The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-09-09
Railroad Celebration.


bration of the opening of the Burlington an
Missouri River Railroad to Fairfield, in OH
neighboring county of Jefferson, on Wednes
day of last week, and can truly say that it wa
an ovation entirely worthy of the citizens o
Fairfield who prepared il, and of the impor
tant event which IL celebrated. The numbe
present was variouslv estimated from 600,
upwards. II was said that the excursion trail
brought over 1000. consisting Of the solid mel
of Burlington and MI. Pleasant. their fami
lies, five Military companies, q Fire and Hool
and Ladder Company, bands of music, &c.
! About 10t O'Clock the whistle OF the loco
motive was heard, and speedily t. GREATER, tn,
long train Of five passenger and thirteen plat
form cars, came dashing in between the thou
sands Of spectators lining both sides of thu
track, for half mile, presenting scene, ia
ken all together, more exciting than any W,
ever before witnessed. Banners were waving
from every part of the cars; the military il
full uniform presented fine appearance; thu
bands played, cannons, one on the train ant
one ashore, were fired, the bells Of all thu
churches were rung, handkerchiefs waved ant
the people both welcoming and welcomed
| shouted such a shout as staid and sober Fair.
field never heard before.
The reception speech Of A. M. Scott, ESQ.
was chaste, eloquent and appropriate proiuc.
ton, and the response by Mr.. Coolbaush, Of
Burlington, was happy conceived, and deliv.
cred.
procession formed under The direction OF
Col. James Thompson. Chief Marshall, and
Assistants, followed the music ard Military
Companies to that pride and boast Of Fair.
field, the Public Square, where, under the
grateful shade of those magnificent trees, an
abundant repast, prepared by the ladies Of
Fairfield, was enjoyed from a table over 1000
feet long.
After the dinner there weretoasts,:read with
great propriety by A. R. Fulton, ESQ.,, and
numerous speeches by various persons from
abroad, generally pithv, to the point ana well
received. The ladies of Fairfield presented
two mammoth cakes, one to Burlington and
one to Mt. Pleasant, with fitting words and
ceremonies.
AT O'Clock, such portions of the excursion.
ers, as did not feel inclined to attend the ball
to come off in the evening in Capt. Wells hew
and spacious Hall, accompanied by several
citizens from Wapelo and the west, includ.
ing ourself, babe adieu to Fairfield and its re-
ioicings, and were landed safely in Burlington
before nine O'Clock, having had delightful
run, ana, before the shades of night obscured
the prospect, fine view of the country and
objects of interest along the route. We
can testify that the Railroad is finished to
and a trihe this side of Fairfield, to which
point the cars are now making two trips daily.
A very large force was at work at the depot,
on turn table, water tank, and in laying track
west, the grading being finished several miles
IN this direction. 1t was said that the cars
would run to Lbertyvilie station in four or
five Weeks, 10 Batavia shortly after, and to
Ottumwa at an early day, precisely when we
could not learn.
Several Of our citizens, ourself included, are
under special obligations to Messrs, John G..
Read, Vice Prest. and Superintendent, and H.
Tielson, Chief Engineer, for an opportunity to
visit Burlington on the excursion train.
AT Burlington we were happy to learn from
Messrs. Read, Tielsop, Foote and others in
charge of our Railroad that the "company en-.
terrain no other purpose than to hasten the
completion of the road to Ottumwa as speed.
lily as the times and the means at their disposal
will admit of. The future progress will de-
pend, according to the hest information we
could obtain, upon getting the bonds of this
county, and collecting private subscriptions.
They rely upon this means to assist in doing
the work in this county. If they get it, we
get the road as soon as it can be built, if they
don't get it, delay will be inevitable.
We were pleased to find c. Remick, ESQ.,, in
charge Of the C.. B. & @. Road, as General
Agent at Burlington. Mr.. Remick is very
popular and efficient Agent, and has done a
great deal to advance the interests of the Chi
cago road, which is now, we learned. in fine
order and prospecting. Col. Hammond, the
able Superintendent of this road, came over to
Fairfield on Friday, to see, we suppose, how
the country looked which is sending so many
folks, cattle and hogs over his road about these
times.