The morning times., 1896-04-26

to this Ioipt hut it was here that the
United States government began the con-
struction Of that interesting old highway,
which led over the Alleghenies and con,
nected the East with the great fertile
country west of the Ohio River.
Travelled by Thousands.
The building of this road was a great
achievement, and when it was finally
completed and thrown open TO the public
the travel over it soon became immense.
il was the only highway over these
Inomtainsin this section. and the thousands
of people who wished 10 emigrate TO that
wonderful country beyond were ready
with their large canvas-covered wagons
To carry their families and belongings
thither. Their stock was driven along
after them, and so numerous Were the
herds and dToveS that the dust from them
was seldom out of sight.
Lines of public coaches were soon eS-
tablished. and these great numbering We
hicleS, running a stated Intervals, bounded
along, swaying and tossing, at a rapid
rate. They were at first clumsiIy built.
and most uu wieldy affairs. carrying sixteen
10 twenty persons, and causing many ac-
cldents. but when rival Comna MES started
opposition lines. these coaches We're aban
doned and smaller ones, capable of very
great speed, used instead. Relays were
established at convenient points along
the entire route, and as the gaily decorated
coaches pulled up in front of these stables
very little time was consumed in exchanging
the six reeking horses for three fresh
teams.
Over the less hiily portions four horses
Sufficed. but whether four or Fix were
used, they were kept at a galiop up hill
and down, AMI ten miles III hour was not
an unusual degree of speed. The roadway
a nd n h0
were well balanced on sensitive and we'll
adjusted springs. they Swayed with not an
unpleasant motion, and Jolting was
scarcely perceptlnie even at this great
speed.
The pike from Cumberland follows very
nearly iu the Path blaZed through from the
forest by the army that Jared so badly
" hen they went west with Gen. Braddock
and the Young surveyor. george WashIHA-
ton, against the French and Indians at
Fort DuqueSne. The way was an almost
mbrokeu forest then, and. at places, day
was made almost as dark as night by the
towering pines whose interme shed bra ncheS
completely covered the roadway. II made
the driving difficult and dangerous, but
the horses were urged to still greater sped
through these gloomy places On account of
the shelter they afforded mghwaynlen.
The "hold-ups" were by no means fe W, and
at place near Frostburg, called the
''shades of DEATH" they became so alarm
ingly frequent that the coaches were sup
piled with flint-lock pistols and bowie
knives.
Primitive Freight Trains.
Besides the passenger and mail service,
there were through freight wagons which
hauled merchandise from the canalboats
al Cumberland, and from Baltimore TO the
boats on the Ohio River at Wheeling. These
were huge vehicles, with long curved beds
canvas covered, aud with rear wheels ten
feet in diameter. Some of them carried as
much as twelve tons and were pulled by six
teams of horses. On the collar of each horse
was bow OF bells, and when a train of
fifty or sixty of these Conestogas was jour
neying along single file, with the lie aders'
noses tohching the feedboX of the wagon
ahead, the tintinab bulation of these bells
would make din thai was almost deafen-
ing. Cattle and sheep and hogs were sell
dom out of sight or sound, and, notwith-
standing the noise and dust of this enormous
traffic, it was no unusual thing to see q
bear or deer cross the roadway and seam
per off through the forest. The scene, espe-
cially in summer, was a lively one; anCh