The Indiana State sentinel., 1885-09-02
EARLY STAGE DRIVING.
As Praetced on "the National Turnpike" from
Washington to Wheeling
"reminiscences of cold Hickory" - How
President Polk Helped the Driver
How Henry Clay Snub-
bed an Editor.

crat.l
Strangers en- route TO the Baltimore and
Ohio depot come to a roadway running at
right angles with Main street, Level. com
pact and chalk-Iilze, running both east and
west, it invariably attracts attention, and
upOn inQuiring of native it is learned that
this is the great National turnpike. which
forty years ago was as well known, probably
more so, comparatively. than the Pennsyl
vania Railroad system to-day. Going east
the first big town. encOunt cred was Browns
willie, on the banks of the AIonongahela and
the home of Blaine's parents. and the states
mans birthplace. Continuing eastward the
road is almost continuous with Braddock's
line of march from Cumberland to old Fort
Duquesne, recalling that disastrous encoun-
ter with the French and Indian; the death
of Braddock, and the herdshipS of a retreat
across the mountains. The site of old Fort
Necessity lies a short distance beyond Union
town, the next way station beyond Browns
vile. At Cumberland the Baltimore turn
pike began, and over it the traveller contin-
Ued his journey to the capital,
and still farther eastern points. Turning
westward from this place the first point of
importance reached was Wheeling, Va lin
those days. Here one had the choice of
continuing his stage ride to Columbus
thence to Cincinnati. reaching his limit at
indianapolis; or he could board an Ohio
River steamboat and enjoy the luxuries of a
cosy berth, extra meals and the society of
the poker sharp, who was then in all his
glory. Statesmen and merchants travelling
from the then developed South and West to
the large cities of the East. were all whirled
over the national turnpike and in Little
Washington they found a pleasant resting
place Presidents Monroe, Jodn Quincy
Adams, Jackson. Harrison. Polk and Taylor
stopped ever here, as did Henry CLAY,
Calhoun, Crittenden, Bell and Others of hard
ly less Praminence than the chief rulers OF
the land.
EARLY STAGE COACHES.
At various times four companies were en-
gagged in staging. They were the NatiOnl
Line Good Intent. June Bug and the Pio-
neer- OF the few remaining drivers none
recOllect how the 'June Bug Line received
ltS name. Relays were established at a dis
tance of from ten to twelve miles and there
are some records of quick changing that
would make modern JehU green with en-
Wy. An old driver still boasts OF harneSsing
his four horses in four minutes and of chang
ing teams before the stage ceased rocking
POnderOus trunks were strictly forbidden
each passenger being limited to fifty pounds
OF baggage and there was careful weighing
IN those days Each stages complement
consisted in not more than nine passengers.
As many as fourteen coaches have travelled
together and with their hundred odd pass
engerS must have created sensation along
the route. If their was a mail coach among
them. the 'stoot'' s'toot'' of the drivers horn
added to the gayety of the scene. And
when wayside inn was reached
and the weary and dust-Stained
passengers disembarked for refreshments
with joyful recOgnitiOnS uncOrking of bot
tl6s etc, was there. The steam engine has
robbed travelling of its romance. Ii is easy
20 associate staging with slow travelling.
Such was not the case. In those DAYS
through mail coach left Wheeling al 6 a. m,
and Just "a hours later dashed into Cumber-
land, Md, having traversed a distance of
l23 miles. Occasionally there were delays,
but these were not permissible upon the
completion of the Baltimore and Ohio road
to Cumberland. A say mail coach which
both deposited and received mail at all
stations, left Wheeling at a. m. each day.
Despite its extra duties ii managed 10 over
take the through mail before entering Cum
berland-an u1heard feat. Ohio steamboats,
have arrived at Wheeling as late as ~ a. m,
with passengers booked for the train 10 leave
Cumberland at Is O'Clock the next morning.
One hundred and thirty-twO miles up hill
and down hill, fOrding rivers and crossing
mountains, but connection must be made;
and il was, though at a heavy cost to the
company.
SOME FAST TRIPS.
Such fast trips, however, could only be in
dulged in by the wealthier class. The stage
drivers were ambitious. A true test of their
mettle was the delivery of the Presidents
message. The letting of contracts by the
Post Office Department hinged on these de
liveries. and If the drivers failed to make
<rOol fimp If meant fbq cancellation Of the
contract with his employees and the transfer
10 a rival company. Dave Cor Ion. noted
driver. once carried the Presidents message
from this point to Wheeling, q distance Of
thirty-twO miles in two hours and
twenty minutes. lie changed teams
three times in this distance.
Bill FOble still living, though blind and
still further afflicted with a cancer the
face claims 10 have made the best time on
record He claims 10 having driven from
Wheeling to HagerStown Md, 1S5 miles in
fifteen and a half hours. Highwaymcn were
3 scarcity. This may be accounted for by
the fact that coaches seldom travel singly;
mail coaches never. The robbers only
chance was to cut the rear "boOts' of the
stage and allow the baggage 10 drop on the
roadway This was attended with consider
able risk, however. A lark night, sleepy
driver and rough piece Of roadway were
the necessary adjuncts- Stealing cautiously
up behind the coach it was the work of
moment tO cut the leathcrn boots, the plat
form of which was suspended by iron chains
from the roof OF the coach. rough piece
of roadway drowned the noise OF the falling
baggage. But these cases were few and far
between. In 1852 coaching began to decline.
in that year the Baltimare and Ohio was
completed to Wheeling, and thereafter stages
TO and from Cumberland were propelled by
two horses. instead of four. Now it has
dwindled down to an aged-looking hack,
which plies daily between here and Browns
vile, twenty-fOur miles east. The iron horse
enters both places, and this relic of olden
days contents itself with local traffic. The
dOg-trOt of to-day is a miserable contrast to
the quick time thirty-five and forty years
ago. Then drivers orders were to make the
time or kill the horses Teams were driven
ten miles at a full run. If a horse dropped
he was quickly unharnessed, and il unable
10 travel further was drawn aside and the
journey was resumed.
REsnNIscENCEs or GOLD HICKORY"
AS previously noted this was one of the
principal stopping places on the line. Half
: dozen Presidents and dozens of statesmen
&l...f~