New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-08-20
BOSTON STATIONS
Once T0TALLED &
To-Day This Number Is Reduced
Materially

Boston. Aug. 90 JP)-The
opening to the public today of the
new North Station marks the latest
step in the unification of railroad
terminals in Boston. Thirty five
years ago each of the eight New
Enstand railroads entering this city
mad Its own terminal station. The
eight railroads have been reduced
70 three through consultations and
The eight terminals to two.
This process has changed the in
dHstfial and business map of Bos-
ton. In the old days the Boston and
providence station reared its proud
clock teweF in Park Square, a short
distance from the Common and pub
lie garden. The old Colony road had
a dlngy station on kneeland street,
some distance to the south of the
center of business-dingy outside
out boastlng waiting room which
old time commuters insist was as
comfortable as that of many a mo-
dern station.
The New England railroads sta
ton was in an announcement location
at the end of waterfront dock. All
THESE railroads later We're CONSOLE
dated into the New York, New Hav-
en- and Hartford railroad. I'm course
OF time the Park Square station was
bFrned and the others were closed
when the south station. at the time
the largest in the country, was
opened on January /. 1899.
The old Boston and Albany sta
tion was neighbor Of the old Col
ony on Kneeland street. The road,
now under lease to the New York
Central, Joined with the New Haven
in sending its tracks into the South
station.
On the north side of the city the
old Boston and Maine tracks ran
beside Canal street, where once,
were the waters OF the Middlesex
canal, to a station In Haymarket
square. On Causeway street, nearby,
stood the modest granite towers of
the Fitchburg railroad station, the
modest Eastern railroad station and
the Boston and Lowell station,
which was considered in its day a
model of ornate architecture.
Later the Boston and Maine tore
up its Canal street tracks and
Joined the others on Causeway
street. In 1894 three of these roads
united in the building of unit
which Joined their stations together
and formed the first North station,
known in its early days simply as
Union station. Only the Fitchburg
retained its own facilities. The Bos-
ton and Maine in due time absorbed
the others and when the Fitchburg
entered the consolidation its tracks
were routed into the North station.
This North station and the old
Fitchburg station We're torn down
to make way for the new
North station and adjacent build
ings. The end of the North station
Lowell has been utilized by the Bos-
ton and Maine as a temporary sta
ton during the construction and is
now to be demolished.
The opening of the South station
transformed that section Of Boston.
Summer and Federal streets soon
growing from little used thorough
fares into important arteries lined
with great retail establishments. The
Park square district after the fire
for many years was a waste area of
vacant lots. A few years ago a re-
tail furniture store had the hardi-
hood to erect a large building in
this district and soon thereafter
came a mushroom growth which has
given the city new center of bust
ness, hotel and office buildings.
Similarly Canal street after the
pening of the North station altered
Is appearance. The street was wi
dened and new and better buildings
we're erected, largely devoted to re-
tail business.
The New Haven and the Boston
and Albany have maintained sepa-.
rate way stations in the Back Bay