The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-01-06
SEVENTY NINE YEARS AGO
Twenty-four Days Making Journey from
Philadelphia to Pittsburg Over
Turnpike.
NOW MADE IN FOURTEEN HOURS.


persons living in McConnellsburs'
who are more than seventy-nine
years of age, and we are sure
that any one who sees them on
the street from time to time, en-.
cages with them in conversation,
or observes their general manner
of life, would not suspect that any
one of those folks thought he was
old. People are only old, you
know, when they begin to think
they are old-when they begin to
withdraw themselves from the
society of those who are younger,
advertise the fact by their every
action, and show that they are
only waiting around for some
friendly undertaken to remove
them from the scenes of activity
and usefulness.
But when we measure seventy.
nine years by what has been &C
compllshed In that time In the
way of inventions and discoveries
that add to the comfort and pleas
ure of the people-then 1t seems
like a long time. The homes in
our rural communities are now
connected by the telephone, so
that when the days work has
been concluded, supper eaten,
and the heavy shoes give place to
the comfortable slipper, the farm
er steps to the phone, calls up his
neighbor, and exchanges the To-
cal happenings, attends to little
items of business, all of which
would consume hours of valuable
time, If 1t were not for the tele-
phone.
If a trip Is to be made, the ev-
press train, the trolley, or the au-
tomoblle Is at hand to whirl him
along, snd instead of spending
twentyfour days in making the
trip between Philadelphia and
Plttsburg, he may make 1t over
the very same road in almost half
that number of hours, and the
journey, instead of beng full of
hardships, prlvation and peril, Is
one continuous round of pleasure.
Through the courtesy of j. M.
Murdock, of Johnstown, and of
our townsman, J. Kendall John.
ston, we have been furnished with
the diary of ]. Aspinall, who
made the journey from Phlladel-
phia to Plttsburg during the
month OF January, 1881. Our
neighbor, William Stoner was
living IN this town when Mr.. As
pinall went through here on the
journey mentioned; although, the
former did not remain here long
enough to form lasting acquaint.
anceshlp with all the people living
here at that time, and Mr.. Stoner
does not remember distinctly the
event.
The following account of Mr..
Asplnall's journey IS taken from
his diary, and reads as follows;
January 3rd.-Thls morning at
5 O'Clock we went on board the
Packet for Philadelphia. The
river beng frozen up, we were
obliged to go to New Brunswick
which is 33 miles S. w. of New
York. From thence'ln the stage
to Trenton which is 27 miles S.
w. of New Brunswick. From
thence in the Packet to Phlladel.
phla, where we arrived at 9 o.
clock In the evening.
January 4th.-1 have this'day
been making inquiries about the
Plttsburg wagon, but can not ar
range for our passage as they are
mostly full and engaged.
January 5th. IL ain determined
to engage with a WAGNER this
day, If possible, as we are much
annoyed by rats. This morning
we were much alarmed on finding
they had been In bed with us. l
have arranged with Mr.. VIM
Bell to take us, and our baggage,
to Pittsburg for three dollars per
hundred weight. If l had not
determined on gong to join my
relatives, l would settle there.
This evening we stopped 5 miles
from Philadelphia.
Thursday, January 9th. This