the means of doing their own cooking, which
they usually did on some island, as less liable to
surprise from the savages there These maiI-boats
would make about sixty miles a day with the cur
rent, and about half that distance when ascending
the river. The mail carried over land from
Pittsburgh to Wheeling Thence, to Cincinnati,
the route was divided into four stages or relays.
The relay stations were Marietta, GalipOlis and
Naysyille. BY this means the mail was carried in
ak days from Wheeling to Cincinnati, and in about
twelve days from Cincinnati to Wheeling. These
boats often carried passengers, and so cautious
were the men in their voyages that the ndsns never
nade but one attack on a nailboat.
When this arrangement was made the people at
Newport, Marietta Harmsr, Bepre, Galipolis,
Maysyile and Cincinnati felt as If it brought them
great deal nearer their old homes. A letter from
Cincinnati to Philadelphia or Boston, would accom-
psh its Journey by this 'Swiftsure Line" IN three
Or four weeks. 1t in the history Of mails
and travel at the West
In I79s the Indians having received their quietus
at the hands of "Mad Anthony" this line of travel
was abandoned for borse-nails. The route extended
from Wheeling to GAINESVILLE, and thence through
the heart of the State TO Cincinnati. The mail for
Marietta as have bceu told, was brought on horse
back from GAINESVILLE. AS the population increased
the mail facilities We're Increased also, until at the
Post Office in GAINESVILLE one mail from the East
week was received.
II we now leave the matter Of mails to examine
the facilities Of travel in the State enjoyed BY the
good PEOPLE of Marietta aid vicinity, We shall have
another point Of contrast between the past and the
pre.ent In DIR. Hildreths biographical sketch ot
Dr.. Jabez True, the fir-t physician at Marietta
very interesting he was-he relates tho TACT ths
after the close Of the Indian war, Dr. True was
compelled to extend his rides twenty and thirty
"miles, swimming his horse across the streams,
with no road but foot paths and the eid Indian
&" trails marked out by bazes on the trees"
Prof T.. Is. Andrews of Marietta, in his I" fune
"ral discourse on the occasion Of the death OF the
"Hon. Ephraim Cutler, quotes from the Judges
comforts and peris of the early settlers" In 1879
Judge Cutler removed his family to Amestown, not
far from Athens, some twenty miles wst OF Ma
rietta OF this short journey he wrote
al with four horses, took Mrs. Brown and Mrs.
Cutler and all children 10 go twenty les through
an entire wilderness to our new homes Nlght over
took us before we able To cross Shsrps Fork ~
Federal Creek, and we were Obliged ~ encamp. We
experienced very rainy night. Tie creek in che
morning rapidly rising. l harmed, got Mrs.
Brown and Mrs. Cutler and the children, with tue
baggage aud horres, over the creek, all except A. "
Biown--now Judge Brown OF Athens-then chld
three or four wears old, whom took in my arms and
as stepped on drift Of food. wood which reached
across the creek, it broke away from the bank. We
were in great danger, but acious Providence pre-
served Us, and we got safely across. We arrived az
our camp near where we built our cabin, May Z,
l799."
The late Judge Jacob Barnet began to pratice law
in Cincinnati in 1896 His business in Court COM
PEELED him to take Journeys 10 Vincennes Marietta
and Detroit. These tedious journeys were per-
formed on horse back. 1t was usual IN those days
for two or more persons 10 travel together allowing
a pack horse 10 carry the baggage and provisions
for two persons In his Notes on the North West
Territory" Judge BuInet speaks Of frequently
camping out i'll the woods over night, and OF being
compelled to swim streams that were swollen BY
freshets. His eulogist, the Rev. DIR. Fisher, well
said in his discourse ON the occasion of Judge Bur
nets death. HE Travelled to Marietta, Detroit and
"Vincennes, in order to attend the Courts held
in those places. by bride paths, BY blazed trees,
fading streams, through the deep Wet soil, often
camping on the ground, this young lawyer In
delicate health, but with ndomiable enterprise
and perseverance, prosecuted his work. IL Is
also related that the delegates from Marietta 10 the
Convention, which in 1902 formed the State Con.
stitution, in their journey to Chlicothe had