Railroad at Bainbridge, 1867

The Railroad at Bainbridge

 Chenango Telegraph & Chronicle, July 17, 1867

  

In company with a goodly number from Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], and many hundreds from other towns, we attended the railroad reception at Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] on Wednesday last, and helped swell the throng which greeted the advent and departure of the first passenger train into and from Chenango County.  Everything contributed to the enjoyment of the proceedings:  the rains of the day before had laid the dust and cooled the air, and the whole country from here to Bainbridge was in it holiday attire.  The heavy grass just ready for the mower, the well hoed fields of potatoes and corn, the waving grain--the fine, farm houses and farm buildings, the well-fed sheep, horses, cows and other stock in the pastures, and the lovely stretches of landscape which greeted us from the tops of the intervening hills, or the villages and the quiet valleys embracing them, these and similar attractions gave a zest to the ride, and made it of pleasure unalloyed, while the occasion of the journey added an interest and excitement such as we in Chenango have not known before. 

 

But the chief of the enjoyment was at Bainbridge, which outdid itself for the occasion.  that village never looked better than then, and, certainly, was never so filled before, nor by so joyful and even jubilant an assemblage.  The most ample preparations had been made, and the hospitalities of the town were bestowed with a lavish hand, and in a most liberal manner.  At Marsh's Hotel, citizens had provided a free dinner for those who stopped there, and to which all were welcome, while, at the new depot building, the Committee of arrangements had made most sumptuous preparation for the entertainment of the excursionists, and invited guests, and for many hundreds more, and many of the private residences had their latch strings out, and their tables covered with a profusion for the supply of any who should ask or wish their hospitality.  Indeed no effort, pains or expense had been spared by any, but the arrangements at the Depot, as they excelled all the others, deserve an especial praise.  The large freight room had been elegantly furnished and decorated; flowers abounded on every hand, making the room seem as elegant as a parlor, and up and down its whole length were the tables, covered with their snowy cloths, and loaded down with the edibles  prepared for the occasion.  Roast beef, roast lam, and (to our certain knowledge), roast pig of the rarest toothsomeness, puddings and pies, ice cream and cake, tea and coffee, strawberries and cream, tomatoes and other fruits, and a thousand other things as excellent as these, and the whole presided over and dispensed by the ladies of Bainbridge--well, we confess it took us by surprise, and filled us with an admiring appreciation of what Bainbridge can do, and will, when her capabilities are once put to the test.

 

The excursion train which came in promptly, consisted of some eight cars crowded with the friends of the road, and was received with the roar of cannon and the music of an excellent Band (of which Bainbridge has reason to be proud), but more and better than all, by the joyful greeting of the thousands who had gathered to witness it.  The flushed cheek and bright eye, and the proud bearing of our people as the advent of the iron horse proclaimed their emancipation from their old isolation, was better and more eloquent than cheers, or music or the thunder of cannon.

 

After the guests who came in on the train, with all others present who wished to, had partaken of the ample dinner which had been provided for them, and to which all were made free, an impromptu organization was effected by the appointment of Dr. Sill as Chairman, who after a few words of congratulation, called on Hon. J.H. Ramsay, the President of the Road, who gave an interesting and flattering exposition of the past history, and present and future prospects of the enterprise, after which Mr. Demers, Editor of Albany Evening Journal, and Messrs. Brice Keyes, the Rev. Mr. Abbott and others of Albany, and Col Saxe of Troy were called out, and made capital and telling speeches, while Mr. Kingsley of this village added a few words of congratulation and prophesy; and so, with unalloyed pleasure and sustained interest, the afternoon wore by till it was time for the train to return, and it passed away, but not forever; hereafter thanks to the Albany & Susquehanna, Chenango County is open to the world.

 

It was a proud day to all who were present--to President Ramsay who by his zeal, and persistence, and pluck, and unwearied endeavor, and his wise, prudent and competent management has brought the enterprise to its present position--and a proud day too to the other friends of the road who came with him; but a prouder one to every citizen of Chenango present, who saw, in the advent and departure of that train, the earnest of our speedy deliverance from our old separation from the rest of world, and the completion of, not this road only, but of others which shall pass through our county.

 

As we rode home in the gloaming, we could not but anticipate the time when the Midland shall cross from the one extremity of our well beloved Chenango to the other, and the scream of its whistle echo from the hill sides of the Otselic, the Chenango, the Unadilla and the Susquehanna.  Citizens of Guilford, will you not help to make this anticipation a reality?  Have you, who so gladly took part in the reception at Bainbridge, no desire to have one of your own?