Evening journal., 1915-07-28


sketch Of "The Old Post Road" might
recall some historical facts, as tho
owners of these delightful machines,
speed on their way to Baltimore II
win be readily seen the present route
from Wilmington to Elkton is not
the old one But II the beautiful sum-
mer days tempt the traveller 10 make
a run TO the Monumental City. he
win feel repaid, 10 he goes OF the
beaten track, and follows the old post
road Iron Hill, Del ana Red Hill,
Md. are in themselves objects OF
beauty any time o. the year Lower
Delaware. 10 the Mason and Dixon
Line. has a large share OF historic
interest The progressive residents
Of Wilmington viii likely be amused
at some of the sights they see ia slow
old Maryland. as their automobile
OF the latest model, runs through this
conservative section. but they will
meet with real Maryland kindness
and hospitality.
We have all heard Of the "Old Post
Road some Of us have given II seri-
GUS thought, and can imagine we see
the great big numbering mail coach,
| 1raWn ~ i'lW eomstmos SIX horses
and II the descriptions are true. that
we read. the arrival OF the stage
driver usually eAerted ell his skill
IN making a stop at a place Of inn
portance. The railroad was the death
Of the mail coach as by means of the
much faster method OF travel. there
was no longer any use for this We
hiole.
It's a far cry from the old mail
coach 10 an automobile. and yet Il
Is the use of these wonderful ma
chimes that has prompted States TO
inaugurate the building OF good
roads. The whole country, from the
Atlantic 10 the Pncihc, Is engaged
in building modern highways, roads
that viii be in condition the year
round.
Travel by stage coach was slow al
best, though there we're some efforts
made 10 keep the post road in order
An old time stage driver enjoyed a
good stretch Of road. Picture his ex-
treme pleasure at suddenly coming
on a piece Of modern road. running
miles before him. A highway firm
smooth and even no ruts. no breaks
or boulders, streams crossed by con-
the weight of any mail coach.
These roads are kept in order, and
though the taxpayer grumbles al the
additional levy. he IS IN some way
directly or indirectly benefited The
automobile frequently carries the
mail nowadays, and good roads are
a necessity TO safe travelling I'm these
machines.
have made an effort 10 get together
some Of the early history OF the ole
post roads, but especially that be.
tween Philadelphia ana Baltimore.
The section of greatest interest II
from Wilmington south. The pos
road in 174z followed this route.
d from the Quaker City TO Baltimore
Darby comes FIRST from there Il
Chester, 10 Naman's Creek TO Bran
r DIVINE ferry, on 10 Christiana ferry
TO New Castle. % Elk river. TO Mort
East, 10 Iron works Oikely the Whit
! aker Iron Company Of Principe. Il
, which George Washington was
stockholder) to Susquenhanna ferr,
/ TO Gunpowder ferry. ana on TO Pa
, tapsco ferry in Baltimore. Isaa'
Weld, an English traveller. passed
through Ellston in 1895. He writes
, in his journal. "Twenty-one miles
from Wilmington is dirty, strag
Cling place called Elkton, consist
ing Of 80 Indifferent habitations
{ erected without regard to- uniformity
In this neighboThood some log houses
had the interstices f1ied with clay
and the roofs formed OF small pieces
Of wood. called shingles"
In 1880 law was passed 4
straighten and hmend the several
roads OF Cecil county Richard Snow
don Thomas, Thomas Moffitt and ia
I cob Hollingsworth were appointed
: committee TO lay out, survey, mari
5 and bound rosd from ST. squehanni
: lower ferry (Perryville and Havre d.
+ Grace) 10 ford at Furnace. thence 4
e iCharlestown. TO bridge at head o
= North East, from there through Elk
: ton. 10 Delaware line. Previous I,
E that time the road from Elkton I,
. lChristiana was very crooked. an,
passed around the northern part O
r Gray's Hill The people Of Charles
t town thought II the road was straight
p ened travel would be diverted from
s that place and they opposed tn
; change
AaAMAAM was ctnt 10 I'M
E Legislature OF Maryland in 1892 4
= employ counsel to retain the DOS
e road where II then was. The sub
iect was before the next legislature
e Major Thomas NJ. Foreman vas il
y the assembly Of 1892 and had a peti
II ton which Mr. Linton gave him. an
2 seems not 70 have presented.
Alexander Hasson and Samue
e Hogg were appointed to lay the mat
9 ter before Colonel Nathaniel Ramse,
. who was in the Legislature The
$ were very successful, and no turtle
u reference was made to the new roa
was made until 1895. When man
citizens Of south Susquehanna hun
p dred expressed satisfaction with IN
81 old road. which was in good repai
D protesting against the CONSTRUCTION
OF a new one Isaac Weld. befor
y mentioned. said:
- few miles from Elkton
Chaflestown. containing about twer
y ~ tshermcn's houses. The adioinin
z country Us rather mountainous an
D n some places The traveller proceed
Y fhrctft I'VE miles of uninterrupte
.e woods
y The roads In Cecil COZ nty seem I
= rave been ~ carse ~ a rrear 10;
p ~ annoyance Tris was greatly du
q fc t1eir crQ-t efaess This was can.
e - of me nNrers ~ ffe land wantin