Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/400

 320 THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON. of the case demanded. Besides carrying passengers, the stage coach was also the express and baggage carriage of the early day, and the mail-carrier, until the advent of the steam car. A letter delivered by post at Boston or Newport on the sec- ond day cost the writer or receiver twenty-five cents. Relays of horses were made at Bristol or Warren, Providence, Attle- boro, Wrentham, and Dedham. For some years prior to 1792, the stage coach from Providence to Newport passed through Bristol, Warren, Barneysville, Seekonk, stopping at Monroe's tavern in that town, and crossing Seekonk River to Provi- dence at Fuller's Ferry, near the present Washington Bridge, at India Point. In the year 1792 Mr. John Kelly was allowed to use a warp or rope cable to aid the ferriage across the river, between Warren and Barrington, "on the post road from Newport to Boston." When the ferry was made capa- ble of stage ferriage, the stage crossed from Warren to New Meadow Neck, and by one road or the other, as the condi- tions required, proceeded by way of Monroe's tavern " over the ancient road," to Providence. This plan continued until the bridge was built over Barrington River, when the stage route was changed to pass through Barrington by way of Bowen's and Kinnicutt's taverns, and thence to Providence by the east road, until the west road was opened about the year 1810. At first there was but one daily stage each way between Newport and Providence. As population, business, and travel increased, there were three daily coaches, Sundays excepted, between the capitals of Rhode Island, until the building of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad. These coach' s passed through Barrington to Providence, about 6.30 and 8.30 a. m., and 2.30 p. m., and returning from Providence drew up at the Barrington tavern for a change of horses, refreshments, etc., at 10.30 a. m., 4.30 and 6.30 p. m. The mail was brought and carried on the 10:30 a. m. and 2.30 p. M, stages. Among the drivers of these coaches of a later day were George R. Kinnicutt, afterwards part owner of the stage line, and tavern keeper of Barrington ; Joe. Hunt, Nat. Maxfield, Edward Trot, Sam. Burnham, and Nate.