Traveling And Transportation.

After the commissioners appointed by Governor Snyder had laid out the street or State road, in 1815, which was afterwards known as the Baltimore, Philadelphia and New London turnpike, lines of stages were placed on that highway, and John Way, the then landlord of the Concordville Hotel, stated, in his petition in 1830, that his house was located "on the road leading from Philadelphia to New London cross-road, at which the stage teams are now daily changed on their tours between Philadelphia and Baltimore."

Albert Gallatin, in 1807, then Secretary of the Treasury, in a report to the Senate of the United States, states that "the Lancaster road, the first extensive turnpike that was completed in the United States, is the first link of the great western communication from Philadelphia." The road passes through the extreme northeastern verge of Haverford and diagonally through Radnor, and at an early date lines of stage-coaches ran along this noted highway.

Shortly after the Revolution Chester seems to have been a place of considerable attraction as a Sunday resort, and that the public, desirous of visiting the ancient borough, might not lack transportation a Sunday line of stages was run to supply that demand, as we learn from the following advertisement in the Philadelphia Gazetteer for July 3, 1789:

"The Subscriber Intends to run a Carriage from this city to Chester every Sunday and means to carry passengers at a lower rate than the regular stage; and in order that they may arrive in Chester in time for the Sermon, the Coach will leave the Indian Queen, on Fourth Street at half-past 5 o'clock in the morning. At Chester a fresh set of able-bodied Horses will be provided to return, so that the company may start thence in time for an agreeable refreshment at Messrs. Grays, and arrive in Philadelphia as early as they wish.

The general local travel from the neighborhood of Chester to Philadelphia was sadly cared for in the beginning of this century. Persons living on the King's Highway, below Chester, and the Queen's Highway, above that town, would have their trunks brought to the front gates of their houses and wait for the Baltimore or Wilmington stage to come, and, if there chanced to be a vacant place, they were taken in and carried to their destination, but frequently the coachman shook his head and drove by without stopping. To meet this want, about 1830, Chester rose to the dignity of having a line of stages to Philadelphia. I copy the following advertisement from the Weekly Visitor of Dec. 9, 1831:

"John Pucians respectfully informs the inhabitants of Chester and vicinity that he has commenced running a line of stages between Philadelphia and Chester, leaving Philadelphia every morning at 8 o'clock, starting from the Sign of the Camel on North Second street and stopping for passengers at the Sign of the Cross Keys, corner second and Lombard streets, and leaving Chester every afternoon at three o'clock, starting from the hotel of Samuel R. Lamplugh."

Lamplugh at that time kept the Columbia House, but the steamboats were then furnishing comparatively excellent transportation, and the enterprise languished, and finally the coaches were discontinued.

In alluding to the difficulties that beset the traveler by the public roads, mention was made of highwaymen. Perhaps it would have been better had the term foot-pads been used, for, in no instance that I have found did the thief present himself handsomely appareled, mounted on a dashing steed, with a black silk mask covering the upper part of his face; but, in truth, he had usually a hang-dog appearance, without any of the mythological accessories that are always present in the highwaymen of the novelists.

In the fall of 1798 Richard Flower, of Chester Mills, was stopped on the Queen's Highway near the run that crosses the road below Thurlow Station by a man who demanded his money. Mr. Flower apparently was complying with the unwelcome request when, seeing his opportunity, he struck the thief a blow on the head with his heavy riding-whip, which felled him to the ground, and then urging his horse into a run he made his way safely home.

In the Post Boy for May 25, 1824, is the following account of a highway robbery committed in this county on the night of the 21st of May of that year:

"Robbery. - On Friday evening last Mr. Samuel Black, of this county, being in his market-cart, on his way home from Philadelphia, was attacked on the West Chester road by five robbers, armed with clubs, an axe, etc., who led the horse and cart into the woods, bound Mr. Black in the cart, and after beating him, took what money they could find in his pockets, and left him in a mangled and insensible condition. On their first appearance Mr. Black succeeded in concealing his watch and pocket-book (which contained the principal part of his money and some papers) where they were not discovered. One of the robbers, who was very much intoxicated, threatened to take the life of Mr. Black, and there is no doubt he would have put his threat in execution had he succeeded in getting into the cart, which he attempted to do. After they had left him sometime, Mr. Black recovered sufficiently to unbind himself, and succeeded in getting to the nearest house. It wouId be well for persons who travel in the night to be prepared for the reception of such villains."