The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-12
The KsIroad Excursion.
ST. ALBANs, VT, June 7, Is


To the Editor Of the Press:
The excursionists started from WATERFOWL
this morning at half past seven, and arrived at
this place at seven in the evening, having tray
eled by rail one hundred and rinety- four
miles We came by the way of the "Pottsdam
Junction" which is distant from Ogdensbure
twenty-five miles. When We left Watertowp
three cheers and an uproarious tiger were Civ
en- to the railroad gentlemen of that city, and
were most heartily returned. Several citizens
OF Watertown accompanied us some thirty
miles, and whom they left our train cheers
were again given and we proceeded on our
way. AT DeKabb Station, Mr.. Brown, Super
intendent of the Ogdensburg railroad left us
for Ogdensburg. Cheers, anu hea1ty ones too'
were given for him, with tiger added, for he
has treated our party most generously as all
in fact with whom we have become acquainted
! on this route.
As we passed through Canton, the train
stopped and gave us an opportunity of visiting
the grave of Silas Wright man who will
long be remembered by the people of st. Law
renee County, New York, and by the people
of the whole country. A marble monumen
some twenty feet high has been erected to his
memory. The inscriptions on this monument
are few and simple. They only give his name.
the date of his birth and DEATH and the fact
that 1t was erected by the citizens of ST. Law
renee county. This is just as it should be and
all he would have required if he could have
been consulted. He was Democrat in the
true sense of that word Never was man
more beloved by the citizens of his own town
than Silas Wright. He died August q, 1S47,
aged 81 years. This monument stands in a
we'll filled grave yard which shows that it is
quite an old one. This city of the dead" con-
tains about two acres enclosed by wooden
fence painted white. There are but few trees
or shrubs in tho enclosure. The ground is lev
ell and rather fat, and so it is in the small vii
lage where he lived some two or three years
before he died. 1 saw him near his humble
residence, trundling a loaded wheelbarrow.-
He was dressed like any Woodworking farmer.
Mingling freely with his neighbors he appear
ed like them. To see him on his farm or in
| his garden no one would imagine he was one
| of our greatest Statesmen. He lived in a
wooden house some hundred rods from the
| grave yard. 1t had the appearance OF a COM
mon farmers home. Such was Silas Wright.
Would to heaven he could have lived some
twenty years longer, for am sure he would
| have have been in the foremost rank of the
loyal people Of the North. ..
We took dinner in saloon at Malone and
must say with all the rest that L never ate
such meal in any saloon. 1t would have
done honor to any first class hotel in our coun-
try. made some attempts to be introduced
| to the cook, but was not successful 1t was
most admirably got up and properly appreciate
ed. 1t was ordered by L. Mills who took
charge of us at Boston when we started on
this most pleasant excursion. The truth is we
have been treated most generously by the rail
road men on all the routes We have travelled
over. The gentlemen comprising this excur-
sion party have money enough in their pock-
cts, but the trouble with them has been, they
have not had the least chance to spend it, for
all bills have been paid before they would step
| up to the Captains office and settle. 1t has
been so all the way round in spite of all pro-
tests and circumstances by our party. The
tracks OF all the railroads we have passed
over are in a remarkably good condition. and
at all the sta tons the trains have been on
time. That speaks well for their manage
ment. e-. lEs 5..s--.
Our riding on rail draws near its close
Tomorrow morning we start for Montpelier at
which place we shall arrive about nine o'clock,
A. nj. There we shall take flesh and blood
horses instead of iron ones, and drive over the
country to st. Johnsbury where we shall pass
the sabbath, and Monday start for that great
gorge in the White Mountains. The party
will give that ope ming careful survey, for
many eyes are turned upon ii about this time