The Bay State monthly : a Massachusetts magazine . POST-OFFICE THE CITY OF WORCESTER. 155 growth, influence, and prosperity. When the call for troops to defendWashington came, in 1861, Worcester as a city was true to her record as atown ; for within twelve hours a company started for the seat of war, andpassed through Baltimore with the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, on thememorable 19th of April, just eighty-six years from the first shedding ofMassachusetts blood at Lexington. In 1S00 the population of Worcester was 2,411; in 1S20 it was2,962; in 1840, 7,500; in 1S50, 17,049; in 1S60, about 25
The Bay State monthly : a Massachusetts magazine . POST-OFFICE THE CITY OF WORCESTER. 155 growth, influence, and prosperity. When the call for troops to defendWashington came, in 1861, Worcester as a city was true to her record as atown ; for within twelve hours a company started for the seat of war, andpassed through Baltimore with the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, on thememorable 19th of April, just eighty-six years from the first shedding ofMassachusetts blood at Lexington. In 1S00 the population of Worcester was 2,411; in 1S20 it was2,962; in 1840, 7,500; in 1S50, 17,049; in 1S60, about 25,000; in1870, about 41,000. At the present time it is about 70,000. The firstevent of consequence that gave an impetus to the growth of the townwas the opening of the Blackstone Canal, in 182S, connecting Worcesterwith tide-water at Providence. This, although considered at the time amarvel of engineering skill, and undoubtedly of great benefit to the. public, was not a successful enterprise, and on the establishment ofrailroads a few years later was discontinued. In 1831 the Boston and Worcester Railroad was incorporated and soonbuilt, followed at short intervals by the Western Railroad, the Norwich andWorcester, the Nashua and Worcester, Fitchburg and Worcester, and theProvidence and Worcester railroads ; thus making a centre from which onecould travel in any direction. Later the Barre and Gardner Railroad wasbuilt, and the Boston and Worcester consolidated with the Western this last corporation the Union Passenger Station was erected, in 1877,which is one of the most costly, elegant, and convenient edifices devoted tothis business in the country. About seventy-five trains arrive and departdaily. The advantage thus given to Worcester over other towns in thecounty was great, and the results were striking and immediate, as may beseen by reference to the figures of population above given. The facility of r56 THE CITY OF W
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectlincoln, bookyear1885
