From the Chenango Telegraph of Norwich, NY
Wednesday, May 8, 1872

The Auburn Branch

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   The westward progress of the Midland is of deep interested to the people of Norwich. As a new link will, in a few days, be added to the Midland chain, we send you a few notes from the Auburn Branch.

   From DeRuyter to Cortland, the iron is laid, except about one mile, to connect with the Ithaca road. This portion of the road will be ready for business by the first of June. The distance is 20 miles. Cuyler, 4 miles from DeRuyter, is the first station from DeRuyter.

   This is a small village, but the town is one of the largest cheese producing towns in the State, having no less than twelve cheese factories within its bounds. Here the road strikes the rich and beautiful valley of the Tioughnioga. From Cuyler to Cortland, the grade is very light, passing the entire distance on the alluvial flats of the river.

   Truxton, five miles from Cuyler, is an enterprising village, and contains two good-sized grist mills, one woolen factory, one large cooper shop, two steam sawmills, six stores, two hotels, and is one of the best points on the Auburn branch, for freight and passengers.

   East Homer is a small village in the town of Homer, five miles from Truxton, and six from Cortland.

   The road passes on the eastern and southern border of Cortland village, to the junction of the Ithaca and Cortland road, in the extreme southern portion of the village.

   From Cortland west, the I. & C. R.R. is open to Freeville, ten miles; thence ten miles more west to Ithaca. From Freeville north, the line passes through the northern portion of the town of Dryden, into the town of Lansing, where it joins the celebrated Murdock like, about four miles from Freeville. The Murdock line passes through the towns of Genoa and Venice, in Cayuga County, on this line, the grading has been mostly done for years.

   H.D. Leonard has the contract for grading from Freeville to the north line of the town of Venice, to which the iron will be laid by Sept. 1st, 1872. This portion of Cayuga and Tompkins counties, is a wheat producing country, and the farmers expect to find a market for their grain on the line of the Midland. The distance from Freeville to the north line of Venice, is 23 miles. A gravel train is now completing the road between DeRuyter and Cortland.