The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-09

bacco, whisky, etc. l usually bought
my own loads, and sometimes sold
whisky in barrels clear across the state
on my return trip. We didn't forget,
too, in Pittsburg to load up with stogies
at IS cents a hundred. These were
free at all taverns. and we never
wanted for a smoke.
The queerest freight I ever carried
was emigrants. I carried many load
from Baltimore to Wheeling and t.
Columbus, o. / got them in Baltimore,
right at the wharves, after they had
been on the water six or seven months.
| would weigh whole party on the
scales. just as / would any other
freight-chests bundles, men, women
and children-and charge them SO and
$3.50 a hundred from Baltimore to
Wheeling. They would put their bag
gage in the wagon bed and then ride
on top of the pile. They never put up
at a tavern, but would sleep in the
stables or outdoors, and lived mainly
on the black bread they had brought
with them across the water. They
were mostly Germans-nice, easy peo-
ple-and didn't give me any more
trouble than a load OF dry goods.
Il had funny experience in the win
ter of 1867. I think it was the winter
of the deep snow when snow lay -four
feet deep on the level all through
Pittsburg. l loaded in Baltimore that
trip, and among my freight was 4,OCO
pounds OF oysters in half-gallon cans.
The weather was mild and soft, and
the oysters began to spoil when
passed through Gettysburg and Cham
bersburg. At Bedford the cans began
to burst, and they got worse the fur
Their l went. / took the National pike
at Little washington, and pushed on
rapidly, for 1 had contracted to deliver
the oysters in Columbus, O., in Is days
from Baltimore or no pay. l struck the
first snow in Morristown, O., and the
next morning it was knee deep TO the
horses. The cold was terrible, and l
still had many miles to go to Columbus.
1t was an awful drive across the prai-
ries, but I stuck to it, and got to Co
lumbus late on the evening of the
eighteenth day. [ sent word to my
consignees that ! was there with their
rotten and frozen oysters and was
ready to unload. They told me to wait
until morning, but 1 wouldn't do that
until they had signed a waiver. I
days. The next morning 1 delivered
the oysters. What cans weren't
bursted were frozen; but do you know
that freeze made the oysters take a
brace. The men spiced the oysters up
and fixed them in some way, so that
they really tasted right good, and the
next day they sold them ali without
trouble, at Sc a can, or SO a quart
They came high, but the people had to
have 'em.
The Pennsylvania canal broke in
1S47, and then we wagoners had a
chance to make money. All freight
for Pittsburg and the west had to go
by wagon, and we charged 81 a hun
dred from Chambersburg l had three
re- ms he d,-axx i1xr iSyi
big mules. 1 had discarded horses, for
the mules were quicker StepperS and
got over the mountains faster. Horses
were then worth from SIS to $500, and
mules higher yet. l quit the business
in 1855, after being at it % years. 1t
was hard occupation and dangerous,
with but little money in it, Twice l
was nearly killed. Once l was coming
down Laurel hill with one OF my teams
back of me. l told my driver to keep
a safe distance, but he disobeyed. The
lock chain broke, and his six mules and
heavy wagon slid down the mountain
and came crashing into me. My wagon
was thrown across the road, and l and
my team would have all gone over
75-foot precipice had it not been that
my blankets fell out of the rear end
and locked the wheels, just as we were
balancing at the edge. At another
time | stopped this side of the Loyal |
hanna river, in Westmoreland county
told Tom Knox, the tavern keeper, in
the morning, that [ had dreamed that
the bridge had gone down with me, |
and that I was afraid to cross-at any !
rate, until the high water went down |
Tom laughed me out of my dream, but |
advised me to take the left-hand side |
of the bridge. did so, but the bridge |
went down, throwing my wagon, six |
horses and myself in the swollen |
stream. The leader broke his neck |
against an abutment of the bridge l |
cut the harness of the other five and j
swan out with them. The wagon was |
turned upside down, and my load of |
leather was almost ruined. The turn
pike company paid me $50. I had |
broken a rule of the road in taking the /
left-hand side CT their rotten bridge, !
and may not have gotten anything had |
l sued"