| THE STATE 1N THE MARYLAND ECONOMY, 1776-1807 107
utility." T$ It granted the monopoly for six years, providing
Vanhorn complied with certain conditions .'B He was at all
times to keep a sufficient number of carriages in good repair
to convey all that requested passage. He was to make no less
than three trips a week from one river to the other from April
to November and two trips the rest of the year, unless pre-
vented by bad weather from doing so. Specific rates for pas-
sengers and baggage, according to the kind of vehicle, were
imposed on him, with a penalty of £5 for every overcharge.
Vanhorn was to enter into bond before the governor and coun-
cil to insure tile faithful performance of his duties. There was
to be no tax imposed on his stage coaches unless the road was
established by law as a turnpike. Should Vanhorn neglect any
of his duties, " to the prejudice and damage of the state," the
act was to be void, and the General Court was to determine
whether the grant should cease.e0
A few years later Vanhorn advertised his " Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Eastern Shore Line of Post Coach Carriages "
as running between Philadelphia, " Susquehannah," Head of
Elk, (Elkton) Warwick to Chester, and Talbot County, and
carrying the post mail between Philadelphia and Baltimore,
and Philadelphia and Talbot. The advertisement also men-
tions the fact that " by act of the Maryland General Assem-
bly " Vanhorn had the exclusive right of conveying passen-
gers and stage coaches for hire between the rivers " Susque-
hannah and Potomack." el The same year, 1788, Vanhorn
again applied to the legislature, this time to extend the time
of his exclusive privilege because, he claimed, " from the de-
clension of commerce, the want of public bridges, and the
ruinous state of the highways," he had been subjected to very
heavy losses and probably would " during the residue of the
term granted him be prevented from benefiting from the . . .
exclusive privilege . . ." g2 The General Assembly, in extend-
ing his monopoly until February 1794, said that the object of
"Md. Sess., 1786 c. 14.
'° Ibid. The exact route as specified by the act was from the river Susque-
hanna, passing through Baltimore-town, to Georgetown or the ferry opposite
Alexandria on the Potomac.
en Ibid.
a' B. Md. Gax., Jan. 8, 1788, p. 1.
e2 Md. Sess., 1788 c. 18.
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