New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-08-30
Celebration of the Opening Of the Great North
arm Raiirnad nj Grnffon. y. II.


Celebration of the Opening Of the Great North
eru Railroad at Grafton, ~. H.
Hsppeniog 70 be last Friday oa a visit 10 Mr.
Webster AZ bis farm 10 Franklin, New Hampshire
we Joined with him On invitation, party that pro
ceeded TO Grafton TO celebrate the completion o'
an important stage Of progress in the N0''oe'"
Railroad, which is now passable t~o-tblras o. '"o
distance from Concord n. H. 10 the Connec''cu'
River and which. when completed VIII msAe
continuous line Of X ailrosdfrom Georgia 70 Mon'eA
The inheritance Of the road in national respect
II no other consideration 10 sothcient reason iof
nro,sy notice Of the commemoration OF It's 90 lar
completion.
Among the persons present on the occasion were
NJ, webster Hon Robt Smith Of Ill. Geo. W.
N..nath Of Franklin, President Of the Road and one
of the most intelligent men in the State, Messr'-
Russell, Caruth and Wild Of Boston, Directors oil
the Road. Mr. Butter6eld ofthe N. II Patriot, Mr..
Beard Of the Nashua Telegraph, Mr.. Wilson OF
the N. H. Statesman, Col. Gutter Of Portsmouth,
and L. c. Torner, Esq. of Cleveland Ohio &C
The Road has been built strongly and well and
with a fearless defiance Of success we passed
through one cut Of hard pan, 80 called some sixty
feet deep. and crossed rivers and glens' over pre-
cioices and ravines, safe and durable orloges'
The average cost of the Road from Concord 70 Con-
pecticut cannot be much, if any less than 100000
the mile.
The people from the many adjacent towns had
assembled at Grafton for the purpose Of witnessing
and participating in the ceremonies OF the occa-
s;on. After the collation--conducted on the strict
est of Temperance principles in the most liberal
manner--it being ascertained that Mr.. WEBSTER
eas present, there was an unanimous ana most
enthusiastic call for him. He came ont with bis
oyer-coat on his arm, and in an easy and ianiliar
manner made las far as we could hear the follow
Y ing remarks;
II am very happy fellowcihzens to be here on thi'
occaslo,to meet hero the Directors OF the hortnefh
Rsrosd-tbs Directors OF various other Railroads con-
uec,ed with II below and such number OF my fellow
citizens inhabitants OF this part Of the State ferDaps
nv pleasure and my surprise at toe success oil this great
enterprise 80 far the greater from the fact oil my
early acquaintance win this region and ell It's localities
But gentlemen the rain Ia beginning to descend
fast and pray you shelter under some oil these
roofs" (Cries Of Go on, 90 on, never mind US
In my youth and early manhood have taversed
these mountains along all the roads passes which
through
which. while 10 College had occasion to swim even
that could no. always be done; and hsve made cir
cult f many rough and tedious miles to GO, over 1t
At that day steam, ss mctivepower, acting on water
and land was thought of by nobody nor were there
good practicable roads in this part of the State At
that dsy ole must have trhversed this wilderness on
horseback or on foot SO late rs when left college
hare was no road from river TO river for carnsge t
for the conveyance OF persons. well recolect the
commencement of the turnpike system. The granting
of the charter Of the fourth turnpike which led from
Lebanon TO Boscswep, was regarded as wonderful
err The champion 10 the Legislature OF this great en-
terpsise was Benjamin Gilbert then lawyer at Han
over always a most anihble and excellent man, and
now enjoying healihfn old age In the City OF Boston
think he "a years old He Is well known TO the elder
inhabitants Of this county and glad OF this oppor-
tuuity TO sude to him highly valued friend OF long
standing.
"Iremember TO have attended the frat meeting Of the
proprietors Of this turnpike Andover 1t was dfcut
to persuade that possible to have psssaoe
carriage road over these mountains. was too young
and too poor TO be- subscriber but held the proxies
of several absent subscribers and what lacked In
knowledge and experience made up 10 zeal and as
far a. remember, my fret speech after ieit col
eye WA ia favor Of what then regarded asa great
and almost impracticsble internal Improvement to wit
tho making Of a smooth though billy road from Con.
necucut River opposite the mouth Of the White River
TO the Merrimsck River at the mouth of Contoocook
Perhaps the most valuable result OF the making OF this
and other turnpikes was the communication of know
ledge upon rosd.msking among the peope-ior 10 atew
yesrs aferwsrd great numbers OF the people went TO
church. TO electoral aud other meetings 10 chsises and
wagons over very olersble roads The next stage after
turnpikes was canals Gov. Sullivan, Dr. Dexter Col.
Baldwin and other eminent citizens Of Massachusetts
had planned the Mddlesex Canal connecting the Msrr-
mack River at Pawtucket Falls near where Lowell now
IT, with Boston. And a canal was built round those
Falls Also to complete water conveyance to Newbury'
port Great expense incurred aterwsrd in locking
he various fss higher the river, until at length the
river made nsvgsole for boats ss hRh up as Con-
cord. This thought to be great and most useful
achievement and 90 indeed It was But vastly greater
was now approaching. the of steam. That 10 the
invention which distn gulshes this age The application
Of steam TO the moving of heavy bodies on the water
and ON the land above all other inventions Of h'
or the preceding age the Cardigan mountain now be
fore ne ufts itself above the little hlocks at Ito base
Fellow citizens can we without wonder consider
where We are and what has broushtus herei Several Of
this Company left Boston and Salem this morning They
passed the KesrsMge the left the Rsgeed-Mountsiu
the right have threaded All the Nsieys snu korseb
and here they now are O'Clock At the foo, Of the
Cardigan His They probably went to the market this
morning ordered their dinners went home TO leisure
breakfast and Here they enjoying The
COLLATION. Of hospitsble friend Mr.. Csss At the hou
when their families are dining At home. BY the way 1
they bad thought hs-snd II would have been hsppy
thoushtthey might have brought us few fab, saker
out Of the sunrise this morning. and we nigh
hero enjoy 40 good fab dinner friends are nov
enjoying at Philpss Beach or Nahant This would have
been rather srkinsa ehowjer at the foot OF the Car
disan Hills would have been thing to be talked about
Fellow citizens this Railroad may be said to bring
the sea To your doors You cannot indeed, snuff Ia
saltwater, bu, you win both snuf and taste its bes
prodaess fresh as those who live on its shores.
cannot conceive OF any policy more useful to the erea
msss oil The community than the policy which estsb
iished 'hese paelic improvements Let me say fellow
ciusens that Ia the history OF human inventions there
10 hardly one 90 well calculated as taat Of railroads 10
equalire the condition Of men The richest mus, ,rave
In the for there they travel fastest the uoore.
travel IN the cars while they could not ,rsve other