News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-03-10
THE LAST SPIKE
Interesting Description Of the Diving Of The
Last Spike on the P. & 0. Railroad
at Fletcher
SwANToN, March, 1918.

LduOlllt Ndllty hdllIOdu, BCuCldiiy lC
ferred to in those days as the up. 81 O.
portland g. Ogdensburg) it occurs to m
that might add bit to the story, as
happened to be "Among those present.
That was long time ago, Halsey, be
fore you were born, was going to say
Judging by your present youthful ap
pearance that might be SO. No Joking
Anyway, it was a few years before yol
broke into the golden field of Vernon
newspaperdem, am sure, otherwise yor
would have been there, too.
The road between Johnson and LuneR
burg, seventy eight miles, had been built
several years, with trains running
through to Portland. That. section be.
tween johnson and Maquam had been de-
layed in completion, through lack OF
funds. This forty miles of construction
had been pushed by fits and starts as
money could be raised, work being car
red on from both ends. In 1877, how
ever, the iron met at Fletcher, where
the last spike was driven. Some of the
way between johnson and Swanton the
road was partially ballasted and mighty
rough. 1t is rough enough today, but
some then, as can be imagined.
stood, on that occasion, within few
feet of Gov. Horace Fairbanks, July 27,
1877, at half past one, when with just
seven blows he hammered home the last
spike and the multitude broke into song
with Praise God from whom all bless
| ings f1ow."
Col. A. B. Jewett, perintendent,
had notified me of the date set for the
affair, and my wife and l went to St.
Johnsbury the day before, via Montpelier
and the Passumpsic road, in order to
come through with the official party,
/ recall with interest that the New
Hampshire Press Association was in
town that night with lot of friends from
Massachusetts,, Connecticut and Rhode Is
land, about 100. They had been to Mt.
Mansfield and were headed for the White
Mountains. They owned the place for
the night, the Athenaum being thrown
open to them, where they held musical
and literary exercises.
The Silver Spike Special left St. Johns
bury at 10 o'clock, several cars, hauled
by the locomotive "Swanton', A. Burt,
engineer, and "Sherm' Parkhurst, six
feet-four, conductor.
must break away from the Special
long enough to say that Conductor Sher-
man Parkhurst ran the Mail between
Lunenburg and Swanton for many years
popularity with his opposite, the WELL
known and popular Charley Ranney. At
one time Mr.. Parkhurst was on the Rut-
land road, running between Rutland and |
Passumpsic road and then to the new La
noble Valley road. He served in the |
Civil War as color bearer, noted for his !
towering figure, and at one time he was |
in charge of General Grants military !
train. l am quite sure of this but not |
positive.
Among those present were, Gov. Fair
banks, W. P. Fairbanks, Luke P. Poland,
Judge Morrill,, Col. Hastings, Treasurer
If the road; Chas. Stevens, General Pas
'enger Agent; George Howe, Master Me-
,hanic; Supt. Harvey of the Vermont
International Telegraph Company; Supt.
A. B. Jewett, and lot of St. Johnsbury
aides; j. B. Brown and Ex-Mayor Rich.
lIdson of Portland; Supt. Horribly and
Treasurer Foy of Boston of the Eastern
Dad.
At Danville there was demonstration
If flag and handkerchief waving, and
Bliss N. Davis and some ladies joined
he party. At East Hardwick fifteen
more got on, including Judge Bell and
!. Ii. George, Directors of the road. At
Volcott Judge Hubbell waa picked up,
md when we pulled into Morrisville "a
title cannon was blazing away and big
rowd waiting, headed by Ex-Gov. Hen
lee. At Hyde Park, Waldo Brigham,
PRESIDENT of the road, and others, came
board.
1t was we'll along after one o'clock
'hen the stop was made for the exer-
ises. 1t was picturesque, truly rural
tile Vermont valley, at point where
he highway crosses the railroad, near or
n the farm of Benjamin Chase. There is
well-wooded hill on the right and few ,
arm houses can be seen. The last two |
iils had not been laid, and waiting $
cross the "divide" was the Frank Haw- 1
" special of several cars and decorated I
ngine from Swanton, with lot of peo- /
lie from that and other intervening /
)wns. '
While Contractor Caldwell and Chief I
ngineer Rust were directing the drop
ing of the last rail in place, Gov. Fair
anks, lean, gray and dlgnified, stood
it'll head uncovered. An old lady, evil
entity from some nearby farm, gowned !,
green with a sunbonnet on her head,
God in the front row, very much inter- "
tied in everything, but engaged in q
hitting blue sock, and she never let =
? minute during the whole business.
The spike was of steel. silver plated,
sving been made for the occasion in the