The Portland daily press., 1898-08-04
BY RAIL TO HARRISON.
First Passenger Train Entered Town
Yesterday.

BRIDGTON AND SACO RIVER RAIL
ROAD EXTENSION CELEBRATED.
Formal Opening of the New Line-The
Cumberland County Town--Address
by Mr.. Charles S. Cook of Portland.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.I
Harrison, August 3-All day long the
streets of Harrison have been thronged
with people. The stranger might have
supposed that fair was in progress or
that political gathering was being held,
but neither was the cause of the general
jolliticat1on. The people had reason for
congratulation and they showed it by en-
PERTAINING all Corners with band concerts
salutes, flag raising, dinner for a thou.
sand and display of fireworks in the
evening. What was it all about? Well,
at shortly before noon today the first pas
senger train ever run into this village
puffed it's way around the end of Long
Lake and came to stop by the half
completed station here. 1t arrived over
the extension of the Bridgton & Saeo
river railroad, and native of this town
had the honor of bringing it in, for at
the throttle of Engine 8 was Master
Mechanic and Purchasing Agent M. III,
Caswell of the road. Conductor W. S.
Kimball was in charge of the train and
the fireman was Oscar Ham. Among
Bennett, the superintendent and general
passenger agent of the road, man who
has multitude of duties to perform in
connection with the management of the
line and does them all to the satisfaction
of it's patrons, Elias Thomas, Esq. and
Col. II. S. Osgood of Portland, the last
two being among those who came to wit
ness the opening OF the new line. 1t was
the regular morning train from Bridgton
junction, where it connected with the
train from Portland which made this
| first trip to Harrison. After leaving the
old terminus of the road at Bridgton it
soon reached the shore of Long lake and
from that point on the journey of five
miles was made on the shore of one of
the prettiest Of the many small lakes
which nestle among the hills of Maine.
There is station at North Bridgton,
| the beautiful hamlet in hollow in the
high ground at the north of the lake.
| ~ i1t1
| coves which indent the shore and the
| village of Harrison is reached, a village
with comfortable homes lining tree en-
| powered streets behind which rise the
verdure crowned hills.
!, The coming of the first train was not
| the occasion of the celebration, for the
| first train was run up to make sure that
everything was in readiness It was in
| the afternoon that the line was put in
operation in earnest and the town OF
Harrison rose to the occasion, making
of 1t a holiday which brought peaple
| from miles around. Near the new sta
ton is the corn canning factory of Burn
ham & Morrill, of Portland, and here the
good ladies of Harrison began work early
in the morning in preparation for the
| feast of the afternoon. At the same time
Isaiah Webb got his small cannon into
trim and was ready to make the welkin
ring when the time should come. BY
| the early hours of the afternoon in door
yards and by trees were the tethered
horses Of the people from the country
round about. Then came train bring
ing visitors from Bridgton. The train
was made up of a passenger observation
and baggage car and -four fiat cars on
which were placed settees. Every seat
was occupied and everybody was in great
humor. AS soon as the train reached
the station it was emptied and the cars
were turned over to the young people
who were taken on an excursion to
Glines's grove, q beautiful spot several
miles down the line. The Bridgton Cadet
band, under the leadership of Frank
Cash. enliyened the moments for the
waiting crowd until 245 the string was
pulled and large flag fell from the line
between two tall poles near the station
There was ringing cheer and the band
played the Star Spangled banner. 1t was
glorious mixture of Fourth of July and
railroad extension with remembrance
of recent victories in Cuba. Then the
excursion train ratified back and was
again filed with people who rode over
the extension as the guests of the road.
Finally at little after came the mo
ment for which Harrison and the whole
country around had been waiting. Then
the first regularly advertised train to
Harrison put in an appearance. The en-
CINE of the excursion train which was On
the siding sent out long blast on it's
whistle, the small steamers in the lake
nearby took up the refrain and the can
non gave booming greetings to all of
which the engine of the incoming train
RESPONDED with blast after blast, while
the hundreds of people gathered in the
omen space near the station, watched the
moving engines and exchanged congratu-
| lations on the coming of the train for