The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-14
OLD STAGING DAYS
How Travellers Journeyed From Al
bany to Brattleboro In 1900.

How Travellers Journeyed From Al
bany to Brattleboro In 1900.
Judge Chandler Ball. during 1894.
published In the Hoosick Falls Stan.
lard, then edited by j. IL. Livingston.
n series Of articles entitled Annals
OF Hoosick," which covered chronolo.
gically the history OF the town from its
foundation (when Hooslck Falls was
called Quequiok Falls) TO the date OF
writing. From the issue OF July 20,
1874, we clip the following account OF
old staging days, which will be inter.
esting TO Benningtonians:
In the year 1900. and for 20 years
thereafter. the nearest postofiice was
az Hoosick Corners, three miles dis.
tant. To the nearest stage route, the
same distance on the south; and more
than twice that distance 10 the one on
the north. When for a few weeks in
the summer OF 1891 the Albany and
Brattleboro Stage Company run a
coach through Hoosick Falls, It's pas.
sage created as much excitement as
usually attends the arrival and depar-
ture of circus or caravan. Al that
time the passage from Albany or Troy
TO Hoosick was mostly performed In
the night the stage leaving Albany at
eleven and Troy at one o'clock In the
the Falls passengers
at HoOsick Corners. 10 make the rest
OF the journey on Shanks mare, or In
some vehicle hired for the occasion.
Referring 10 this stage route, an Al.
bany newspaper. under the date OF
May 81. 1914. has the following article
with pleasure We inform the public
that arrangements have been made 10
carry the mail from Albany 10 Brattle.
boro twice week. by regular line OF
stages. TO start from Brattleboro In the
morning and arrive at Albany the same
day. The gentleman engaged In this
enterprise. Mr.. Hicks. viii allow no &C.
cidcnt Ia happen by any inattention OF
his. We hope the proprietors OF the
Green Mountain Turnpike will spare
no pains To keep the road In repair. by
which the travel from Boston 10 Al
bany eau BE- performed with greater
safety than by any other route"
The tayerns OF note GA this route
were. Wadsvorth's Inn. Pittstown; WI
cox's at Hooslck Corners. Weeks at
bennington. Woodwork. Perry A. I'D.
dy's ON the Green Mountain: Spears A.
Ayerill's In Wilmington: Whitney's at
Marlboro and Glasses Stage House
m Brattleboro.
In these. and earlier times. oommuni.
cation with different sections OF the
country WIS kept up by post riders.
Nho met at designated points and e1.
changed letters aud papers. In 1850 a
post OF this Kind left Albany on Mon.
day evening. arrived az PlttstoWn ON
Tuesday. nc Hoosick and Bennington
on "Wednesday. at Little White Greek
aud Cambridge on Thursday. az Tom.
hanic and schaghticoke ON Friday.
In 1891 the postmaster general was
authorized TO extend the post route
from Albany 10 Bennington. and the
nrst 4. 3. mail reached that place on
the 25th OF March. the anniversary OF
the settlement OF the town thirty years
before.
Then. and until n very recent period
a journey from HOosick Fails % Troy
BY private conveyance consumed the
best part Of day. aud for the trans.
portation OF merchandise 90 and from
Troy. three entire days were consum.
I'd. and owing 10 the rough roads and
steep grades. the quantity OF goods
which a stout pair Of horses could
draw was but a single ton.
Then farmers taking produce Ia the
city. or travelling ON business or for
pleasure. carried a boz OF provisions
"a eat by the way. stopping for the
purpose at convenient tAyems where
the custom vast understood and pro.
yided for by a barrOom table. one end
oi which was fastened with hinges a.
the wall and the other supported by n
single hinged leg: the whole when not
In use being turned up against the wall
and secured By a wooden button. Here
the traveller rested and refreshed him
self NJ small cost on food brought from
his own buttery or larder-lf the party
ordered n glass OF blackstrap OF a mug
of dip II vas all that the landlord IN
pcctcd
Long Journeys were performed with
great difficulty: and the time consum.
I'd was a serious interruption 20 bus
mess When the time taken TO reach
Buffalo by stage coach from Albany was
reduced 90 six days. Il was believed
that Improvement Ia locomotion could
so no further