What was advertised in a colonial newspaper 250 years ago today?
“The Stage Wagon … intends to perform the Journey from Philadelphia to New-York in two Days.”
Today it takes only a couple of hours or less to travel between Philadelphia and New York by planes, trains, or automobiles, but in the eighteenth century going from one of these urban ports to the other required much more time. John Barnhill and John Masherew offered a service intended to transport colonists between the two cities as quickly and efficiently as possible (and as comfortably as well: note that “the Waggon-Seats [were] to be set on Springs”).
This journey could be completed in the impressively short span of two days between April and November, but required three days in the winter months. To make this possible, Barnhill and Masherew pooled their resources. Each offered a service that extended into the hinterland around their respective cities, but neither sent their “Stage Waggon” between the two destinations. Instead, Barnhill operated between Philadelphia and Prince Town (now Princeton, New Jersey) and Masherew offered service from New York to Prince Town. At Prince Town, passengers switched from one “Stage Waggon” to the other. Each leg of the journey took a day (or a day and a half in the winter).
The advertisement indicates Barnhill and Masherew began advertising this service before it appeared in the April 24, 1766, issue of the Pennsylvania Gazette: “commencing the 14th Day of April next.” The notation on the final line – “* 6 W.” – was likely a reminder to the printer to insert the advertisement in six consecutive issues over the course of six weeks.
John Barnhill lived at the “Golden-Ball” at #37 north Elm-street, Philadelphia which was an inn. Eventually run by Heidelberger and when he died, it was run by George Christhilf, and his wife. He was a musician who died with two of his children in the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. His son, Heinrich, went to Balto. His wife married Jacob Dauterman and died 1850.