Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-24
NORWICH AND HER RAILROADS
l owritten specialIy, for The Bulletin,

owritten Specially for The Bulletin1
 Frequently, in a photograph of even a very familiar. scene. one VIII 1nosiss - objects which appear new and strange
 So 1t is, when reading about maj ters we know wefl, but as seen through the eyes of another.
 For that reason there is much that is interesting and 2 trifie amusing Tn m what is written in the History or Norwich concerning the Building or the Norwich railroads, because con sidered from the point Of view or
 The first stroke Of the spade in the construction of the nearly fifty nine miles of the Norwich & .Worcester Road was at Greenevil1s. Noy. 18th, 1885 and the road was complsteu .and ao March, 1840. .z-sss..-s.s.
 Relating tbe story of this road, Mss Saulkins says: ust. heyena 1s. forms d curve of 1000 feet --raditls along the bank of. the Shetucket- River affording a hne view Of the rivers, the bridge and adjacent country. Three baug FaEs, the conapany were met Sy an immense mass or rock lying across their contemplated route. Here 4 deep cut was ehanneied Tor Com siderable distance through 3 friable rock, but reaching at length a bed Of solid granite, 9 tunnel was excaKared SUU Sect in length and 20s ln. width. The height from the bed of the funnel to the sufnnit Of the rock is aseut 100 feet. -l
 Sitting in the car and gazing upon the scenery you suddenly azand yourself gliding -iilIo the bosom of .IroMning4 cllffs. and enveloped Tn subterr2neans darkness. log come out slowly along the cage of 0 prectpiee,sswiLh - the ragged, foaming, contracted river be- low you on one side and a, barrier Of cllHs on the other.-; .4 >a
 The road for many mics keeps near the 4uineDaug, which has feyerywaere the same chara acterisfics, cfiafed and noisy, the banks bold, fhe bed rocky, and the edges sdisngured by Bouiders brought down with lee in the Spring Hoods and lodged along the water course.
 The section of the road from Nor Wich to Jewett City in Preston; was rne most expensive and laporious of the route. Ihes course was winding, the radius short, the earth eiicum- money and were obliged to- throw: themselves upon the company. The tunnel alone cost nearly s$Se,u00. ] 7 :.
 A large depot or statIonahou was II, steamboat landing, two stor1es nigh and 2e0 feet in length. IL isssituated just at the spot where the Shetucket con- tracts it's course, turns a quarter round. and glides into the Thames.
 Here the Company parcF1ased a small rocky promontory ck1f.edc' the foInI, pulled town the buildings which covered it, blew up the. rocKs, filled up the shallows. and constructed the sta tlon- house, together with wharf and a solid stone waIl.n .g4- ...,
 During the severe flood sn the Spring of 1S4l, bar was formed in the enamel or the. Thames, by an accumulation of sand brought down the river 360 feet in length. which it was found very .adirt1cuLr to excavate, 50 as to leave the channe. of ftsE for. mer depth. s
 In conseeusnoe of this oBarr,a the steamboats whfcH had Before fhfsS oc- casfonally grounded in the river, were now frequently delayed two or three hours upon their route. This obstrac- ton, together with the serious in- convenience arising from the ice in the winter season induced the com pany to extend its line from Norwich along the bank of the river, seven. miles to Anyn's Point. near Gales Ferry. This part Of the road was completed in fS43.. @17s4
 
 By later addition to it's charter, the company was authorized to extend it's road to Long Island Sound, pro- vided it were done before 1856, and this term was afterwards extended to 1S60- But thiss project e was not ac- complished, ands this portion of the road from Norwich port to AIlyn,s Point has since been dropped from Ihe regular fine of travel. The company by contract with the New London Northern Railroad Company. now makes use of the 1atter's track upon the west side. of the, river to reach the Sosnd. 1s.- ..-
 (Oof course Miss -cauIkins was writing this chronicle. long before the Groton Division of the, New Haven Road was completed It would sur prise the worthy lady. were she to re- turn to the world wherein she played her part so well and so usefully, and. see the busy line which runs from Norwich port to the Sound, past the big. active coal depot at AEyns Point and the revfvified Navy Y ard, with its present evidences of pfeparedness.J
 She continues: Public .oefnion fav- ored the construction of this road or failure in life than most parents seem capable of corce1ving. E the. world had only been capable of grasp ing all that was in th= Saviour's fore-