The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-19
TRAVEL IN 1785.
The Stage.coach of a Century ago
and its Passengers.

and its Passengers.
A traveller who,. one hundred years
ago, went journey in a coach-and-
four, took his seat in q vehicle unlike
any now to be seen. 1t was not much
more than huge covered box,
mounted on wheels. Neither steps, nor
doors. nor windows, nor coachman's
seat, nor covered sides, nor boot for the
baggage, was used.
The flat roof was upheld by ten
posts that rose from the body of the
stage. and the body was commonly
breast high. From the roof hung cur
tains of leather, to be rolled up if the
day were fine, and let down and but
toned when rainy and cold. Within
were four seats. Without, on the roof,
were the few bags and bundles that
passed under the name of baggage.
Having made Up his mind whether
he would go by the '.Ncw Line" or the
''Swift Sure" or the 'Stage Packet"
the traveller would present himself at
the stage-oflice to secure his seat No
ticket was bought, but the fare was
paid at the Office desk, and his name
put down on the stage-bill for certain
day. Fourteen pounds of baggage were
carried for him without charge. But if his
portmanteau or his brass-nail-studded
hair trunk weighed more than that, he
paid for it at the same rate per mile as
he did for himself. On no account was
he suffered to carry more than one
hundred and fifty pounds weight of
baggage.
When the luggage had been weighed,
the horses attached and the small let
ter-bag brought out the passengers
were summoned, clambered in over the
drivers seat, sat down with their faces
toward the horses, and while the coach
rolled away at the rate of six miles an
hour made themselves as comfortable
as they could.
To sit all day cramped up on a hard
seat in a jo)ting vehicle, annoyed by
flies. half-choked by the dust, burned
by the rays of the scorching sun, was
enough to try the temper of the best
natured of men. In winter the inmates
of the coach were half-frozen by the
cold. Prudent travellers provided them
selves with foot-stoves. and when the |
wood-coals burnt out, begged the driver |
to stop at the nearest farmhouse, or
tie first tavern. that they might get
more. But the annoyances were never
SO great as in the spring. Then the
roads were hardly passable. On the
lest of them the ruts were deep, and
the mud in many places up to the hubs
of the wheels. To be compelled to
alight three or four times q day, and
wade through mud ankle-deep faS
mile; to be asked by the driver to tug
at the wheels, while he dashed the
horses till the traces nearly broke,
were incidents which travellers in the
spring-tlme were sure to meet with.
One man, on his way from Baltimore
10 Philadelphia. declares that he spent
he half of one day trudging after the
coach. that he often put his shoulder
o the wheel" and that, in the even
ng after dark, the vehicle suddenly
brought up in a miry bog. Get it out
hey could not; but were forced to leave
t, baggage and all, and grope their
way to the nearest house, about a mile
IT. Next morning q new coach was
occurred and the journey continued.
Another traveller, going to Baltimore,
net with greater hardships still He
tarted in February and. just after pass
ng the village of Havre-de-Grace, the
of the coach broke into two
'ieces. A wagon was procured with