Evening journal., 1913-03-26
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
What Senator Barnum Re-
Carded as His PrOudeSt
Achievement
By Holland

One september AFTERNOON III ioop
found myself at the railway station
al New Milford. Connecticut. with
two hours time on my hands before
the arrival Of the train for New York
which | expected to take. J tried to
Kill time by walking for some dis
lance on the track OF the Housatonc
Railroad. a line which runs from
Pittsfeld. Massachusetts. to Bridge
port, Connecticut and is now part
OF the New Haven Railroad system.
The weather was delightful and the
country glorious The first tints OF
fall were beginning TO show them
selves For that reason ! walked far
Their away from the station than
thought Of doing. ! must have been
about two miles from the station
when, after rounding a curve in the
road ! found before me vista OF
straight track which appeared to be
some four or five miles in length.
About half way in that tangent
saw a man walking slowly, appar
emily inspecting the track. Within a
few moments I was near enough TO
him 10 recognize him
RE WIS Wliildn H. ndIuullt WIN
had been United States Senator from
Connecticut, who had beaten that
other great Barnum. Phineas T.. in a
contest for election for the lower
House OF Representatives and had
also served as chairman of the Ma
tional Democratic Committee.
II am inspecting this railroad for
a stretch of ten or twelve miles north
Of New Milford" said Senator Bar
mum, as he greeted me pleasantly He
did not know me nor had he the
slightest idea that knew who he
was.
He continued his conversation by
asking Are you inspecting this roao
also?"
/ told the Senator that was trying
to pass away the time before the ar
rival Of my train at New Milford, that
T. in fact had been looking more at
the scenery than at the railroad it.
Self
81 am stakeholder in this rail
road, said Senator Barnum.
He was at that time | believe. pres
ident Of the railroad company, but
he refrained from telling me So
Nov as a stakeholder" he contin-
ued 81 frequently visit this section
OF the road ! think il is the finest
stretch OF road track to be found any
where in the United States except
ing the rock. hallasted railroads
which carry very heavy traffic like
the Pennsylvania.
Pointing with a little stick which
he had cut from a bush TO serve as
a temporary walking stick to the rail-
road tracks. he said
81 feel especially proud Of these
eight or ten miles of railroad tracks
because they represent chiefly my own
work. ] actually did some of the
manual work which was necessary to
make these tracks what they are.
was thinking this afternoon that there
was nothing in my career that gave
me greater qualification or a sense or
more honorable pride than this
stretch Of railway track does"
I could not resist the temptation or
saying TO the Senator: And yet you
have been representative in Con.
gress. a Senator and chairman of the
National Democratic Committee
He looked at me queerly for an in
slant and then said:
81 see you know me- but I'll take
hack nothing that ! said. This stretch
of railroad track is, | think. my proud
est achievement
81 am very proud anyway of my
connection with this railroad..-It is
one Of the oldest I'm the United States.
For some years Il was the only way
the neople Of New York State had Of
reaching Albany by rail. They used
to take a steamboat at New York
for Bridgeport; there they took the
train for Pittsfield, where connection
was made with the Boston & Albany.
That was continued until they built
the Harlem Railroad from New York
city through to Chatham. a few miles
west of Pittsheld on the Boston n
Albany This road. therefore. has the
distinction Of being the first and FOR
some years the only railroad com
munication between New York city
and the capital Of the State
81 was a mere child when this kind
/ of transportation was in progress. but
! 7 remember being so greatly Impress
ed by IL that determined to invest
my first savings in the stock OF the
] company I did that when was q
Young man and 7 have steadily in
creased my stock from that day 10
this. Yes. ! think am prouder OF
my association with this railroad
than OF any of the political successes
which ! have gained
Copyright. 1913 by y. J. Edwards
All rights reservedl
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell OF
Two West Virginians Compared by
Stephen 4. Elkins."