New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-19
OPENING Of THE ERIE RAILROAD.
TIE SECOND DAY.

AIT horn blew. The next morning at 3, We
were all aroused again, and after a good break
fast, found our way through the village to the
train. There were two trains, bat no one wished
to 60 except in that which carried the President.
This lay little ahead upon the track, with ito
long line Of banners But the other stood tempt
ngy close to the platform. The President was
not yet there-no one knew where be was.
Harry Franco and your correspondent, after
great deal Of delicate fnessing in the way Of in
quiry Of conductors and other officials, succeeded
in getting into the wrong train, which was the
one lying ahead upon the track. We fancied'
however that we were all right, and smiled com
plscently upon some friends who seated them
selves in the other. But the whistle rang wild
over the broad hill girdled plain upon which FL
mira stsndG-and away We ran, up the valley Of
the Chemung, which is bordered by fertile, we'll
cultivated farming lands and which is being "a
pidy Melted with Railroads. The blOssoming
orchards in the early morning were beautifully
relieved against the massive gloom Of the hem
lock mountain sides. From the wavy winding
rosd there were fined, deep vissss through the
vaIey-looking at which, we had fall time to do
Justice to such associations as Talleyrand, Louis
Philippe, and bis two younger brothers, could give
to Emira, where they staid a short time, in 1875,
while in exile.
| At the various stations which we passed, the
people were waiting sometimes able to see only
! that il was train, so swift was our speed, some
| times able TO wave a handkerchief-and some.
times even seeing and hearing the prominent
men," At one place we saw them stuhng the
T. nd
| the match vas red hot poker, kept at the right
heat in brazer At one Of the stations, after
Nr. w ebster had spoken he sat in the car by the
open window, upon the side where the people
stood. A universal introduction commenced i'm
mediatey and the ladies insisted upon pre-
sentaton. Among others, one more eager than
the reEt seized the hand of the Secretary ofState
| with the greatest enthusiasm, How do you do
Mr. Webster % The great expounder looked At
the woman with constitutional gravity for several
moments, and then said solemny, and in bis most
cultural tones, Madam, it il a lovely day Mrs
Wilkins was also determined TO see the Presi.
dent, and for that purpose pushed into the car
| where he was and shook his hand violently and
then turning round, needless OF the warning
whistle, she beckoned her husband, Here, VIII
kins come here-this is the President. Mr.. Pres
| ident, this is my husband, Mr.. wilkins Butby
this time the train was of, and was stopped again
to permit Mrs. Wilkins and husband to leave the
| Presidential presence.
At Canisteo pretty flag was presented, sta
ting that the Erie Railroad was the ne plus
ultra Of human enterprises" We were here
running along one Of the most level grades OF the
route, extending some l4O miles, and at length
reached Hornsllsvile, where the train stopped.
Meanwhile, the President and party, who had
started in the second train, had been ingeniously
Imuegled into the first, and at this station our
rear friends came running forward to join our
train. At Hornellsville all the dignitares said
lew congratulatory words, to which, as usual, the
crowd listened in solemn silence, giving three
measured hszzas at the end but quite too much
surprised at the occasion and its guests TO indulge
in any noisy enthusiasm.
Mr.. SEWARD said: " have always come to you
promising, but now the work is done and my vo'
cation is gone. l can only congratulate you.
Good bye"
Mr.. DOUGLAS Senator from Illinois, said
This is the greatest work have ever seen-not
alone of New.York but of the whole country. |
come from the West from the Mississippi valley
through which the continuation of this road will
soon extend l am proud and happy to be here
Mr. Douglas is a very fluent and pleasant
speaker, and has great deal Of popular magne-
ism. Mr.. Hall and Mr. Graham and Mr.. Crtten.
len all said the good things that the telegraph
instantly told you in NewYork, and the Conduc.
tor having divided the Cabinet by putting Mr.
-. a.. H.,kk L..
We all went forward again.
The valley Of the Csnisteo is very sequestered
and solitary. Its little towns have still an air Of
hardy thrift. They seem the sturdy seed which
the fostering steGminhuences shall expand into
goodly inland cities All along the valley, and for
distance Of $50 miles, We pass the line OF piles,
one OF the early mistakes Of the building upon
he road They were driven into the ground and
wooden seepers were to have been lain across
them for the roAi. But plan so miserable, that
it is wonderful how it could have ever been
adopted, soon revealed its fatal defects, and the
work was abandoned. Now, to use the touching
words Of the Erie Railroad Guide, they stretch
mournfully across he meadows, like the ruined
arches Of q Viaduct acrOssthe Roman Csmpagna."
We pass Almond, Bakers bridge, AndoVer and
Genesee, and here We enter the valley Of the
Genesee river, and race 10 miles along its banks
At Phiipsburg we cross the river, and so circui
tous is the line from Hornellsville that it was
proposed to construct a tunnel through the noun
tans. Bat the road has neither stunnel, inclined
plane or drawbrdge along its whole length.
The Secretary Of the Company, Mr.. Marsh, was
perfect Sir w alter Raleigh in the matter of CT
CARS and bis courtesy in dispensing the winning
weed to all smokers. But even the cigars Of so
great generosity may not be exhsussless, and it
was With satisfaction that we knew we were ap
prosching Cuba. The rough fences Of pine roots,
acrsulinR and acraagr niaht have wall nassad In