The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-01 00:00:00

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.

` GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN (IRE-
LAND) OPENING To M ARYBOROUGH.
On Saturday the Great Southern and Western Rail-
way was opened for public traffic to Maryborough, a
distance of 53-f miles. After the dispatch of the regular
traffic train at nine A.M , the engineer-in-chief; Sir
John Macneil; the vice-chairman of the board of direc-
tors, Edward M`Donnell, Esq.; William Haughton,
Esq., W. Goold, Esq., two of the directors, with a
number of friends, proceeded by an express train at
half past ten to Maryborough, where they arrived at a
quarter before twelve, and proceeded to examine some
of the works connected with the line—the new road
leading into the town under the railway—the site of the
new station at the Golden Croft, &c. The party next
proceeded to make trial of the portion of the line thence
to Mountrath, which is nearly completed. Leaving
Maryborough the line crosses the road leading to Mount-
mellick, and also that to Mountrath, over both of which
it is carried on high embankments, by means of lattice
bridges, the former being 52 feet span, the latter 50 feet.
These bridges are quite of a novel character, being the
first of the kind yet built, and after a design of Sir John
Macneil's, for combining the greatest strength of frame
with the least sacrifice of headway, on the lattice prin-
ciple.
After returning to Maryborough, the party adjourned
to M'Evoy's Hotel, where a splendid dejeuner was pre-
pared.
The Deputy Chairman of the Board presided, and at
his left sat the Rev. T. Ilarpur, Rector of Maryborough,
and the Rev. Dr. O'Connor, P.P. There were also
present—George Hoyte, Esq., Vice -Chairman of the
Drogheda Railway Company ; Mr. Newton and Mr.
Alexander, of the Irish South-Eastern Railway : Mr.
Prior, of the London and North- Western Railway of
England ; James Fagan, P. V. Fitzpatrick, Esqrs., &c.
TheCnairima.N proposed the usual loyal toasts, after
which he gave the healths of the Rev. Mr. Harpur and
the Rev.
Rev.
Dr. Mr. il
__O'Connor.AßPll
Theß and the Rev. Dr. O'CONNOR
severally expressed their acknowledgments, and the
latter gentleman took the opportunity of proposing the
heath of " The great engineer, Sir John Macneil, to
whose talent and ability the company and the country
were so deeply indebted."
Sir J. MACNEIL, in returning thanks, took occasion
to state how warmly all his exertions had been seconded
by the board of directors. It was only fair for him to
say that he could only design, while the execution was
left to the contractors ; and it had been his good fortune
to have his works entrusted to contractors who had given
him and the company the utmost satisfaction. There
were two of those gentlemen, present, and it gave him
i much pleasure to propose " The healths of Messrs.
Dargan and Moore."
Mr. DARGAN briefly acknowledged the high compli-
ment paid him. He had always received the utmost
kindness and support at the hands of the board of direc-
tors ; and holding as he then did contracts for the com-
pletion of nearly the entire line to Cork, and having
that day upwards of fifty thousand men employed in
various parts of Ireland, it was a source of much satis-
faction to him to feel that he might rely upon the same
consideration from the directors, and to feel that they
had confidence in him.—(Applause,)
Mr. MOORE also returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The health of the Deputy
Chairman of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway, George
Iloyte, Esq."
Mr. HorrE returned thanks, and said the manner in
which the works had been executed reflected the highest
credit upon all concerned, and he hoped the day was not
far distant when they would be assembled at Cork to
celebrate the completion of this great line.—(Hear,
hear.) He had no doubt but that in a very short time
Cork and Belfast would be brought within a dis-
tance of eight hours.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Hoyte
gave " The health of Mr. M`Donnell, deputy-chairman,
and the rest of the directors of the Great Southern and
Western Railway."
Mr. M`DoNNELL briefly thanked the company for the
honour paid him and the 'board.
Mr. HAUGHTON, one of the directors, also expressed
his obligation, and gave—" The health of the Chairman
of the Company, George Carr, Esq.," who was absent
in London on important business connected with the
railway.
Mr. GOOLD proposed—" Success to to the Irish South-
Eastern Railway," which would be one of their most im-
portant feeders.
Mr. ALEXANDER expressed his obligations.
The next toast was that of " Mr. Prior, connected 1
with the London and North-Western Railway of Eng-
land."
Mr. PRIOR, in returning thanks, observed that it was
kis first visit to Ireland. He had seen nothing in the
country which precluded it from rising in industrial
eminence to equal England.—(Hear, hear.) Most cer-
tainly, so far as railways were concerned, he had seen
nothing in England superior to the noble line he had
traversed on that day.—(Hear, hear.)
" The Health of James Fagan, Esq.," was proposed
and warmly toasted.
After some other toasts,
The CHAIRMAN gave " To the next merry meeting, he
hoped at Thurles.'
This sentiment was loudly cheered, and the company
repaired to the train, which shortly afterwards started,
and arrived in Dublin at half-past eight P.m , accom-
plishing part of the trip at the rate of sixty miles an hour.