The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-08-07

side of the Hudson. BY the aid of the military am
outer ring was formed, sufficiently large to allow
the whole company to have view OF the ground,
and the delegations were then invited inside wit
ness the ceremonies, IN company with those citizens
OF Troy who were present, and who have interested
themselves IN the construction of the work. Among
| tue oihcers OF the company on the ground we
| tlced the following gentlemen:-
John Delaiield. President
| Josiah Rich Vice President
Jonas c. Heart, Treasurer
| Erecuiire Committee.
George Il Davis Troy.
| Charles Henry Hall New York
| Alonzo G. Hammond, Brooklyn
Directors.
Alpheus sherman New York
Peter Cooper, New York
| j. A Taber, of Rawlings, Duchess County.
| John NJ. Ketchan, of Dover, ditto.
| Hiram Brown, of Amena ditto.
| Joel Mallory, ofTroy, Rensselaer,
Harvey Crosby, OF Putnam County
Jos. l.. Bloomfield, Agent.
| Edwin I. Johnson, Chief Engineer.
| Messrs. Farwe, Donner Young and Carmichael.
| the gentlemen whose names constitute the firm of
| the company OF contractors with about twenty
others, who have taken the whole line of road were
also present, and the shantees of the woramen of
the former gentleman who commences on this sec
ton OF the line, were scattered about the vicinity,
| and large number OF workmen were on the ground
| ready TO proceed TO business
| piece OF spirit stirring music from the band,
and Mr. Deafied. the President of the Company,
stepped forward and addressed the large assembage
IN bnef and pertinent Speech in which he alluded
to the origin of the system of railroad communica-
ton as being almost yet in its infancy, although
they had been introduced into almost every civili-
| zed nation within the past few years. He animad-
vered strongly on the advantages resulting the
city OF Boston; the construction OF their road across
our State, and contrasted the disadvantages that
| must naturally result TO city, unless the work
| That had been this day commenced, should be
| promptly completed. On concluding, he handedthe
instruments OF excavation In the shape of four well
finished shovels, to Alderman Leonard representing
the Mayor OF our city; Thomas c. Tallmadge, re
presenting the Mayor of Brooklyn; Jonas C. Heart,
| the Mayor OF Troy, and VIM. p. Van Rensselaer,,
| the PATRON, on whose land we were making the
commencement. The Mayor of Albany was not
present, nor the Common Council, although special
| ymvted, and steamboat sent to convey them to
the ground Neat and pertinent replies were made
| BY these pubic functlonaries, and followed by
able, but rather too long speech for hot day, in
| an open field, from Alonzo G.. Hammond ESD of
Brooklyn. He alluded to the section of country
through which this road was intended to pass, the
benefits to result TO all its border as well as those
at ITS head and termination, the opposition that had
been arrayed against it, the advantages resulting in
social and political point of view, in general
| and extended SENSE, from free communication
| between the citizens of our popuous cities and
| those OF the interior, which the latter were now de-
barred from along this route ofroad, from the fact
that during the season OF navigation their usual avo-
| cations prevented such intercourse which would be
| readily possessed when winters chill had closed
| their abors, and time was not more dear than
ney such an intercourse he very properly contend
exist, and which in many instances are so far
INDUCED as TO create a belief on one side that
oar country population comprises a large body
OF Doors, while, on the other side, they are
prompted to think that the city is a mass of
sharpers. He contrasted the advantages possessed
by the road now In contemplation, with that OF the
Bostonlans, already completed, by showing that
road was but l45 miles in length while the latter was
over 2O0; That there were no ascents descents
over thirty feet to the mile nor curves less than 2080
while the Boston road was carried over mountain
Gus regions, by inclined planes, which were subject
| to be covered with snow, and that the were
IN great abundance, and within short compass. He
then alluded to the spirit of rivalry and opposition
that existed against this work, and in single breath
pointed out the utter lmpracticaby and perfect
essness of the various proposed routes that had been
trumped up by those hostile, in order to defeat the
construction Of the road through the region contem
plated. He alluded very pontedly, and effectively,
10 the superiority OF line of railroad communica-
ton between Troy, Albany and New York, at all
seasons OF the year, and pointed as practical re.
suit, to the almost entire abandonment fthe steam
boat route Observation-Disclosures and Baltimore since
the construction of the line of railroad between those
cities He concluded, by stating that the receipts of
the Boston road were already, at the rate of $780,
wv, per annum-that on an average 800 barrels of
flour passed over per day from the west, and that
previous to ITS construction all tho passengers that
travelled on that route sent in two post coaches
and that nearly all the produce now forwarded in
that direction then ached the City of New York.
Al this. moment some boy bawled out in the crowd
Who threw that stunt" when the monster of the
Commercial, who bears that cognomen, supposing
he had been called out, Immediately intruded him
self with his hungry looking phiz, and said
Fellow Citizens: hardly know what to say on
thls occasion, which in my opinion, consider one
OF soiemnlty, yes OF much solemnity",, Gle here
modulated his voice for effect and all we could
catch was Observation-Disclosures bottles--spades-
wheelbarrows-most two oclock-hot--
cold -ice-appetlte-stu fling-surfeit.' He then
continued, with his voice at full pitch, 60 Yes, gen.
tlemen, | went down to the city of Albany, having
been appointed committee TO hunt up their Com
mon Council, and we found the town nearly de-
populated, yes entirely depopuated, nobody there
no carriages, no nothing. They appeared TO have
been frightened off by the modern 1rejans, who
have shown more courage than those of other times
Yes, gentlemen, we went ashore, but could find no
corporation, nor even stationary enough to write
note upon We returned, gentlemen, and here
are and such is the!aspect of the case and as the
day is warm, il is well enough to make beginning
or we, shall never get TO the end of this business
| understand, also, that this is a champagne
country, and | think | hear the waters
now gathering the plates and drawing the corks so
let us get under way and finish up You Troians
VIII have every thing your own way in this bust
ness, and when you get it all finished the Albanlans
VIII come cap in hand and ask your aid to tunnel
the Hudson. ! know these people well, | was one
OF them once myself, although not native, and
when published the Albany Daily Advertiser,
was the first man. or the first editor. that baed for
the construction of the big ditch. Afterwards Go
vernon Clinton came IN and assisted me until IL was
finished. (Some boy cried out % what whopper.)
Yes, gentlemen, and was one among the first that
came down in the first canal boat that passed
through this great work Cand so was ElkanahWat
sons old horse some whispered in our ear,)
and therefore consider myself among the first in
the prosecution of this noble enterprise "a Iaugh)
Gentlemen, have great faith in the prosecution of
this road, as the Trolans have commenced II, and it
IS that they undertake any thing that does
succeed-so give us spade and lets commence"
The President of the company, the Mayor of
Troy, and the representatives oil the Mayors OF New
York and Brooklyn, with VIM. p. Van Rensselaer,,
then stepped forward with shovel in each right
hand, and amid the of artillery, the air of Hail
Columbia by the band and the shouts of the speca-
tors, the ground was broken, and wheebarrow after
wheebarrow full. toted off by the members of the
various delegations and other gentlemen present.
Alderman Lee buckled to the first barrow, and
turned Il 20 lis place Of destination in workman