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OLD-TIME ERIE GRATITUDE.

One day in the spring of 1854, Mrs. Silas Horton, living near Owego, waved a pair of red flannel drawers and saved the mail train on the Erie from being dashed to pieces by running over a tree that had fallen across the track. President Ramsdell wrote as follows to Mr. and Mrs. Horton, expressing the thanks of the Company, and transmitting a dress for Mrs. Horton, together with a life pass for each over the road:

OFFICE OF THE N. Y. & E. R. R. Co.,
NEW YORK, June 20 , 1854.

To Mr. and Mrs. Silas Horton .

My attention has been called to an article in the Binghamton Republican, which is corroborated by the officers of this Company, relative of the noble and humane conduct evinced by you, on an occasion when the lives and safety of the persons travelling on our mail train were jeopardized by an obstruction on the road, and but for your active and prompt action, in all probability, much suffering and loss would have ensued.

In view of the above facts, and for the purpose of evincing our gratitude and appreciation of the valuable services rendered, and as a slight testimonial of the respect and esteem of this Company. I have the pleasure to forward herewith a pass for each of you, and a dress for Mrs. Horton, and respectfully request your acceptance of the same.

Allow me to express the hope that in your journeys over the road and through life, you may find friends as zealous in guarding you from danger as you were others on the occasion referred to.

Yours respectfully,

HOMER RAMSDELL, President.


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This page is from Thomas Ehrenreich's Railroad Extra website, and is reproduced here as a memorial to him and his dedication to preserving the history of railroading in America. Please note I have no access to the original source material and cannot provide higher resolution scans.
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