Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-08-27
OLD COACHING DAYS.
An Interesting Sketch-Bennington
of Sixty Years Ago.

| ago drove the mall stages on the route
between Troy, N. Y, and BrattlebOro.
Mr.. Harwood has lived here all his life,
and is recognized authority upon
everything relating to the old stage bu-
siness.
He was 76 years of age June 10, last,
and was born in this town, being one of
u children, six boys and six girls One
brother and himself are the only two
now living. His father was soldier in
the war of 1912, and participated in the
battle of Plattsburg.
When young man Mr. HARDWOOD went
to work for the firm of |. d w. Weeks,
who for many years were known as the
owners of the leading stage route IN this
part of the State. They owned the line
of stages that piled between Troy and
I Western Vermont and over the noun
tain to BrattlebOro.
In September, $780, Mr.. Harwood took
the freeman'S oath at which is now Ben
ningUn Centre. The same day he took
the oath as mail carrier before Henry
Kellogg, then postmaster, and with
whom the late Rev. Dr. E. II. Chapln
was at one time clerk. He worked for
them 81 years, II of which he drove
stage from Troy to Bennington, and
from Bennington to Brattleboro, occa-
sionally going as far north as Rutland.
1t is now his favorite theme to review
the days gone by when coaches piled
along the old turnpike before the days
of railroads. In those days the firm for
which he grove ran II four-hoI sc coaches
and this number was increased during
navigation season. Then what are now
small and unsightly villages were lively
little business centres. Brakes had not
then come into fashion, and the trips
down the hills would often be full of eX-
element, for with the four horses at full
speed going down some of the hills the
safety of the coach and passengers de.
pended entirely upon the skin of the
driver Accidents, however, were very
rare in those days.
The average pay of stage drivers in
those days was SD 30 a month vet on
that amount Mr.. IIarwoOd managed to
accumulate a property. When he be,
came IS years of age he had 500 ahead
and he says that never since that day has
he been in a position that he could not
easily raise what money he needed for
any purpose
a hours, and from here to Brattleboro
about Il hours. The first change ont of
Troy would be at PittstOwn, then II
thriving village, with the hotel kept by
Joseph Wadsworth. This house, which
was quite u noted one, has since been
burned At the foot of Potter Hill was
postotlice run by man named Rich
mOnd. Here the mail was delivered,
and while the postmaster was taking out
the mail the horses were wateTed.
Another change of mail at HOosick
Corners, and stop at the Farmers
inn' for water were all made,
At the WalloOmSaC HOusa at Centre
| Bennington came dinner and a general
change. This was the headquarters Of
! lines of coaches that went to North
Adams. Rutland. as well as those of the
line that Mr.. HarwoOi was employed
with. DrOyers also frequently stopped
! here with huge drOvCs OF cattle, and MI
| Harwood recalls many a time when the
pastures near tins then famous house
would be filled with cattle, while the
drovers. jolly crowd, filled the house
and made merry in it, aud the employees
congregating in the barn would spend
the large portion Of the night in telling
their experiences, drinking beer and
smoking.
The route from Walloomsac then was
through what is now the village of Ben
nington, WoOdford hollow, where a brief
stop was made,tO deliver mail, then to
Searsburg, Wilmington hollow, where
horses were changed, then to Marlboro
Centre, then to BrattlebOrO.
The usual limit of passengers for a
coach was 10, but occasionally few more
would 90 if the roads were good. In
the summer season there were many
days when five coaches for BrattlebOro
would leave the WallOOmsaC in one day.
In winter the trip over the mountain
was often very disagreeable. On one
trip that Mr.. Harwood made he was one
whole day getting to WoOdfOrd hollow,
distance of about five miles. The end
of the third day found. him Only at the
half way house where he was met by a
stage that had been sent from Brattle-
boro to meet Inn.
In those days the stage driver was
man who had to be trusted. lie was
the responsible man for the safety of the
coach, the passengers, the mails and the
valuables that were intrusted to his care
He collected all the fares after leaving
the starting point, and had to keep a CO..
rect record Before leaving he was fur
nished with a waybill of everything on
the coach, and was supposed TO enter on
it everything that was done by them on
the trip.
OF those who drove coach at the time
that Mr.. Harwood did not one except
himself is now living, so far as he knows
When Mr.. Harwood began driving stage
there was not church in this village
and only one in the town, the old First
at the Centre. There was no post office
here, and there was not a man living
who was in business then.
In this part was. the grist mill of Sam
uel Stafford. Squire and Barber ran a
general store. Joel Valentine was con
Quoting little wooden mill. The Dewey
ochre works and the old iron works
were then employing 200 men. Main
street was then the only street
in this village. Now there are five
churches, dozen mills and population
of nearly 5000, with electric railroad,
! electric lights water. sewers etc, all of
which Mr.. Harwood has seen put in.
With the opening of the railroads the
occupation of the stage driver was gone,
and Mr.. Harwood retired from the bust
ness and went to Lowell, Mass, where
he resided several years, finally return
! ing to his home here.
Forty-nine years ago Mr.. HarwOOd
married Mary Ann Dingman, whose faith
I ,,, Il e Va