"We trust that none but efficient men, firm friends of the Railroad, will be put in the Direction. The Stockholders should look to this and vote for no man that they do not know to be warmly in favor of an active prosecution of the work to an early completion. This subject has been so long before the community that every man's sentiments are known, and it would be folly to expose the road to defeat now by not being careful in the selection. With a Board of Directors such as can be found, the autumn of 1849 should be signalized by the opening of the entire road from the Cape to Rome. It can be done and it should be done. The road being a great good the sooner we enjoy it the better." So it was that upon the sixth day of the following April the actual organization of the Watertown & Rome Railroad was accomplished at the American Hotel, in Watertown, and an emissary despatched to Albany, who succeeded on April 28th in having the original Act for the construction of the line extended, for a final time. It also provided for the increase of the capitalization from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000--in order that the new road, once built, could be properly equipped with iron rail, weighing at least fifty-six pounds to the yard. It was not difficult by that time to sell the additional stock in the company. The missionary work--to-day we would call it propaganda--of its first promoters really had been a most thorough job. [Illustration: ORVILLE HUNGERFORD First President of the Watertown & Rome Railroad.] The original officers of the Watertown & Rome Railroad were: _President_, ORVILLE HUNGERFORD, Watertown _Secretary_, CLARKE RICE, Watertown _Treasurer_, O. V. BRAINARD, Watertown _Superintendent_, R. B. DOXTATER, Watertown _Directors_ S. N. Dexter, New York William C. Pierrepont, Brooklyn John H. Whipple, New York Norris M. Woodruff, Watertown Samuel Buckley, Watertown Jerre Carrier, Cape Vincent Clarke Rice, Watertown Robert B. Doxtater, New York Orville Hungerford, Watertown William Smith, Watertown Edmund Kirby, Brownville Theophilus Peugnet, Cape Vincent The summer of 1847 was spent chiefly in perfecting the organization and financial plans of the new road, in eliminating a certain opposition to it within its own ranks and in strengthening its morale. At the initial meeting of the Board of Directors, William Smith had been allowed two dollars a day for soliciting subscriptions while Messrs. Hungerford, Pierrepont, Doxtater and Dexter were appointed a committee to go to New York and Boston for the same purpose. A campaign fund of $500 was allotted for this entire purpose.