I'm trying to figure what "cars" is referring to from the following page from the "History of Dauphin County" 1907. In a report by the committee on roads to the State senate, dated 1829, appeared the following: "Arrival and Departure of Cars, Canal Boats and Stages. (Colder's Line)" The Philadelphia cars leave Harrisburg every morning at 7 1/2 o'clock, and at 4 o'clock p. m. and arrival from Philadelphia at 6a. m. and 2 p. m. ..... Chambersburg cars leave here every day at 8 1/2 a. m. and 2 1/2 p. m. Arrive from Chambersburg at 7a. m. and 2 p. m. The Express Packet Boat leaves Harrisburg every day at 2 1/2 p. m. and arrives from Pittsburg every day at 10 p. m. ..... The Reading Stage leaves daily at 8 o'clock a. m. and arrives from Reading daily at 8 p. m.... The Packet Boats are the canal boats, the Stage is well, a horse drawn stage coach, would anyone have an idea what they meant by "cars"? There was no passenger railroad that I'm aware of in the late 1820's, unless they were cars on tracks being hauled by horses. Steam engines were just making their debut as a curiosity in this country in 1829. Marcia Fronk

Go to the site below and see just when railroads started up in the east. It was a very rapid development after rails were chartered. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/nation/train_1 -----Original Message----- From: Houston [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 8:39 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [PADAUPHI] Cars, Canal Boats and Stages in 1829 I'm trying to figure what "cars" is referring to from the following page from the "History of Dauphin County" 1907. In a report by the committee on roads to the State senate, dated 1829, appeared the following: "Arrival and Departure of Cars, Canal Boats and Stages. (Colder's Line)" The Philadelphia cars leave Harrisburg every morning at 7 1/2 o'clock, and at 4 o'clock p. m. and arrival from Philadelphia at 6a. m. and 2 p. m. ..... Chambersburg cars leave here every day at 8 1/2 a. m. and 2 1/2 p. m. Arrive from Chambersburg at 7a. m. and 2 p. m. The Express Packet Boat leaves Harrisburg every day at 2 1/2 p. m. and arrives from Pittsburg every day at 10 p. m. ..... The Reading Stage leaves daily at 8 o'clock a. m. and arrives from Reading daily at 8 p. m.... The Packet Boats are the canal boats, the Stage is well, a horse drawn stage coach, would anyone have an idea what they meant by "cars"? There was no passenger railroad that I'm aware of in the late 1820's, unless they were cars on tracks being hauled by horses. Steam engines were just making their debut as a curiosity in this country in 1829. Marcia Fronk ==== PADAUPHI Mailing List ==== Post only genealogy related topics

Cars may refer to the mail shipments, that William Calder had contracted. Or perhaps it's the other way around and the "stage" is mail and the cars are larger passenger coaches. You are right that no rail lines existed in Harrisburg. The first "railroad" to reach Harrisburg was a horse-drawn train that made its debut in August 1836. A month later a steam locomotive made its appearance. On the other hand, William Calder had built up his business in Harrisburg to the point that fifteen coaches were leaving the town daily. All the above info is from Gerald Eggert's excellent book "Harrisburg Industrializes" (1993, University Park, The Pennsylvania State University Press), pages 21, 29-31. The other possibility is that the 1829 date is wrong, as happens sometimes in those older county histories. Is there a transportation historian who could shed more light? -----Original Message----- From: Houston [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 11:39 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [PADAUPHI] Cars, Canal Boats and Stages in 1829 I'm trying to figure what "cars" is referring to from the following page from the "History of Dauphin County" 1907. In a report by the committee on roads to the State senate, dated 1829, appeared the following: "Arrival and Departure of Cars, Canal Boats and Stages. (Colder's Line)" The Philadelphia cars leave Harrisburg every morning at 7 1/2 o'clock, and at 4 o'clock p. m. and arrival from Philadelphia at 6a. m. and 2 p. m. ..... Chambersburg cars leave here every day at 8 1/2 a. m. and 2 1/2 p. m. Arrive from Chambersburg at 7a. m. and 2 p. m. The Express Packet Boat leaves Harrisburg every day at 2 1/2 p. m. and arrives from Pittsburg every day at 10 p. m. ..... The Reading Stage leaves daily at 8 o'clock a. m. and arrives from Reading daily at 8 p. m.... The Packet Boats are the canal boats, the Stage is well, a horse drawn stage coach, would anyone have an idea what they meant by "cars"? There was no passenger railroad that I'm aware of in the late 1820's, unless they were cars on tracks being hauled by horses. Steam engines were just making their debut as a curiosity in this country in 1829. Marcia Fronk ==== PADAUPHI Mailing List ==== Post only genealogy related topics