STAGECOACH, PACKET, AND RAILWAY. 447 



located upon that short route, leaving East Weymouth 

 and Weymouth Landing far to the west. But rather than 

 to be cut off, Cohasset joined forces with the Wcymouths 

 to bend the road westward through their towns at a much 

 increased expense, on condition that Cohasset be the ter- 

 minus. The longer way was adopted, and the charter was 

 changed April 20, 1847, cutting off the towns of Duxbury, 

 Marshfield, and Scituate, making the terminus at Cohasset. 



Two years from April, 1847, were allowed for the com- 

 pletion of this steam highway. The way through Wey- 

 mouth was excessively rough for a New England railroad, 

 but by dint of much blasting in granite and shale ledges, 

 and much grading away of gravel hills and many bridges 

 across inlets of tide water, the roadbed was finally com- 

 pleted in the latter part of 1848. The cost was much 

 more than the stockholders had anticipated, and the four 

 assessments* during 1847 rnade them feel the cost of the 

 institution to which they had subscribed. But the score or 

 more of Cohasset citizens who had embarked in this enter- 

 prise were willing to be put to a considerable expense for 

 the public good. A large amount of stock was taken also 

 by contractors as part payment for work done. 



There was a sort of business bargain called a consolida- 

 tion, between the Old Colony Company and the South 

 Shore Company, formed while our road was being built, 

 September 20, 1847. The South Shore was to construct 

 and to maintain the road for five years, and the Old Col- 

 ony was i:o furnish all of the rolling stock and manage the 

 traffic. The rent to be paid by the Old Colony was six 

 per cent on the cost of the road from the time of its com- 

 pletion ; but as the cost was running beyond the estimates, 

 the Old Colony stipulated that they would pay rent upon 

 no more than $400,000. It was a good bargain for the 



♦Fl-om Lieut. Thomas Stoddard's diary : — 



July 6, 1847. " I paid my first assessment on two shares of South Shore R. R. 

 stock to J. C. Doane Esq." Three other assessments followed during six months. 



