Old Stage Coach Days in Oxford County
![[ Western Hotel, Lucan, Robert (Bob) Donnelly operated the Western Hotel in the early 1900s, approximately when this photograph was taken. By Permission of Ray Fazakas, Unknown, Private Collection of Ray Fazakas ]](../../../images/site/52419_2.jpg "[ Western Hotel, Lucan, Robert (Bob) Donnelly operated the Western Hotel in the early 1900s, approximately when this photograph was taken. By Permission of Ray Fazakas, Unknown, Private Collection of Ray Fazakas ]")
The old-time stage proprietor was looked upon as the salt of earth, [...]. The highest ambition of the young man in early days was to be a stage driver, not that the remuneration could have been any inducement as they received ten or twelve dollars per month, but the exciting life seemed to overcome the many hardships.
[...] In earlier days the competition was at times so great that they had rate wars and frequently carried passengers from London to Hamilton free and fed them on the way and treated them at each tavern. It was a common thing for stage drivers of opposing lines to meet at stage stations and fight like wild cats, and a man of pugilistic fame often drew double the pay of an ordinary peaceful driver, and fighting qualifications were recognized as a mark of efficiency. [...]