F i r s t   t r a i n   t r i p
r e c a l l e d   b y   M r s.  Y o u n g

by the late Ernest G. Cook

From the Thousand Islands
Sun, Sept. 2, 1948

Theresa -- In the looking backward department of the Times, stated that 75 years ago: “Trains will begin running on the Carthage - Theresa branch of the U. and B. R. railroad tomorrow,” which would be on Feb. 5, 1873. However, Mrs. Florence Dresser Young thinks that while trains were on the newly constructed railroad, they did not make this village a regular station until in the fall of the year. One history states that on Oct. 29, 1873, the regular train services were established, with a note that the first train to reach Theresa was on Dec. 9, 1872.

However, Mrs. Young has a most interesting story to tell about an early trip on this newly built line. She says: “One forenoon in the fall of 1872, my father, the late George Dresser, undertaker in Theresa, hurried in to tell my sister Dell and myself, he would have a treat for us. It would be a train ride on the railroad being built with the trails (sic) laid right to this village just previous. He said Mr. David Bearup, president of the railroad and greatly interested in its construction was to take a trip with his two daughters, Helen and Anna, and had invited father with his two daughters to join his party.

“The man who had charge of the surveys and the laying out of the railroad was Mr. Field, and he was boarding with my uncle Victor Cooper, and it was he who first told father about it being possible to take a ride on the railroad.

“Right after dinner my father took us two girls and went down to Mr. Bearup’s and joined them at their home and walked to the railroad station, proud that we were permitted to make this wonderful trip. I remember the engine was all cleaned up and attached to a box car and into that car we climbed and took seats on boxes in the doorway of the car. It was a great thrill when the engine blew the whistle and we started off up the newly laid track toward Philadelphia when our train -- this box car special started on the return trip.

“I remember that back in Theresa they took us to inspect the engine, which was burning wood at that time, and showed us all of the remarkable gadgets it had. That they said they were to build a roundhouse or barn here to provide a place for the engine to be cared for nights when the regular runs started and that the barn would have two stalls for space for two engines.

“I am not sure of course, but I think we were the first women -- girls -- to travel over the line and when we went up the street from the railroad to our homes we were almost too big for our clothes. We had done the impossible.

“One reason why I know the regular trains running out of Theresa was the fact that my father died Feb. 1873 and the train services had not started at that time, I am not sure. However, the trains were running on a portion of the road. But that trip of the newly constructed line a little over 75 years ago was to us as great a trip by plane to California to young people of today.