The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-03-26
Ancient and Slow Methods of Locomotion.

Ancient and Slow Methods Of LocomotiOn.
The Boston Transcript, in an article on Loco
motion, remarks that the canal, turnpike, plank
road, steamboat, railway, river, and mountain
tunnel, and electric telegraph, are of compare
lively recent production in the Western Hem
isphere Julius Caesar B. G. 27) occupied
eight days in journeying from the river Rhone
to Rome, eight hundred and sixty miles, At
the commencement of the Christian Era, fifty
six miles was considered good twelve hours
Journey by the cisium, post-chaise. The news
of the fall of Maxmin "a. d. 244) was carried
to Rome from Aquileia, three hundred and
twenty miles, in four days.
Postchases were introduced by Trajan, "a.
D. 1907 Carriages were known in France in
1900, when but two existed in Paris; in 1850
there were but three in that city, and those
were Of rude construction. Henry ~ had
one, but it was without straps or springs. A
strong cob-horse (haquenee) was let for short
journeys; later, these were harnessed to a
vehicle called coche-a-haquenee hence the
name of hackney coach. These were let for
hire in Paris, in 1850, at the Hotel Fiacre.
They were known in England in 1865, but not
the art of making them. When first made in
England, during the reign of Elizabeth, they
were called whirlcotes. Omnibuses were in.
vented at Nantes in 1926, and were introduced
into London in the year following by an enter
prising coach proprietor named Shillaber.
They were introduced into New York in 1928.
John Winthrop, the founder of New Eng
land in 1880, and who died in 1640 never saw
stage coach In 1860 there were but six in
England. Two days were occupied in passing
from London to Oxford, ffty-fou miles. In
1869 it was announced that vehicle called
the ''Aying coach" would perform the journey
between sunrise and sunset. 1t excited as
much interest as the opening of a new railway
generation ago. In 1877 the mail from Lon
don arrived at Edinburgh with only one letter
in it. Even as late as 1850, it took four days
to pass from London to Liverpool, two hundred
and ten miles. II was not until 1925 that
daily line of coaches, established between the
two cities, accomplished the distance in forty
six hours. And even as late as 1885 there were
only seven coaches which ran daily between
the two cities.
In 1851 Sir Richard Saltonstall was six weeks
upon journey from Salem to jamestown. In
1886 Rev. Mr. Rogers, the second minister OF
Ipswich, W.. ,enty-four weeks on the voyage
from Gravesend to Boston. The first stage
coach in America started from the site No. 80
North street. Boston, for Portsmouth, in 1861.
The first line of stage coaches between Boston
and New York was established in 1892 a coach
| leaving each city once month fourteen days
were required to complete the journey.
In 1866 the news of the repeal of the Stamp
Act was eight weeks crossing the ocean. The
first express agent from Boston to New York
carried an account of the destruction of the
tea in Boston Harbor He left Boston on Fri
day afternoon and arrived in New York on
Tuesday afternoon. In 1873, Josiah Quincy,
father and grandfather of the Mayors of that
name, of Boston, spent thirty-three days upon
a Journey from Georgetown, S. c., to Philadel-
phia. In ITS, General Washington was
eleven days in going from Philadelphia to
Boston. Upon lis arrival at Watertown he
was met by committee of citizens and con-
graduated upon the speed of his journey.
The first regular communication between
Boston and Gloucester was established in 1888,
by Jonathan Lowe, who ran two-horse open
carriage between the two places twice week
each way. Besides the Gloucester COACH only
four stages ran into Boston at that time. In
| 1902, the mail stage started from Boston for
New York on Monday morning at eight o'clock,
and was due in New York at noon on Friday.
The news of the battle of New Orleans, Janu-
ary s, 1885, was twenty-nine days reaching
Philadelphia. Sixty years ago the regular
mail time between New York and Albany was
eight days. AS late as 1924 the United States
mail was thirty-two days in going from Port
land to New Orleans.
The news of the death of Napoleon Bona
parte at St. Helena, May 5, 1921, reached New
York on the 18th of August. The news OF the
death of General Washington at Mount Yer
non, December IA, 1899, reached Boston on the
tenth day after its occurrence. The news OF
the death of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello,
July 4, 1926, reached Boston on the fourth day
afterward. The news of the death of Presi-
dent Harrison, on the 4th of April, 1S4l,
reached Boston on the third day afterward
The news of the death of President Taylor, on
the 9th of July, 1850, was known in all the
principal cities of the Union within one hour
after its occurrence.