The Monticellonian., 1903-05-21
nirth Of Great AmerIcnn RnlIroad.

May r., 1903 marked the Fiftieth Anni- yersarN of the incorporation of the New York Central Railroad; a fact interesting in the history of the State of New ! ork, for the consolidation of the ten separate small roads into one line. that formed d continuous route from Albany on the east to Buffalo on the west was the beginning that made possible the enormous in dustrial and commercial development in the country contiguous to 1t.
 Articles of agreement were filed May r. 1853. the first Board of Directors was elected July 9th, and the whole line de- livered to the new company August lst, 1855; insGrng better service, more com plete connections between all points, and a more general stimulus to development than was possible under separate and rival corporations This also opened the Way for the consolidation of the New York Central Company with the Hudson River Railroad in 1869. which event presaged that era of wonderful progress Ill the undeNeloped west, for It created a direct line from the ocean to the inland seas, known as the great lakes, and brought distant territories into close con nection with the seaboard.
 It is a picturesque fact that this line traverses the one break in the whole Ap- palachian chain between the Gulf of Mex leo and the St. Lawrence River, and it would seem as if Nature meant this to be roadway for travel. Certainly the Indian found 1t so, for the Mohawk trail, the pathway of the confederated lroquois tribes, IS almost identical with the New York Central Railroad of to-day. This trail was also the pathway of war during the French and Indian and the Revolu- tionary Wars and later. in its offering of easy travel 1t lured the pioneers of the West to the Mohawk Valley. winch Is so rich to-day with the product of agricu- n hp fall helds of the Genesee, to build up and develop the traffic of the west upon the great lakes.
 It is a far cry indeed from that primi- tive little line of the New York Ceutrli of fifty years ago to the great Railroad of to-day with its Twentieth Century Inn lted. speeding like the wind. carrying it's passengers on luxurious palace cars. over smooth roadbeds. with a scarcely perccpti- ble Jar and fifty years of progress could not find better illustration than is re- lated in an interesting letter of remi- nlseences written by Mr. Joshua Wilber, of Lockport New York describing rail road travel in New York in ls39
 The writer says: We took the cars on State Street in Albany; these cars were drawn to the city line by horses, for locomotives were not then allowed in the city. The cars were of the ancient pattern, entered by doors on the side.
 
 facing each other, as in the old d-fashoned stage coaches.
 a' fhe speed was tremendous about twelve miles an hour. Arrived on the ridge opposite Schenectady our cars Were let down an incline plane secured to a large rope cable, the other end heinz attached to fiat cars weighted with stone, which were drawn up on parallel track as we went down. At Schenectady we changed cars and travelled west 10 Utiea, reaching there in the afternoon That was then the end of railroad travel.
 csnal packet was boarded which landed us in Syracuse next morning. There another packet was taken for Rochester, which we reached early the following day. A third packet brought us from Rochester to Lockport in SIX teen hours
 The time consumed in coming from New York City to Loekport was nearly four days. being on the move all the time. except the night spent at Albany
 Not long after the roads built from Albany westward. and from Buffalo east ward met, and q continuous line was formed. but with many changes of cars and other lnconveniences.
 Then the Hudson River road was opened, and Buffalo and New York became neighbors."