1890s Hamilton

  The project had to be finished before January 1, 1896. The City of Hamilton had agreed to furnish the promoters of the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway with a huge financial bonus if that deadline was met. On December 28, 1895, it was rumored that the railway officials were ready to demonstrate in a very public way that the conditions to qualify for the bonus had been met. It was a very small train, just one car plus the locomotive, that pulled into the downtown Hamilton T. H. & B. Rwy. Station around the supper hour that day: “Shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, the first train to make the trip from Welland to Hamilton over the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway entered the city and was greeted with cheers by an immense crowd of people assembled at the new depot at the corner of James and Hunter streets. The tracks for a distance of several blocks east of the station were lined with interested citizens.” 1 1 “Welland to Waterford : T. H. & B