| Show STAGE COACH TALES By ByE E E. E C. C TAYL T AYLOR 0 R The Idol of Stage Coach Days R REDDING EDDING BUNTING Red ned to er e everyone one was more widely known and had more friends than any other driver er on the old National Nation Nation- al nl road His Ills entire service was theOld the theOld theOld Old Line the lie National Road Stage company that did the largest share of 01 the business along the famous highway of n a century ago ngo Red ned Bunting was 0 G feet 3 Inches tall In his stocking feet and was straight as ns an nn arrow He lie was of a red reddish complexion his features features fea rea tures prominent and striking his voice olce deep deel and sonorous But he was not loquacious and had a n habit hab hab- it of or munching lie was endowed with strong common sense sense the tho term horse sense originated among th the Pike c boys bos of the National National Na Na- road and was applied to him him and and he was affable convivial Ial and companionable This Idol of boys and men alike along the time National road was born In Fn Fayette ette county Pa lIe He was not only a famous driver river but also was wasa a trusted stage agent stage proprietor proprietor proprio etor and tavern keeper I He lie once owned the Central hotel In Uniontown Uniontown Uniontown Union- Union town Pa nn and probably would mare have died a n rich man tuna had he not been heen a n victim of despondency and depressIon depression depression depres depres- sion when the time railroads supplanted the old west east highway During time the Presidency of Martin Van Buren It t was deemed desirable by the administration leaders lenders In to Washington that one of the Presidents President's Presidents President's I dents dent's messages be spread speedily before the people of the time country Arrangements were made with the Stockton line to carry the message westward as the Baltimore R Ohio railroad was not then In operation west of Frederick Aid Md BuntIn Bunting as agent for the sta stage stagecoach stagecoach e coach line went to Frederick to receIve receive receive re re- re- re the m message message and convey It to Wheeling W. W Va Red ned sat beside the rela relay of or drivers the entire distance distance dis dis- tance 2 miles although h he did not handle the thc reins himself The distance was covered In 23 hours and 30 SO minutes Changes of teams and drivers ers were ma made e at nt the time usual relay sta Joseph Woolley drove dro the coach conch from Farmington armIngton to Uniontown UnIontown Uniontown Union- Union town making sparks sparl s fly Ily as the thc coach speeded down the long western western western west west- ern slope of Laurel hill Isomer Homer Westover drove ro e from Uniontown to Brownsville Browns Pa a distance of 12 miles in 44 minutes Mall Mail coaches conches in those days carrIed carried car car- ried only three passengers There was spirited bidding hIdding for the privilege privilege lege of riding In the coaches directed di directed directed di- di by Bunting on this record ride That was before they start start- ed Two of oC the passengers ers lasted as far as Uniontown and the thc third got out at nt Brownsville That spee speed In a lumbering stage gave them too much of oC a shaking up It didn't disturb Bunting at nt all This ride occurred before the telegraph wires extended west of ot Frederick Time The Pittsburgh Gazette had arranged to get an early copy of the Presidents President's message and had agreed to pay Robert Hobert L. L Barry and Joseph P. P McClelland employees of oC the time National Road Hoad Stage company SuO 50 O for tor speedy delivery elI ry of the message message message mes mes- sage sag at nt their in Pittsburgh Brownsville was the distributing pol point t for the United States mall mail at atthe atthe atthe the time tune and Darr Barry and McClelland took the mail coach the Industry famous along the route at nt Uniontown Uniontown Union Union- town and rode to Brownsville Browns on it to obtain the message anti and COD It to the time Pittsburgh Gazette When the mall was opened there was no copy of the message messac for or the time Gazette and Parry Barry and McClelland returned home disappointed and the thc Gazette ha had to watt wait for the tile next nail mall In 1540 after the railroad was completed to Cumberland M Md Red Iced Bunting Buntin drove dro the great mall mail coach from Cumberland to WheelIn WheelIng Wheeling Wheel- Wheel In Ing that carried the thc message of President Polk officially proclaiming proclaim proclaim- ing Cum berland war with Mexico He lie left Cum Cumberland berland at 2 a. a m. m and reached UnIon Uniontown town at 8 n. n m m. m lIe He breakfasted breakfasted break break- fasted there with the passengers at athis athis athis his own hotel hotel hotel-he he owned the time National National National Na Na- house at nt the time time and and then thea started oft off again lIe He reached WashIngton Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington Pa at nt 11 a. a m m. and WheelIn Wheeling Wheeling Wheel Wheel- In ing at 2 p p. p m. m He lic made the 31 miles In 12 hours Red ned was a n firm friend and staunch admirer of oC Henry Clay father father fa ther timer of the National road nn and Clay often stopp stopped d for da days clays s 's at nt Reds neds hotel In Uniontown BuntIng BuntIng Bunting Bunt- Bunt Ing named one of his sons after the time great Kentuckian CE Q 1911 1931 Western Now Newspaper Union |
