the paths of inland commerce-第7章

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9　the　General　Court　of　Massachusetts　had　ordered　each　town　to　choose　men　who；　cooperating　with　men　from　the　adjoining　town；　should　〃lay　out　highways　where　they　may　be　most　convenient；　notwithstanding　any　man's　property；　or　any　corne　ground；　so　as　it　occasion　not　the　pulling　down　of　any　man's　house；　or　laying　open　any　garden　or　orchard。〃　But　the　open　and　extended　exercise　of　these　rights　led　to　vigorous　opposition　in　the　case　of　this　Pennsylvania　road。　A　public　meeting　was　held　at　the　Prince　of　Wales　Tavern　in　Philadelphia　in　1793　to　protest　in　round　terms　against　the　monopolistic　character　of　the　Lancaster　Turnpike。　Blackstone　and　Edward　III　were　hurled　at　the　heads　of　the　〃venal〃　legislators　who　had　made　this　〃monstrosity〃　possible。　The　opposition　died　down；　however；　in　the　face　of　the　success　which　the　new　road　instantly　achieved。　The　Turnpike　was；　indeed；　admirably　situated。　Converging　at　the　quaint　old　〃borough　of　Lancaster；〃　the　various　routesnortheast　from　Virginia；　east　from　the　Carlisle　and　Chambersburg　region　and　the　Alleghanies；　and　southeast　from　the　upper　Susquehanna　countrypoured　upon　the　Quaker　City　a　trade　that　profited　every　merchant；　landholder；　and　laborer。　The　nine　tollgates；　on　the　average　a　little　less　than　seven　miles　apart；　turned　in　a　revenue　that　allowed　the　〃President　and　Managers〃　to　declare　dividends　to　stockholders　running；　it　is　said；　as　high　as　fifteen　per　cent。

The　Lancaster　Turnpike　is　interesting　from　three　points　of　view：　it　began　a　new　period　of　American　transportation；　it　ushered　in　an　era　of　speculation　unheard　of　in　the　previous　history　of　the　country；　and　it　introduced　American　lawmakers　to　the　great　problem　of　controlling　public　corporations。

Along　this　thirty…seven…foot　road；　of　which　twenty…four　feet　were　laid　with　stone；　the　new　era　of　American　inland　travel　progressed。　The　array　of　two…wheeled　private　equipages　and　other　family　carriages；　the　stagecoaches　of　bright　color；　and　the　carts；　Dutch　wagons；　and　Conestogas；　gave　token　of　what　was　soon　to　be　witnessed　on　the　great　roads　of　a　dozen　States　in　the　next　generation。　Here；　probably；　the　first　distinction　began　to　be　drawn　between　the　taverns　for　passengers　and　those　patronized　by　the　drivers　of　freight。　The　colonial　taverns；　comparatively　few　and　far　between；　had　up　to　this　time　served　the　traveling　public；　high　and　low；　rich　and　poor；　alike。　But　in　this　new　era　members　of　Congress　and　the　elite　of　Philadelphia　and　neighboring　towns　were　not　to　be　jostled　at　the　table　by　burly　hostlers；　drivers；　wagoners；　and　hucksters。　Two　types　of　inns　thus　came　quickly　into　existence：　the　tavern　entertained　the　stagecoach　traffic；　while　the　democratic　roadhouse　served　the　established　lines　of　Conestogas；　freighters；　and　all　other　vehicles　which　poured　from　every　town；　village；　and　hamlet　upon　the　great　thoroughfare　leading　to　the　metropolis　on　the　Delaware。

Among　American　inventions　the　Conestoga　wagon　must　forever　be　remembered　with　respect。　Originating　in　the　Lancaster　region　of　Pennsylvania　and　taking　its　name　either　from　the　horses　of　the　Conestoga　Valley　or　from　the　valley　itself；　this　vehicle　was　unlike　the　old　English　wain　or　the　Dutch　wagon　because　of　the　curve　of　its　bed。　This　peculiarly　shaped　bottom；　higher　by　twelve　inches　or　more　at　each　end　than　in　the　middle；　made　the　vehicle　a　safer　conveyance　across　the　mountains　and　over　all　rough　country　than　the　old　straight…bed　wagon。　The　Conestoga　was　covered　with　canvas；　as　were　other　freight　vehicles；　but　the　lines　of　the　bed　were　also　carried　out　in　the　framework　above　and　gave　the　whole　the　effect　of　a　great　ship　swaying　up　and　down　the　billowy　hills。　The　wheels　of　the　Conestoga　were　heavily　built　and　wore　tires　four　and　six　inches　in　width。　The　harness　of　the　six　horses　attached　to　the　wagon　was　proportionately　heavy；　the　back　bands　being　fifteen　inches　wide；　the　hip　straps　ten；　and　the　traces　consisting　of　ponderous　iron　chains。　The　color　of　the　original　Conestoga　wagons　never　varied：　the　underbody　was　always　blue　and　the　upper　parts　were　red。　The　wagoners　and　drivers　who　manned　this　fleet　on　wheels　were　men　of　a　type　that　finds　no　parallel　except　in　the　boatmen　on　the　western　rivers　who　were　almost　their　contemporaries。　Fit　for　the　severest　toil；　weathered　to　the　color　of　the　red　man；　at　home　under　any　roof　that　harbored　a　demijohn　and　a　fiddle；　these　hardy　nomads　of　early　commerce　were　the　custodians　of　the　largest　amount　of　traffic　in　their　day。

The　turnpike　era　overlaps　the　period　of　the　building　of　national　roads　and　canals　and　the　beginning　of　the　railway　age；　but　it　is　of　greatest　interest　during　the　first　twenty…five　years　of　the　nineteenth　century；　up　to　the　time　when　the　completion　of　the　Erie　Canal　set　new　standards。　During　this　period　roads　were　also　constructed　westward　from　Baltimore　and　Albany　to　connect；　as　the　Lancaster　Turnpike　did　at　its　terminus；　with　the　thoroughfares　from　the　trans…Alleghany　country。　The　metropolis　of　Maryland　was　quickly　in　the　field　to　challenge　the　bid　which　the　Quaker　City　made　for　western　trade。　The　Baltimore…Reisterstown　and　Baltimore…Frederick　turnpikes　were　built　at　a　cost　of　10；000　and　8；000　a　mile　respectively；　and　the　latter；　connecting　with　roads　to　Cumberland；　linked　itself　with　the　great　national　road　to　Ohio　which　the　Government　built　between　1811　and　1817。　These　famous　stone　roads　of　Maryland　long　kept　Baltimore　in　the　lead　as　the　principal　outlet　for　the　western　trade。　New　York；　too；　proved　her　right　to　the　title　of　Empire　State　by　a　marvelous　activity　in　improving　her　magnificent　strategic　position。　In　the　first　seven　years　of　the　nineteenth　century　eighty…eight　incorporated　road　companies　were　formed　with　a　total　capital　of　over　8；000；000。　Twenty　large　bridges　and　more　than　three　thousand　miles　of　turnpike　were　constructed。　The　movement；　indeed；　extended　from　New　England　to　Virginia　and　the　Carolinas；　and　turnpike　companies　built　all　kinds　of　roadsearth；　corduroy；　plank；　and　stone。

In　many　cases　the　kind　of　road　to　be　constructed；　the　tolls　to　be　charged；　and　the　amount　of　profit　to　be　permitted；　were　laid　down　in　the　charters。　Thus　new　problems　confronted　the　various　legislatures；　and　interesting　principles　of　regulation　were　now　established。　In　most　cases　companies　were　allowed；　on　producing　their　books　of　receipts　and　expenditures；　to　increase　their　tolls　until　they　obtained　a　profit　of　six　per　cent　on　the　investment；　though　in　a　number　of　cases　nine　per　cent　was　permitted。　When　revenues　increased　beyond　the　six　per　cent　mark；　however；　the　tendency　was　to　reduce　tolls　or　to　use　the　extra　profit　to　purchase　the　stock　for　the　State；　with　the　expectation　of　ultimately　abolishing　tollgates　entirely。　The　theories　of　state　regulation　of　corporations　and　the　obligations　of　public　carriers；　extending　even　to　the　compensation　of　workmen　in　case　of　accident；　were　developed　to　a　considerable　degree　in　this　turnpike　era；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　the　principle　of　permitting　fair　profit　to　corporations　upon　public　examination　of　their　accounts　was　also　recognized。

The　stone　roads；　which　were　passable　at　all　seasons；　brought　a　new　era　in　correspondence　and　business。　Lines　of　stages　and　wagons；　as　well　known　at　that　time　as　are　the　great　railways　of　today；　plied　the　new　thoroughfares；　provided　some　of　the　comforts　of　travel；　and　assured　the　safer　and　more　rapid　delivery　of　goods。　This　period　is　sometimes　known　in　American　history　as　〃The　Era　of　Good　Feeling〃　and　the　turnpike　contributed　in　no　small　degree　to　make　the　phrase　applicable　not　only　to　the　domain　of　politics　but　to　all　the　relations　of　social　and　commercial　life。

While　road　building　in　the　East　gives　a　clear　picture　of　the　rise　and　growth　of　commerce　and　trade　in　that　section；　it　is　to　the　rivers　of　the　trans…Alleghany　country　that　we　must　look　for　a　corresponding　picture　in　this　early　period。　The　canoe　and　pirogue　could　handle　the　packs　and　kegs　brought　westward　by　the　files　of　Indian　ponies；　but　the　heavy　loads　of　the　Conestoga　wagons　demanded　stancher　craft。　The　flatboat　and　barge　therefore　served　the　West　and　its　commerce　as　the　Conestoga　and　turnpike　served　the　East。



CHAPTER　V。　The　Flatboat　Age

In　the　early　twenties　of　the　last　century　one　of　the　popular　songs　of　the　day　was　〃The　Hunters　of　Kentucky。〃　Written　by　Samuel　Woodworth；　the　author　of　〃The　Old　Oaken　Bucket；〃　it　had　originally　been　printed　in　the　New　York　Mirror　but　had　come　into　the　hands　of　an　actor　named　Ludlow；　who　was　playing　in　the　old　French　theater　in　New　Orleans。　The　poem　chants　the　praises　of　the　Kentucky　riflemen　who　fought　with　Jackson　at　New　Orleans　and　indubitably　proved

That　every　man　was　half　a　horse　And　half　an　alligator。

Ludlow　knew　his　audience　and　he　saw　his　chance。　Setting　the　words　to　Risk's　tune；　〃Love　Laughs〃　at　Locksmiths；　donning　the　costume　of　a　Western　riverman；　and　arming　himself　with　a　long　〃squirrel〃　rifle；　he　presented　himself　before　the　house。　The　rivermen　who　filled　the　pit　received　him；　it　is　related；　with　〃a　prolonged　whoop；　or　howl；　such　as　Indians　give　when　they　are　especially　pleased。〃　And　to　these　sturdy　men　the　words　of　his　song　made　a　strong　appeal：

We　are　a　hardy；　freeborn　race；　　Each　man　to　fear　a　stranger；　Whate'er　the　game；　we　join　in　chase；　　Despising　toil　and　danger；　And　if　a　daring　foe　annoys；　　No　matter　what　his　force　is；　We'll　show　him　that　Kentucky　boys　　Are　Alligator…horses。

The　title　〃alligator…horse；〃　of　which　Western　rivermen　were　very　proud；　carried　with　it　a　suggestion　of　amphibious　strength　that　made　it　both　apt　and　figuratively　accurate。　On　all　the　American　rivers；　east　and　west；　a　lusty　crew；　collected　from　the　waning　Indian　trade　and　the　disbanded　pioneer　armies；　found　work　to　its　taste　in　poling　the　long　keel　boats；　〃corralling〃　the　bulky　bargesthat　is；　towing　them　by　pulling　on　a　line　attached　to　the　shoreor　steering　the　〃broadhorns〃　or　flatboats　that　transported　the　first　heavy　inland　river　cargoes。　Like　longshoremen　of　all　ages；　the　American　riverman　was　as　rough　as　the　work　which　calloused　his　hands　and　transformed　his　muscles　into　bands　of　tempered　steel。　Like　all　men　given　to　hard　but　intermittent　labor；　he　employed　his　intervals　of　leisure　in　coarse　and　brutal　recreation。　Their　roistering　exploits；　indeed；　have　made　these　rivermen　almost　better　known　at　play　than　at　work。　One　of　them；　the　notorious　Mike　Fink；　known　as　〃the　Snag〃　on　the　Mississippi　and　as　the　〃Snapping　Turtle〃　on　the　Ohio；　has　left　the　record；　not　that　he　could　load　a　keel　boat　in　a　certain　length　of　time；　or　lift　a　barrel　of　whiskey　with　one　arm；　or　that　no　tumultuous　current　had　ever　compelled　him　to　back　water；　but　that　he　could　〃out…run；　out…hop；　out…jump；　throw　down；　drag　out；　and　lick　any　man　in　the　country；〃　and　that　he　was　〃a　Salt　River　roarer。〃

Such　men　and　the　craft　they　handled　were　known　on　the　Atlantic　rivers；　but　it　was　on　the　Mississippi　and　its　branches；　especially　the　Ohio；　that　they　played　their　most　important　part　in　the　history　of　American　inland　commerce。　Before　the　beginning　of　the　nineteenth　century　wagons　and　Conestogas　were　bringing　great　loads　of　merchandise　to　such　points　on　the　headwaters　as　Brownsville；　Pittsburgh；　and　Wheeling。　As　early　as　1782；　we　are　told；　Jacob　Yoder；　a　Pennsylvania　German；　set　sail　from　the　Monongahela　c