History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 52

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"This was all down on paper and looked nice enough, but the trouble had not begun. The charter was got and a survey made, and everything seemed to indicate a speedy completion of the road. But a gen- eration was to pass before the hopeful projectors should see a railroad from Danbury to tide-water, and before that glad consummation a mountain of worry, oppo- sition, and discouragement was to be painfully scaled. As in the case of all enterprises benefiting a commun- ity, a few only of its professed friends were left to do the work, while the mass either stood idle or suggested obstacles with a fertility of resource that was as amaz- ing as it was exasperating. Conspienons among the workers for the project were Eli T. Hoyt and the late Aaron Seeley.

"The road as it was first contemplated and as it finally took shape were two different projeets. Most of our readers are not aware that in Danbury's first inception of railway communication with the onter world the somewhat colossal project of a throngh-line from New York to Albany by way of this place was entertained, and that the Danbury and Norwalk Rail- way is to-day part of that scheme, and all, in fact, that is left of it. The proposed ronte was to run from New York by boat to Wilson's Point, on the Sound,

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

four miles below Norwalk. The harbor there was the best in that section, and would be accessible for the greater part of the most severe winter. From the Point to Danbury the rail was to run, and thence to West Stockbridge, Mass., where the line would con- nect with what is now the Boston and Albany road, and which was then building from Albany to West Stockbridge. This, of course, was before the day of the Harlem road and in the beginning of railway en- terprise in this country,-at a time when railways were mainly opposed on the very substantial grounds that cattle would get on the tracks and be killed.

"We shall speak first of the line from Danbury to tide-water, known in the charter as 'The Fairfield County Railroad.' The survey was made by Alexan- der Twining, of New Haven, in the summer of 1835.

"Two surveys were made,-one along the Sauga- tuck River to Compo Point below Westport, and the other along the present route to Belden's Neck (Wil- son's Point). The distance on the Saugatuck route was about twenty-three miles, and on the Norwalk route to Belden's Neck it was twenty-six miles. In point of distance to New York, however, the latter route had the advantage in that it was seven miles nearer to that city by the channel than the former. It is not necessary to speak further of the Saugatuck route, as it was abandoned.

"The Norwalk survey, as first made by Mr. Twi- ning, was considerably changed before the work on the road commenced. At this end of the route it was first designed to leave Bethel out, running the road through Mountainville along the line of Simpaug Brook, and coming into the borough across South Street and parallel with Main on the east to Turner Street, where it was designed to have the station. Mr. Twining recommended, however, that, instead of fol- lowing the Simpaug, the road branch to the east and run through Grassy Plain into Bethel, and thus secure an important station with but a little increase in dis- tance. The suggestion was accepted so far as Bethel was concerned, but the route at the south end of the village was not materially changed. Some one did speak of the line which is now occupied, but it was scouted at the time. The great flat between the lower bridge and Bethel was a bog, and some very wise citi- zen said at the time that two twelve-foot rails could be pushed down into it their full length without touching bottom. The route along the east of Main Street was strongly opposed by the owners of seven- teen homesteads, who gloomily anticipated destruc- tion to their cows and pigs by crossing the track. Mr. Twining hinted that the difficulty in building the road at Hubbell's Hill could be avoided by following the Norwalk valley into its extension Sugar Hollow and thus come into Danbury on the west side; but this was not further considered.

" While these surveys were going on the friends of the project had their heads full of a through New York and Albany line, and, although their charter

provided for a road from Danbury direct to tide-water only, they dreamed of the through-line and worked for it. It was, to speak mildly, a stupendous enter- prise for a town of less than six thousand inhabitants to take hold of and attempt to carry through, for as yet there was no organized effort in this direction out- side of Danbury. But the progressive ones of that day worked hard for success, and earned it even if they did not receive it."

FROM NEW YORK TO ALBANY VIA DANBURY.

" As we have said, during the project of a road from Danbury to tide-water the projectors never lost sight of the feasibility of a through winter route from New York to Albany. This was a crying demand in both cities, and the Hudson River for a railway-line was not thought of ; neither, in fact, was the route through Putnam County, now known as the Harlem road. And a railway-line between the two cities by way of Dan- bury was not so much out of the way, after all.

"The distance by the Hudson River, the most direct route, is one hundred and fifty miles; by way of Dan- bury it is but fourteen miles greater, as the following will show :

Miles.

From New York by steamboat to Belden's Neck 40

By railway to Danbury 26

From Danbury to West Stockbridge 68

From West Stockbridge to Albany. 30

Whole distance .. 164

"Mr. Twining recommended this through-route, and Messrs. Aaron Seeley, Eli T. Hoyt, and Jarvis Brush, to whom the surveyor made his report, pub- lished a card indorsing the same.

" It may not be uninteresting to our readers of this day to know what were some of the grounds on which was based a calculation in favor of a railway-line from Danbury to New York, and we herewith give the views of the gentlemen above named, as well as their estimate of the through-business. It presents most interesting reading, we think, to this generation, and the figures contemplated and those realized make entertaining comparisons. The committee advance these views in favor of direct rail-communication with tide-water :

"' The town of Danbury* contains a population of about 6000, and the village of Danbury is the central point of business for a fertile aud densely-populated territory of 200 square miles. The present amount of transportation from this and the adjoining towns, as ascertained by inquiry of persons engaged in business, is 7000 tons. This amount has actually been transported during the past year. Much, however, has heen necessarily overlooked in the estimate, and the amount has been for the last ten years, and is now, gradually increasing. These considera- tions alone, without taking into the estimate the impulse which experi- ence has shown will be given by a railroad to all branches of business, en- able us to state with confidence that the transportation upon this road, upon its first opening, will be 10,000 tons. The regular price now paid for freight to those exclusively engaged in transportation from Danbury to Saugatuck and Norwalk is $5 per ton. Assuming the minimum price for transportation upon the railroad to be $3 per ton, the annual revenue from this source alone will be $30,000, to which may be added for freight from the towns south of Danbury, which will probably be nearly equal upon either ronte, $2000,-making in the whole $32,000, and the differ- ence between that amount and the price now paid, being $20,000, will be

* This included Bethel .- EDITOR News.

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DANBURY.

a clear gain to the public. The present number of passengers from New York to Danbury, as ascertained by a reference to the books of the pro- prietors of the stage-lines and other sources, is 10,000. The price of pas- sage now paid, and which it is not proposed to diminish, is one dollar. The unmber of passengers from the intermediate towns we estimate 1000 more, for which thero is now paid from fifty to sovonty-five cents; esti- mating the fare at the average price of sixty-two and a half cents, the amonnt is $625,-making the amount of revenue to be derived from passengers, $10,625. These estimates are based upon the facts as they now exist; but when we take into consideration the increased amount of transportation and travel to bo created by the increased facilities for communication, it may safely be assumed that the income from all sonrces of revenne will be greatly increased. For instance, we have stated that the present annnal number of passengers from Danbury to New York is 10,000. This includes very fow from the towns east of Dan- bnry, and none from the southern portions of Litchfield County and the eastern part of the connties of Dutchess and Putnam, in the State of New York. But the proposed road would undoubtedly draw to itself all the travel from the entire region, which, it is not unreasonable to sup- pese, wonld increase the number of passengers to 20,000,-thus yielding from passengers alone an incomo of $20,000 per annum. A rapid exten- sion of business along the whole line of the road, and throughout the portion of conntry within the sphere of its influence, may also bo confi- dently anticipated. In the instance of heavy articles also tho increased amount of transportation will, in onr judgment, far exceed tho cstimate here made. We refer especially to the articles of coal and plaster, the former of which is now used in the interior to a very limited extent, but would, npon the opening of the proposed road, be extensivoly substi- tnted for wood. In relation to the annual expenditures, the experience of other roads enables ns to present an estimate upon which we may safely rely. The annnal expense of repairs may be put at $2500. The cost of transporting freight to the amonnt with which this road will com- mence will not exceed thirty-five cents per ton. One trip and one return- trip per day will be sufficient to accommodate all the passengers with which the road will open, which, at $7.50 per trip, for 313 days, makes for the year $1695. The salaries of the officers in the employ of the com- pany may be set down at $3000 per annum, the expense for drivers and keeping horses,* for freight-wagons, etc., exclusive of passenger-cars, $3500, making in the aggregate, for all expenses of the company, $13,695.

""" We present the following recapitulation :

Income from freight. $32,000

Income from transportation of passengers 20,000

$52.000

Dednet annual expenses of repairs, etc.

13,695

Net annual profit. $38,305

Thus yielding a dividend of nearly ten per cent. to the stockhoklers.'

"Of the route through to Albany the committee further say :

"""" There is, however, another and more enlarged view which we take of this subject. The road, according to the original design of its pro- jectors, ends at Danbury, and the company, by their charter, are author- ized to construct it to that place only. But in the course of their inquiries, the undersigned have become convinced that this road is in the line of the very nearest practicable route for a railway between the cities of New York and Albany, and that by extending it northward through the valley of the Housatonic to West Stockbridge,-a distance of sixty-eight miles only, -- and intersecting at that place the railroad from Albany to West Stock- bridge, already commenced, the great object, so long desired, of effecting an open winter-communication between the commercial and political capitals of the Empire State will be accomplished. With a view to this object, Mr. Twining, the engineer by whom our road was surveyed, has examined the country between the northern termination of tho Fairfield Connty Railroad and the proposed point of intersection with the Albany and West Stockbridge Railway. The result of his examination will bo fonnd in his report.

"' Actual surveys have demonstrated that a railroad between the two cities must, for a portion of the distance, pass through the valley of the Honsatonic. And it has never been proposed, nor is it indeed possible, to enter the valley with such road at any point farther north than at or near Canaan Falls, forty-four miles north of Danbury. It is immaterial, however, at what point any other practicable route enters that valley, because it being true that it must be brought thus far cast proves that

in regard to distanco no other ronte ever can possess any material ad- vantage over the present.

"' That the business of this portion of country which the extended road would intersect will afford an ample remuneration to the stockbold- ers there can be no reasonable doubt. Of its value as a channel of inter- course between New York and Albany no estimate has been or can be made. When we look at the immense numbers daily passing between the two cities, and reflect that this nminber, great as It now is, is daily angmenting by the increase of population and wealth throughout the country and by the opening of new lines of communication to an indef- inite extent at the north and west, we are admonished that its value cannot be calculated, and that all attempts to make an estimate must fail.' .

"There are some figures in the report of Mr. Twin- ing's survey from Danbury to tide-water which are of full as mueh interest to us of to-day as they were to those who watched the progress of the scheme. It must be borne in mind that this was not a steam-rail- way, but really a horse-railway. In that day loco- motives were in but little use in this country, and nothing, comparatively, was known of them in New England. Mr. Twining's estimate for the grading of the road was $7869 a mile, or $203,389 for the entire distance.

"In his estimate for the superstructure-that is, the traek-is an item, 'Horse-path,' which was to eost $123 a mile. The horse-path was to be of plank. The following is his estimate for the appointments of the road :

Six carriages for passengers ... $4,500

Fifteen wagons for burdens. 5,250

Thirty horses. 3,000

Harness 600

Two depots, with carriage-houses and stables .. 8,000

One half-way station, with ditto 2,750

Total $24,100

" It will be seen by the above that passenger-ears eould then be bought for $750 apiece, and freight- ears were in the market at $350 each.

" It was proposed to make two trips a day each way. The ears were to be drawn by horses, two to each ear. The time required to make the trip was estimated to be three hours. As to how the freight-wagons were to run, or how many to a train, was not determined on, as the road was but then in its inception, and before matters progressed to any degree locomotives came into use.

" While these estimates were being made the ' through-line' was worked at. Mr. Twining and the originators of the road were firmly convinced that the line would pay and that it was a necessity. There was no rail-route between New York and Albany, and in the winter, when navigation was closed in the river, there was no communication between the two cities except by stage. The Danbury people sought to stir up enthusiasm at points along the proposed route.

"In December, 1835, a publie meeting was held in Kent, the next town above New Milford. It was a large meeting. Delegates were present from all towns along the proposed line from Danbury to West Stock- bridge. A proposed charter (granted the following year) had been drafted, giving to the company char-

* It was designed to run the road by horse-power.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

tered the right to construct a road to Bridgeport, or to the New York State line in the town of Ridgefield, or to Danbury. The Kent meeting determined on the route to Danbury, and appointed Aaron Seeley, Peter Pierce, and Jay Shears a committee to employ an engineer and have a survey made and an estimate of cost prepared.

"In March following the committee secured the services of E. H. Brodhead, an experienced civil en- ginecr, to make the survey. He entered upon his duties as soon as possible, and was accompanied along the course by Mr. Seeley, of the committee.

"Twenty-one days were employed in this work. Not only the line proposed, but several diverging routes, at the suggestion of citizens living off the line, were looked after. The line was carried, also, south of Danbury to the New York State line in Ridgefield, at the place of E. Bouton, a distance of about eleven miles from here. The line in Danbury began at the Main Street Bridge across Still River, and Mr. Brod- head's survey ran it through Beaver Brook District, thence along the line of the Still River to its conflu- ence with the Ousatonic (Housatonic) at New Mil- ford. From there it followed pretty much the line now occupied by the Housatonic road to West Stock- bridge, where was met the railway known as the Bos- ton and Albany.

"Thic route from Danbury to the New York State line followed the course of the Still River, passed through Miry Brook District and entered the Sugar Hollow. The ascent through the Hollow was, ac- cording to Mr. Brodhead, thirty-five feet to the mile. At Sugar Hollow Pond the line diverged to Bennett's Ponds, and thence passed through Titicus to the neighborhood of South Salem. This route was not, however, an important item in the consideration of the road. The main thing was to get the line to Dan- bury through the Ousatonic Valley, where it would connect with the Fairfield County road, to tidc-water. The line from Ridgefield to West Stockbridge was eighty-one miles ; from Danbury to West Stockbridge, seventy miles. Mr. Brodhead estimated the entire cost of the road, the longer distance, to be $1,247,509.

"These figures excceded the expectation of the committec, but did not dampen their ardor. They made up their report and presented it to the conven- tion, and with it a circular which was to go before capitalists who were looking for investments.

"The circular assumed that, viewed in connection with manufactures, the unusual water-power, and the cheapness of the land thereto, the Ousatonic route was to be preferred to any other route, especially one nearer to the Hudson River (this referred to the Har- len and Albany scheme). But the committec, wish- ing to make no uncomplimentary comparison, simply say that, feeling confident that while the counties of Putnam and Westchester undoubtedly surpass the Ousatonic Valley as an agricultural country, yet they feel confident it is manufactories that must give busi-

ness to a railway and profit to the stockholders, and so, without comparing this route with the one farther west, they invite capitalists to examine for them- selves.

"The committee were very much in earnest, even to the extent of using italic. 'Should the capitalists of the cities of Albany and New York prefer the western route,' say the committee, 'we appeal to the people of the Ousatonic Valley to come forward in all their strength, and, relying upon their own resources, to construct a road to tide-water.'

"The people of the valley eventually came forward in all their strength and constructed a road to tidc- water, but not as the committee expected, and cer- tainly not as they desired.

"Messrs. Hoyt and Seeley attended a big railroad meeting in Albany just previous to the Kent mecting. They went there to present the Ousatonic Valley route, and to learn what could be learned of the con- dition of the railroad pulse. Hi Barnes drove them there in a carriage. While in Albany a heavy snow- storm fell, and made it impossible for them to get back as they went. Mr. Barnes was equal to the emergency, however, and very soon succeeded in trad- ing off his carriage for a sleigh, by which the return- trip was made. At any gathering of railway sympa- thizers which presented an opportunity to ventilate their favorite scheme these two men might be found. " While these movements were being made, Bridge- port, which was not thought of by any one as a rail- road point, began to realize that there was danger of losing something. The something in question was all the business of the Housatonic Valley.

" When Bridgeport got on high ground where it could look off some other direction than seaward, it saw that by way of Danbury and Norwalk was so much more direct for a line to New York than by way of itself that should the road be built there would never be the ghost of a chance for it to get the business of the upper Housatonic Valley. It would all go the shorter route.

" Danbury as yet had no road to tide-water. If Bridgeport could build a road from New Milford to itself, then it would stand a very good chance to take the business of the Housatonic Valley should a road be put through it. Alfred M. Bishop, father of Wil- liam D. Bishop, was considerably interested in the proposed road, and came to Danbury to talk over the matter with our people. He offered to carry through the Fairfield County railway if Danbury would raise one hundred thousand dollars for that purpose. There were those in favor of doing it, of course; but there were so many more opposed to it that the scheme fell through. He next tricd Bridgeport, and that city, being a trifle more awake than we, or a trifle less honest,* we are not sure which, pledged two hundred

* When the time came for this money to be paid Bridgeport sought to repudiate, and the law was called in to force it to keep its word, which appeared to be equally as good as its bond.

209

DANBURY.

thousand dollars for a road from there to New Mil- ford.

" This practically killed the Danbury route from New York to Albany. In 1840 the railway from Bridgeport to New Milford was completed and opened for use. Two years later it was extended to the State line, and became the winter-route from Albany to New York, via the steamer 'Nimrod,' Capt. Brooks, to Bridgeport, and as such was occu- pied for a number of years. It was ten years later before the Danbury and Norwalk road took form.

" The reader remembers, perhaps, that there were two objective points at tide-water,-one at Westport and the other below South Norwalk. This end of the line was rampant for the road, but there was not so much interest taken below. It was desirable to get one hundred thousand dollars from the other end, and our railway committee made several journeys with that object in view. Westport wanted the road, but its anxiety was not a hundred thousand dollars' worth. Norwalk felt the same. Year after year' passed away in this state of affairs, and then Norwalk people awoke up to the full importance of the line, and the money was subscribed.

" Work on the road was begun in the fall of 1850. . Beard, Church & Co. were the contractors, Deaeon John F. Beard being the senior of the firm. The total cost of constructing and equipping the road was three hundred and seventy thousand eight hundred and twenty-one dollars. The equipment consisted of three locomotives, four first-elass and two second- elass passenger-cars, eight box-, sixteen platform-, and three hand-cars. On the 1st of March the road was so far completed as to run trains. The station in Danbury was a subject of considerable discussion. The down-town subseribers wanted it in that neigh- borhood, while the up-town subscribers wanted it where it now is. As the latter's stock was much more than the former's, they earried the day ; where- upon the dissatisfaction was so great among the dis- appointed that the sueeessful ones took their stock off their hands.

"We of this day, enjoying the completed line, little realize what the founders endured and had to contend against to get the road through. There was trouble in securing the right of way, in the eonstrue- tion, and in the payment of the subscriptions. One notable case in the last-named class is worthy of mention. Down at Belden's Neck lived a New York merchant, and in Norwalk village lived another. The former we will call W., and the latter S. S. subseribed five thousand dollars. W. was then scen, and was told what S. had done. He said S. could take twenty thousand dollars' worth of stock just as well as not, and, if he did so, he, W., would guarantee him six per cent. from the earnings of the road, pro- viding S. would let him vote on his stock. W. then took five thousand dollars' worth. S. was seen, and told what W. had said. Upon that he made his sub-

scription twenty thousand dollars. When the money was called for the cager W. refused to pay, and suit was brought by the company to force him to keep his word. W. claimed that the directors had violated the terms of agreement in several particulars, and believed he could annul the subscription; but he failed, and the company recovered.

" The following were the officers of the new road, as recorded in the first printed report of the company :

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572