The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-11-06
wILMINGT)N CELEBRATES.
Continued from LIST page)

| ferfed hope and weary waiting for that grca
factor OF development of modern civil
| tive first entered the county at Brattlebor
over 40 ,ears ago, the people Of Wilmington
have had creams OF It's majestic presence In thei
| valley. Several times ae II has sought n pnss
age through the state on either side crossed tn,
mountains above us and gone under the noun
tains below U.S. Il has seemed to turn this way
| 40 that we could almost grasp the coveted prize
| only To have II recede beyond our reach.
During the half century drawing to close
numerous railroad surveys TO and through VIII
mington from shelburhe Falls, Brattleboro and
other points have raised our hopes high with ex
pectancy. only to let them fall shattered at oui
feet, and we have consoed our disappointment
with the thought that:
"What the fates impose, that men must needs
abide,
II boots not to resist both wind and tide"
The untirlng efforts and upfaging zeal OF
these friends of Wilmington who In the past
have done what they could to help us to III
road connections, Is gratefully remembered In
this day of rejoicing, and deeply do we deplOre
that he, who In the enthusiasm of his noble ma
ture spared neither time nor means IN his Of.
fort to connect us by rail with his beloved town
of Bratteboro, could not have lived to rejoice
with us today as we know he would have re.
joced, even though the railroad which he saw
we needed so much, comes from different oil.
rection from what he anticipated, for no narrow
view Hooking to the immediate advantage OF
his town could cover from the gaze of Edward
Crosby the broader view that that which favors
ton of country In county or state benefits al
the rest. Az wi tn him, so many of our towns.
men who have labored hard and looked anx.
iously for this purpose before It's realization
have dropped into that slumber which no rum
hing train or locomotive shrek can awaken, yet
| am thankful to be able to say that many others
who have felt the alternate thrill of hope and
dependency as railroad prospects bloomed OF
faded, are with lis to rejoice as only those can
who have at last secured the tempting object
long suspended beyond their grasp !
bonn nj railrnap n "
direction tailed and we seemed destined to re
main for the next half century as we had for
the past, we heard that the leading paper manu-.
facturers of this country the NeWtons of Holy.
oke. were becoming interested In our valley and
were commanding the swiftly flowing waters OF
the Deerfed which has so long rolled down our
great industries which were awakening the
slumbering valley below u.s. We heard that
they had a locomotive at Readsboro headed
toward us which had climed up the valley from
with hope that in some way 1t might find pas S.
age to our town. We consulted with them. We
found them men of enterprise with
operate with us in its development.
Ready to put their money into the extension
of their railroad, provided we were ready to do
our part, The railroad question was agitated
anew and carly last spring definite proDosi-
ton was made to our people that for $4,000 In
stock or gratuity subscriptions we could have a
railroad before the SHOWS of another winter.
about it with energy. Wilmington, by the hand
some majority of more than two to one, voted to
give 3d., $50. Nottingham $4,000, and the balance
of $la, 90 through the per sistent work OF Mr..
Wheeler, MIR. Spencer and others was raised by
individual subscriptions from the residents of
the town and valley, North Adams and our
friends in New York and elsewhere whose resi-
dence away does not lessen their love of their
native town of Wilmington. Upon notice that
the money was raised, with their characteristic
energy the Newtons went TO work. The Deer
field Valley Railroad Company was organized,
and even before anticipated the iron steed comes
pulling into our village, and the circling hills
respond in startling echoes to the unfamiliar
sound. With glad haste we have rushed 10 wei.
come 1t and test Its power and speed. We find
1t all that we expected. The men to whom we
entrusted our $4,000 have used 1t well and CIV
en- us better than they promised
What this railroad means to Wilmington,
already taking place among the leading sum
mer resorts of New England because of its
scenery and climate, and to the Deerfeld valley,
able to manufacturing industries, will leave
for others to say; but will venture the assertion
that no prophecy will be made to-day, however
visionary 1t may seem. which will exceed the
realization of the future. For the confidence Ia
the resources of the DeerfeId valley which has
led to the establishment of valuable manufac
turing industries. and the energy with which
Messrs. ID. H., j. C. and Moses Newton have
prosecuted to completion the Deerfield valley
railroad the people of Wilmington are pro-
foundly grateful. While their works speak
IOT IHeI1 more eUeCuVGly perhaps IUdu WOIu5
could, it is natural that the people desire to see
and hear from them on this occasion, and have
the pleasure of calling on d. II. Newton, the
president of the road. to now address you.
Hon. B. D. Harris of Brattleboro, was then
called upon and said:
Seven years ago, when our lately deceased
and much lamented friend, Edward Crosby,
with more than youthful energy and enthu-
life. and animated by that large hearted public
amir I.rno mil On ptfrrrop
n his lie and CHARACTER undertook to opsa aiae
and carry through the building of railroad be-
tween Bratteboro and Wilmington. we on the
banks of The Connecticut promptly and cordial
ly struck hands with you in the Deerfield valley
In giving him and the enterprise loyal and Wig.
orous support. And for time all went well
and we began fondly to congratulate ourselves
and each other on what seemed to be an almost
assured success. But later, through unwise
counsels and fatal delays, encouraged by the sud
den cooling off of some, and the open infideIity
of others, of its professed friends, it became
painfully evident that the work must be post
poned for time, at least, If not abandoned al
Mr. Crosby, our inspirer and leader, went to his
rest sorrowing that this unsefsh and the one
supremacy cherished ambition of his life must
be left unaccomplished, Even then, MIR Chair.
man, our sympathies went out to you, and we
babe you Godspeed when, impatient of delays
and almost despairing, you turned to others for
the co-oDeratlon we could not give. And now,
when the grand success we behold has crowned
all your labors and sacrifces-sacriices that
will be repaid in two-fod measure, hope and
believe you have no friends, here or elsewhere,
who extend to you more heartfelt congratulate
tions then your old co-laborers of Brattleboro,
who have come here to-day in considerae num-
bers to rejoice with those that are glad.
And yet we fully realize that we shall lose q
large part of your business traffic. which we
greatly lament Blindly following lose guides,
we let the golden opportunity slip, and must
the most part, the od-time relations and associa-
tons between us, {social, political, CIVIL educa
tional religious, and the like,) remain, and must
continue to remain, we are glad to believe, sub
as now. Indeed, between commu-
mites as well as individuals, associations and
of long standing, coming down from
generation to generation, cannot be severed in a
day, under any circumstances; and. between
you and us, under existing conditions, they can
not be severed at all.
If may be permitted to occupy two or three
mention one very marked and, / think, unique |
of your people. and especially |
your nonresident people, SO to speak meaning |
the Young men and women you have reared and |
educated for usefulness, who haye gone out to |
fight the battle of life elsewhere. 1 have long |
noted, and with ever increasing admiration, that
however widely they may roam, or whatever
their success In nfe-and many of them have |
achieved fortune and fame-nO son or daughter |
Of Wilmington or of this Valley ever ceases to be |
loyal to the old hearthstene, or becomes indiffer-
emit to the scenes and associates of childhood |
and youth; but ALL with one accord, as occasion |
and circumstances permit, turn their faces and |
footsteps lovingly homeward, bearing, In |
their hands oftentimes substantial tokens of af |
remembrance that melt the hearts and |
brighten the lives or both givers and receivers. |
But coming thus, or coming empty handed If |
need be, a joy full welcome awaits them always. |
The inspiring of such flial devotion in offspring
presupposes the existence of enobling virtues |
n ancestry; and 1t is the possession and exer- |
Use of these virtues-sturdy manhood, pure and |
everent womanhood ,tireless energy moral rect |
ude, and indomitable will and courage-that |
nave conspired to make possible the achieve
nent we now celebrate.