The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-09
GETTING NEARER THE HUB.
Progress of the Air-Liuc Hallway Onirin
Excursion over the Completed Portions
Of tae ROad-How it wa. Built and IA,


Progress of the Air-Liuc Railway Onrinl
Excursion over the Completed Portions
Of tse Road-IIow it was Built and who
Built II.
Correspondence OF The sun
MIDDLETows, Conn. July THE Lieutenant
Governor, State officers, and state Legislature OF
Connecticut, and the City Government Of New
Haven, together with some 2OOO Of the substantial
citizens of that community, went to Middctown on
Monday over the new Air Line Road. which IL Just
being finished. Tho party was carried by two
trains OF fifteen cars each, and each drawn by
tyo locomotives. On arriving at MiddlotoUn
they were greeted by about 1900 citizens,
with music and cannon firing A procession was
attempted, but was not very successful The entire
party, however. found itself arranged in front
o. very long tables on which spread the largest
collation. which has ever been known in that region.
Congratulatory speeches were made and there was
great enthusiasm. There was one woman with the
excursion party-tne reporter oil one oi the New
The Air line Road Is to be the great borough re
for travel and freight between New YORK and Bn'-
ton. Yeti viii be only htytwo miles In length. Its
western division, twenty-one miles, IL from New
Haven to Mijdleown, on the Connecticut river. The
river II to he crossed by OF the finest suspension
bridges In the world. with drawbridge to allow
vessels TO pass. Gems. Mcclellan and Gilmore were
the Commissioners who examined and ap-
Is progressing on II very ranidlY TIE east
ern division OF the road extends to Willimantic;
The Airline Road will save twenty.seyen miles
between Now York and Boston, which, In an age
like this ard in rrent thoroughnrc, Is worth mil
lions. Tho eastern division Is nearly all graded,
and the masonry built Thirteen months was the
period required Tor the completion OF the western
division. The snme energy will complete the east
ern division perhaps next year. The engineering
difficulties TO be overcome have been tremen iOIs.
Tho eastern division will contain two triumphs OF
engineering which tourists Will visit and artists re-
produce. They are the LYMAN and Rapallo bridges
The former s TO be 100 feet lone and f6 feet high.
Tie dimensions Of the latter will be about the same,
with not more than half the bcight. The new road
passes through Almost picturesque country.
The great energy displayed In the building md
management OF the affairs Of this road Is due 20
David Lyman, Esq. OF Mddlefcld. As President,
e undertook the control of affairs three Yeas AGO,
and In that time has gained success after
other The credit Of the road high Tie late Presi
dent Scranton, NJ the New York and New Haven
road pronounced II the most valuable franchise east
OF the Alleghanv Mountains Gen Edward W. Serrell,
Chicf Engineer Departue OF the South, gentleman
who has helped build nineteen railroads, sundry
SUSPENSION bridges, &c IL tho engineer in charge
of the AIRLINE Road, and he hrs ably seconded the
efforts Of Mr. Lyman. Tho bridges, for example,
are all OF granite and of iron which has been
doully tested The track. by the aid of a peculiar
improvement, which Gen Scrrell has patented, is
PERFECTLY smooth and trains will run steadior on Il
than on any road In the country not using the same
Improvement
The regular trains will begin running from New
Haven to Middletown some time during the present
month