Evening journal., 1915-07-28

oaeSaIias. lhc uruuidung character
Of the country lying north Of Elk
river, rendered the construction and
maintenance more expensive thon any
other part OF the county (see John
stons History Of Cecil county, This
gives some little idea of road build
ing IN this county, ana the many
difficulties 70 be overcome in secur-
ing a good highway for the travelling
public
These roads being then tho only
means Of intercourse, whereas now
we have a perfect network OF rail
roads TO bind US together, as well as
means Of transit.
In scharf's History Of Phi adelphia,
we find this Samuel Breck who Wis
tied the city OF Washington ia 1909
i.ys u went out with NY brother
George in his tandem. accompanied
by a groom. We left PHILADELPHIA at
10 o'clock in the morning, dined at
Chester sup?ed and lodged IN New
port. Del, passed through Elkton,
dined in Charlestown, supped and
/ lodged in Hayre de Grace The next
day dined al the Red Lion, thirteen
miles from Baltimore, where we lodg-
ed at the Indian Queen kept by John
| Gadsby. This hotel was so spacious
I ] cannot refrain from mentioning that
J u had accommodation for two hun
/ dred dodgers The table set for thir-
ty-six persons. The bed chambers
each had single beds. The servants
more polite and attentive than any
/ ever saw In public or private hot sc. "
The stage route from Baltimore to
Philadelphia in 1902 was from Union
town, as a Baltimore starting point
running nearly due east. crossing
Back river very high up. near Bird
INLAND thence 10 Smith shop. Buck
town. Scalestown. crossing Bird
river, near the ola iron works. reach
ed the great Gunpowder (Big Gum
POWDER IL Is now called From there
! TO the Little Gunpowder in Grand
Link, from there the traveller found
himself in Hartford county. through
this county TO Black Horse, to Win
ters Run, and over Gunpowdor Neck
to Bush river. (The Gunpowder is
so called from a tradition that the
Indians when they first saw gunpow
der, thought II was some kind of
seed They got a quantity of it and
planted the land, thinking 10 raise a
crop Of vegetables But the trad-
ton does not state what they thought
the vegetables looked like). The
route continues from Gunpowder
Neck through Abdington, about one
and a half miles from Joppa. reached
Bushtown, also called Hartford. along
the northeast. branch Of the Bush
river, near Halls Mill BY Poplar
Hill on 10 Havre de Grace, at the
mouth of the Susquehanna river
which is a mile wide here. The ferry
charge was for coach and four horses
two dollars. (The present toll for an
automobile crossing the bridge at that
point is one dollar)
| Perryville, on the east bank OF the
Susquehanna, is the frat point IN
Cecil county. We are now on Susque-
hanna Manor, large tract Of lant
given to George Talbot by Lord Bal
timore. The road takes a northeast
erly direction after leaving Perry
Vile. 10 Charlestown on the Nortl
East river. where bending north tn
road crosses the river at the town O
North East; from there on TO Elkton
the county seat of Cecil
The present old Exchange Hotel NJ
Main street. Elkton was the head
Quarters of the stage coach in tina
place. John Robb grandfather OF
the late George A. Brown. Of Elkton
was one Of the most noted stage driv
ers OF that period He always chang
ed his horse in Hartford county. Elk
ton and Wilmington Mr.. Robb dice
in the house on North street. opposit,
the old academy, which house is still
occupied by his great grand children
The death of this respected man tool
place in 1868. aged seventy-one years
Leaving Elkton the stage route wai
straight out Main street. over Re,
Hill, due east, crossing Mason an,
Dixon line about two and a hall
miles east of Elkton Iron Hill is tn
next elevation for the road. over IL Il
Coochs Bridge where the Stars an,
Stripes we're first unfurled in battle
Battle OF Cooch's Bridge. Christi
ana creek is near over il and OF
through the village of Christiana, an,
nearly due north across White ella,
creek TO Newport. thence TO Whining
ton, crossing Brandywine creek, Shell
pot creek, Cartwells creek. and ap
proaches the banks of the Della war,
river, which Is followed for quite
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