Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-07

The last number of the historical collections
of the Essex institute contains paper by Robt
S. Rantoul entitled, "Notes on Old Modes of
Travel" of which the following is an extract:
"Has anybody forgotten rare James Potter of
the Salem and Boston line-active, clear-headed,
courteous and prompt, who for forty years
drove with such care and skill to Boston and
back, that it was said he was as well known and
as much respected by Salem people as DR.. Bent
ley? Here he comes up the street from the old
"Sun Tavern" with the seven O'Clock morning
coach, his dapplc grays groomed to a hair and
well in hand-the model driver, trusted by the
banks, by the old sea kings, by everybody with
uncounted treasure-the splendid reinsman,
chosen in August 1924, to bring the beloved
Lafayette safely into Salem. Has anybody for.
gotten the scene in college yard at Cambridge,
when Peter Ray arrived at the end of the term,
with his coach and six sorres, to take what
might well be styled the "Flower of Essex?"
How he displayed, before admiring eyes, his
mastery of curves and functions, by turn
ing six-in-hand, at cheerful trot, in the
little corner between Holworthy and Stoughton,
and how the Essex boys, cheered by their fell
lows and eager for the long vacation, whirled
out of college gate and down the historic roads
by Washington's elm and Letchmeres Point
and Bunker Hill, to their welcome home!
Handsome Peter, they called him-a favorite
with children and ladies-for with him, on the
introduction of the famous steel spring coaches
they first knew what it was to ride comfortably
outside, with an intelligent and entertaining
driver, whose tongue kept pace with his team,
and whose castles in the air often reached ri
gantic proportions before half the distance be-
tween Lynn and Salem was accomplished And
here comes Page, witty, large-hearted, strong
handed Woodbury. Page, his two bays on the
Jump, swinging round tue corner to the old
stable in Union street, shifting horses, and then
round the big elm and off again in twinkling,
with those very four milk-whites with which he
drove Henry Clay, in October, 1888, from Sena-
tor Silsbee's door step in Pleasant street to the
fremont house IN sixty minutes!
And what shall be said of the polished and
| agreeable Jacob winchester, iavorite driver on
wedding journeys and pleasure parties, who
carried bags of specie to and from New York
| when our merchants wanted messenger who
would neither play the rogue with funds nor
suffer anybody TO take them from him; what
of the popular driver and cousummate reinsman
Lot Peach, who would get to Boston about as
soon with crows meat as moderate drivers did
with choice teams of horses; what of Albeit
Knight, always on good terms with passengers
and team; what of stout, little, laxative Major
Shaw, who was off at three with the sOrrels land
the last coach up, rather than not go with whom
| ladies would often lose the morning stages and
| some hours shopping and visiting in boston;
| what Of stalwart, kind-hearted Adrian Low
| whose cheerful life ended in mystery and an un-
known grave; what, indeed, of the hundred
and hfty good, sound, trusty men, who, from
hrst to last drove stages over these routes in the
| employ of regular opposition lines whole fam
| lilies of them, like the Potters, the three Anna
| bles, the three Akermans, the brothers Carney
| Conant, Drake, Knight, Marshall, NAV. Man
| ning Patch, Robinson, Shaw, Tcnney Tozzer.
| winchester, seeming to have been born on
wheels, or descending from the hippoccntanrs
| of ancient table-men who combined energy
| and good-nature in ratio not likely to be de.
veoped by any vocation now in vogue-men
who cracked their joke as they swung their