The Border Town Railway (1875)
Tune--"The Brave Old Admiral."
What a clever cove is he,
He's about to "tap the Wimmera,"
And bring it to the sea.
And what d'ye think he'll do it with?
Why, a one-horse chaise on rails
To carry all the Wimmera wool,
Corn, wine, and royal mails. Chorus To carry all the &c. From Kingston unto Border Town,
A splendid line he'll start,
To bring the Mallee produce down
In a slap-up horse and cart !
So, Horshamites, you must look out,
Or ruined you will be
By those aerial One-Horse Railways,
From the Border to the sea ! By those, &c. The beacon fires of danger near,
Light through Victoria's land !
And to protect your trade, boys,
Unite both heart and hand.
Lay your cheapest, quickest rails, boys,
And don't be led astray
By those Melbourne speculators,
Who say 3.10 gauge won't pay. By those Melbourne, &c., Start a Mallee border line,
As near the Border as can be,
And " tap" their South-east trade, lads,
And bring it to your sea.
The Narrocoote One-horse Rail they say,
Of the Wimmera is the key ;
So start your iron horses, lads,
And let you trade be free. So, start, &c., Shew these selfish S.A. members
That a people rules our land,
And not a few self-seekers,
Who play in each other's hands.
Lease your lands, don't sell them;
Let the State the landlord be ;
And snap your jolly fingers at
These Horse Railways to the sea. A. F. W.
--Horsham Times. Notes From the Victorian Newspaper the Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser 7 May 1875 p. 4. Top