Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-24
TRAVELLING SIXTY YEARS AGO
About Journey From Plymouth, CT,
to Utica.


George Langdon in Hartford Cour
art)-I was a lad of Is. My grand
mother came to make a visit to her
nephew who had emigrated from
Pennington some years before to a
place about Is miles south of Utica.
She was encouraged to make the trip
by the fact that she could go nearly
all the way by public conveyance. I
was her escort. One fine spring morn
ing we took passage to New Haven in
the stage that made biweekly trips.
The vehicle was an uncovered hack
rather ancient and not roomy for pas
sengers after all the various bundles
were put in. Our route was down the
Naugatuck valley. At Naugatuck,
then called Straightville, the driver
stopped to feed his horses and we ate
our luncheon. At Seymour, then call
ed Humphreysville, we turned out Of
the valley, and went through Bethany
and Woodbridge. At about o'clock
we arrived at the Eagle hotel kept by
Riley Blakeslee, a former resident of
Plymouth. After supper a carriage
took us down to the New York steam
boat at what is now Belle dock. The
boat had no State-rOOms. My grand
mother had berth in the ladies'
cabin and mine was in the lower cab
in. We rose up in the morning in
time to see the boat go through the
boiling waters of He'll Gate and took
a look at the city from East river.
1t was quite early when we left the
boat to ride across the city to the
North river. My mother desired to
go through Wall street, Of which she
nad heard much froL- her late hus-
band, who had been a country mer-
chant and had for many years made
two trips year to New York, by
private team to New Haven and from
there by sailing vessel. The name of
the North river boat was Troy, with
side wheels. Instead of walking
beam engine it had a horizontal en-
CINE for each wheel. 1t was an ex-
pertinent which did not prove a sue
cess. l bought a descriptive map of
the river, taking most interest in
West Point and Newsburg of Revo-
lutiOnary memory.
Just in the edge of the evening we
arrived at Albany and took lodgings
at a nearby tavern. The next morn
ing we went to the railroad station.
The rails of the road were made of
wood with an iron band on top. The
cars had each three compartments
holding six persons. The conductor
came along on a board on the side
There were only four wheels to each
car. The brakemen had seats on the
top of each car and stopped the car
by pressing his foot on a lever which
brought a set of perpendicular iron
scrapers on to the rim Of the track.
After being drawn by horses a short
distance, the cars one by one were
drawn up an inclined plane by rope
and stationary engine, where the loco
motive was attached at the top. Just
before we reached Schenectady the
engine was taken off and we were let
down an inclined plane. Here the
first line of railroad ended and we
went on the next line. We arrived at
Utica about 8 o'clock. There the
nephew met us and we rode past
Hamilton college to his home. When
we arrived at Utica we had been sixty
hours on our way Now we can leave
Plymouth at 9 a. m, and be in Utica
at p. m, one-tenth of the time then
! taken. There were many signs of
newness to me, a Yankee boy, in this
region especially the stump fences
with their rough, tangled lock.
After a stay of two weeks, we re-
turned over the same route as far as
| Albany. Then we crossed over the
river to Greenbush on a horse-ferry
boat. The appearance Of the tavern
did not suit my grandmother's idel
Of neatness and order, therefore we
took the train for Springfield. The
next morning we went on board the
small stern wheel steamboat that rar
to Hartford As there was a goot
stage Of water we went down the
rapids instead Of the canal. After {