Litchfield enquirer., 1857-07-16
The Grand Excursion. THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD.

Perhaps the most successful, certainly one of the most liberal and pleasant excursions ever made in tliis country, has just terminated.
 The great event to be celebrated was the cons pietion of the Ohio and Mississippi Rail Road, uniting Cincinnati and St Louis by direct line, thus bringing the great liver of tk.e West, and
 the Atlafftis ocean, at the port of tfe Metropolis of the Western Continent withiH two days ofeach other! To make this event memorable and illusi- rious, the Directors, with :lbefaitt unpatalle ed and with enterprise only exceled by ibat eqhi- red 10 conceive and execute the r0ady invited party of three thousand 10 join them iti fGe fstsi- ties of this great occasion. And what ls more re! mafkable sill, and indicative of the liberal spirit pefyading all our Rail Road Companies n,ofe tllan forty of these companies, all lines which guests might bC e4prcted to take, in feacliing the West
 or fetufnig. cserfuIly offered to pass ihe guests
 over ther sevefsl foads, either or both ways. free Tie close of fife Month of May, and the opening l of June saw these Thousands gathering from sl quarters. pressing tIleir way over the Cumberland Mountains or crossing the AIleghanirs, Of winding through the rpmanlic scenes, of the New York and Erie foules sIlfhe es evs.s- ~ xsh Cen>
 a,. aes s'sns eeSs an si, 2" s me . ',S w .. vas cfow ded wIill l5Is lhrong Of iraveIsts The hote]s we:e otefA9Wed. hut private hospitality opened wid6 doors, and all were lodged and fed. while speeches, banduets, balls, processiohs, frcs works music, the roar of cannon, testified the enthusiasm of llse people over the aceompiish1 ineot of iieiF 2rtilieent work.
 On iIe morning of the fourth of June the asS sembled qnests stf of at six o'clock, in two long trains 0f csYsy sud were borne on iriumphantly over tEebroaJ gadge road, through the plains, and along fbe rivers of this glorious counfy fIiterrd on their route by thousands who gathered at ths various stations. and who rejoiced as tie opening of this new avenue through the heart of tbef coun. try. for commerce and travel.
 Every precaution had been wisely taken to pre-. vent accidents; inc roads had been lined with wachmen; extra engines had been stationed at various points, to supply the place of any tITat might give ont, and while great speed was aiiain- ed it not sought al the risk of life and limb.
 At midnight inc party reached the banks of ihe Mississippi. opposite s. Louis. They were ess corisd to several magnificent steamers. and there provided with supper and lodging. In inc morn- tug these stsazcs' moysd up sud d6wn tI,e river to give the vISte}s view of Sf Louis on it's river front, and it's yast commercial facilities. Then the company were landed on inc levee, seceivrJ by the authorities and wiih lnil1iafy and civic escort were conveyed in carriaces through various streets of ihe ciiy. asid out spon e Fais grounds, where they were welcomed and feaaed, sBd the ately celebrated.
 We have not gone into those detaiIs of this k cursion which made i.so agreeable to those con. cernrds but we may add that in all it's conduct, was eminently judicious and happy. The mos cordial thanks of ihe excursonists are due 70 the Directors of iha Company. and 10 all other cong panics whose roads were employed. The cities cf Cincinnati and St. Louis clothed themselves will. honor. by ihe munfcenee of their hospitality and their kindness will long be remembered by those who were so fortunate as to enjoy if.
 Railroad Excursions are apt 10 be made hksninc and .issgreeable by the crowd and eonfssion inri- dent to such great gatherings, but this has bssD remarkable for it's freedom from inconvenience, put on scale of great magnfcenees has bssw more tlan satisfactory tc inc thoasands ho pii. Icipatcj iu it,