USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 1 > Part 16
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The New London, Willimantic and Palmer railroad com- pany was incorporated April 10, 1848, as a part of a line of roads intended to extend from New London, Conn., into the upper Connecticut valley, between Vermont and New Hampshire. The act creating the company named Andrew W. Porter, Franklin Newell, Elisha Converse, Sylvester Parks and William N. Flynt as incorporators, they being the chief promoters of the enter- prise. The capital of the company was $200,000, with which it was proposed to build the road from Palmer through Monson to the state line, and there unite with a road to be built to that point by a Connecticut company. In 1847 the New London, Willimantic and Springfield railroad company was incorporated for the purpose of building a road from New London to Spring- field, but in the next year a new act and new company changed the route to Palmer. The road was opened in 1849-50, being completed to Palmer September 20, of the latter year. Subse- quently it became a part of the N. L. &. N. R. R. company's line, and still later was operated as part of the Central Vermont sys- tem. The New London and Northern company was chartered in Massachusetts in 1860.
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The Indian Orchard railroad company, whose line subse- quently became one of the branches of the Boston and Albany, was incorporated May 1, 1849, with $50,000 capital, by Warren Delano, jr., Timothy W. Carter, Addison Ware and Frederick A. Barton, "and their associates," with authority to build a rail- road "from some convenient point on the land of the Indian Or- chard canal company1 upon or near the southerly side of Chico- pee river, in the town of Springfield, passing in the most con- venient and feasible direction to the Western railroad within said town of Springfield, uniting with said Western railroad at a point within two miles of the 93d milestone upon said Western railroad."
The Springfield and Longmeadow railroad company, now known as the Springfield branch of the N. Y., N. H. & H. system, was incorporated May 2, 1849, by John Mills, Marvin Chapin, Caleb Rice, George Bliss and Willis Phelps, the latter being the leading spirit of the enterprise. The capital stock was $150,- 000, and while the organizers unquestionably acted in perfect good faith and by their efforts built a line of road through a fer- tile agricultural country, later events proved that the same should not have been opened. Under the charter the company was authorized to build and operate a line of railroad from "some convenient point on the Western railroad (the company chose Springfield) southeasterly to the line of the state at the south line of the east parish of Longmeadow." At this point the road united with that of a Connecticut company, and was continued southerly to Hartford. By an act passed May 26, 1869, the name was changed to Springfield and New London railroad company.
The Amherst and Belchertown railroad company was incor- porated May 24, 1851, by Edward Hitchcock, Ithamar Conkey, Edward Dickinson, Myron Lawrence, Luke Sweetser and others, for the purpose of constructing a railroad from the depot in Palmer north to the road of the Vermont and Massachusetts company. In 1852 the stockholders of the New London, Willi-
1The Indian Orchard canal company was incorporated March 10, 1837, to create a water power for manufacturing purposes in the town of Springfield.
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mantic and Palmer company were authorized to purchase stock in the new company, which was the beginning of a process of ab- sorption. In 1853 the road was opened from Palmer to Amherst, and in 1860 the name of the operating company became known as the New London and Northern. With other parts of the con- tinuous line the Amherst and Belchertown road was subse- quently leased to the Central Vermont company.
The Ware River railroad company was originally incorpor- ated May 24, 1851, by Charles Stevens, Jason Gorham, William Mixter and others, and was authorized to build and operate a railroad from the depot on the N. L., W. & P. company in Palmer, through and up the valley of Ware river; thence across to the valley of Burntshirt stream, and thence in a northeast course to meet the Monadnock railroad on the New Hampshire line. The capital of the company was $800,000. In 1853 the road was leased to the connecting companies, but later on com- plications followed and the charter practically was forfeited. After a series of difficulties matters were adjusted and the legis- lature revived the old charter by an act passed March 16, 1867. Afterward the road was leased to the Boston and Albany com- pany, by which it is now operated under the name of Ware river branch.
The Hampden railroad company was incorporated May 20, 1852, with $175,000 capital, by Abner Post, James Fowler, Ira Yeomans, jr., Matthew Ives and N. T. Leonard, and was author- ized to build a railroad from "some convenient point near the depot of the Western railroad in Westfield, thence on or near the line of the canal [the old Hampshire and Hampden canal] to the line of Connecticut at some convenient point in Granby."
The old canal is mentioned elsewhere. As a carrier sys- tem it passed out of existence about 1847, being compelled to sus- pend operations by the overpowering competition of the railroad running through the Connecticut valley. In order to replace the canal with modern means of transportation a railroad was laid out on substantially the same course. South of Granby the road was built by a Connecticut corporation. The Hamp- den railroad was built between 1853 and 1856, but before comple- tion it merged in the Hampshire and Hampden company.
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The Northampton and Westfield railroad company was in- corporated May 22, 1852, with $200,000 capital, by Samuel Wil- liston, John Clarke, Noah L. Strong, Ira Yeomans, jr., Alfred L. Strong and others, and with authority to build and operate a railroad from some point in Northampton, through that town, also through Easthampton, Southampton and Westfield to a point on the Western railroad in the town last mentioned.
This road was a continuation of the Hampden road by a separate corporation. In the meantime another railroad north of Northampton had been put in operation, and by an act of the legislature passed May 25, 1853, the three companies, the Hamp- shire & Hampden, the Northampton & Westfield and the North- ampton & Shelburne Falls, were consolidated under the name of the Hampshire and Hampden railroad company. In 1857 this company was united with the Connecticut river road, and still later was constituted a part of the N. Y., N. H. & H.
The Springfield and Farmington valley railroad company was incorporated May 16, 1856, with $300,000 capital, by James M. Blanchard, Edward Southworth, Willis Phelps, Samuel Day, Caleb Rice and others, for the purpose of building a railroad from the terminus of the Farmington valley road in Connecti- cut, through Southwick, Feeding Hills, Mitteneague and West Springfield to a point in Springfield near the Western depot.
The Holyoke and Westfield railroad company was incor- porated June 12, 1869, by J. C. Parsons and Edwin Chase of Holyoke, and Curtis Laflin, of Westfield, for the purpose of building a railroad from Holyoke to Westfield for the benefit of manufacturing interests of the former city, whose owners pre- ferred not to be limited to a single line of railway in shipping their products to market. The road was built in 1871 and for years was operated by the New Haven & Northampton company. It now forms a part of the N. Y., N. H. & H.
The Springfield and Athol railroad company was incorpor- ated May 12, 1871, by Abner B. Abbe, Henry W. Phelps, Eze- kiel Blake and others, who, with $300,000 capital, proposed to extend the Athol and Enfield road to Springfield. On March 20, 1872, the Athol & Enfield company was authorized to extend its
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road to the city, which action was the result of a union of inter- ests; and in 1873 the legislature changed the name of the con- solidated companies to Springfield, Athol and Northeastern. The road from Barrett's Junction to Springfield was built in 1873. The entire road is now operated as the Athol branch of the Bos- ton & Albany.
CHAPTER XIV.
CONNECTICUT RIVER NAVIGATION
If it were possible at this day to narrate every interesting event in connection with the numerous attempts to establish a profitable system of navigation on the Connecticut, this chapter would begin with the voyage of Governor Winthrop's sailing vessel up the river in 1636, when Mr. Pynchon's planters shipped their effects from Roxbury to their future home on the site of Springfield. How the master of the vessel ever succeeded in safely passing the rapids and rocks and shoals in the river at Windsor and Enfield, no chronicler of past history has been kind enough to inform us, yet they did accomplish the task and safely landed the cargo at its destination without unseemly delay.
Within two years after this event another of almost equal importance took place, and likewise was successfully accom- plished. It will be remembered that after the Pequot war the planters living in the lower Connecticut valley were reduced to great want, and that Captain Mason visited the plantation then called Agawam, where dwelt Mr. Pynchon's colony, and re- quested that he be supplied with much needed articles of food. But unfortunately the planters had not enough food supply for their own wants, upon which Captain Mason proceeded up the river to the Indian village of Pocomtuck (Deerfield), where he bargained with the natives for an abundant supply of corn. Having completed the purchase the grain was laden in fifty canoes and the entire fleet passed down the river to the settle- ments of the whites in the Connecticut colonies.
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This notable event early in Massachusetts history cannot be regarded as an attempt at river navigation on the Connecticut, but it was a primitive beginning in that direction. The Indians from time immemorial had used the river as an avenue of travel between the upper and lower portions of the valley, and for a number of years after they were forcibly driven from the region they frequently returned to their favorite haunts and sought to repossess the country. They loved the river and were at per- fect ease in paddling their frail canoes over its waters, yet the white-faced pioneer who came to till the soil naturally shrank from the use of the river for purposes other than those actually required of him. To him it was a stream too large for con- venient and safe use, and it was not until the valley was well settled that river navigation for commercial purposes was thought of, and when the first attempts were made in this direc- tion serious obstacles were to be removed and overcome.
That the Connecticut river never has been made generally navigable for steam craft for commercial purposes has occasioned considerable comment among persons not acquainted with the history of the valley country. In early times the lumbermen of the upper valley regions rafted logs and lumber down its waters to market, but they did so frequently at the hazard of their lives and property, as rafts sometimes were broken in making the falls and rapids of Hadley and Enfield. Mr. Dewey, in his article on "Early Navigation," informs us that as early as 1790 the Hollanders built a canal at South Hadley Falls, and passed boats "up and down on an inclined plane." It was a slow process, not free from risk, and while sufficient for the time it had not the capacity to carry large boats. According to Mr. Dewey's description, the upward passage of the canal was effected by placing a large triangular box under the boat and drawing it forward through the canal by means of a cable or rope, using a horse windlass or "sweep" for power.
In this primitive fashion a boat of light draught might pass the falls at South Hadley, and a like canal at the upper falls allowed passage at that point. But the results as a whole were unsatisfactory. Lower down the river, in the vicinity of En-
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field, and also at Windsor, obstructions similar to those at Had- ley prevented the free passage of boats, and the people of Con- necticut were slow to improve the channel for the purpose of navigation. And here it may be said with much truth that had that state made a determined effort to free the river from ob- structions the stream now would be navigable for vessels of mod- erate draught as far north as the great dam at Holyoke. It is only within the last score or so of years that Connecticut has taken steps to improve its harbors along Long Island sound, while neither state nor national assistance has been asked for the improvement of the great Connecticut river, a natural avenue of trade and commerce far superior to many rivers of the South upon which millions of dollars have been expended in making them navigable.
In his reminiscences of early navigation on the river, Mr. Dewey says: "In the early part of the present [nineteenth] century, and before the locks and canal at Enfield were built, the boats used for the transportation of freight were quite small. A ten-ton boat was considered a large one at that time. These boats, bound for Springfield, or above, were propelled, unless the wind was favorable for sailing, by the laborious process of pol- ing. A number of men, called fallsmen, kept themselves in readiness at the foot of the falls, that is, Warehouse Point, to assist in 'polling over the falls'-the boats carrying six or eight tons. The article of rum constituted quite a proportion of the freight in those days."
"During these years of boating over Enfield falls, the 'John Cooley boating company' was formed, consisting of John Cooley, Hosea Day, Roderick Palmer, Henry Palmer, James Brewer and the Messrs. Dwight, of Springfield. A few years after (in 1820), Edmund and Frederick Palmer and Roderick Ashley joined the company, afterwards Sylvester Day and the Messrs. Stebbins."
"The locks and canal at Enfield were built in 1826, and thereafter the freight boats began to increase in size till at last the capacity of some of the Springfield boats reached sixty or seventy tons. But before this time a trial of steamboating was
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made. A company was formed for the purpose of the naviga- tion of the river above Hartford, and bore the name of the 'Con- necticut river valley steamboat company.' Its members chiefly resided in Hartford, although a few were scattered along the line of the river. Charles Stearns, of Springfield, was a member; also Gen. David Culver, of Lyme, N. H., who afterward became an active partner in the boating company of 'Stockbridge, Cul- ver & Co.' and the inventor of a number of improvements in boating machinery."
From the narrative referred to it seems that the steamboat company continued operations only one season, running the "Barnet," a small side-wheeled, high-pressure boat of twenty horse power, under Captain Nutt, master. In 1830, Colonel Clinton, son of De Witt Clinton, ran a steamboat on the river, and on July 4, 1832, one account says that Dr. Dean was drowned from the "Adam Duncan." In 1831 the "John Ledyard" was put on the river.
Steam navigation on the Connecticut dates from about 1830, when the Barnet made her initial trip. The boat was capable of running five miles an hour up stream, and under Pilot Roder- ick Palmer, of West Springfield, made trips as far north as Bel- lows Falls, Vt., but she could not ascend the rapids at Enfield. In 1827 Thomas Blanchard, an employee at the U. S. arsenal at Springfield, an ingenious mechanic having a knowledge of boat- building, built the "Blanchard," a side-wheeled steamer, and made a trial trip to Hadley in July, 1828. In September he run the boat with an excursion party of sixty persons to Hartford.
According to recognized authority, Mr. Blanchard engaged quite extensively in river navigation about this time, though with what financial results is not definitely known. Following his venture several other boats were put on the river, in some of which he had an interest. One of these was the "Springfield," (said to have been the Blanchard, rechristened). Another was the "Vermont," built in Springfield in 1829 for a Brattleboro company, and which was drawn from the boat yard through Main and Elm streets to the foot of Harvard street, where it was launched. The "Massachusetts" was another, launched April
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14, 1831, a boat ninety-six feet long and the largest craft on the river. She was in service twelve years. Still another steamer was the "Agawam," built in Springfield by Erastus Reed, of Longmeadow, for Frink, Chapin & Co., proprietors of the stage line, who began carrying passengers to and from Hartford by steamer. Then there was the "Phoenix," a staunch boat, whose owner's name is not recalled.
In 1831 the "Hampden" began running as a freight-towing boat, under the proprietorship of John Cooley & Co. The "Ver- mont" began carrying passengers for Sargent & Chapin. The "Wm. Hall" also appeared as a towing boat under the owner- ship of the Connecticut river valley steamboat company, and about the same time the "James Dwight" made daily round trips between Springfield and Hartford. The "Franklin" and the "Eagle" are also to be mentioned among the early boats on the river during what has been termed the navigation period.1
It is quite probable that during the period in which river navigation was an established industry other boats were built and in operation on the Connecticut, but the names of all of them cannot be recalled at this time. The period referred to extended from about 1828 to about 1850, when the newly built Hartford and Springfield railroad superseded steamboating as a carrier system just as effectually and more permanently than the latter did the old stage lines. In later years both freight and passen- ger boats were kept running with some attempt at regularity, but the results from a business view were not fully satisfactory. The sound steamers came up the river as far as Hartford, but could not pass Enfield in safety, and when the railroad system between Springfield and New Haven was in complete operation there was a rapid decline in river navigation. However, between North-
1Alonzo Converse is our authority for the statement that the firm of Cooley & Co. at one time had as many as seven or eight transportation boats on the. river, while Converse & Co. had as many more. The firm first mentioned com- prised John Cooley, Edmund Palmer, Frederick Palmer, Daniel Ely and a Mr. Day. Converse & Co. comprised Isaac Converse, Henry Palmer, Horace Har- mon and George Douglas. Our informant also says (and what he says may be regarded as reliable) that both companies did a paying business on the river until 1845, or thereabouts, and that then they were "bought off" by the rail- road company.
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1-13
A Connecticut River view previous to the construction of the Dam
Several artificial or fishing islands are shown in the channel, while the old Carew Mills and South Hadley are seen on the right. This picture affords an interesting study in connection with the later industrial history of Holyoke
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
ampton and Hartford steamers for pleasure purposes have always been run on the river.
THE SHAD FISHERIES
It is sometimes difficult to believe that a pursuit so promis- ing of permanent substantial results could have been completely destroyed as were the shad fisheries which were so famous in the Connecticut river region previous to the construction of the dam at Enfield. Every citizen of Hampden county is well aware of the fact that shad in large quantities at one time were taken from the river, but it is not generally understood that the estab- lished fisheries along that stream once constituted an important industry in the region.
Whoever has read the earlier chapters of this work has learned that the Indians of Western Massachusetts dwelt in the Connecticut valley chiefly on account of the multitude of sal- mon and shad that inhabited the waters of the region, and also that when driven from the country as a result of their own base treachery and ingratitude, they sought again to be permitted to return and live in the locality of their old fishing grounds. Dur- ing King Philip's war the half-starved warriors who were allied to that merciless savage were beaten back from the frontier set- tlements and found refuge in the upper part of the province in the region where fish did most abound. When the first whites came into the valley to locate the sites for their proposed future abode, they soon discovered that the waters of the Connecticut and its principal tributaries were plentifully stocked with sal- mon and shad-the most nutritous of table fish known at that time-and reported the fact to the eastern planters as an argu- ment in favor of settling a colony in the new region. And when the settlements were founded the products of the streams were more frequently an article of daily food than meat of either do- mestic or wild animals.
From about 1675 to about 1845 fishing was an established industry in Hampden county, or the region that in 1812 became so named. At first the towns under the laws of the general court regulated the fishing privileges in the smaller streams, and
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in 1677 the town of Springfield voted that "Goodman" Lamb, Joseph Crowfoot, Sergeant Morgan, John Clarke, senior, and Charles Ferry, "with such others as they shall take with them," be granted license to fish in the Chicopee river from the falls to the mouth of the stream. The town also fixed the price to be charged for fish sold among the settlers, viz .: For fresh sal- mon at the river, 6d., in the village 8d. For fresh shad a half penny at the river and one penny in the village. The price of salt (packed or preserved for later use or shipment) fish was fixed at 12d. for "all that shall be transported."
The Westfield river, as far up as the point called Salmon falls, was long noted for its abundance of salmon and shad. In- deed, Salmon falls was so named in allusion to one of these spe- cies of fish, which once swarmed in its waters. According to established records, in 1685 Deacon Burt, Miles Morgan, Thomas Mirrick (Merrick) and their associates were licensed to take fish from the waters of Agawam (Westfield) river, and also from the Chicopee ; and in 1687 Henry Chapin was granted the privilege of fishing in Chicopee river, "so far as Schonungonuck fal or bar," undoubtedly meaning the falls of Chicopee river. These pioneer fishermen were allowed to construct "wards" for taking fish.
Throughout the entire period of the eighteenth century, and during the first forty years of the nineteenth, the Connecticut river was famous for its shad fisheries. In 1793 the dam at Turner's Falls was built, and thereafter the fish could not pass above that barrier. About three years later a dam was con- structed across the river at South Hadley, and afterward fishing for the market was confined to points south of that place. The business was prosecuted with vigor until the construction of the dam at Enfield, which soon entirely shut off the industry in Hampden county.
In Connecticut river the shad survived the salmon many years, but why this was so is not satisfactorily explained by any authority on the subject. They disappeared from the river soon after 1800, and when about 1820 a seven-pound salmon was taken in the net of Haynes & Durfee. at Black point, in Agawam, it
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was regarded as a remarkable event and was heralded through- out the valley as a wonderful piece of news.
In the early part of the nineteenth century and until shad fishing was suspended, Black point and Lancton's, both on the Agawam side of the river, were noted fishing grounds. Here Isaac Converse carried on fishing soon after 1812, and in later years his son, Alonzo Converse, also Isaac A. Converse (son of Alonzo), Seth Lancton, Haynes & Durfee, Frank and James Leonard carried on the same business. During the palmy days of the industry an average haul of the seine would yield from 400 to 500 shad, weighing from four to five pounds each, and worth in the market about ten cents apiece; and there was always a ready cash market for fish in Springfield, where they were packed and shipped all over the country.
Alonzo Converse was born in Agawam in 1813, and from boyhood until the fishing period was passed he followed that pur- suit. He knew the river from Holyoke to Saybrook, and was regarded as one of the best and safest pilots in the Connecticut valley. He attributes the decline of the shad fishery to two causes-the construction of the dam at Enfield and the un- restricted use of gill-nets at points south of the Massachusetts line.
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