Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-08-02


the country. II is far ahead of any other place In
the country in the number, extent, and costness
of its railroad depots and freight houses. Boston
enterprise and Boston capital have reached almost
eyery point Of New England with these modern
highways, and she would not be long IN reaching
Old ENGLAND in the same manner ii snmc fankee
would only invent method OF grading the ocean
and LAYING the rails on the water. She has now
two railroads to Maine, and quite number to New HamP
SHIRE Vermont Connecticut and Rhode Island Sne mas
three or four different railroad routes to reach the city Of New
York. but that enough and she is now planning lot
another little direct and shorter than the existing Ines
This take the shortest cut through the country rom DOS
tom to New Haven and there unite with the New Haven and
New York road This line from Boston TO New Haven will
require about hundred miles of road to be built the
cost Of which estimated about three mions OF dollars
No matter what it is to cost il the plan is feasible and an
hour is to be gained 10 time between Boston and New Yok
the capital will be forthcoming Boston has another grand
project under way in connexon with her railroads. ana mat
construction Of an immense freight depot East pos
tom to be used by all the railroads which come 10
to Boston All the lines to be connected with ths depo
by circular road round the city, leading from ko1buy'
through Bfookline Cambridge, Charlestown and Chelsea
East Boston, The depot will be at the water sde' WIN PeIs
and whaves for the accommodation Of shipping, so that oil
the railroads send their freight directly to he vesse
side and load and unload their freight without the delay and
| trouble and expense OF csrtage
friend with whom have been walking about the city,
informs me that be witnessed the first trip OF the st ocomo
tive on an American railroad. II here in Boston, and
but nineteen years ago. The first section OF the Boston and
Worcester railroad completed, Think out 10 Newton
rude constructed and locomotive was 10
readiness Notice given of the day and hour Tor trial
trim and thousands collected witness the novel scene The
locomotive brought to the track, smoking not and
champing his bits The engineer mounted and cautiously
examined the preparations The locomotive slowly walked
few steps back and forth Apprehensons seemed to be fell
tina. all was not right Other engineers and directors got
and examined and talked and consulted AT last It was re-
solved make bold push, and the engineer gave the loco
motive the rens and the whP and ran hall mile out and
back Courage up and they ventured TO bitch on the
The directors and invited company took their seats
the bell rung and the moved oil With clever uo amid
the shouts and cheers Of the thousands VINO tnrongeo he
streets Reader this but nineteen years ago. and now
probably not less than forty fifty trains ot cars day come
flying into Boston, and locomotive exctes no more aen
uon than wheel-barrUw!
The rst cars used on this road of rough, wagon
like constructions with seats running across which pasen
gers had step from seat to another ThN
next year improved cars built in baltimore, were
brought the road These in size and form were very
much like the body Of the odfsshoned stage coach The
at the side Three usually hched toge-
ther but there entrance communication from one
another An iron railing stretched along outside
enable the conductor back and forth from car 10 car
What contrast Let the long, convenient, rcs-
fnhed and richly furnished Of the present day, lei
HIM walk through the whole train Of dozen flying at
the Of thirty miles hour, and then let him try to ina
gine how ancestors travelled nineteen years ago.
have made the journey to the top OF the Bunker Hi
monument. II is esome walk, but that well pays for
the labor. think it would be difficult to find position
where could overlook greater number OF happy homes
and the view is full Of variety and beauty 10 say nothing
the rich and compact city Boston, the poPuous towns
in the immediate surrounding circle enjoy the combined ad
vanages and comforts Of city and country in high degree
perhaps like number people be found in the world
The first crclc of towns comprises Dorchester, Roxbuy,
Brookine, Cambridge, Chaestown, Malden and Chelsea
hniy in
vaon, teemng with all the luxues the earth can produce
and with their railroads. omnbuses, and steam feres they
always within fifteen or twenty minutes OF Boston.
In the chamber at the Of the monument are suspended
Of the four brass field pieces which constituted the whole
train of artillery possessed by the colonies at the commence
Of the Revolution They fastened firmly to the wall
of the monument with their muzzles pointing upward En-
gavd upon them inscription ordered by Congress in
I7ss One Of the pieces bears the "The Hancock"
and the other "The Adams" piece two or three inches
diameter has been from the Adams the mouth by
explosion With the exception of the of the pieces
the inscriptions upon them alike. The following copy
Of one of them "The Hancock Sacred to liberty. This
's Of four which constituted the whole train OF
field artillery possessed by the British Colonies OF North
sAmeca at the commencement OF the on the 18TH OF
sApi, l775 This and its fellow, belonging 10
number of citizens of Boston, used in many engage
ments during the The other two, the property OF the
Government Of Massachusetts, taken BY the enemy.
By orer Of the United sta,es in Congress assembled May
| slo, 1885,"
In the of the monument at the base Is the pendu
lum ball. suspended by wire from the top recently placed
here by Of the Professors at Cambridge for exhibiting
Foucaus experiment show the rotation of the earth
axis. The experiment. has already been affirmed thou
sand times very interesting one, and It would be Diff
cult p find place better adapted for it's exhibition than this
"vo suspension wire is hundred and twelve feet in
one and the inner ibe Of the closed at the
nale ds3y glass door, Gpevent the agitation OF the a'mo-
from dsturbh " thoibraons of the ball. which can
4 messed by vista - thDueh the glass door, When
RRrBLEn the ball nsng but short vibrations ard The
- o gave that might see il to better advan
For this purpose he opened the glass door and drew
ns s' up side Of the circular platform which it
pad bee and fastened steadily here by thread He then
puse match and applied the thread, and the thread
was burnt off the ball launched slowly asd gracefully
away purely by the force Of s gravity without any ire
guar impulse from other The vibrations now
some six eight feet the circle gradually diminishing
in distance by the resistance Of the atmosphere and friction
In four or Eve hours he keeper informed the vibrations
would become TOO limited for observation, and would require
new impulse The circle the platform divided into
three hundred and sixty degrees and pointed wre ex,erd
ing five or six inches below the ball. showed accurately to the
eve the progress Of the ball from degree TO another 1t
slowly crept round the circle In the Of two three
vibrations the change quite percePbe watched TIL
had cept from the fifteenth degree to the tweneh, requr
ing sbcu, half an hour The keeper informed me that the
time required complete the circle about thirty hve hours
and thirty six minutes. This pendulum hiss recently shown
one curious fact in reference the 'se hy which
appears that the position Of the monument nsiby cham
ged 10 the Of the dy by the heat OF the Let the
pendulum be rest and the pon, wire low the haihe
directly over the central point Of the platform Th'n n
ound IN the forenoon, whom the no, upon the eastern
"ue OF toe monument the pendulum hangs little 10 the
WESTWARD OF the central point At midday hangs little To