The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-01-31
impressions.

poker, and sometimes the latter
utensil was seven or eight feet
long. Its use was jealousy guard
ed as a prerogative of the tavern
landlord. None but the innkeeper
could touch the great fire, which
was one of the main features Of
their hospitality. Eccentric old
Boss Rush, says Mr.. Hurlburt in
the Historic Highways of Amer
lea, kept his poker at his famous
tavern at Sulithfeld (Big Cross
ings) under lock and key.
But, while the automobile and
the pleasure coach may restore
the old taverns to pristine glories,
yet the real life of the ancient
highway has passed beyond recall.
The caravans of great freight
wagons and long professions of
mail aud stagecoaches were pictur-
esque features of the old life that
history will not repeat.
But the time that the life of the
old highway throbbed in its great
est intensity was when a president
or president elect passed in fri
umphant procession along its dus-
ty stretches. 1t was the gala day
of the pike boys All the tav-
ems and houses along the route
were bedeckcd in the welcome,
and cheering crowds from miles
around thronged the stopping
places and crossroads. The finest
horses and the most gorgeous
coach procurable were assigned to
to the task and the proud position
of "Charioteer to the president
was given to the pick of the iehus
on the line, who ever aflerward
were marked and noted Jackson,
Van Buren,, Monroe, Harrison,
Polk and Tyler passed over por-
tions of the old road in dignifed
presidential pageant, like the tri-
nmphal Roman emperors, Clay,
the great champion of the road aud
of the policy OF internal improve
ments, was a favorite in every
hamlet.
The opponents of internal i'm
| provements were far from popular
in this new country, as Van Buren,
discovered once when his coach
broke down in a spot where the
mud was deepest, the axle having
been sawed almost in two by some
waggish wig
But the life on the old pike was
not without its dangers. In the
wild passes of the Appalachians
lurked the prototype of the modern
road agent, and daring bandits
frequently relieved panic stricken
passengers of their valuables in
the good old Dick Turpin way.
Fatal wrecks sometimes occurred
in which coaches were hurled from
high cliff, dashing their passengers
to death on the rocks below.
Hastily sketched, such was the
past of the old national pike,
which carried hundreds of thous-
ands of population and millions OF
wealth into the west and which
more than any other one thing
served to harmonic and strength
en- if not to save, the Union.
Of its future Mr.. Hurlburt, an
enthusiastic prophet, says; 1T
will become again the foremost of
American highways. Its historic
associations will render the route
of increasing interest to the thou
sands who II other days will trav-
ell over those portions Of the road
which long ago became hallowed
ground. The shades Of death
will again be filled with the echo
ing horn which heraled the arrival
of the old time coaches, and the
winding ridge will again be crowd
ed with the traffic of a nation. A
hundred Cumberland road taverns
will be opened and busting land
lords welcome as of yore the travel
stained visitor Merry parties
will again fill those tavern halls,
now long silent, with their laugh.
ter.
Historic associations are not