Our country in story . o run on the Cumberland Road werelong and awkward conveyances without braces or seats were placed crosswise. The door was in frontand a passenger on entering had to climb over the this style of coach was somewhat improved byplacing the body of the conveyance upon thick leatherstraps which served as springs. Still later a very hand-some coach came into use—painted and decorated on theoutside and lined with soft silk plush within. It usuallycontained three seats, each of which accommodated threepersons. In front on a high outer seat sat the
Our country in story . o run on the Cumberland Road werelong and awkward conveyances without braces or seats were placed crosswise. The door was in frontand a passenger on entering had to climb over the this style of coach was somewhat improved byplacing the body of the conveyance upon thick leatherstraps which served as springs. Still later a very hand-some coach came into use—painted and decorated on theoutside and lined with soft silk plush within. It usuallycontained three seats, each of which accommodated threepersons. In front on a high outer seat sat the him there was room for another passenger. These WEST TO THE MISSISSIPPI 255 coaches often bore the names of states, of great men, orof nations, and sometimes fanciful names such as Jewess,Sultana, and Ivanhoe. The great Conestoga wagon, or road freighter, had along and deep box which very much resembled a canoein shape. The bottom curved upward at either end tokeep the heavy loads from sliding backward or forward. EMIGRANTS ON THE OLD NATIONAL PIKE in going up or down hill. The top covering was whitecanvas snugly drawn over broad wooden bows. The largewheels of these wagons had wide tires, usually measuringfour inches, so that they would not cut the roadbed. These great wagons hauled the products of the mill andfactory or the rich harvest of the fields to and fro acrossthe mountains. The loads carried on the road freighterswere very large, often weighing nine thousand pounds ormore. They were usually drawn by teams of six, seven,eight, or nine strong horses, or oxen. Tollgates were built every ten, eighteen, or twenty 256 OUR COUNTRY IN STORY miles. At these gates, toll was charged for each animalor vehicle in proportion as it damaged the or stages carrying mail or any government prop-erty, as military stores and troops, passed the pikes , school children, persons going to or returningfrom places of business, and laborers were likewiseexempted
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherchicagonewyorkscot
