T. H. B. Rwy - Completion Celebration - Jan 1896

On January 23, 1896, the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway was formally opened with a ceremony attracting many of the major investors in the line.

        At 11:30 a.m. that day, a trainloads of about 80 capitalists arrived in Hamilton from Buffalo.

        According to the Spectator, “the guests of the company assembled at the Iroquois and Tifft houses in Buffalo last evening in order to be on time for the early start this morning, and the train pulled out of the M. C. R. depot at 8:30. The leading magnates occupied the observation apartment on the rear coach, in company with President Peabody and Mr. Beckley, and loosely scanned the roadbed, station buildings, and right-of-way as the train came along. Unfortunately, before the brow of the mountain was reached, mist and rain came on and blotted out the beautiful view of lake and valley beneath.”

        When the official train pulled into Hamilton’s new Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo railway station on Hunter street east, a large party of local dignitaries were on hand to greet them.

        In the station’s waiting room, Hamilton Mayor George E. Tuckett stood on one of the seats to address the visitors.

        Again, as described by a Spectator reporter on hand, “He said it was a proud day for Hamilton when its citizens were enabled to welcome the railway and financial kings of the country. He extended a hearty welcome, and desired to present them with the freedom of the city. Americans were proud of their country and fond of praising it on every suitable occasion, and he wanted now to impress on them that Hamiltonians have one of the finest cities for its population on the continent. (Applause.) If President Cleveland had seen a little more of Canada, and especially of Hamilton, he would never have issued such a manifesto as he had done. (Laughter and applause.) The citizens have shown their appreciation of the enterprise of President Peabody and his colleagues by giving them a fine street and a bonus – in fact, they had given them most everything they had but their boots – (laughter) – but as a result of the prosperity that is likely to reign as a result of the construction of the road, they hope to be able to reclothe themselves. (Laughter and applause.)”

        After short speeches by President Peabody and Mr. Beckley of the T. H. & B. Rwy. Co. , Mayor Tuckett invited the visitors to board waiting trolley  cars which were on hand to take all to the James Street Incline Railroad for a ride up the escarpment in order to get a view of the city. Afterwards, the party proceeded to the Royal Hotel for lunch.

        About 300 people sat down for lunch at the Royal with the Thirteenth Battalion Band on hand to provide the musical entertainment.

        The hotel was appropriately and lavishly gussied up for the occasion. Again from the Spec man : “the halls were decorated with British and Canadian and United States flags. In the early part of the afternoon, when the orchestra played Yankee Doodle, the Canadians applauded, and when the strains of Rule Britannia were heard, the Americans returned the compliment. The speeches that followed were all free from jingoism and directed to the establishment of a more friendly understanding between the peoples.”

        Ex.-M. P. Adam Brown was asked to deliver a few words to the American guests. In paying tribute to the common sense of Canadian, English and American legislators, Mr. Brown said : “ It was never intended that there should be war between the countries. God has a greater destiny for the two nations, to influence the advance of civilization in the world!”

        Mr. Beckley, president of the Dominion Construction company, opened his address with a quotation from Shakespeare: “Grim-visaged war has smoothed his wrinkled front and our dreadful marches have been changed to merry meetings.”

        President Beckley then went on to say :”We are all proud to acknowledge the British nation as mother of us all, and I have a particularly warm feeling for Hamilton, because many of you are of Scotch descent, and my mother – God bless her – was a Scotch woman! (Applause.)This occasion inaugurates a new line of railway connection between the two countries, and the occasion would be robbed of all its pleasure if we did not know that your representative men of Hamilton and Brantford come to us and hold out your hands across the river and say to us : ‘We are brothers, and we will stand together representing all that is best and highest in Anglo-Saxon civilization, and no president, no governor, no king or queen, nor anybody else, will ever sever the bond of friendship based on the bond of our common origin.”

        After O Promise Me, a coronet solo by a member of the Thirteenth Battalion band, President Peabody of the T. H. & B. railway co. was called on to speak. He referred to the glorious manner in which the city of Hamilton had entertained the party and he then talked about the successful completion of the new railway. President Peabody ended by noting the two flags of the Canadian and American nations. “May they always,’ he said, “stand as they do here, in the token of the amity and good will which will always characterize the two great nations.”