The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-11-06

10 poorly now, am not aDIe 70 40
much writing, but hope you make
out the pages | send you and if you
can print them, and put line to call
the attention of some Of my Manches-
ter friends | will be very grateful.
The Misses Snyder have your paper
weekly 50 as ! am with them ] see it
regularly.
Yours very truly,
M. A. ROE.
Changes In Modes Of Travel; The
"reminiscences Of Two Oct0genar.
ianA Father and Daughter; by
Mary A. Roe.
When scarcely six years old l went
with my father to see the first rail-
road train enter Newburgh-on-the-
Hudson, then a small town. Hundreds
of people had gathered from the
country around to celebrate this event.
Father held me high in his arms to
watch. the approaching engine, belch-
ing clouds of black smoke, and sound
ing a prolonged whistle, as the train
drew up by the small wooden station.
Loud cheers then rose from the
crowd, for they realized that new
era had dawned.
But none could then imagine the
thousands of railroad lines now form
ing a gigantic network over our con-
tinent from ocean TO ocean, where
long trains, crowded with freight and
passengers, are rushing day and night.
Nor could they anticipate the terrible
accidents that have taken such heavy
toll Of human life.
A bill introduced to avoid such dis
asters in one Of the state legislatures
is about on par with some more re-
cent bills. IF two trains are ap-
preaching from opposite directions
have both stop, and remain stationary
until one of them was entirely out of
sight"
One summer morning in 1875, my
father, then an old man, went from
Cornwall l-on-t the Hudson, to see the
abutments of the Brooklyn Bridge,
then in process of construction. On
his return that evening he said to me:
"None of my children will see such
changes as | have. When fourteen |
took my first trip to New York. We
made the journey of sixty miles on a
sloop, and it took US four days from
Cornwall to the Battery. There were
six passengers, and we carried our
own provisions. The captain said this
voyage was little longer than usual
owing to adverse winds, or none at all.
Later when in business in the city |
saw the first steamboat start up the
Hudson. Fulton's Folly they called
the vessel. Quite crowd had col
lected, and / heard one man say he
wouldn't risk his life in such a ven
ture. When | visited friends in
Brooklyn Heights / had to cross the
East River in a row boat.
II wanted to see the abutments of
that bridge in which they told me
great wire cables would rest so high
steamboats, like the Mary Powell !
was on today could pass under, yet
strong enough to carry the traffic of
those two great cities"
My father did not live to see the
bridge completed. But one beautiful
evening from veranda on Governors
Island watched the celebration that
opened it for public traffic. Fireworks
were sent up from either end, and
brass bands accompanied the march
ing soldiers, who were among the first
W efoSS. lHt wafer UtiVW wac
thronged with every kind Of craft that
.ould float, their bells ringing and
blowing.
Since then / have seen the other
bridges crossing those waters; and the
,unnel beneath through which trains
rush to and fro.
My first glimpse Of bicycles were
nigh wheels on which men perched, as
hey followed one another on board
walk at Asbury Park. From my
point Of view they looked like phan-
ON figures siIhoutted against the
.yening sky
When the safety bicycle came,
everyone, old and young, who could
,uy machine were riding, or learn
ng the art of quick and sure balance.