Two miles west from Pratt’s Hollow, John S. Miller conducted an old tavern, and a good one. His house was a frame building, and stood on the north side of the road. It was a popular stopping place for wagoners. Miller kept this house as early as 1836, and subsequently became the proprietor of the old tavern, five miles west of Washington, Pennsylvania, where he died.
“Polish Mountain” is reached next, one mile west of the old Miller stand. On the summit of this little, but picturesque mountain, Philip Fletcher kept an old tavern, and greeted and treated thousands of old wagoners and other travelers. His house stood on the north side of the road, and was made of logs, but the table it furnished was equal to the best on the road.
And next comes Flintstone, four miles west of Fletcher’s. All old pike boys remember Flintstone. The name has a familiar ring. The stages stopped at Flintstone, and Thomas Robinson kept the leading tavern there, in the olden time. His house was a stage station, and a wagon stand as well. Robinson, the good old landlord, got into a difficulty, many years ago, with one Silas Twigg, and was killed outright by his assailant. As early as 1835 Jonathan Huddleson kept a tavern in Flintstone, and had the patronage of one of the stage lines. He subsequently kept the old Tomlinson tavern at the Little Meadows. John Piper was an old tavern keeper at Flintstone. His house was a favorite summer resort, and also enjoyed the patronage of old wagoners. The Piper house is a large brick building, and stands on the north side of the road. John Piper died about the year 1872. The house is continued as a tavern under the joint management of John Howard, a son-in-law, and an unmarried daughter of the old proprietor. Henry B. Elbon also kept a tavern in Flintstone for many years, but his career began after that of the old road ended. Elbon died about four or five years ago. Fairweather and Ladew, of New York, own and operate a large tannery at Flintstone.
Two miles west of Flintstone, Martin’s Mountain is encountered, at the foot of which, on the east, Thomas Streets presided over an old tavern, and welcomed and cared for many a guest. His house was a frame structure, on the south side of the road.
Two miles further on the westward tramp the widow Osford kept a regular old wagon stand. She was assisted by her son, Joseph. It is needless to state that her house was popular. She was a widow. Her house was a log building, on the south side of the road, with a large wagon yard attached. Her dining room occupied the greater portion of the ground floor of her house, and her table was always crowded with hungry guests. Kitchen and bar room made up the remainder of the first story, and wagoners’ beds covered every inch of the bar room floor at night. Mrs. Osford retired from this house after a long season of prosperity, and was succeeded by Peter Hager, an old wagoner, who at one time drove a team for William Searight.
Two miles west from widow Osford’s, Henry Miller kept an old tavern. It was a brick house, on the south side of the road. It will be noted that Miller is the leading name among the old tavern keepers of the road. The Smiths don’t figure much in this line.
Two miles west of Henry Miller’s an old tavern was kept by Slifer, whose first name is lost to memory. It is probable he was of the family of Slifers who kept at Boonsboro. It is said of this Slifer that he was a good, square dealing landlord, kept a good house and enjoyed a fair share of patronage.