SOLON ROBINSON, 1860 437 



A Day in Westchester County. 



[New York Ainerican Agriculturist, 10:31-32; Jan., 1851] 



[November, 1850] 



Through the politeness of the treasurer of the Harlem 

 Railroad, I was enabled, or rather induced to make a 

 little excursion upon this great city artery — a proper 

 term, for it keeps up the circulation between town and 

 country — and take a few notes for the benefit of my 

 readers. The cars start from the City Hall, several times 

 a-day and are taken by horses through the thickly-settled 

 streets, occupying about half an hour; then by steam at 

 a very moderate rate, owing to the numerous stoppages 

 at a great number of growing villages along the line of 

 this road. I noticed the singular fact, that these country 

 residences are mainly supplied with marketing from the 

 city, instead of their own vicinity. 



This road is well conducted, and of immense advan- 

 tage to the country through which it is located. The 

 freight upon milk, alone, this year, will exceed $40,000. 

 It was over $5,000 in the month of July — some days $200 

 — think of that, unimproving generation! 



What would have thought the old settlers of '76 — if 

 they had been solemnly assured that the time would come 

 to their children, when the matutinal milkmaid should 

 send her rich product, warm from the cow, to the city, 

 fifty miles distant, to be used for breakfast the same 

 morning; while the messenger who carried it thither, 

 should return again for dinner. What would have said 

 Rip Van Winkle, if his sleep had been prolonged till the 

 whistle of the locomotive had waked him to new life? 

 He would not have been much more astonished, than 

 some of the ancient and unbelieving denizens of the old 

 shingle houses among the hills of Westchester. But the 

 miracle has been accomplished, and the whole course of 

 cultivation changed, for the tillable land has increased 

 in value — and now every article of produce — everything 

 valuable can be sent and daily sold in the city, and the 



