History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 30

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 30

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* Another account says the total cost was about one million dollars.

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

line for three hundred thousand dollars, and kept up the business until about 1847, when railway competition com- pelled the abandonment of the work. The present New Haven and Northampton Railway follows substantially the line of this canal.

CHAPTER XXII. RAILWAYS.

THE WESTERN RAILROAD-THE BOSTON AND ALBANY RAIL- ROAD .*

IN 1826 petitions were presented by Thomas II. Perkins and . others of Boston, and A. J. Allen and others, that a survey for a railway be made between Boston and the Hudson River, and the committee on roads and canals was "instructed to inquire whether any practicable and useful improvements have been made in the construction of railways and of steam- carriages used thereon, so as to admit of their being suceess- fully introduced into this commonwealth ; and if so, whether it is expedient to extend thereto the aid and encouragement of this Legislature."

This committee reported a resolution authorizing the Gov- ernor to appoint three commissioners and an engineer upon the subject of railways, which passed the Senate, but was in- definitely postponed in the House.

At the June session of 1826 a select committee of the House was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Abner Phelps and George W. Adams, of Boston, and Emory Washburn, of Worcester, with instructions to consider the practicability and expediency of constructing a railway from Boston on the most eligible route to the western line of the county of Berkshire, in order that, if leave can be obtained from the government of New York, it may be extended to the Hudson River, at or near Albany ; and that the committee be instructed to report infor- mation and estimates of expense as they deem proper." This is believed to have been the first concerted movement looking to the construction of a railway in the State.t

The above-named commissioners, who were authorized to sit during the recess of the Legislature, sent circulars throughout the State, and employed all available means to obtain infor- mation. They made a report on the 19th of January, 1827. The report entered somewhat at length into a discussion of plans for a road, and cited the experience of the people of Great Britain. It would seem that the idea of using steam locomotive-carriages as a motive-power had been only hinted at, for the plans for single- and double-track roads were inva- riably coupled with arrangements for employing only horse- power, and provision was made for a horse-path, and paths for the drivers and attendants, on each side of the road. Some mention was made of locomotives, and it was stated that "an engine of two eight-inch cylinders, weighing about five tons, will move forty tons at the rate of nine or ten miles an hour, and is said to have moved ninety tons at the rate of four miles an hour."

The committee reported unanimously in favor of the pro- jeet, and " that a railway would be far more useful to the

* The article upon the Western and Boston and Albany Railways has been mostly compiled from a history of the former road, written by Hon. George Bliss, and published in 1863, and data furnished by the officers of the Boston and Al- bany road.

As this was the pioneer among the important long lines of New England, and during its construction met with many difficulties and embarrassments, we have given its history much more in detail than that of the other roads passing through or connecting with the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts,

The history of these companies best illustrates the difficulties encountered by the early railway corporations in New England, and in a prominent manner conveys to the mind of the reader the various stages in the growth of this im- portant interest throughout the country.

t The first railway constructed in the United States was the short line from the Quincy granite quarries to the sea, in 1826. It was three miles in length, andl was used solely for the transportation of stone, and employed horse-power only.

publie than a canal." They recommended the appointment of three commissioners and an engineer to ascertain the practicability of such a road, and to make surveys, plans, and estimates, and were in favor of an appropriation for the purpose, not exceeding $5000.

These recommendations were not followed, but the Legisla- ture, on the 22d of February, 1827, passed a resolution author- izing the appointment of " three commissioners, to constitute a Board of Internal Improvements," to attend to all matters concerning eanals and railways. This board consisted of Messrs. J. J. Fiske, Willard Phelps, and James Hayward, at a compensation of four dollars per day. This committee ap- pear to have performed very little work, and none with refer- enee to the proposed line of railway.

At the June session of 1827, upon a petition of James Whiton and others, of Berkshire, and Josiah Quiney and others, of Boston, the Legislature authorized the appoint- ment of two commissioners and an engineer to make the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates for a road from Bos- ton to the New York line, and, with leave obtained from the authorities of the latter State, to the Hudson River. Ten thousand dollars was appropriated for the purpose. Nahum Mitehell, of Boston, and Samuel MeKay, of Pittsfield, were accordingly appointed such commission, with James F. Bald- win as engineer.

Two entire routes were examined,-one, called the southern, through Framingham, Woreester, Springfield, Chester, Wash- ington, Pittsfield, and West Stockbridge, to the State line at Canaan ; thence, through Chatham and Kinderhook, to the Hudson at Albany. The northern route was from Troy, N. Y., by Hoosae Four Corners, Williamstown, and Adams, to the Connecticut River at Northampton ; thence, by Belcher- town, Rutland, Boylston, Watertown, and Cambridge, to Boston.

Lateral examinations were also made from Cbester, by Walker Brook, Becket, and Stockbridge, to the State line at Canaan, and others.

Accurate instrumental surveys were made only upon the southern route, and upon this only for twelve miles west of Boston, and from Connecticut River to Albany. These sur- veys and examinations were conducted exclusively with ref- erence to the use of animal power, as " better adapted to the transportation of that endless variety of loading which a dense and industrious population requires." The length of the pro- posed road was given at 180 miles and 212 rods. No special estimate of cost was made, but the commissioners reported a probable outlay not exceeding one-half the cost of English railways per mile.

In transmitting the report to the Legislature, Governor Lincoln in his message said : " The results to which the com- mission have already arrived may be considered as fully es- tablishing the practicability, within the reasonable applica- tion of means, of the construction of the road."

In the Legislature the Committee on Roads and Railways reported on the lath of February, 1828, that "after mature examination of the facts and statements contained in said Re- port, they are of opinion that the railroad, as applicable to Massachusetts and to New England generally, has, since the making of said report, assumed a new and greater impor- tanee; that it will prove a new ereation of wealth, power, and superiority to the State. That a railroad can be constructed at far less expense than a canal, and he productive of still greater advantages."

On the 11th of March, 1828, an aet was passed providing for a Board of Directors of Internal Improvements, to serve with- out compensation, except the payment of expenses when on duty. They were clothed with powers to transaet all neces- sary business, and were required to report to the Legislature. This board consisted of nine persons, as follows: Levi Lin- coln, Nathan Hale, Stephen White, David Henshaw, Thomas

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

W. Ward, Royal Makepeace, George Bond, William Foster, and E. 11. Robbins, Jr. James F. Baldwin was appointed engineer.

Nearly simultaneously with these proceedings, the Legisla- ture of New York (April 15, 1828) passed " an aet to facili- tate the construction of a railroad from the city of Boston to the Hudson River ;" and under it Ebenezer Baldwin, of Al- bany, Oliver Wiswall, of Hudson, and George Tibbits, of Troy, were appointed commissioners, and William C. Young, en- gineer. This act "pledged the Legislature that if the State of Massachusetts shall construet a railroad from Boston to the boundary of this State, either directly or through the medinm of an incorporated company, the Legislature of this State will construct it from thence to the Hudson River, or grant to the State of Massachusetts, or some authorized company, the right of so doing, and taking tolls thereon, under proper restrictions as to jurisdiction."

Explorations and surveys were in progress under the com- missioners of New York and Massachusetts, on every part of the line from Boston to the Hudson River, during the year 1828.

Reports by the commissioners of the two States were made early in 1829,-by those of Massachusetts on the 16th of Jan- uary, and by those of New York on the 25th of February. The latter reported upon two routes between the Hudson River and the State line, which had been minutely surveyed, viz. : one from Troy, through Pownal, Vt., to Adams, and one from Albany and Hudson to West Stockbridge, the lines from Albany and Hudson to unite at Chatham.

The Massachusetts commissioners reported a number of sur- veys. The principal one was substantially the same as after- ward adopted by the Boston and Worcester and the Western Railroads as far as the State line in West Stockbridge; among the others were two lines from the last-named point to Albany. From the State line to Chatham Four Corners both pursued substantially the same line, not varying greatly from where the road now runs. From thence one line bore more to the west, striking the Hudson near Sehodack Landing, thirteen miles below Albany, and thence by the valley to Greenbush. The other struck the river at Castleton, eight miles from Green- bush. The road, as finally located, kept upon higher land, and reached the river directly at Greenbush.

By these surveys the distance from Boston to the Connecti- eut River was 94 miles and 64 chains, and to the State line 160 miles and 44 chains, and, by the shortest survey, 198 miles and 6 chains to Albany. By the other route, the distance from Boston to Albany was 200} miles.

The cost of the New York section was estimated by Engineer Young at $658,601, or at the average of $16,162 per mile.

A second route was examined, farther north, crossing the Connecticut River at Northampton ; and a third, still farther north, passing through the valleys of Miller's, Deerfield, and Hoosac Rivers to Troy. The distance by the northern route from Boston to Troy was 190 miles, and by the Northampton route 210 miles.

The passage of the Green Mountains was largely in favor of the southern route through Springfield, and thenee up the valley of the Agawam River.

Several local surveys were made on some portions of the line west of the Connectieut River, with a view to taking every possible advantage in the topography of the country ; bnt the various results only the more thoroughly established the south- ern route, and mainly as the road now runs.

A long discussion upon the relative merits of horse- and steam-power finally resulted in the adoption of the locomotive.

The road which is now known as the Boston and Albany Railroad was constructed by a number of distinct corporations, first of which was The Boston and Worcester Railroad Cor- poration, which was chartered on the 23d of June, 1831, to construct a road from Boston to Worcester.

The proposed capital stock of this company was 10,000 shares of $100 each, or a total of $1,000,000, which was subscribed, and the company organized on the Ist of May, 1832. Sur- veys were made by John M. Fessenden, in 1831, and the total distance found to be 433 miles. The terminus in Worcester was found to be 456 feet above Western Avenue, in Boston. The original estimated cost of the road and equipment, with the bed graded for a double track, was $883,000. This road was opened from Boston to Worcester, July 4, 1835.

On the 15th of March, 1833, the directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company were individually incorporated as The Western Railroad Corporation, with authority to construct a railroad from Worcester to the Connecticut River, at Springfield, and thence to the western boundary of the State. The capital stock was to consist of not less than 10,000 nor more than 20,000 shares of $100 each. The Bos- ton and Worcester company had exclusive control of the charter of the Western road, and of all proceedings under it. The charter conferred the authority of building branch roads in any or all towns immediately adjoining those through which the road passed.

On the 5th of May, 1834, the Legislature of New York chartered The Castleton and West Stockbridge Railroad Com- pany, with authority to construet a road from Castleton to the State line at West Stockbridge. The name of this cor- poration was changed by aet of the same body on the 5th of May, 1836, to The Albany and West Stockbridge Railroad Com- pany, with authority to construct a road from the Hudson River, at Greenbush, to the line of Massachusetts, at West Stockbridge. The capital stoek was $300,000. In this charter the State reserved the right to purchase the road after ten years, and within fifteen years of the completion of it, paying ten per cont. interest.

The stoek of this company was duly subscribed, and the company organized about the 23d of May, 1835. Samuel Cheever was appointed superintendent, and Wm. H. Talcott engineer.

At the same date a eharter was also granted for a railroad from the city of Hudson to the Massachusetts line at West Stockbridge. The stock of this company was principally taken in New York City, and the road was located ria Chatham Four Corners.

The company's books were not opened for subscriptions to the stock of the Western Railroad until late in the fall of 1834, after the Boston and Worcester road had been completed to Westboro', and the effort was then confined to Springfield and the towns between there and Worcester. People were very loath to invest their money in what was to a great extent con- sidered a ehimerieal undertaking, and matters progressed very slowly. At one time an informal offer was made by New York parties to subscribe the whole required capital, provided they could have the control of the company and stock. But this was looked upon as a stock-exchange scheme to control the road in the, interests of the city of New York, and the offer was declined.

On the 2d of January, 1835, at a meeting held at Spring- field, a committee of correspondenee and inquiry was ap- pointed, and on the 16th of February of the same year a meeting was held at the town-hall in Springfield, when Mr. George Bliss, of the above-named committee, laid what infor- mation had been obtained before the meeting, and, after dis- cussion, the committee was instructed to call a convention at Worcester, on the 5th of March ensuing, for the purpose of devising means for making an immediate survey of the route.

The convention at Worcester was numerously attended, and a committee of one from each town was appointed on resolu- tions, who reported as follows :

"1. That a railroad from Woreester to Springfield was greatly to be desired, was feasible, and ought to be entered upon without delay.

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

"2. That an accurate survey and estimate be made the present season ; and that a committee of three in each town interested be appointed to solicit subscriptions therefor.

"3. That an executive committee of five be appointed, to procure surveys and estimates, and obtain information in re- gard to the construction and probable income of the proposed road, with power to appoint a treasurer.

"4. That the directors of the Boston and Worcester com- pany be requested to organize the Western Railroad corpora- tion as early as in their opinion the stock can be taken up, and on the terms on which the Boston and Worcester corporation was first organized."

Following these resolutions an executive committee, con- sisting of George Bliss, Caleb Rice, and W. H. Bowdoin, of Springfield ; Joel Norcross, of Monson; and N. P. Dewey (or Denny), of Leicester, was appointed " to procure accurate surveys, a location, and estimates for the road, as far as from Worcester to Springfield."

Town committees were appointed, and instructed to report to the executive committee.

The first thing was to procure funds for a survey, and the sum of $7000 or $8000 was soon raised in the towns along the line, and by consent of the Boston and Worcester com- pany, their engineer, John M. Fessenden, was employed to make the survey, which was commenced in May, 1835. This survey included an examination of the proposed route between Springfield and Hartford.

The engineer reported the distance between Worcester and Springfield at 533 miles, and between Springfield and Hart- ford at 23 miles. ITis estimates included

Grading, masonry, and engineering. $589,000 Superstructure, including turnouts. 428,000 Damages, fencing, engines, cars, and depot grounds .. 183,000

Springfield and Hartford Line, 3612 miles with heaviest edge rail. 400,000

$1,200,000

$1,600,000

An estimate of probable business was made by the com- mittee as follows :

55,510 passengers at $1.75 ... $97,142

42,004 tons merchandise at $4.00 .. 168,016

$205,158

Less Mr. Fessenden's estimate of anunal expenses. 85,000

Net income $180,158

The people of Connecticut, and particularly of Hartford, were in the mean time not idle. Efforts were made in various directions to establish railways. Routes were discussed, and some of them surveyed, from Worcester to Hartford, and thence to New York; from Worcester to Albany, vi Hart- ford ; from Worcester, via Norwich, to New York ; from Hartford to West Stockbridge, etc.

The directors of the Boston and Worcester company were urged to open the books for subscriptions to the stock of the Western company, which request was complied with on the 3d day of August, 1835, at Boston, New York, Springfield, Worcester, Albany, Hudson, Pittsfield, and Lee, the books to remain open for ten days.

One of the conditions of subscription was that the com- pany should not be organized until stock to the amount of $2,000,000 had been taken. Every possible exertion was made to reach this amount, but when the books were closed, on the 13th of August, the total amount subscribed was found to be only 13,000 shares, or $1,300,000. Of this amount 8500 shares were taken in Boston and vicinity.

Determined to succeed, it was resolved by the directors to call a mass-meeting at Faneuil Hall, Boston, which was ac- cordingly done, and a large number of people assembled on the evening of Oct. 7, 1835. Delegations were present from Albany and Hudson, and all the interior towns on the route. MIon. Abbott Lawrence was chairman of the meeting. Ad- dresses and reports were made and resolutions adopted, and

the meeting was enthusiastic in favor of raising the required sum. Committees were appointed to solicit subscriptions, but when the result was known it was found that only 18,300 shares had been subscribed, leaving a deficiency of 1700.

On the 20th of November another meeting was held in the Supreme Court-room, Boston, which was addressed in a spirited manner by a number of gentlemen, and the following resolu- tion, offered by Isaac Parker, Esq., was adopted : " In the opinion of this meeting, the construction of the Western Rail- road is of vital importance to this community, and the project should not be abandoned while any just and proper measures are left untried for its accomplishment."

By persevering efforts the required amount was obtained by the 5th of December, 1835, and the corporation was organized on the 4th of January, 1836, at the court-house in Boston. The following gentlemen were chosen directors : Thomas B. Wales, William Lawrence, Edmund Dwight, Henry Rice, John Henshaw, Francis Jackson, and Josiah Quincy, Jr., of Boston, and Justice Willard and George Bliss, of Springfield. At the first meeting of the directors, Thomas B. Wales was chosen President ; Ellis Gray Loring, Clerk ; and Josiah Quincy, Jr., Treasurer.

Maj. William G. MeNeil was secured as chief engineer and captain ; William II. Swift as assistant engineer; the latter to devote his whole time to the work .* George Bliss was ap- pointed general agent of the corporation, March 16, 1836.

At the meeting of the stockholders for organization, they instructed the directors to apply to the Legislature for aid in the construction of the road. On the 16th of January, 1836, a petition was presented by George Ashmun, asking for an act of incorporation for a bank, to be called " The Western Railroad Bank," to be located in Boston, with a capital of $5,000,000.

Among other reasons urged for the establishment of this bank was the fact that several millions of capital had been withdrawn from the State by the expiration of the charter of the United States Bank. .

At the same session a memorial of sixty pages, signed by prominent citizens of Boston to the number of 1736 indi- viduals, was presented, praying for the establishment of a bank with a capital of $10,000,000. Thirty-two petitions from various portions of the State supported this memorial. These petitions succeeded so far that a Bank Bill was passed to a third reading, but was finally indefinitely postponed in consequence of the passage of another bill directing the State Treasurer to subscribe $1,000,000 to the stock of the railroad corporation, providing three of the nine directors should be chosen by the Legislature. This bill was signed by Governor Everett on the 29th of March, 1836.

Under this act the Legislature chose Messrs. Isaac C. Bates, William Jackson, and Robert Rantoul, Jr., as directors on behalf of the State, and at the next annual meeting the mem- bers of the old board were re-elected, with the exception of Messrs. Lawrence, Rice, and Willard.

An attempt was made, while these proceedings were pend- ing, to get a company incorporated for the purpose of con- structing a road from Worcester to Hartford, and thence to Stockbridge, and a careful survey and estimates were made and a report presented to the Legislature, which was accepted ; but a motion to report a bill in favor of the project was voted down, as it was considered a project which would embarrass the Western company and impair its credit.

Surveys were begun on the Western road in April, 1836, by two parties, and were prosecuted with diligence, under the supervision of the resident engineer, during the year; and in June of the same year three parties were put in the field west of the Connecticut River.

A great amount of preliminary surveying was done on the

* Capt. Swift died in New York City, about the 7th of April, 1879. .

100

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

line between Worcester and Springfield, but the line as now located was finally adopted and put under contract. The first grading was commenced at the crossing of the Worcester and Hartford Turnpike in Charlton, about the 1st of January, 1837.

Between Brookfield and the Connecticut River four sepa- rate lines were surveyed, to wit :

1. The Cabotville, or extreme north line, passing a little south of Chicopee Falls, through Cabotville (Chicopee), eross- ing the Connecticut a little south of the month of the Chi- copee River, and running thence to Bush's Notch, in the Trap Range, or to the Garden Brook line at Ashley's Mills, in West Springfield (now Iholyoke).

2. The End Brook route, crossing the Connectieut about midway between the mouth of the Chicopee and Springfield, and thence to Bush's Notch, or to the Garden Brook line at Ashley's Mills.

3. The Garden Brook line, nearly on the route finally adopted, which was to cross the river between the old bridge and Ferry Street, in Springfield, and thence by a route (un- determined) on the north or south side of the Agawam River, near Westfield village.

4. The Mill River line, following that stream to the south part of the village of Springfield, and thence, through the east part west of Maple and Chestnut Streets, to the Garden Brook line. The first two lines were favored by parties in- terested in manufactures on the Chicopee River.

The Garden Brook line was recommended by the engineers as heing the shortest and most direct, having the least maxi- mum grade, and involving the least expense for grading and bridging.

The certainty of the road being built caused considerable speculation in lands at Springfield, and the location of the depot grounds was the subject of a stirring controversy, even involving serious charges against certain parties, which were, however, subsequently cleared up.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 30

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700