Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-01-31
sALUDA'S FIRST TRAIN.
Officers of the Road Receives
Royal Welcome. Appropri-
ate Speeches Made
Great Enthusiasm.
Special to The State.

ppSCldl tO u0 OGdUe.
Saluda, Jan. 26.-The citizens oi
this town and community turned
out in numbers to-day to witness
the driving of the last spike on the
completion of the railroad track to
the station in Saluda and to well
come the incoming of the first pas
senger train of the Augusta North
ern railway. Fully 1000 people
took part in the happy demonstra-
ton. The event marked a great
epoch in the history of this town
and county.
At 1880 o'clock a procession was
formed in front of the court house,
and the line of march, with DR.. J.
w. Pitts acting marshall, was
formed. After reaching Jennings
street the procession halted until
the first passenger train bearing the
officers of the company rolled into
sight. A mighty shout from the
multitude greeted the incoming
train, which slowed up and was pre-
ceded to the station by the line of
march.
AS the locomotive came to
standstill at the station the demon
stration in the way of noise was
terrific. The crowd was full of en-
thusiasm and gave vent 20 their
pent-up feelings. Drums were beat,
the band played, the men whooped
and yelled, the ladies threw their
handkerchiefs in the air, engines
blew their whistles, dynamite car
tridges were exploded-in shor,,
bedlam broke loose.
AS the president, w. J. Mont
gomery, and the other officials of
the Augusta Northern stepped to
the ground a select choir sang to
the tune of . y.sAma,i;an ,, ~ = - =
ING words composed by the general
manager, L. A. Boyd, especially
for the occasion:
"Our railroad welcome thee
To-day we greet with glee;
Of thee we sing. y
Long have we stayed at home, g
With doubts you'd ever come;
But now we're free to roam,
With help of thee.
"No more we'll wait for mail;
No more well start and fail
To reach our goal;
But twice each day, tits true.
Our letters, papers too, =.
Will promptly be sent through
On steel rails roll.
Long may we live to see
All blessings brought by thee
Shall never end.
Prosperity, then, be thine,
May brightest suns e'er shine
On this new railroad line,
Saluda's friend"
At the conclusion of the singing
the committee representing the citi-
zens since the inception of the
movement eliminating to-day in
Saluda's greatest need, drove home
the last pike This committee is
composed of the following: B. w.
Crouch, chairman; G. c. Wheeler,
CT. Ramage, B. F. Forest, E. w.
Able r w. Pitts and w. L. Dan.
iel.
The following program, with B..
w. Crouch presiding, was then car
ried out: Eighth Psalm, read by
Rev. J. E. Bailey; prayer by Rev.
E. P. Taylor; song by select choir.
C.J. Ramage was presented and
made very happy and appropriate
talk. His remarks were frequently
applauded. President Montgomery
was introduced and his response
was very feeling one. He and his
associates had been taken by COM
plete surprise and knew nothing of
the warm reception that was in
store for them until their arrival.
1t was very evident that he appre-
ciated the demonstration on the
part of those present.
He thanked the people of Salu-
da for the generous and kindly re-
ception, stating that from what he
had learned of the good people OF
this fair county it was but in keep
ing with their best traditions.
The speaker enumerated the
many difficulties that had been en-
countered in the building of the
road, but pledged himself and hi
associates to give to Saluda one o.
the best short lines of railway il
South Carolina and schedule tina
would meet every requirement.