Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-20

If they could return to our city to-day
Those men of strong muscle, those men of
rcnown;
who conquered the forest, and built up the
| town.
As they stood on the streets they laid out
long ago,
| Where once the strong oak and the pine used
/ to grow;
We think they would say, as their hearts
swclcd with pride,
MY children, stop walking, tits cheaper to
ride"
"The thorough braccd wagon, the numbering
chaisc,
The ox-cart and bob-scd we used in our days;
The best that we Knew, is completely outdonc,
| The father is fairly cclipscd by the son.
oh shade of the fathers who sleep with the
dead,
Come back TO the haunts where your feet used
totrcad;
For the place strange sight to your vision
reveals,
| Your children arc riding in houses on wheels.
Farewell to the bus of the Park and Van
Ness
Farewell to the dime line and ten cent OK
press.
These methods of travel we've faithfully
tried.
Now jump on the horse-cars. and all take Il
ride.
Hon. Henry Ballard was then intro
duced by the Mayor and spoke as follows
/ Hon. Henry Billiards. Address.
/ We have met tonight to celebrate the
opening of the first street railway in our
/ city. 1t is the first street railway in the
state of Vermont. In this, as in many
other respects, our city takes the lead.
1t will be an important epoch in the his
tory of Burlington, Il sort of Il landmark,
set up to mark its progress in its onward
march to II still greater prosperity in
the future. One such landmark was
set up years ago, when our respected
townsman, that king of business in his
young days, Lawrence Barnes, came here
/ from neighbOrng state and with his
praCticed eye at once took in the situation
and brought here from Canada that first
| lumber which laid the foundations of that
business, which has since made of Bur
llngton one OF the largest lumber markets
in the country.
Another such was set up years ago
when some of our citizens having in view
the prosperity of Burlington, laid the cor
ner stone Of the cold Pioneer shops, " and
started that system of manufactures that
has since made the shores of our lake
to buzz with its rolling wheels, to sing
with the music OF its spindlcs and to ring
, with the hum of industry and thrift.
I still another was erected when that sue
ce9sful burlington born boy some years
since in his lifetime opened his well Tiled
purse and commenced to make series Of
| benefactions which has since crowded oar
city with monuments Of his generosity
and which has forever linked the name of
John i. Howard with the causes of rclig-
ion, OF learning and of charity.
Burlington mOuruS the loss to-day of
han nd
pathway to his tomb will he ever worn by
the footsteps of her citizens, and his
memory will be ever green and
frequently in the mind, of all.
That gifted and honorcd son of Vermont,
erected another when he gave to our
University, that gift of royal maguili-
cence the beautiful Billings Library,
Wonder hospital that crowns the summit
Of our sloping hillside, and which makes
immortal the name of Mary Fletcher is
I still another.
Fortunate, aye, twice fortunate. is the
city whose history is markcd-made up of
events of such II character Happy the
people whose lives are imtcrmiuglrd with
such cnnODing, cXalting circumstances.
And now we have, as an assured fact,
Il street railway. We have waited long for
its coming. and therefore il is the more
heartily welcomed. 1t was chartered by
some of the citizens of Burlington in 1872,
but Tor years the enterprise had slept. The
right man had not seen the needs and
necessities of Burlington. The right man
came few weeks since. lie came in the
person of Chas. u. UaiueS of BrOoklvn. \.
Y. congratulatc him that ON his first
visit to our city he saw Burlin-ton's neces-
slty and Burlngton's opportunity. | con-
gratulate him that he can be called the
pioneer Of the enterprise. | cungratulatc
him ON its perfect and complete success.
congratulate our Mayor and Board of
Aldermen that they met the SUGGESTION,
and efforts of Mr., Uaiucs with such a
liberal spirit. CONGRATULATE those Of our
citizens.Hatch, Woodbury.. Kennedy.
Walker. and Others-W no, to the efforts of
Mr.. IIaincs gave such a cordial and heart V
cooperation. | congratulate ALL who,
having an eye to the prosperity of Burling,
ton, in any manner contributed to the
success of the enterprise.
But what is the real Significance of the
event that we now celebrate What is
the meaning Of "A street railway in Bur.
lington 1t means in my Judgment, an
increased activity in ali our business
Interests I ,nt1uS an aVtpus itr 1f t1II