HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 56•
Here
comes
the
stage
Huron roads were snow-
covered and impassable in
January, 1895, and Jock
Adams, operator of the
Goderich-Lucknow stage, had
to carry the mail bag on his
back from Port Albert to
Kintail, six miles each way,
four days in succession.
So reported the Dunlop
correspondent of the Signal,
who added that "traffic
around these quarters was
completely blocked . up on
Monday, and Jock"Adams
was unable to make the trip to
the circular city. F. Allen
managed it, however."
According to George W.
Armstrong, writing in the
Lucknow Sentinel of July 30,
1958, "Jock Adams first
appeared in Lucknow as
contractor for carrying the
mail from Goderich, with
passenger service as a very
remunerative sideline. He
was underbid on the mail
contract, and cut the
passenger fare to get that
trade. It is recalled that his
business booster was the cry,
"Ahead o' the mail or no
charge."
Mrs. John Clark in the 1950
Colborne booklet recalled
that Adams and A.M. 'Polley
were rivals on the road, but
"Jock was always good-
natured and in that way drew
a good business; although his
accommq,dation was very
poor he always had a full
load".
Jock Adams died in 1913 at
Walkerton. A.M. Polley, best
remembered as proprietor of
a livery stable in Goderich,
died here in 1921. He had
operated in the 1870s a stage
between Bayfield and
Seaforth.
HORSEBACK FIRST
These were but two of many
noted characters in the time
of the stage coaches, lasting
from the early years of set-
tlement to the inauguration
of rural mail delivery. The
Lucknow stage made its last
trip in October, 1915, having
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Robert Armstrong's stage carried the mail between Goderich and Dungannon
for more than 10 years.
travelled the road for more 1882, published this made, the road temporarily
impassable, Bill turned into
than a half -century. timetable: im p
There is a boyhood memory _ Lucknow stage (daily) the nearest farmhouse and The first rural mail routeio,
of the lean horses of the arrives 10:15, departs 4; enjoyed life until the Ontario went into operation`
Lucknow stage being rested Kincardine stage, arrives
overnight in a lot and small 1:00, departs 7 a.m.; Ben -
stable at Nelson and Victoria miller stage, Wednesdays
streets, just west of the and Saturdays, arrives 10
present Esso station. (One a.m., departs at 9. The
wonders what hostler fed and Benmiller stage was a light
watered them six' days a buggy, with one horse driven
week, while the alternating by William Moore, whose
pair worked.) passenger accommodation
Upon opening of the Buffalo was thus limited, but he
and Goderich Railway on carried the mail and a great
June 28, 1858, a daily mail to many parcels. Mr. Moore
Kincardine was established, lacked an arm.
a contemporary newspaper Robert Armstrong carried
item states, "carried hor- mail between Goderich and
seback from Goderich". Dungannon for more than 40
Presumably this was the years. About 1918 he pur-
beginning of the Kincardine chased and remodelled the
stage service. former Antony Black Hotel,
A Signal item of September Dungannon's ,first hotel. His
24, 1873, tells of one night "so widow had been living in the
dark ',the horses could not house when it burned in 1958.
keep the road, and the Kin- Mrs. Armstrong, 89, died in
cardine stage upset when Goderich hospital in 1960.
within 10 miles of the village. William McConnell, of
Edward Fox, Kincardine Dungannon, operated the
jeweller, had a collarbone Kincardine stage for many
broken, but none of the other years. His parents farmed in
passengers was injured." Ashfield, and Bill as a young
William McConnell of man farmed at Sheppardton
Dungannon operated the two- for a few yeats. Then he went
horse stage between into the livery business at
Goderich and Kincardine, Lucknow in partnership with
described as "a small, side- H.J. Blake, and it was at that
door vehicle: He is not time he began operating the
mentioned by name in a lively stage.
news item of April 6, 1888,
describing the thrilling ride of THREE TEAMS?
"seven and one-half"
passengers: "The stage Writing in the London Free
coaches on Thursday had big Press in 1870, the late George
loads of human freight, L. Ellis related that
particularly the Kincardine . McConnell's coach left
stage. The genial driver had 'Kincardine daily at 5 a.m.,
perched on the roof of the stayed in Goderich two hours,
stage, with one arm around a and after picking up mail and
burly passenger and with the passengers returned to
other driving the horses over Kincardine bry 10 p.m. An
the jolting roads, seven timid extra team of horses was
passengers and a half inside, posted at Amberley and
trembling lest there should be another in Goderich. Single
a crash from above. It did not fare from Goderich to Kin -
come off, and.allgot home in cardine was $1, round trip
time to eat their hot cross fare SI.50.
`tBill established a
reputation for bringing'
through his stage coach on
time if it was humanly
The Huron Signal on June 9, possible. If a snowstorm'
GODERICH ROUTES
buns on Friday."
TIMETABLE IN 1882
weatherman gave the go between Hamilton ani
signal." Ancaster on October 10 ]906;
' There were many stages and when the 50th, an•
serving other districts in, niversary was celebrated the`
Huron, Perth and Middlesex. Signal Star reported that it
One evening in March, 1900, longglist-S a men hadrtda
the Huron Expositorfaithfully
reported, "the horses of the served rural families in the
Zurich-Hensall stage came Goderich area.
into town without their driver It listed the drivers on
and minus ,.,sleigh and routes out of Goderich as
passengers. q ii the other side follows: 1, J.M. Johnston; 2,
of the swamp the harness and George J. Glenn; 3, Harvey
whiffletrees broke, leaving M. Johnston; 4, Paden Allen;'
the vehicle and a large load of 5, Charles E. Mitchell; 6,
passengers sitting on the Frank O. Glenn. Longest
road." route was that. of Harvey
Henry Hoffman, of Dash- Johnston, 54 miles, with 163
wood, started carrying ex- calls.
press, passengers and mail The present list includes
over the Exeter -Grand' Bend three female drivers. RR 2
route in 1901, with a pistol as (Goderich township) Mrs.
protection from robbers. In Lillian Feagan; 3,
1909 he retired his stage (Amberley) Harvey John•
coach for one of the first ston; 4 (Benmiller), Lois
trucks in the area. It was not Rowe; 5 (to near Auburn),
until 1940 that roads were Maitie Mitchell; 6,
snowplowed regularly, and (Dungannon), John Brodie.
many winter trips were made The earliest stage coaches
with horse and sleigh. Mr. in this area were what we
Hoffman retired in 1946. would now describe as in.
In the early years, mail was terurban. They ran between
carried by stage from Goderich and Hamilton, with
Seaforth to Wroxeter, and an overnight stop at Galt or
there was a post office at Preston. As early as 1845,
Goderich received mail four
Jamestown., Earlynd times a week. The passenger
were William Robb - and . fare to Galt was $4. In the
Edward Lowry. 1850s there was mail from
Establishment of rural London twice a week, con -
mail delivery provided a veyed by coach or horseback
more satisfactory service, rider:
especially'' to residents,
on These coaches were hauled
roads away from stage b four horses, necessitated
routes, but the drivers by the same primitive road
inherited the same wintry
conditions that caused Jacob
weather. Even • in January; S ler to attach four
1976, it was not possible for horses to his big wagons
rural mail carriers to corn- bringing pork, flour an
plete their tours every day. whiskey from Waterloo
When back roads are im- county to trade in Goderich
passable to school buses and for hides, salt, fish and cash.
even snowplows, they tem The Hamilton stages
porarily bar the mail drivers. evidently gme into Goderich
They cannot emulate Jock alongthe Huron and
Adams, for the mailbags
Britannia roads, calling at
nowadays are too heavy to be W iliiam Reed's hotel on
carried six miles, or any.: me'
distance, on the back , Hibernia Terrace, now
Newspapers area factor. vanished down
Turn
topage'
Po