The iron horse is coming sure,
Our plodding days will soon be o'er:
The engineer has gone before,
To mark the way and make it sure,
Chorus: The iron horse is coming sure,
Our plodding days will soon be o'er.
With hoofs of steel, and iron-bound,
He's coming sure to Middletown;
There's work around for evermore
And feed enough for him in store.
If business fly, or pleasure hie,
Alike his best endeavors try;
If pressed with heavy loads, or light,
He moves along in brave delight.
To better markets swiftly bear
Our noble products, rich and fair;
Along the track he'll bring us back,
The many precious things we lack.
Now "Van" may "Winkle" in his bed
And dormant lie, appearing dead;
The fogy croak and shake his head,
And tell us what grand-daddy said.
The days of steam are drawing nigh,
Our trudging days are passing by,
The iron horse is coming through,
His freighted train will soon be due.
The iron horse is all the talk;
We should not cease or make a balk,
But help along with friendly ties,
This great and public enterprise.
He'll never come, the iron horse,
Unless we shall his way endorse;
Unless we take sufficient stock,
He'll far away our wishes mock.
Chorus: The iron horse is halting now,
And we are trudging, trudging how.