Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-09-15
First Railuay Train
Entered Baraboo Just
Fifty Years Ago Monday
Memorable Celebration in Comps Grc0e and More No.
tables in ToUn T6dn ESer Before or Since-TUo
Special Trains Come, and Locomotive
PuffS into Toon Ill In Gav.
lands and Fiohers
BY 0. 0. RRANDENBuRG

day, September II, 1871, was celebrat.
ed the advent of the railroad to Bara.
boo, "All in ALL saiu a local journal of
the time, it is to be set down as the
biggest day Baraboo ever saw or is
soon likely to see."l
The road had been completed to
Baraboo, so far as track-laying was
concerned, on Friday morning, Sept
s, and on that day Baraboo citizens
set about briskly to get ready for the
mementous event. A magnificent arch
way was thrown across the track at
the entrance to the ground"
Camp woods, just north of the old
Maxwell home lover the river. In
these woods were stately naples and
other beautiful trees, and, except
where cleared for the observance, ha-
zelbushes abounded. Nearly the whole
region, from the lake road over to the
east Sauk road, was popularity known
as Browns pasture, and bit farther
to the west lay Dutch Hollow, full of
butternuts, while not far away was
Ellis orchard that possessed an ir-
ristable attraction in the fall for ven
turesome Baraboo boys o t that
day.
In Camps grove was the speakers
circular platform, draped in red,
white and blue, with wreaths and fes-
toons and pendants of flowers, mosses
and evergreens. Seats had been pro-
vided hastily for spectators, songs
quickly improvised by Joseph Halves.
Locomotive Gayed Up
The first train to Baraboo arrived at
1880 in the forenoon and stopped at
Crawford's bridge (now a fill until
the engine could don its holdi&v at
tire. 1t wasA there boarded by a re-
ception committee composed of At
torney General S. S. Barlow, M. j.
Drown, Levi Crouch and r. H.
Strong, while dozen or more maid
ems robed in white decorated the en-
gine with flags, evergreens, vines, flow
ers, scarlet berries, bouquets, stream
ers, gar1ands, and notices. George B..
Smith, eloquent Madisonian, thanked
the girls on behalf of the railway
company, after which, they were es-
corted to the directors car at the
rear, and had the first ride of any
Baraboo PEOPLE on the cars to this
place"
Cannons Boom
The appearance of the train was
signaled by the booming of cannon.
AS it came creeping along fair girls
beside the track freely tossed bou-
quets to the passengers, the concourse
of spectators cheering and waving
hats and being answered in like spirit
by those on board-the cannons still
booming, the engine bell ringing, until
we are told, ''the st. Lawrence rested
beneath the trackway arch"
And it was stunning arch, by the
way. On either side of the track ring
of hoppoles had been planted, forming
columns Of large circumference.
Through the spaces between poles hop
vines were wreathed until they were
clad with green On the columns rested
the broad arch, surmounted by a large
keystone ON which were piled i'm
mense golden pumpkins, strings of
red-cheecked apples, sheayes of
wheat, stalks of corn, from the center
springing a flagstaff with banner pen
dant. Flags rose from other portions
of the arch, and hop4poles with sill
very clustes, smaller fruits, mosses,
evergreens and feathery asparagus
were accessories which added to the eff
feet Of the more stiking features. On
the face of the arch in white letters
appeared this legend:
TO THE G. & n, w. r. r,
GREETINGi
AS early as $50 the Sauk County
Light Guards, Lieut.. Amos Johnson
commanding, marched from their
armory to the east side of the court
house square and took position, fol-
lowed by the flower girls in twos, a
pretty array, under President Terrill
Thomas, they in turn followed by
young ladies of the engine decorating
committee, and all, as the procession
moved, "by a countless host of citi-
zens and visitors in vehicles and on
foot
An informal reception followed the
arrival of the train, then in a process
sion the guests were escorted to the
grounds by the Madison Zouaves, for
ty strong, and by the Lake City Cor
net band, passing through the arch of
welcome.
Dinner al fresco was first in order
and no one, we are agreeably assured
lacked for Substantial fare or deli
cacies or fruits" as there were left
many basketfuls." Various Of the vis-
nv1&a $0s - hv