The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-06
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION DINNER.

NEW YORK IMPROVEMENTS.
Last evening, az seven O'Clock, The hrst annual
dinner or the Cheap Transportation Association
took place az Delmonicos. Perhaps ct no other
social gathering this season has there been
q moro representative assemblage OF our bust
ness men. Among the guosrs were to be noticed
such DISTINGUISHED gentlemen as Isaac H. Bailey,
President OF the New England Society; s. II. Rug.
ges W. g. Dodge General Horace Porter, Josiah
Quincy. OF Boston; Colonel Baker, President OF
the association; William II. Webb, g. T. Reynolds,
DR.. George H. Hepworth. Peter Cooper, J. W.
Smonton, Associated Press; Colonel Benjamin
A. Willis, J. Seaver Page, F. b. Thurber,
]. L. Romer, Secretary OF the association |;
James s. Barron, Erastus BROOKS and others,
distinguished In commerce, letters ana art. An
excellent band dlscoursed sweet music while
me dinner was osl n enoSed BY sns guests: Tns
tastc and flowers abOunded on all the tables. At
the plate or every guest was placed q unique bill
OF fare, with which was photograph Of tine first
excursion train from Albany to Schenectady IN
1881, on the Mohawk ana hudson River Raliroad.
Around the banqucting hall American nags W ere
Iestooned, beneath which were hung portraits OF
sucn representative Engnshmen as the Earl OF
Inc toasts Of The evening were prefaced BY that
OF Colonel Baker, the PRESIDENT OF the association
who said Ia effecs:-lt Is with great pleasure that
i rise o welcome so many distinguished citizens
10 TINS, the first annual dinnet OF the New York
Cheap transportation Association. and In the
heartfelt welcome. Some OF you come from the
nalls 0i legislation OF our common country, some
from the LEGISLATURE Of our own state. and We are
OF our own city, also by the presence OF the hon.
ored President OF the American Board OF Trans
trade are also represented. the press and the
pulpit have also representatives mere. Our
q year ago by merchants VINO felt that the
trade Of our noble city was being diverted to other
ports or being lcsc to the country largely by the
W of tor nal
facilities Our name, Cheap Transportation, per-
haps OF first was an unfortunate one, for we were,
without any act OF ours, looked upon as being hos.
tile 10 railroads and as being DESTROYS OF cutting
down ireights unjustly. We found the rates OF
10 the interior. though distances were no less.
Goods could De shipped to Boston and Baltimore,
heG es te wass sOm
20 Montreal AMI other ports, to the injury OF our
city,"
After which the health Of the President Of the
United States was proposed.
Lei tiers Of regret were received from Thurlow
Weed, s. $. Cox, Senators ConIiing and Sherman
Senator WINDOW made very pitby and Interest.
ing speech. which was an eloquent efrort IN favor
oil cheap transportation to meet the wants OF the
common people. Then ensued the regular toastS
fine evening. when were as Iollows:-
The Umpire state," responded to by MIR. 8.
sOur Army and Navy" General Horace Porter.
s S%r gand rnurssr who
said: -
'When George stephenson, In 1925, proposed to
construct q railroad from Liverpool to Manchcs-
ter and WORK the line with steam engine ct
speed OF twelve miles per hour, the latter TACT was
held up OF Itself as suffictent 10 stamp the
scneme as a bubble Twelve miles per hourr ex-
claimed the quarterly Rerfer, as well might one be
fred oil on Longrevc rocket Ana wren ten years
later Professor Morse proposed to instantly convey
messages oy electricity over miles OF space he was
locked upon-t0 use no stronger term-as Wis.
iOnary enthusiast. These Inventions have, how.
ever. RECOMMENDED the world, and vet so readily
does human nature adjust itself to circumstances
that, with scarce nifty years Detwcen now and
then, we look back and wonder now the
world could have progressed without them. 1t 10
TO steam and electricity that we are Indebted for
this wonderful devciopmeat-a developments so
wonderful That we can ma 40 parallel save IN
fairy land. The story of Aladdin aud his lamp
is not more wonderful; steam is our GENT and
electricity our "slave OF the rlng"--the one has
the power TO remove mountains, the other 10 an-
initiate time and space Let US carefully guard
these powers to the end that they may not sci v0
the ic w at the expense OF the many, but rather
regulate their use tnat tho blessings they con-
fer Will fall, ike the gentle dews oil heaven, alike
upon he poor ana upon the rich-upon the whole
people OF TINS broad land"
''rhe Press"-D NJ. stone
''Our Commercial Organizatton"-Hon. William
K. Dodge.
'.Our tanals'-samuei B. RugQi.s.
"Railroads OF the uturer--Genersl vieiA
s.Canals or the future"-Peter Cooper.
| Mr. James :. barron ana others made telling
speeches IN favor oil cheap transportation, and II
may oc said that the first annual dinner Of The
Cncap Transl 0rtatiOn was success no less owing
to the genus which organized the association
than the ne cesstties which gave 10 birth.