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MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THE YEARS It is the intention of this argicle to deal with means of transportation of different types from say 1830 to 1950 on highways, railways and via Lake routes which passed through the Township of Pickering, or adjacent thereto. The Kingston-York Road being the first of any consequence in this district and of the corduroy type, its construction was described as follows—"Whole hecatombs of trees were sacrificed to form a corrugated causeway of their round trunks, laid side by side, over which wagons could be slowly dragged or bumped, any attempt at speed being checked by an immediate sympton of approaching dissolution of the vehicle". Another writer adds that the logs were from nine inches to two feet in diameter, not squared, flattened, nor even straight and often far apart. Vehicles used were a buskboard or a caleche and in winter a farmer's jumper and a gentleman's carriole. As alte as 1859, tenders were asked for 100 mud scows to run between Cobourg and Port Hope on the macadamized (?) road. It was felt that this was necessary as the loss of horses, wagons and valuable lives in the fathomless abyss of mud during court week was fearfully alarming. Winter stage coaches equipped with a stove also came into existence. Three years previous to year mentioned above, that is 1827, Capt. Basil Hall, travelled east from York in a stage coach, reached River Rouge and found there was no bridge. A boy with a canoe provided the only means of crossing, so the passengers were ferried over, the horse yanked across, and the carriage hauled over by the passengers with the help of some chains and the horse. Capt. Hall wrote "We reached our sleeping place fatigued to the last gasp." In 1834 the number of stages on the Kingston Road was increased to five a week, the announcement reading as follows: "Montreal, Kingston and York mail stages leave Montreal, Kingston and York every day except Saturdays and Sundays at four o'clock A.M. and arrive the following day. All baggage at the owner's risk. Fare from Kingston to York at this period was $6.00, baggage 30 lbs. and under free, while two hundred pounds cost the owner the same as his own passage". During the season the lake navigation caused the stage coaches to not be used so much as during the winter, but a number had to be kept for local trips. In 1833, it is noted that a trip was made by stage wagon from Cornwall to York under the best of then existing conditions, that is the road was frozen hard and th consumed time of 120 hoursincluding 34 hours stop at Kingston, was considered good. Along about this time, William Weller's Royal Mail Line of four-horse coaches, brightly coloured vehicles with the King's coat-of-arms emblazoned on the side, was the most famous line of stages during the coaching period. This operated from Hamilton to Montreal. Changes of horses were made at various points and stops for refreshments were made at Farewell's, one mile east of Skae's Corners (Oshawa), this point being known as a "House of Entertainment" as early as the War of l8l2. Mr. Weller personally drove the entire distance from Toronto to Montreal (360) miles on a wager in the remarkable time of 35 hours and 40 minutes, this of course with relays of horses at frequent stops. In 1833 a steamer left Prescott every day for Toronto and Hamilton and Niagara, but traffic and travel were not suff-icient to make the steamboat enterprise remunatible. In 1840, there were fifty steamships on Lake Ontario, and both freight and passenger lines developed quickly. Among the most popular steamships was the Chief Justice Robinson, a boat of 400 tons carrying mail between Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara ports. In 1842 the Bethune Line was established, carrying mail from Dickinson's Landing on the St. Lawrence to Toronto, the route being covered in 36 hours. In the forties, the Royal Mail Line was put into operation and there were three ships commissioned, namely, the Princess Royal, The City of Toronto, and the Sovereign, between Kingston and Toronto. In 1855, the Kingston was put into service which carried the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, when he visited Canada in 1860. Some of these boats were luxuriously furnished or were so considered in those days. Picture: Reminder of Olden Times.—Rouge Hill Toll Gate.