The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-22
Thursday Morning, Dec. 9s, 1864.
Looomotion.

The utilitarian spirit OF the age Is strikingly
exhibited in the intense desire TO diminish the
quantity OF time necessary to pass from one
spot OF the earth's surface to another, and to
communicate almost ins simultaneously with re-
mote distance. The great triumphs Of genius
within the last halt century, have been accom-
plished within the domain of commerce, and
In contemplating the progress which has en-
sued, il Is cause OF humiliation that, as in the
case of other great discoveries, so many CEN
turies have elapsed, during which the powers
OF steam, an elemeut almost constaHtly within
the observation OF man, were, although per-
ceived, unemployed. But reflection upon the
nature of man, and his slow advancement in
the great path of fact and science, will at once
hush the expression of our wondering regret
over the past, while nobler occupation for
the mind offers itself ip speculation upon the
future. The plank-road, the canal, the steam
boat, and the railway, are all the productions
of the last few years. At the close of the
last century, with the exception of q few mil
itary-roads inherited from the Romans, and
the roads of the same description conducted
by Napoleon, the means of communication
between distant parts was almost entirely
confined to inland seas, and the larger rivers.
It Is for thiy reason that the maratime cities
and proyinces attained such disproportionate
wealth. zaiHg
Ine invention of chGriots, and the manner
of harnessing horses to draw them, is ascribed
to Ericthonins OF Athens, B. G. 1856. The
chariots of the ancients were like our phdetons,
and drawn by one horse. The invention of
the chdisc, or calash, is ascribed to Augustus |
Cesar, about A. D.T .Postchaises were in
troduced by Trsjan about A. d. 100.g Car
riGges were known in France in the reign of
Henry H., "A. D. 1547; there were but three in
Paris In 1850; they were of rude construction.
Henry Nv. had one, but it was without straps
or springs. A strong cob-horse was let for
short journeys; latterly these were harnessed
to plain vehicle, called coche- a hdQuenes:
hence the name, hackney coach. They were
first let for hire In Paris in 1850, at the Hotel
Fiacre. They were known in England in 1866,
but not the art of making them. When first
manufactured In England, during the reign OF
Elizabeth, they were called aUhtsttboteS. The
Duke of Buckingham, in 1919, drove six hor-
ses, and the Duke of Northumberland, in RI
valry, drove eight. Cabs are also Of Partisan
origin, where the driver sat In the inside; but
the aristocratic tastes of the English suggest
ed the pr0priety OF compelling the driver to
be seated outside ODlnibuSses also origina-
ted in Paris, and were introduced into London
In 1927, by an enterprising coach proprietor
named Shilaber. Tney were introduced into
New York, In 1888, by Kipp & Brown. Horse
railroads were Introduced into New York. in
1851, upon the Sixth avenue, but small cars
AOT Guy HIIdNSA udQ DoCd uccu 0u b1ic bdEkcH
road for many years before,
In 1850 there were but six stage coaches
In England; two days was occupied in pass
ing from London to Oxford, fifCy-four
miles. In 1869, it was announced that We
hicle, described as the .fyiug-coGch, would per- I
form the whole journey between sunrise and
sunset It excited as much interest as the
opening of a new Railway in our time. The
Newcastle Conrant, of October11 1872, adyer-
hot oil hat dosir m fror
borough to London, or from London to Edin-
borough, or any place on that road, let them
repair to Mr. john Baillie's, at the Coach and
Horses, at the head of Canongate, Edin-
borough, every other Saturday; or to the
Black Swan 10 Holoorn, every other Monday;
at both of which places they may be received
In q stage-coach, which performs ihe whole
journey in thirteen days, aOithout any stoppage
(y God per'Rtt,l having eighty able horses 10
perform the whole stage-sach passenger pay
ing "a los. for the whole journey. The coach
sets outa six in the morning. And It was
not until 1925 that daily line of stage-coach-
es was established between the two eities,s ac-
complishing the distance in forty-six hours.
And even 30 late as 1885 there were only sew
en- coaches which ran daily.
In 1743, Benjamin Franklin, Postmaster of
Phiiadelphia. in an advertisement, dated April
14th, announces "that the northern post will
set out for New York on Thursdays, at three
o'clock in the afternoon, till Christmas. The
southern post sets out for Annapolis, and con-
tinues going every fortnight during the sum-
mer season." In 1913, Josiah Quincy, father
and grandfather of the mayors of that name
of Boston. spent thirty-three days upon q jour
2 ney from Georgetown, South Carolina, to Phil
adelphia. In 1775, General Washington was
eleven days going from Philadelphia to Bos-
ton; upon his arrival at Watertown the citi-
zens turned out and congratulated him upon
4 regular mail time, between New York and Al
baay, was eight days. Even as late as 1924,
the United States mail was thirty-two days in
passing from Portland to New Orleans. The
news of the death of Napoleon Bonapart, at
st. Helena, May 9TH, 1921, reached New York
on the fifteenth day of August