The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-16
TROLLEY
Bells Ring in
Grafton.
NEW LINE OPENED


With a pleasant trolley ride, tooth
some dinner and a delightful eX
| change of good feeling, the town of
Grafton was yesterday brought into
electric railway communication with
the city of Worcester, through the for
NAL opening of the Grafton extension
of the Worcester and Consolidated
Street Railway.
A few of the prominent citizens of
Grafton arranged for the opening ex-
| ercises. which took place in the Kirby
House, and were attended by residents
of the two villages, Grafton Centre and
North Grafton, and also by the Off
Gals of the city council of Worcester,
officials of the Consolidated Street Rail
way Company and representatives Of
the other street railway companies run
ming into Worcester.
The trip started from the city hall
in Worcester. At 1 o'clock two of the
cars of the Consolidated Street Rail
way Company glided down Front
street well freighted with the members
of the party. The rear of the two
| cars was one of the new pieces of roll
ing stock that has been specially pur-
chased for the Grafton extension Of
the line.
1t is the largest electric car in Wor-
cester county, and undoubtedly contains
the latest improvements in the way of
| electric street railway rolling stock.
Its seating capacity is A passengers,
and the seats are arranged as in a
railroad coach. The car is fitted with
| Christensen air brakes, the first car in
Worcester county to be operated with
air brakes. The brake was tried fire.
quently on the trip, and worked to
perfection. It has a decided advantage
over the hand brake, on account of the
extra weight of the car.
The trip from the city to Grafton was
uneventful, except for the difficulty eX-
perienced in operating the new car.
There was evidently a short circuit
somewhere either in the motor or con-
troller, and grades proved the special
obstruction to rapid progress. 1t was
one of the incidents that are bound to
happen on the first trip of a new and
untried car, but except for the slight
delay, there was no inconvenience
whatever
Grafton Centre was reached at go
by the way of North Grafton village.
The overhead trestle, whereby the
street railway crosses the Millbury
branch Of the Boston and Albany road,
just below Millbury Junction station,
was taken with peculiar interest on the
way down. 1t struck most of the pas
sengers as a decidedly novel way in
which to escape the bother of grade
crossings until the same were abol-
ished under the law.
At the Kirby House in Grafton there
was welcome for the visitors from Ar
thur A. Simmons, the chairman of the
committee Of arrangements on the part
Of the townspeople. Dinner was short
ly announced and was enjoyed with
keen relish.
After the menu provided had been
thoroughly discussed, there We're sew
eral speeches. Mr.. Simmons congrat-
ulated the town upon the successful
building of the railway. and Mayor Ru-
fus B. Dodge, Jr., Of Worcester Joined
his word of cOngratulation. Hon. Geo.
K. Nichols of Grafton, President Fran
els H. Dewey of the Consolidated Street
Railway Company, Elmer E. Howe of
the board of selectmen, ex-Mayor A. B.
r. Sprague of Worcester, Chairman
Burton w. Potter of the board of al
dermen of Worcester. President Alex
ander S. Patton Of the Worcester and
Clinton street railway, President Ed
win L. Watson of the Worcester and
nam, one of the directors Of the Wor-
cester and Marlboro street railway, and
Julius Garst of the Worcester and
Webster street railway were also
among the speakers who responded to
the introductions by Mr.. Simmons. An
original poem was read by Principal
Holmes of the local high school.
The party left Grafton and returned
to Worcester at O'clock The run to
the city was made in AZ minutes, the
car having been attended to while the
members of the party were enjoying
dinner.
Among those who attended the cele-
bration were Mayor Dodge, President
Potter Of the board Of alder
men, Aldermen Brannon, Thomp
son and Russell, Aldermen elect
Vaughan, Wall and Carberry.
ex-Mayor Sprague, Hon. Stephen
Salisbury, Wesley L. Kendall, Charles
A. Richardson, Arthur w. Woods. w.
A. Bailey, E. e. Carpenter, Rev. d. F.
McGtllicuddy, John N. Akarman. W. H.
Tylee, A. H. Stone, Jerome Marble
John G. Machines, George McAleer.
The line will be opened today for
regular business and cars will run
from city hall every hour from ;
o'clock this morning until 10 o'clock
tonight. Cars will leave Grafton on the
even hour from o'clock until II
o'clock.
The Consolidated Railway Co. ex-
pected to be able to run on schedule
time today. and make half hourly trips,
but cars which were expected yester-
day, failed to arrive, and the trips will
be made every hour during today and
tomorrow.
THIN Mt ~