The Washington herald., 1915-11-07
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Bay State Town That Missed Its
Opportunity.
Written Expressly for The Washington Herald.
By DIR. +. j. EDWARDS.

e. The late William d. Bishop. under
whose direction, as president the New
Haven Railroad began its great develop
ment. and who in his day was ranked
among the leading constructive forces in
the railway life OF the United States
retired from active railroad MANAGEMENT
soon after he had unified the original
New Haven line. which stretched only
from New York to New Haven. and the
line which stretched from New Haven
to Springfield, Mass. Mr.. Bishop regard
ed his work as having been completed
when he had achieved this unIhcation,
feeling sure that he had set an example
which his successors would follow. which
they did.
In the early part of President Arthur's
administration / met Mr. Bishop in
Washington. He smiled with n little en-
barrassment as We met. and explained
his confusion by showing me a small tin
pail which he was carrying. He said that
he had been to the restaurant which
John Chamberlin had made famous 10
get certain delicacy for his wife, who
then was stopping at one OF the hotels
nearby. do not recall how our CONVEX
sation upon certain features of railroad
history began as we walked on, but /
DO remember that Mr.. Bishop said that
he had just had a very interesting chat
with Gov. Clafiin. of Massachusetts,, who
was at that time a member of the lower
house of that State.
Gov. Clafiin told me that he really got
his first profound knowledge of what the
meaning to the United States as a whole
and to various localities Of the building
OF railroads was long before I became
president OF the New Haven Railroad
Company" he said.
Gov Claim said that at the time the
men of capital in Boston were promoting
the building of a railroad which was to
run westerly from Boston to Springfield
and ultimately to Albany. the surveyors
located the line in the town OF Framing
ham. Mass, so that IL ran directly
through the old town. The governor told
me his boyhood home was in an adtoinins
town, I think he said Milford. and for
that reason he heard a great deal about
the trouble the railroad people were
having on account OF their survey
through birmingham. The people Of that
town were up in arms, stating that they
would fight rather than permit a railroad
to pass directly through the town. They
said II would ruin the place. They put
up such opposition that at last the rail-
road company was compelled to change
its survey so that the line was located
a considerable distance south OF the town
OF Framinsham
What was the result? It was simply
this: new village that became very
prosperous grew up around the line OF
the railroad and was Of such importance
that il was named South birmingham.
In time it completely overshadowed the
old town. birmingham was of no con-
sequence from one point Of view, while
South birmingham rapidly grew until il
became one of the most important OF the
smaller villages OF Massachusetts.
1T was from that example" said Gov
Claflin, that / obtained my first knowl'
edge as to what the meaning of railroad
construction to a community really was
fCopyrisht, 1915 by L. ]. Edwards. All rights