USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Pittsfield > The history of Pittsfield (Berkshire County), Massachusetts, from the year 1800 to the year 1876 > Part 53
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This route was, from the village of Westfield southerly, ascending the slope of Sodom mountain, to Loomis. Gap and Mount Pisgah, by the valley of Little Westfield river to Cobble mountain, with a tunnel of six hundred feet ; thence to the Blandford line, and, by Bush Hill, to Spruce Swamp Summit, fourteen hundred and seventy feet above the bench mark on Connecticut river, and about thirty miles from it; then descending through East Otis, by the outlet of Great pond, to Nichols pond, near Baird's tavern, past Green Water pond into the valley of Ilop brook, through a corner of Tyringham, to Stockbridge plain, and
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to West Stockbridge and the state-line; sixty-two and thirty-eight hundredths miles from the Connecticut river; all reducible to a grade not exceeding eighty feet per mile.
On comparison of the north and south routes, thus approximately located, it was found that the measured distance differed but sixty-six hundredths of a mile, though the equated lengths gave about five miles in favor of the north route. There were five summits on the south line, and four on the north. The average of grades was in favor of the north.1
The estimated cost of grading and bridging the north line was one million, two hundred and fifty-nine thousand one hundred dollars and eighty-seven cents ; of the south line, one million, two hundred and thirty-two thousand, nine hundred and five dollars and forty-five cents ; in favor of the south line, twenty-six thousand, one hundred and ninety- five dollars and forty-two cents. The engineers had reported in favor of the north line. But before this was known to the parties, the board, at their request, gave the friends of each route a hearing at Springfield, June 25, 1837.2
Gentlemen from the south urged the board to postpone all proceed- ings west of the Connecticut river till the next year ; but claimed that if the location was throngh Pittsfield, the parties there should assume the stock subscribed in Stockbridge and Lee.3
After full consideration, and an examination of both routes, by a part of the board, they, August 10, 1837, decided in favor of the northern route, through Pittsfield, and ordered it to be definitely located.
Thus far Mr. Bliss ; but the contemporary accounts in the Sun do not quite concur with him. On the 15th of June, 1837, we read in that paper :
The directors of the Western railroad were to meet at Springfield, yesterday, to decide upon the location of the road at its western termi-
1 The approximate location on the northern route gave one grade eighty- two and eighteen hundredths feet per mile, at North Becket. On the final location, this was reduced to eighty feet, as the maximum grade on the route. When that part of the road was nearly graded, and the masonry fin- ished, a severe freshet raised the stream so much above what had been known before, that it was deemed prudent to raise the grade from eighty-one to eighty-three feet, varying at different points. About a mile and a quarter is at eighty-three feet per mile.
2 Pittsfield was represented by Lemuel Pomeroy, Phinehas Allen, Robert Campbell, and Julius Rockwell, to whose influence upon the decision their contemporaries ascribed great weight.
3 Subsequently, after one or two payments, the company assumed the stock subscribed in those towns.
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nation. It will probably be known here to-day, whether it is to run through this town, Lee, or by a route still more southerly. A delega- tion from this and one or two of the neighboring towns, left on Tues- day, to be present at the meeting, and to represent the interests of the citizens in this vincinity.
THURSDAY, June 22 .- We state, with much gratification, that the directors of the Western Railroad Corporation, at their meeting in Springfield, last week, decided upon the northern route, by way of the Pontoosuc turnpike, for the location of the railroad. * * It is expected by the directors, that stock to the amount of twenty-five thousand dol- lars, at least, more than has been subscribed by the citizens of Berk- shire, will be taken without delay. That the just expectations of the board, now that the route has been decided upon, will be fulfilled, no one acquainted with this community will doubt. The directors are to meet in this town on the 6th of July next, and, if the amount men- tioned is subscribed, will probably make arrangements for the immedi- ate commencement of operations at this village.
It seems, therefore, that, although the Sun, on the 22d, announced the location as permanently made, and a salute was fired in honor of the event, it was really contingent upon the snc- cess of the subscription. But of this, neither the editors or the people seem to have doubted. The town held a meeting on the 24th of June, and voted to take fifty shares in the railroad, " on the conditions mentioned in the letter of George Bliss to Lemuel Pomeroy, and others, dated June 15th." It was also voted to grant a right of way through the north part of the new burial- ground.1
The citizens at once set to work to secure the remainder of the subscription. There was no need of organization. The books were at the bank, and every public-spirited citizen constituted himself a committee to see that the names of all, who had the necessary means, should be placed in them. Nor were the peo- ple of the other towns along the road, behind Pittsfield in their · spirit and liberality. Hinsdale, Dalton, Richmond, and the rest, subscribed generously; and so did Lanesboro, although not directly on the road : so that the Sun was able to announce that
1 These are the only votes of the town at any time, in aid of railroads ; except one, in June, 1835, when it appointed Lemuel Pomeroy, Oren Good- rich, and Robert Campbell, commissioners to superintend the survey of a route from Pittsfield to West Stockbridge, and appropriated three hundred and fifty dollars to defray the expense.
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the directors had, upon the 10th of August, met at Pittsfield, and " decided upon the route through the town for the construction of the Western railroad, the expected subscription having been promptly taken."
We have not ascertained the amount of stock taken by the citi- zens of Pittsfield at this time; but shares were held by them in the year 1840, as follows, one share being understood when no number is mentioned :
Jonathan Allen, Phinehas Allen & Son two, Dennis C. Baker, Amos Barnes two, John V. Barker, Charles T. Barker, Otis R. Barker, Augustus F. Belden two, Andrew Boyd, Horatio N. Brinsmade two, John Brown, Henry C. Brown three, Josiah Butler, Simeon Butler, Robert Campbell two, George W. Campbell, Avery Carey, Griffin Chamberlain, Martin Chamberlain, R. M. Chapman two, Henry H. Childs two, Samuel Churchill, Jason Clapp two, Ezekiel R. Colt two, Samuel D. Colt two, Richard Coman, Henry Daniels, Stephen P. Day two, Oliver P. Dickinson, Ebenezer Dunham, James H. Dunham, Thomas Durant two, Caleb W. Ensign two, James Foot two, Luke Francis, Robert Francis, Jr., William W. Goodman two, Caleb Goodrich two, Butler Goodrich, Timothy Hall, Parker L. Hall, Austin Hayden, Wel- come S. Howard, Daniel L. Hubby, Matthias R. Lanckton, Uriah Lathrop two, Moses A. Lee, Constant Luce, Oliver Luce, Calvin Mar- tin, James Martin, Grove P. May, Obediah McElwain, Albert Merriam, Daniel Merriman, Philips Merrill, Hosca Merrill, Jr. two, Addison Mer- rill, Ansel Nichols, N. & J. Noble, William Noble, Linus Parker, Elias Parker, Abijah Parks, Lysander F. Parks two, Lemuel Pomeroy thirty- three, Theodore Pomeroy, Pontoosuc Manufacturing Company ten, Nathan Reed, Amasa Rice two, William Roberts, L. Pomeroy, Trustee for the Shakers fifteen, Henry Robbins two, Elijah Robbins & Son two, Julius Rockwell two, Merrick Ross four, Franklin Root, James Root two, Henry Root, Peter Roy, Solomon L. Russell, Joseph Shearer five, G. & S. Spencer, William Stevens, Henry Stevens, Thomas B. Strong, P. V. R. Taylor, Nelson Tracy, Appleton Tracy, Town of Pittsfield fifty, Franklin Wadhams three, Otis Wardwell, Isaac Ward, Lyman Warriner, Robert Watts, Jr. two, Joseph Weatherhead, J. & W. Webb, . Weeks, Belden & Co. three, John Weller two, Abel West, Samuel Wil- liams two, Frederick J. Wylie.
Among the subscribers who afterwards became citizens of Pittsfield were George N. Briggs, and William D. B. Linn, both then residents in Lanesboro; and among the notable stockholders, outside of Pittsfield, was Hon. Henry Shaw of the same town,
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who, although he had been an early opponent of the road, in the legislature, held five shares.
It is probable that this list contains the names of some who were not among the original subscribers to the stock, and omits some of those who were. Indeed, we know that Jason Clapp sub- scribed for ten shares, of which he had sold eight before 1840. And, in the same interval, had occurred the great financial crisis of 1837, which rendered many of the subscribers to the stock, everywhere, unable to fulfill their obligations. Still the list is substantially that of the early stock-takers.
In March, 1839, Lemuel Pomeroy was chosen one of the direc- tors of the road on the part of the state ; a just recognition of his great services, and a wise addition to the strength of the board.
In 1839, the road had still to encounter formidable obstacles ; and Mr. Pomeroy was able to use his efforts to as good purpose as before ; especially in overcoming the delays in the extension of the road to Albany. The track between Chester Factories and the New York line was put under contract in May, 1838, and the grading commenced at once. Work was pressed vigorously eastward of the Connecticut. But the spring of 1839 came, and as yet nothing had been done by the parties in the State of New York, who held the charter of the Berkshire and Albany railroad. This was a source of great anxiety to the Massachusetts directors, who, in April, delegated Messrs. Pomeroy, Bliss and Quincy, "to visit Troy, Albany, Hudson, and Catskill, confer with persons interested, and make such arrangements as they deemed expedi- ent, to secure at either of those places a western terminus for the Western railroad." The committee succeeded in reviving, to some degree, the interest in the road at Albany, and procured an act of the legislature, authorizing the city to borrow four hundred thousand dollars, for the purpose of subscribing for, or purchasing, the stock of the Albany and West Stockbridge company. But . nothing definite was accomplished that year towards the desired end. In 1840, a large delegation of the Massachusetts stockhold- ers, of whom Mr. Pomeroy was one of the most prominent, visited Albany, to advocate the speedy construction of the extension. But it was found that the Albany and West Stockbridge com- pany proposed to lay their road with a flat rail only ; and it was, moreover, " feared, even if it were built in a more substantial manner, that it might, in process of time, fall into the hands of
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parties more partial to a free intercourse between New York and Albany, than between Albany and Boston." An arrangement was, therefore, made, by which the road was to be built and man- aged by the Western company.
New difficulties constantly arose in the path of the directors. Additional state-aid was asked and obtained. Questions as to the use of the Hudson and Berkshire track, and similar matters of policy were to be considered. Long embankments sank. We must leave those desirous of learning the details, to seek them in the Historical Memoir of Mr. Bliss.
The road advanced steadily towards completion; the gaps between the several sections, as they grew more and more nar- row, being supplied with connecting lines of stages. The section between Pittsfield and West Stockbridge was finished; and a locomotive with a single car, belonging to the Berkshire road, reached the Pittsfield depot at half-past one o'clock, on the after- noon of May 4, 1841. This was the first railroad-train which had ever entered the town, and crowds assembled to witness the novel spectacle; but, striking and auspicious as the event was, there was no formal celebration of it. The train which had crept into town rather cautiously, returned with more speed and confidence. The first accident on the road, in Pittsfield at least, occurred on the following Saturday, when a locomotive, with several passen- gers, ran out a couple of miles east of the depot, and an old man named Berry, jumping off, as it approached his house, was severely injured.
The bridge across the Connecticut was not finished until July 4th ; but a locomotive and cars having been conveyed over the river, a train began running between its western shore and Ches- ter Factories (now Huntington), twenty-eight miles, May 24th. On the 9th of August, trains ran from the summit-section in Washington to Pittsfield, and from Chester Factories to the east end of those sections, September 17th; and through them on October 4th. The whole road from Worcester to the line of New York was now completed; and, by the aid of the Boston and Worcester road at the east, and the Hudson and Berkshire at the west, railway-communication was continuous between Boston and the Hudson.
The portion of the road between Albany and the junction with the Hudson and Berkshire, at Chatham Four Corners, was so far
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finished as to be ready for use on the 21st of December, and on that day trains ran from Albany to Boston. The independent track between Chatham and the state-line was opened September 12th, enabling the Western road to dispense with the further use of the Hudson and Berkshire road.
During the four years it had been in the course of construction, the money expended by contractors and workmen, and the market provided for produce and labor, had given a great impetus to the business of Pittsfield, and had materially increased its population and capital. The communication opened with the great market- centers, also materially increased the value of the manufacturing. establishments, and of the water-privileges upon which others might be established. Every species of property in the town, including men's property in themselves, felt the beneficial effects of the road, even before it was opened. Many of those who early took stock had declared, when subscribing for it, that if they never received a dividend, they were sure to be the richer for their outlay ; and their prophetic hopes were realized long before the road declared a dividend. The Berkshire County Whig, com- menting on the arrival of the first train in May, 1841, says : "The village feels sensibly the genial influence. The smith, the car- penter and joiner, the mason, the merchant, the tailor, the coach- maker, drayman, and hackman, are all alive with busy employ- ment."
Still, when compared with the Boston and Albany railroad of to-day, the Western road of 1842 was, indeed, but a small begin- ning. Two passenger-trains each way passed through Pittsfield daily, and one freight-train. Two large locomotives had been purchased-the Massachusetts and the New York-but even the most sanguine friends of the road doubted whether freight enough would ever be offered to test their full capacity for drawing it over the mountain. On many days this single train was not half filled. Wood was used for the locomotives; and of coal, which now employs a vast number of trains, not a pound was brought to Pittsfield for several years ; the first being a small quantity which was sent to Mr. Levi Goodrich as an experiment, and after lying a long while near the depot, was finally carted away by some unknown persons. The regular trade in coal was commenced in the year 1847, by Messrs. Seth W. Morton and Gerry Guild, who sold, that year, fifty tons. Four firms now deal in this article,
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and, including that purchased by the cargo for manufacturers who use steam-power, twenty-five thousand tons of anthracite are annn- ally discharged at the Pittsfield depot. Besides which, over twenty-one thousand tons of bituminous coal are brought for the use of the locomotives of the road, and over twelve hundred tons for the gas-works. When the first freight-train arrived at the depot, Mr. Gerry Guild waited upon it with a single horse and dray, with which, for a considerable time, he did all the freight-cartage to and from the depot ; but continuing the business to his death, in connection with his trade in coal, he acquired a considerable fortune. His son and successor, in 1875, employed in it twelve men and fourteen powerful draft-horses.
In 1843, the agents employed at the Pittsfield depot were S. H. P. Lee, master of transportation, at a salary of one thousand dollars ; 1 W. H. Powers, depot-agent, six hundred dollars; and Seth W. Morton-who was afterwards, for many years, station- agent-ticket-clerk, at a salary of five hundred dollars.
The first depot, which was a wooden imitation of Egyptian architecture, stood over the road on the west side of the bridge on North street. The passengers were landed in a damp and smoky cellar-like recess, and climbed by a tedious flight of stairs to the upper regions of the waiting and refreshment rooms. This depot took fire from locomotive-sparks at noon on the 5th of November, 1854, and was entirely destroyed. The flames presented a beau- tiful spectacle, as they swept through its large, hollow, wooden columns, and no regret for the loss of the building checked the enjoyment of the scene. It was never so much admired as during the last half-hour of its existence.
A neat, convenient, and rather elegant depot of wood, one story high, was next built, a short distance west of the North-street bridge. It was sufficiently spacious for its time ; but in less than ten years, its capacity was outgrown by the increasing business. There were also other reasons which demanded a change. The depot of the Housatonic road, as the streets then were, was about half a mile from the Western, and that by a somewhat hilly route. Ever since the Housatonic road had been opened, this had been a source of great vexation, and considerable expense, to passengers passing from one road to the other. Much complaint was also
1 This office was abolished February 1, 1843. Mr. Lee had held it from the opening of the road.
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made that the public were unnecessarily incommoded by the fail- ure of the companies to agree upon proper connections between their respective trains. Some ill feeling had thus grown up between them ; but, before the year 1866, it began to be apparent to both that more harmony of action was desirable, and that a union depot would contribute towards it.
To this end, the representatives of the parties agreed upon a plan of action, including the location of a depot; which, having been embodied in the form of a statute, was submitted to the leg- islature of 1866 and, by its enactment, became a law. This stat- ute required the closing of West street, by the erection of the depot across it, at a point about a quarter of a mile west of North street. It also required that the county-commissioners should lay a new street around the south end of the depot, and under the tracks of the two roads; this street to be built by the railroad- companies, to the satisfaction of the town. For some reason the commissioners laid this road farther south than was necessary, making it more expensive to the company, and less convenient to travelers. But it was built, and accepted. The line of the street having been thus changed, the eastern side of the hill by which it previously passed over the railroad, was reduced to the level of the track ; a location was prepared for the station-house, at a point . which affords some view of the town and the neighboring scenery ; and here one of the most convenient and beautiful depots in the country was built by the Boston and Albany Railroad Company ; the Housatonic Railroad Company having an equal use of it as tenants.1
The legislature, under the terms of its contribution to the stock of the Western railroad, elects five members of its board of direc- tors, who hold office for terms of two years. The following citi- zens of Pittsfield have been elected to this position: Lemuel Pomeroy, 1838 and 1840; Parker L. Hall, 1842; Thomas Plun- kett, 1843 and 1870; Robert Campbell, 1845; William H. Mur- ray, 1874.
Robert Campbell, shortly after the expiration of his term as state-director, was chosen to the same place by the corporation,
1 We have used the name of the Western railroad throughout our story, as it was not until after the last event in their history, which it comes within our province to record, that the Western and the Boston and Worcester compa- nies were consolidated as the Boston and Albany.
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and was annually re-elected until his death in 1866. Hon. James D. Colt was then elected to fill the vacancy, and held the office until his appointment as judge, in 1868, when he was succeeded by Henry Colt, who, in 1876, still retains the place.
Of the Pittsfield directors, Parker L. Hall was a native of Pow- nal, Vt. He graduated at Williams College in the class of 1818, and was admitted to the Berkshire bar in 1822. He was a suc- cessful lawyer and a prosperous business-man. He died in 1849.
Henry Colt, the youngest son of James D. Colt 2d, was born in 1812, and educated at the Berkshire gymnasium. He was originally a farmer, but has for many years been an extensive dealer in wool. In September, 1839, he married Elizabeth Gold- thwaite, daughter of Hon. Ezekiel Bacon. He was representative in the legislature of 1859-60, and was selectman for several years ; among them those of the civil war.
Great as were the advantages which accrued to Berkshire and Pittsfield from the Western railroad, two short, local roads were afterwards built, which have done more to bind the county together as a unit, and have contributed nearly as much to its wealth and comfort. They are known as the Pittsfield and North Adams, and the Stockbridge and Pittsfield railroads.
When the Western road was completed in 1842, a strong desire arose in the towns of Adams and Cheshire to participate in its benefits ; especially in Adams, which needed railroad-communica- tion for the development of its great natural resources. A char- ter was, therefore, obtained in 1843, for the Pittsfield and North Adams railroad ; but the corporators had a like experience with other projectors. They found popular enthusiasm not to be synonymous with capital-producing confidence.
The charter expired before anything was accomplished; but was renewed in 1846, when the road was constructed under the direction of the Western Railroad Company, at an expense of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which was paid by the Pittsfield and North Adams Corporation. Before work was com- menced, an agreement was made by which the road was leased to the Western company, at a rent of six per cent. per annum upon its cost, for a term of thirty years ; at the end of which it has the right to either buy the road at cost, or renew the lease for ninety- nine years, at five per cent. rent.
In order to induce this arrangement, the citizens of North
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Adams raised a guarantee-fund of thirty-one thousand dollars, which was to be drawn upon yearly to make up to the Western company any deficiency between the earnings and expenses of its Pittsfield and North Adams branch. This guarantee-fund was exhausted about the year 1855, soon after which the road became renumerative.
The last rail on the road was laid at eleven o'clock, A. M., October 6, 1846; and at half-past eleven, the locomotive Grey- lock, with a passenger-car conveying a party from Pittsfield and Cheshire, entered North Adams amid the ringing of bells, firing of cannon, and other demonstrations of public joy. After an entertainment, the party returned to Pittsfield with several citi- zens of Adams and Cheshire, as their guests. The time occupied in making the trip of twenty miles and a half, was less than an hour. The next two days were those of the cattle-show and fair, and more than four thousand passengers were carried over the road.
The Stockbridge and Pittsfield railroad is the terminal link at the north of the chain of railroads commonly known as the Hou- satonic. In 1842-nearly simultaneously with the opening of the Housatonic railroad proper, which extends from Bridgeport to the north line of Connecticut at Canaan-an extension of that road, under the name of the Berkshire, was made through Sheffield, Great Barrington, and the village of Van Deusenville in Stock- bridge to West Stockbridge. In 1842, it received, from the Massachusetts legislature, authority to connect with the West Stockbridge road; and in 1847, to make a like connection with the Western at the state-line.
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