The Newtown bee., 1890-02-14
The Housatonic's Semi-Centennial.

Just 50 years ago to-day, on Friday, February II, 1S40, the first regular train from New Milford was run over the IIousatonic road, the first railroad built in this section, then completed to New Milford, as an excursion to Bridgeport. Primitive as were the tracks and all equipments, they were objects of the greatest curiosity and interest to all dwellers in and about the localities through which the road had been built. As the work of construction proceeded slowly up the valley, it was watched with speculative and, ill some cases, with disapproving eyes and statements were freely made that the road would never be finished. Stepney was the first stop ping place, but the road did not long re- main content with this as northern ter minus and pushed on through Botsford, Newtown and Hawleyville, reaching the latter by means of a 200-foot tunnel, a Istupendous undertaking, in those days, i for d comparatively isolated section of the country. Thence the iron rails wound their tortuous way northward, to New Milford, where road building ceased for d while, to be afterward re- sumed and pushed forward until finally the present terminus at Pittsfield was reached and close connections establish ed with Albany.
 1 It was to celebrate the completion of the road from Bridgeport to New Mill l ford that the excursion train was run. The engine was q small affair, with com parativelY little power, burning wood, affordng no protection whatever from the weather to either the engineer or his fireman, or stoker as he was sometimes called. The coaches were simply flat ears on which blanks had been arranged l for seats. In honor of the occasion, the train was decorated with evergreens and the representative men of the town, who occupied the uncomfortable seats, were dressed in their best. Tradition relates that the train reached Newtown about noon or shortly before and was greeted by an outpouring of the towns people, both great and small. Among those who boarded the Irain here were Zaimon 5, Peck. Esq, aIld Legraald Fairchild. The
 run to Bridgeport was made on time ane
 ill good order, the engineer taking excel
 lent care of his machinery and his pas
 sengers. He was assisted by Julius E Hawley, still living at Stepney Depot then fireman, afterward engineer. Ar irving at Bridgeport, serious aeciden happened. As often described in tn BEE, the engine was cut off i'll order t
 allow the cars to run down to the steam | boat landing. Hand brakes, of course
 were depended upon to stop the train ant were merely stout blanks thrust througi
 openings in the floor of the car and hel'
 against the wheels by brakemeil. Tn : momentum of the train, however, Wa
 too great to be easily arrested and tn
 ears were dashed against a great pile Q wood at the end of the track, cut for tn
 steamer. Several were injured by tn : collision, including Peck, whose righ
 thigh was caught by the platform of tn
 car and wrenched and broken. MT Pee
 was taken to the hotel kept by Capt Hin
 man on the corner of Wall and Wate
 streets and cared for until, ill April, Ii , was able toreturn home. Nothing dannl
 ed by his painful experience q few week
 before, Mr Peek rode up on the cars an , reached home safely. When the fraa
 ture was nearly we'll and he was able [
 be about on erutches, he was so unfortt 7, nate eas to break it again and he still su !. fers the effects in lameness. The change ,, and chances of half Il century hay T brought many alterations in the railroa ' and have removed most of those who Il z Fcompanied MT Peck on that excursie e "trip on St. Valentines day, 1Sl0.
 d ---ssas- ]. -sss.-