The Saint Paul globe., 1903-07-26

The news of the death of w. G. Pat
tison, which occurred a few days ago
at his home in Kalamazoo, Mich, VIII
recall vividly to the mind OF the OLD
timers in ST. Paul picturesque pc
riod of the city's history. Mr.. Pattlson
was seventy nine years old at the time
of his death and one of Kalamazoo's
most respected citizens, but the most
eventful days of his life were passed in
this city where he directed the af-
fairs of the first regular coach lines
between st. Paul and st. Anthony,
and between this city and saltwater. :
Previous to 1850 wagons carried
men and women from this city to ST.
Anthony and saltwater, but the trips
were not made at regular intervals
and the conveyances themselves were
uncomfortable vehicles in which to
travel over the rough roads that had
begun to reach out their arms from
the growing capital. In the spring of
1850 w. G, Pattison and L. L. Benson.
who were then residing in kalamazoo,
conceived the plan of putting in the
Concord stage coaches and they came
to st. Paul for that purpose, travelling
from Kalamazoo to Chicago by rail,
thence by stage coach to Galena, where
they embarked for the river trip which
brought them to st. Paul. :.
Had Their Rate Wars.
They found that the wagon routes
were controlled by Willoughby & Pow
ers, and when the new firm introduced
the up-to-date and comfortable coach
es, opposition Immediately developed.
Every day the wagons and the coaches
met on the levee where they waited for
passengers dropped by the river steam
ers The coaches were drawn by four
horses, and with their fresh paint and
picturesque drivers presented a most
attractive appearance. Deacon Will
loughby, one of the members of the
wagon firm, occasionally drove him
self and it became personal matter
with him to boast as many passengers
as the more modern vehicle carried.
So keen was the contest that not in
frequently the passengers were carried
free of charge. for with Deacon" Will
loughby the motto was anything to
make a showing" One day he drove
down to the levee with a flourish only
to find that the rival coach was there
before him and was already filled with
passengers which a newly arrived
studied the situation for a few Sec
onds and then rose to meet it.
How much are you paying for the
trip?" he called out to the stage
coach passengers.
"Ten cents apiece" several called
back.
The Deacon" deliberated a few sec
onds longer and then once more craned
his neck around at the passengers.
Say, I'll take th' hull plumb lot O.
ye to st. Anthony fur nothin'.'' ~ he said,
"an' buy yer a drink at tn American
house to boot"
Needless to say. that morning the
"DeacQns" wagon did not lack for
passengers and he drove off from the
levee in high glee.
Strange Sights on Levee.
The arrival of a river steamer In
the early fifties always meant a pic
tureSQue scene on the levee. All sorts
and conditions of people were num-
bered among the steamers passen-
gers in those days. Wealthy Southern
planters came UP for the river trip;
gamblers, much more smartly attired
and with far more assurance than men
of position, came up because the
planters came; homeseekers, some of
them poor and lily clad. others of sub
stantial means and smart appearance
disembarked with eagerness or reluct-
ance, according to the good spirit which
actuated them. Indian women sold
their bead work to these passengers;
the French Canadian voyageur loung-
ed on the levee to watch the scene;
and turbaned NANNY" the servant
of one of the Southern planters. help
ed further to accentuate the pictures
queness OF the disembarkment. The
talk among the men was largely polit-
lcal for these were exciting times and
there were plenty of historic incidents
to furnish conversation along that