Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-09-23

Continued from First FageI
Illinois 100000. and the section east Of the
Ohio river 81, lS3,6SS, and by the act OF
March 10th, 1888, Ohio got $4,000. Indl-
ana $4,000, Illinois $4,000, and Fenn-
sylVania 5000 for . bridge over OunlapS
creek.
When the Well Ran Dry.
This seems TO have been the last Of the aid
extended by the general goYefnment 70 me
enterprise. am not acquainted Win tue
extent Of the work and its MS
tory through Indiana and Illinois tuseo
10 Be 3 question how the road was 70 oe
permanently established tnrousn he
nrairie oountry after the appropriations
bs5 been secured for that end. There was
no stone suitable for the purpose At that
time discovered in that section, and tim
Der heavy enough for . suitable tounda
ton was equally scarce. IL was proposed
NJ D time 20 build il through that u
try like . bridge, laying the roadEA on
wooden supports above the pralrie, ana
some Of that section was probably con-
structed in this way and as an ordinary
plank road. The balance at this END vent
into the hands of the State a u
thorities Of Maryland. Penpsylyanis, Vur:
ginis and Ohio, and was cared
for pretty much IS il is to day. Maryland,
I believe, has turned her share Of 1t over to
the two OF her counties through. which 1t
paSses-Allegheny apI Garrett-tne others
retain control in their State Governments,
except the share Of Virginia, which fell to
West Virginia when the State was divided
Ohio and Pennsylyanis passed enactments
aoceptipg the road from the General Govern
ment in lS3l, and Virginia did the same
two wears later. All Of these States pro-
yided for commissioners TO take charge OF
the portion given them; 70 hG tollgates;
announce the schedule OF tolls provided for
in the acts themselves; to appoint q super
intendent and collectors, and 70 generally
Superyise matters connected with their
charge. Tie first Pennsylvania commits
oners were William f. Coplan and David
DOwner Of Fayette county; Stephen Hull
and BENJAMIN Anderson, OF washington
county, and Thomas Endsley, Of Smith
field, Somerset county,
Our Grandfathers' Tolls,
The toll rates as fixed by law, in their
recital of charges on various vehicles, BRING
mn a vivid picture of N grandtathers
DAYS. Where the toll gates were placed at
intervals of twenty miles the charge Tor
every chariot, coach, coachee, stage or
pbaeton with two horses was lsA cents,
and for every dearborn, sulky, chair Or
chaise with one horse, l2lS cents Where
the toll houses stood closer together the
rates were proportiOnately less. In all
cases they were to be regulated so that they
should be no more in the sggregate than
was sufficient to keep the thoroughiare In
good condition. Vehicles with tires not
less than six inches in width got through
free. Persons riding or driving on their
way to or from divine worship or 10
or from funerals, were then, as
now, passed free. So were persons
on their way 10 or from general musters
SID court meetings, or going or returning
in the ordinary course OF their business TO
or from farm or woodland, mills or COM
mon place of trading or marketing, and the
general government was given free way for
its mails and the passage OF troops and
military stores. In time the latter por-
ton of this free list was considerably cut
down, but in many instances the old resi-.
denters along the line held out stoutly for
their ancient privileges. Uncle Allan Da-
Wis, one OF the earliest teamsters on the
road, and who still survives IS the main
collector on this section, once drew the
line on Bishop Whelan, who was building the
convent Al Mount de Chantal, by insisting
that carts on their way out with building
material for that edifce could not
claim clerical exemption, and the
question was carried to the Board
Of Public Works before it was de-
cided in favor Of the collector. The same
authority subsequently decided that rough
boxes on their way to the cemeteries con-
stituted no part OF the funerals which
were to follow, and thus by the withdrawal
of some privileges and the strict interpre-
tation OF others the ancient allowances
have been considerably curtailed.
Old Time Business.
81 can only give you a general idea OF
the old time freighting and passenger
travel on the road as I witnessed it" said
the Judge in answer to questions as to the
extent Of its freight and passenger traffic.
Both grew steadily with every extension
of the road until the advent of the railroads
superseded slower modes Of travel. A Cum
berland paper Of lS49 states that IRON
the LIST to the Goth OF March In that year
$50 passengers were carried IN coaches
through that city. OF the freight traffic l
have never seen n statistical account,
but at times the freight wagons seemed
like a continuous procession. They were
no ordinary wagons either, but built to
meet the requirements OF the time, and
the long beds sloping from the center and
rising high at either end held under their
white canvass covers q load which would
appal a modern teamster. Eight thousand
pounds was not an unusual burden to be
hoisted into one Of these land ships n
with six big-boned horses stoutly har-
messed and caparisoned with bells,
fifteen to twenty miles was an ordinary
days journey. Eighteen days from
CumDerlAQQ 10 the OQAO EAN6E Who kAC bAAhO
allowed in the old bills OF lading and, bar
ring accident, was amply sufficient. Some
of these wagons were built with hind
wheels from eight TO ten feet in height and
front wheels in proportion, the tongue be-
irg fastened far enough below the front
axle to accommodate il to the wheel horses.
Some Of them were built wider in front
than in the rear and had the six horses
hitched three abreast, but the latter style
of wagon was OF short continuance and
soon gave place to the regulation pattern.
At first the mails were carried IN the pas
senger coaches, but as they grew heavier
msil wagons were substituted. A pony eG-
press for ,etter mail was established on the
road during the time Amos Kendall was
Postmaster General, but was subsequently,
discontinued.
Coaching Days.
NV recollection of the coaching days on
the old road are pretty distinct and exceed
ingly pleasant. As l remember them there
were but two main lines Of stages, the old
line run by Moore 4 Stockton and the new
line sfterWard put on by Commodore
Reside. Moore at that time lived in
Wheeling and is still living in Baltimore.
Stockton was from Washington, Pa. Rec
side was also q Psnnsylyanian, but spent q
good deal Of time in Washington City. He
was 3 handsome man in those days and
had q bluff, hearty, hospitable way about
him that made him . good many friends.
The first coaches that were used were
built by Russell, Of Cumberland, and
held sixteen passengers. They were found
too cumbrous, and the Trenton coach,
which had an egg shaped body, was substi-
tuted. Then came the Troy coaches, which
held nine passengers inside and two out,
and after them the Concord coaches, which
we're in use when the lines were discon.
tinued.
Both lines bad first class horses and plen.
ty OF them. Ten miles an hour was oraina.
~ speed, and the tTenty-SiX miles between
Hsgerstown and Frederick, in Maryland,
where the road was particularly good, is
said to have been regularly covered in two
hours. Riyalries between the opposition
lines ran high, and passengers shared the
feeling. Stories Of scythes fastened to the
hubs OF wheels to cut the spokes out Of op.
position coaches we're current among the
old drivers, who espouSed the cause Of their