The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-05-25
OPENING OF THE CHESHIRE RAIL
ROAD TO KEENE, N. II.


The opening of this road was celebrated
at Keene, yesterday, in manner suitable to
the importance Of the event. AT O'Clock
A. NJ, the stockholders and invited guests
took the cars at the Charlestown depot of the
Fitchburg Rail Road, the directors having
rendered the free use of their cars and road
for the occasion. At the various stations on
the line of the Fitchburgh Vermont and
Massachusetts, and Cheshire Rail Roads, the
company was increased by stockholders re-
siding thcreabouts, so that, on arriving at
Kcene the train contained upwards Of 1000
persons. At Fitzwilliam and Troy, the train,
as it passed along, was saluted by the firing
Of cannon, and the cheering of the towns
men. AT Keene, on the arrival of the cars,
the church bells were rung, cannon fired,
and the citizens, who appeared to have turned
out en- maSSc, received their friends with the
most rapturous demonstrations of joy.
The Suffolk Brass Band favored the COM
pany with some of their choice music, and
aided materially in adding to the general de-
light
A meeting of the Stockholders was held in
the Town Hall at two o'clock. The affairs
Of the company were represented to be in
good condition, and the completion of the
road promised within the current year. The
| following named gentlemen were then re-
elected Directors for the ensuing year by a
vote nearly unanimous :-Thos NJ. Edwards,
y bel Phelps, Selma Hall, Benz. +. Adams,
Thomas Thatcher, Hiram Hosmer, and Eph-
rain Murdoch, Jr.
At o'clock the stockholders and their
guests joined in a procession, and, accompan-
iol H. l,o S,H,oll- Rad ,,r,,an,1oI tn tho
rail road depot, where they partook of a col
Col. Chamberlain Of Keene, in behalf of the
citizens of that town, welcomed the assem-
blage, and i'll the course of some remarks hav-
ing reference 10 the large amount of money
expended in the construction of the Cheshire
Rail Road, said that he had no doubt the
stockholders would receive ample rcmunera-
ton for their large outlay of capital.
Mr.. Edwards, the President of the Cheshire
Rail Road Company, consplimented the active
business men Of the city Of Boston, who had
SO materially aided, by means of their CAPT,
tai, in the cons. ruction of the road. He took
pleasure he said, in assuring them that their
money was proftably invested.
A vocilcrous call was made for Mr. Quincy.
the Mayor of Boston, but it being announced
that he had left town by an early train, the
President called up Samuel A. Walker, Esq,
Of Brooklinc, who favored the company with
an original song, and a number Of spicy an
ecdotes, very pertinent and very pretty.
Mr.. Degrand, of Boston, an enthusiast in
rail road enterprises spoke of their advanta-
ges over common roads, on the best construc-
ted of which, obstacles, equal to ore inch in
every twelve had to be overcome. Thus,
said he, the farmer, in taking his produce to
market, had to raise his load one mile up in
the air for every twelve miles that he travel
led.
Mr.. Warren, Mayor of Charlcstown, in
the course Of some lively remarks, having al
ludcd to the Fitchburg road as the pioneer in
the otupcndous enterprises which were form
ing a network of rail roads in Vermont and
New Hampshire, -was followed by Mr. Put,
nam, who considered the little Charlestown
Branch Rail Road, five miles long, first pro-
jcctcd to carry ice from Fresh Pond, as the
pioneer in the movement.
Deacon Samuel Greedy, of this city, and
Judge Follett, of Burlington, President of the
Rutland Rail Road, cnlig htened the company
on the subject Of rail road building.
Mr.. Allen, of Mortified, said that he was a
member of the Massachusetts, Legislature,
when the proposition TO charter company
to construct rail road to Fitchburg, was I'M
der consideration. A distinguished member
consulted with Mr.. Allen on the subject, and
after some conversation said " suppose we
must vote for the road, or Colonel Croker
will 90 crazy; but he will never. construct
one foot of it." The result has proved that,
sanguinc as Col Crocker's anticipa,ions were,
they have been exceeded four fold.
Col. Alyah Crocker, Of Fitchburg, Prcsi-
dent of the Vermont and Massachusetts rail
road, gave an interesting account of the diff |
fcultcs he met with, as one of the early pro-
jectors of the Fitchburg Rail Road. In Dos
ton he made great excrtions, but it was with
extreme difficulty that he succeeded in raising
100000. lie then visited some of the towns
now on the line of the Cheshire Rail Road,
and spent three months travelling from farm
house to farm house, urging the people to
take stock in the Fitchburg Rail Road. AZ
ter talking two or three hours, he would oc-
casionally prevail on farmer to take one
share. Many Of the subscribers to the stock
regarded their act more in the light of
charitable donation than any thing else.
Col. Croker was interrupted in lis remarks
by the announcement that the cars were on
the point of departure for Boston. At
o'clock the party bid fare well TO Keene, and
without any accident or detention arrived at
the depot in CharlcStown, at II 1-2 o'clock.
The unanimous expressions of qualification
that all were well pleased with the
excursion.
The Cheshire Rail Road extends from the
Vermont and Massachusetts Rail Road, at
to the Connecticut river at
Bellows Falls, where it connects with the
Rutland Rail Road, and also with the Sull-
van Rail Road, which will connect with the
Vermont and Central Rail Road. The
Cheshire Rail Road, fifty miles in length,
when completed will cost about SIS, 900.
1t has been substantially constructed and /