USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 18
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ing gratitude of the citizens of Lewis county. Without his exertions the only existing plank road southward from Low- ville would ere this have been abandoned, and the traveling public left to plod their weary way over the original mud road." The perils threatened from the discon- tinuance of plank roads have since been realized, and the country has survived the loss. In fact they were very good while new, and had they been introduced earlier, they would have been vastly more useful. But the opening of the railroads have taken off the business of both staging and teaming over the historical routes "from Utica to Sackett's Harbor," and "from Turin to Rome," and these roads now relieved from heavy traffic, consolidated by age, and im- proved every year more and more by highway labor, have an excellence that is worthy of all praise. The Turin plank road finally fell into the hands of C. G. Riggs and Paul B. Yale, and was kept in repair and under toll, until its unoccupied toll-house was burned one night, soon after the stage passed through it. A passenger was heard to re- mark some days afterwards, that "he looked back when the stage had got half a mile beyond, and he saw no fire," Query: Why did he look back, -- and what did he expect to see ?
The shortest trip from Utica to Sack- ett's Harbor ever made over this route by stages, was on Thursday, February 19, 1829. The trip was made in nine hours, 45 minutes, and the mail was changed at every office. The stops amounted to 39 minutes, distance 93 miles, snow 2} feet deep. Mr. Merriam was at various times concerned in stage routes from Denmark to Ogdensburgh, from Rome to Sackett's Harbor, through Redfield, from Oneida to Turin, from Rome to Turin and Denmark, from Rome by Copenhagen to Watertown, and from Rome by Western to Boon-
İ22
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
ville. The last of this stage business was on the line from Boonville to Low- ville in company with Moses M. Smith, then of Lowville. As we have had occa- sion to mention the name of Mr. Smith, we cannot pass without paying a tribute to this energetic, impulsive and " whole- souled " man. He was born in the Mo- hawk valley, and came into the county not far from 1832. He settled for a time as a tailor in West Martinsburgh, and some of our older readers may remember the doggerel rhymes of his advertise- ments in "Bailey's Paper " of a little later date. He engaged in merchandise and various kinds of business at Martins- burgh and Lowville and for a time had an interest in a canal forwarding line, and a warehouse at " Smith's Landing" on the road towards Dayanville. He held the office of County Treasurer ; was active in promoting enlistments for the war, and finally moved to Rochester, and entered into business as a druggist. He was elected a member of the Com- mon Council, of that city, and died there October 3, 1871, of cancer of the stom- ach, aged 58 years. His brother Daniel A. Smith, a well-known 'clothing mer- chant, for some years in Lowville, re- moved to Watertown, and died there May 15, 1873, aged 53 years.
CHAPTER XV.
RAILROAD PROJECTS.
THE Black River Company, incorpo- T
rated in 1832, was empowered to construct a route by canal or railroad, from the Erie canal at Rome or Her- kimer, to Ogdensburgh, but accomplish- ed nothing beyond a partial survey .* In December, 1852, the plan of a railroad through the Black River valley was dis-
cussed, and a call for a meeting signed by thirty-four citizens, and published in the Northern Journal, in January, 1853, led to a favorable response, and the appointment of a committee consist- ing of five persons in each county in- terested, for collecting statistics. A meeting was appointed at Theresa, on the 20th, and another at Boonville, on the 26th of the same month. On the 27th, articles of association were drawn up forming the Black River Railroad Company, with $1,200,000 capital for building a railroad from Herkimer, or Mohawk village, to Clayton, on the St. Lawrence. Of the proposed di- rectors, Ela Merriam, Seth Miller, Moses M. Smith, William L. Easton, and John Benedict, resided in Lewis county.
This movement excited immediately an active rivalry between Utica and Rome, and on the 29th of January, 1853, the Black River & Utica Railroad Company was formed, and the articles filed two days after, in the Secretary's office. The capital was $1,000,000, (in- creased one-half September 26, 1853,) and the Directors were T. S. Faxton, Spencer Kellogg, John Butterfield, Mar- tin Hart, Alfred Churchill, James V. P. Gardiner, Benjamin F. Ray, James S. Lynch, William H. Ferry, Hugh Crocker, Harvey Barnard, Jonathan R. Warner, and John D. Leland ; all of Utica, excepting Leland, who resided in Deerfield. They proposed to build a road by way of Boonville and Carthage to Clayton. Daniel C. Jenne, was at once employed to begin surveys in the midst of winter, and energetic efforts were made to secure subscriptions to the stock.
The citizens of Rome lost no time in raising means for a preliminary survey, under Octave Blanc, and on the 8th of March, at a meeting held at Lowville, the claims of the three rival routes south of Boonville were presented and urged,
* For details, see History of Jefferson county, (1854) page 338.
123
RAILROADS.
and a committee of three to each town on the line from Boonville to the St. Lawrence, was appointed to examine the subject, and to decide as to which of the three routes had the strongest claims to patronage. This committee was un- able to agree, and appointed a sub-com- mittee of eight, to visit the several places proposed for junction with the New York Central Railroad, and report at an adjourned meeting at Carthage, on the 22d inst. The Lowville meeting continued two days, and an intense ac- tivity was shown by the rival parties in securing a favorable decision. At the Carthage meeting a rule was adopted, that two-thirds majority should decide upon the southern terminus. After two days' discussion it was found impossible to obtain the requisite vote, and the committee was discharged.
The Ogdensburgh, Clayton & Rome Railroad Company was formed February 19, 1853, with $2,000,000 capital. Its direc- tors were Henry A.Foster, John Stryker, Edward Huntington, and Alexander Mudge, of Rome; Elijah B. Allen and Henry VanRensselaer, of Ogdensburgh ; Augustus Chapman, of Morristown ; William L. Easton, of Lowville; Seth Miller, of West Turin; Alanson H. Barnes, of Martinsburgh; Sidney Syl- vester, of Denmark ; Samuel J. Davis, of Wilna; and Jason Clark, of Plessis .*
The Herkimer location having been abandoned, the Utica and Rome Rail- road projects were pressed with enthu- siasm by their respective friends. Acts were procured allowing the corporations of Utica, Rome, and Ogdensburgh, to subscribe to the stock. Subscriptions were urged, surveys completed, and right of way purchased or solicited as a donation.
Work was begun on the Black
River & Utica Railroad, at Utica, with commemorative ceremonies, August 27th, and at Lowville, October 27, 1853. Speeches were made, in which many pleasant things were said of Lewis county, and cheerful hopes expressed that the road thus begun would, before many months, be finished. The road was put under contract August 10th, with Farewell Case, Lund & Co., who ist October, 1853, sub-let a part extending from the north end of Lowville village, to south of Martin's creek, in Martins- burgh, to Solomon Phelps, Chester Ray, and Albert Buel.
Large quantities of ties were got out, the masonry of bridges was built in a substantial manner, the road was exten- sively graded, and costly excavations in rock and earth were begun, and in some places completed. The road was opened to Boonville, December 15, 1855, and has since been in regular operation to that place, changing entirely the business con- nection between Lewis county and Rome, and diverting nearly all the travel and business of the Black River valley from Denmark southward to Utica. A large amount of work was done on this route north of Boonville, chiefly in grad- ing and the masonry of bridges.
Work was begun on the Ogdensburgh, Clayton & Rome Railroad, at Rome, November 10th, and at Carthage, Novem- ber 23, 1853. Sections 6, 7 and 9 were awarded November 7, 1853, to Clapp & Allen of Lewis county, and Archi- bald McVickar & Co., of New Jersey. Sections 10, 11, and 12 in Lewis, to Beebe, Williams & Co., of Onondaga. Much of the right of way was secured and fenced, a large amount of grading was done, but no part of the road was ever completed, and five years after the date of organiza- tion the project was hopelessly and com- pletely abandoned. The land granted for the use of the road was re-conveyed, and the shareholders, exasperated by re-
* Extended details of the origin of these companies, will be found in the History of Jefferson county, (1854) page 339.
124
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
peated calls for installments to pay large salaries of officers and unavailing ex- penses, were doubtless greatly relieved when finally free from further liabilities arising from this reckless adventure. The proposition for two railroads, side by side, and seldom a mile apart, running through the whole length of the county, both leading to the same markets and supplying the same wants, was suffi- ciently absurd. There was no doubt, but that the business of the county would render the construction of one railroad through it a safe and prudent investment, and ensure it permanent and remunera- tive support. The wealth of its forests, the extent of its water-power, and the capacity of its soil, were subjects of too much importance to lie long neglected, and the construction of a railroad was only a question of time. In the mean- while, the county must wait until the losses in the late controversy were in some degree repaired; they were of too serious extent to be soon forgotten. The company first formed, changed owners by a sale and transfer, in which the origi- nal stockholders and owners of its bonds, excepting as they came in under the new organization were heavy losers.
Re-organization and Completion of the Railroad from Utica .- On the 31st of March, 1860, the Utica & Black River Railroad Company was formed, upon the sale under foreclosure of the " Black River & Utica Railroad Company," and projects for its extension through to the St. Lawrence, began to be dis- cussed, when the war came on the next year, absorbing every other interest in the mighty issues that it presented.
After this war was fairly ended, the measure was revived, and an active in- terest was felt in extending the road from Boonville northward, so as to pass the villages along the limestone terraces be- low the plateau region of Tug Hill. But the necessity of descending to the
river valley, in order to secure connec- tions northward, finally led to its loca- tion near the river, and rendered im- portant changes necessary at Boonville. The railroad was extended to Lyons Falls, in December, 1867, and to Low- ville, in October, 1868. That village re- mained the terminus until 1871, when it was extended to Carthage. It was com- pleted to Philadelphia, in 1873, and by leasing connecting lines, and completing certain portions, it was extended through Watertown to Sackett's Harbor, in Oc- tober, 1874, and to Ogdensburgh, Octo- ber 1, 1878. The details of history con- cerning these rented roads, are briefly as follows : -
Black River and Morristown Railroad -Philadelphia to Morristown, 36.60 miles; total track, 38.85 miles. Char- tered March 22, 1870; opened Novem- ber 24, 1875. Rental 37 1-2 per cent. of gross earnings, and not less than 7 per cent. on bonds issued for construction ; capital, $327,462.96; funded debt, first mortgage, 7 per cent. bonds, ($500,000) $495,900; floating debt, $3,900.00 ; total liabilities, $827,262.96-per contra, cost, etc., $681,298.94.
Clayton and Theresa Railroad .- Clay- ton to Theresa Junction, 15.86 miles ; total track, 16.81 miles. Chartered Feb- ruary 7, 1871 ; opened May 10, 1873 ; annual rental, $14,000 ; capital, $203,570 ; funded debt, first mortgage, 7 per cent., $200,000 ; floating debt, $29,437.72 ; total liabilities, $433,007.72-per contra, cost, etc., $323,389.38. Due lessees, $70,980; profit and loss, $38,638.34.
Carthage, Watertown and Sackett's Harbor Railroad Company .- Carthage to Sackett's Harbor, 30 miles; total track 31 miles. Organized February 5, 1869; opened in 1874 ; rental, 37 1-2 per cent. of gross earnings, or enough to pay in- terest on bonds; capital, $486,953.00; funded debt, first mortgage, 20 years, 7 per cent. bonds on road from Carthage
125
RAILROADS.
to Watertown, rolling stock, etc., $150,- 000 ; 7 per cent. bonds first mortgage on road from Watertown to Sackett's Har- bor, and second mortgage on road from Carthage to Watertown, dated Sep- tember 16, 1873, due October 1, 1893, $150,000.00 ; total, $786,953.00-per con- tra, cost of road, etc., $783,683.26.
Ogdensburgh & Morristown Railroad. -Morristown to Ogdensburgh, 10.67 miles ; total track, 11.42 miles, Char- tered September 1I, 1877; built by the Utica & Black River Railroad Com- pany, in 1878; capital, $111,800.00 ; float- ing debt, advances by lessees, $4,121.27 ; total liabilities and cost of road, $115,- 921.27. This road is virtually owned by the lessees.
GENERAL BALANCE SHEET, SEPTEMBER 30, 1881.
Road and Equipments,
($32,276.42 per mile) .... $2,878,702.66
Stocks and Bonds. 183, 100.00
Advance, etc., to Branch
Lines.
128,266.50
Sundry Dues
7,753.23
Cash on hand
62,100.20
Total Assets. . $3,259,922.59
Capital Stock
$1,772,000.00
Funded Debt
1,112,000.00
Isaac Maynard, Treasurer.
50,000.00
Construction Coupons, etc.
5,645.50
Surplus Fund .
320,277.09
Total Liabilities. . .
$3,259,922.59
General total
180.13 Miles.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR EIGHT YEARS.
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
Miles of Reilrosd
135
148
170
170
170
180
180
180.18
Trein Miles
256.708
298,125
354,744
340,474
339,339
432,840
432,876
475,223
Passengers Carried
229,023
245,847
245,715|
221'588
218,285
213,019
236,656
257,236
Passengers Miles
4,868,234
5,593,083
6,792,703|
6,336,245
5,266,280
5,221.906
5 836,600
7,377,199
Freight (tons) Maved
116,750
105,074
104,698|
100,777
103,560
108,880
160,932|
199,383
Freight (ton) Milee
5,089,783
5.294,353
5,150,374;
5,065, 167;
5,205,965
6.062,017
9,204.785
12,918,373
Gross Eerninge
$ 470,954
$ 484,856
$ 481,673
$ 453,576
$ 453,145
$ 475,509
$ 590,760
$ 693,170
Transportation Expenses.
240,865
251,661
287,372
233,576
213,853
290,532
274.989
446,390
Net Earnings
230,089
233,195
194,301
320.261
239,292
184.977
315,771
246,780
Other Receipts ...
13.901
18,658
9,898
9,722
18,971
10,934
14,551
8.859
Avellable Revenues
243.990
251,853
204,199
229,983
258.263
195,911
330,322
255,639
Lesee Rentele
38,972
39.248
56,493
65,988
66,239
66,517
70.219
71,724
Couponsand Interest
73,430
76.475
77,490
77,840
80,466
81.340
81,340
81.440
Dividende ...
+30,466
+29,981
-36,032
-20,093
+40,727
+11,567
+107.931
+81,595
Balance
3,488.64
3,276 05
2,833.71|
2,668.10
2.665.56
2,530.60
3,282.00
3,848.11
Gross Eerninge per Mile.
1,784 18
1,700 41
1,690,42
1,362 45
1,257.96,
1 614.06
1,527.73
2,478.15
Gross Expenditures per Mile.
1,704 36
1,675.64
1.148.29
1,295.65
1,407.60,
916.54
1,754.23
1,369 96
Net Earnings per Mile.
Expenses to Earnings .... ..
The town of Martinsburgh was bonded $30,000,and the town of Lowville $100,000 to aid in the construction of this road, as mentioned more fully in our history of these towns. There was much bond- ing to aid this and connecting roads in Jefferson county, which we cannot here notice in detail.
By an act passed April 17, 1866, the towns of Greig, Watson, New Bremen, and Croghan were empowered to take stock in the Utica & Black River Rail- road Company. A project was then un- der discussion for running the road on the east side of the river from Beach's Landing to Carthage; but the weight of influence in favor of Lowville, neutralized this effort, and neither of the towns gave their bonds in aid of the road.
The entire road as now owned or leased and operated by this Company, is as follows :-
Line of road properly owned by the Company, from Utica to Philadel- phia, 87.00 Miles.
LEASED LINES.
Black River & Morris-
town R. R.
36.60
Ogdensburgh & Morris-
town R. R.
10.67
Carthage, Watertown &
Sackett's Harbor R. R .. 30.00
Clayton & Theresa R. R. 15.86
66
(6)106,122
(6)106,149
(6)106,248
(6)106,248
(4)70,832
(2)35,416
(4)70,832
(4)70,880
51.14 per Ct 51.81 per Ct 59.65 per Ct 61.07 per Ct.47.19 per Ct 61.31 per Ct 46.55 per Ct 64.04 per Ct
I26
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
It is a single tract road, with 21.72 miles of siding on main line and branches ; gauge 4 feet, 8 1-2 inches, connecting with all the roads that meet or cross it, without change of gauge, and its rails weigh 56 to 60 pounds to the yard. In Poor's Railroad Manual, 1882, it is reported that 34 miles of the track have steel rails. The same author- ity reports it as having 22 locomotives, 23 passenger cars, 10 baggage and mail cars, 277 freight cars, and three service cars.
OTHER RAILROAD PROJECTS.
Although the Utica & Black River Railroad Company, is the only one that has yet been constructed, there are some others that have made themselves a place in the history of the county, and deserve a passing notice.
The Sackett's Harbor & Saratoga Rail- road Company, was incorporated by an act of April 10, 1848, which granted 250,000 acres of the State lands, upon conditions which have since been so far complied with, that the lands have been conveyed to the company. The pre- liminary arrangements were completed and the company duly organized Janua- ry 10, 1852. On the 8th of April, 1852, the ceremony of breaking ground near Dayanville was performed by Caleb Lyon, of Lyonsdale, and others, with parade of martial music and oratorical display, but work was not actively com- menced until 1854. During the summer of that year, a large amount of grading was done on the southern portion, and in places in this county, but in the fall of 1854, work was finally suspended. The intention of the company was to first construct a plank road, to facilitate the travel which the railroad would require until opened, and large quantities of road plank were sold for less than their worth in standing timber, upon the suspension
of work. The report at the close of 1858, states that the capital stock is $6,000,000 ; amount subscribed $5,461,- 100; paid in $2,714,150; expenditures $3,665,858.67; length 182 miles. The legislature by act of April 6, 1857, changed the name of the company to the Lake Ontario & Hudson River Railroad Company. It is understood that the pres- ent "Adirondack Company," are owners of whatever exists of the franchises of this old corporation.
Black River & St. Lawrence Railroad Company .- The project of a railroad from Carthage to Harrisville, and an extension to DeKalb Junction, came up in the spring of 1867, and the surveys and esti- mates were made by Octave Blanc, Civil Engineer. On the 30th of June, articles of association were filed, with $380,000 capital, and by acts passed April 2-11, 1868,* the towns of Wilna, Diana and Edwards were authorized to subscribe for stock, viz .: Wilna and Diana $50,000 each, and Edwards $25,000. Samuel H. Beach, Benjamin Wicks, and Willian Hunt, in Diana, were empowered to obtain the consent of Diana, and that town assumed the full limit allowed, the assessed valuation at that time being only $52,000. This was an act of recklessness, perhaps without a parallel in the bonding period. The total length of the proposed road from Edwards to Carthage was about thirty- eight miles, and the road was to serve as an outlet for the forest products of that region, and the magnetic iron ore known to exist not far from the proposed route.
The road was commenced and fourteen miles of the Carthage end were graded and laid with maple rails, which from want of means were used instead of iron. For a time trains were run between Car- thage and Harrisville, but the wooden rails soon proved a failure, and the funds being exhausted, the project became a * Chapters 115 and 182, Laws of 1868.
127
RAILROADS.
wreck, and was lost to sight during the great collapse of 1875-'79. Since 1880 persevering efforts have been made to revive the scheme, and bring it to a good end. Induced by valuable mineral con- cessions, Pennsylvania iron men and capitalists have made a lengthy investi- gation of the iron deposits, using the diamond drill, and at the close of autumn in 1882, a number of large veins of excel- lent Bessemer magnetic ore have been brought to light, which discovery may at an early day lead to the completion of the old project.
Mr. Pahud, the leading spirit in these efforts, and who has devoted much time and labor to the promotion of this ob- ject, in a letter received just before these pages go to press, says: " Controlling a vast forest, estimated at half a million of acres, at a time when timber is fast growing scarce and valuable, it is be- lieved that this road will prove a lasting success, as well as a most important feeder to both the Black River canal, and the Utica & Black River rail- road.
*
*
** *
The town of Diana has borne bravely its heavy burden, providing promptly for its obligations, and without even suggesting the thought of repudiation. The debt has been reduced to $40,000, and a re-issue of its bonds is readily taken at the low rate of four per cent. interest."*
Boonville & Constableville Railroad Company. This was incorporated Feb- ruary 7, 1868, and preliminary surveys were made, but nothing was ever done towards its construction. There are no engineering difficulties on the line be- tween these villages, the only question being that of profit and expense. At
the present time, the business would not probably justify this road.
A Projected Route Northeastward from Lowville .-- In the winter of 1880-'81, a line of railway was surveyed by Mr. Bond, from the swamp near the foot of the grade north of Lowville village, by way of Beaver Falls, to Harrisville. The grades were found favorable, and no practical difficulties in the way of en- gineering were found. It was thought that the manufacturing interests of the northeastern part of the county, and the iron mines in the adjacent portion of St. Lawrence county, would afford remu- nerative business for a branch road, perhaps ultimately connecting with lines to the northward. No company had been organized at the time of this writing, and the interest which the sur- vey had occasioned, had in a measure, declined.
The route of a railroad from Boston to Henderson Harbor, was run through this county, along the level of the pla- teau at the base of Tug Hill, by Adam Bond, civil engineer. It was to accom- modate the line of villages along that route, and excited hopes of success that were wholly disappointed, and perhaps never had much real foundation. It is very probable that it would have re- ceived aid from some towns along the line, had it been undertaken.
Another branch of the same road was talked about from Boonville to West Leyden, and so westward to Oswego. We are not informed as to what surveys were made, but some money was spent by individuals, in promoting this meas- ure, which died out without any result.
At the time of our going to press, some movement is being made for com- pleting the work begun thirty years ago between Rome and Boonville, and the villages along the upper terrace of limestone in Lewis county, may seek to extend it further northward.
* The Commissioners in charge of this debt, are Joseph Pahud, and William Hunt. In Wilna, the debt was reported to the Supervisors, in 1881, as re- duced to $32,000.
-
128
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVI.
CANAL PROJECTS-STEAMBOATS. Black River Canal and Improvement.
EXCEPTING the vague allusion to E canals and other public works, in the instructions of Tillier in 1796, no meas- ure was proposed for constructing a ca- nal into this county until 1825, when Governor De Witt Clinton in his annual message, suggested a connection between Black river and the Erie canal, as one of several highly desirable canal routes. Under a general act passed April 20, 1825, a survey was ordered from the Erie canal in Herkimer county, to the head waters of Black river and thence to Ogdensburgh, and another from Rome to the same waters.
A survey was begun by James Geddes, one of the chief engineers on the Erie canal, July 25, 1825, and the leveling was continued down to Carthage. By this survey, the Remsen summit on the eastern route was found 841 feet, and the descent from thence to the lake 985 feet. From Rome to Boonville, the rise was 700 feet, and from thence to the river below the falls 422 feet. The Camden route to Ogdensburgh, 129 miles, was estimated at $655,630, and the Boonville route, 114 miles, $931,014. Mr. Geddes advised two dams with locks on the river, and a towing path on the bank. A canal meeting was held at the Court House September 21, 1825, at which James T. Watson reported Geddes' survey. The maps were left with Mr. Charles Dayan for reference, and a committee was ap- pointed to gather statistics of transporta- tion from each town in the county, speci- fying every article of which more than five tons were carried, with the probable increase. Other meetings were held in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, and committees of correspondence were chosen to secure unity of action.
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