History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 125

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I > Part 125

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Smith, l'hilip . 23.88

Swartont, Bernardns, Jr . 2.00

Shorwood, Bishop . 4.00

Smith, Caleb, Jr. 2.00

South, Isaae and Jesse.

23.88

Vautastle, Wmn 1.00

Vail, William 2.00

Vermilye, Isaac 2.00

Walker, Thomas 6.00

Wilson, Samnel

1.00

Weed, Ananias

1.00

White, Ebenezer. 2.00

Walden, Thomas 2.00

Whitney, Seth. 2.00

Webbers, Isaac 2.00

l'exlor, George 18.50

l'ngsly, Talman 1.00

Somerville, Jamies 4.00

Scofield, Ebenezer 14.59

Smith, Abel. 22.50

Seo, l'eter. 21.88

Smith, Benjamin . 22.50

Smith & Fish . 22.50

Purdy. Isaac 4.00

l'enfield, lIenry L. 19.50

Purdy & Hawley 21.88

l'erry, Talman & Monson 55.16

Parker, Isaac 14.59

Philips, James 24.00

Purdy & Bedle 22 50

l'enfield, Henry L 17.50

l'undly, Brudd 21.88

Purly, James Il 6.57

Quimby, Elijah

Quick, John

1.00

Quimby, William 3.00

Requa, Isaac 25.88

Reed, Aaron . 4.00

Raymond, Joslina 2.00

Rapelye, George

6.00

Tompkins, Caleb 4.00 Tompkins, Jonathan G. 2.00

Raymond, Medad . 1.00

Rundel, Samuel 2.00

Rundlle, John . 4.00

Reed, Archer 2.00

Roger, David, Jr 2.00

Raymond, Henry (of Bed-

ford) . . 25.88

Raymond, llenry (W. C.) 1.00

Todd, Abraham . 2.00

Reed, Mary . 1.00

Romer, John 14.59

Requa & Dean 21.88

Tompkins, Noah B.

21.88

Reqnea, Daniel . 17.50

Talt, Elias.

10.59

Tompkins, G. and S. B. 22.50 Rundle, Solomon 21.88

Rundle, William 14.59

Thorr. & Conklin 22.50

Taft & Dresbrew. 21.88 Raymond, Seth 24 09

Rich, Elijah 18.00

Trowbridge, Samuel. 21.81

Taylor, Sammel . .90

Tertulns, Townsend 1.00

Underhill, Solomon . 1 00

Uuderbill, Bishop . 23.88

Underhill, Nicholas 2.00

Underhill, Frederick. 4.00

Underhill, l'eter. 4.00 Shureman, John

Sniffen, James.

Strang, Joseph 2.00

Strang, Henry. 2.00

Strang, Daniel.

22.88

Underhill, Joshua. 2.00

Underhill, Caleb. 2.00 Strang, HI. and Joseph. 21.88

Senma ., Sylvanns. 1.00 Underbill, Abraham 1. 1.00

Underhill, Laneaster. 22.88 Underhill, Gilbert 16.59 Underhill, Thomas 2.00

Underhill, B and J. B . . . 22.50

Watts, Robert. 16.00

Ward, Richard 2.00

Van Wart, Isaac. 4.00

Wilcock, Wm 2.00

Wilkins, Isaac. 1.00

Williams, George 1.00

Smith, Matson. 6.00

Strang, Ebenezer 2.00

an Cortlandt, Angustus. 8.00

Strang, Samnel . 4.00 Vark, Aaron 22.88

Silkman, Daniel. 2.00

Vashey, llerman 2.00

Van Cortlandt, Pierre 4.00

l'ost, Jacob . 1.00

Seacord, Daniel

1.00

Simpson, Thomas 2.00

Vantastle & Sarles 110.47

Valentine, Jordan. 1,40

White, Ebenezer 2 00

Wright, Ephraim 22.50

Wildey, Caleb. 2.00

Williamson, Griffin .

15.00

Wood, Jonas

1.00

Williams, William.

22.50

Williams, Robert

15.00

Williams, Elisha. 22.50

Williams, Williams (of Bed-

ford) . 21.88

Wilson, James. 1.00

Strang, Peter 2.61

Smith, Stephen 2.33

Thornton, Thomas. 4.00

Titus, Rebecca 2.00

Theal, Thomas 2.00

Theal, Billey 2.00

Tompkins, Alexander 1.00

Tompkins, W. G. 4 00

Tompkins, Nonh 1.00

Trip, Daniel. 2.00

Thomas, Mathew 2.00

Thorn, Samnel

4.00

Titus, Sanmel . 2.00

Thomas, Thomas 2.00

Ryer, William 2.00

Twitching, Henry. 15.59

Thompson, Charles. 4.00

Thomas, Tompkins 23.88

Titus, John, Jr . 23.88 Theal, Hachalialı 2.00 Todd, 1ra 2.00 Townsend, John. 4.00

Taylor, Elizabeth 4.00

Tidd, William. 2.00

Robertson, Zabud 21.88

Rider, Fowler F 21.88

Roe, Benjamin 3.56

Raymond, Enoch 7.84

Smith, Thomas G 2.00

Smith, William 2.00

William, Merritt 4.00

Wood, Jacob . 4.00

Whitmore, Elyekeah 1.00

Willett, Waite 1.00

Williams, Raymond 7.92

Williams, John and George. 21.88 Willis, Richard 15.00

Voght, Joseph C

14.59

Wood, Abraham

21.88

Purdy, Timothy 3.00

Purdy, Samuel 11.00

Silkman, John 1.00

Ward, Ann .

14.59

l'opham, Willia 2.00

Stymus, Jesper 1.00

Underhill, Gilbert (of E. C). 31.73

Smith. Wm Il 16.59

478

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Poor House of the County was built. The date of its construction is 1827. It is situated in the town of Mt. Pleasant, about five miles north of White Plains, and two miles east of Tarrytown, in a beautiful portion of the county. The farm contains one hundred and seventy-three acres, and the institution several build- ings of stone.

At about the same period the State Prison at Sing Sing, in this county, was erected. It was built from 1825 to 1829, by the convicts themselves. The prison was built here because of the marble quarries upon which the labor of the convicts might be employed. It covers one hundred and thirty acres of land lying on the Hudson River, and a more healthful or beau- tiful location could not have been selected.

If the eye be allowed to pass over the Table of Pop- ulation which will be found inserted at the end of this chapter, he will remark how rapid after 1835 the increase. We turn readily to the cause, and delay for moment to detail the steps taken in the construction of the railroads which afford such facilities for tra- versing the county.

PUBLIC WORKS. - The New York and Harlem Railroad Company was incorporated by the Legisla- ture of the State of New York on the 25th of April, 1831. . And its franchises which were increased by several subsequent acts during the next eight years, covered only the City and County of New York and extended only as far as the Harlem River. The dif- ficulties which the company had here to master, were he cause of much of its embarrassment in after years. The route on Manhattan Island presented the most formidable natural obstacles, and entailed conse- quently the heaviest expenditures. On the 17th of April, 1832, the Legislature by act incorporated the New York and Albany Railroad, with a charter authorizing the construction of a road, commencing on the island of New York, where the Fourth Av- enue terminates and extending to the city of Albany. This Company not being able to avail itself of its privileges, " after six years of vicissitude and vain effort " surrendered its rights in Westchester County to the New York and Harlem Railroad. The compact made between the two companies, the Legislature in May 1840 affirmed, empowering the Harlem Com- pany to construct a bridge over the Harlem River and a railroad through Westchester County to an intersection with the New York and Albany's line of road which would be at the southern boundary of Putnam County. The first portion of the road which it was determined to build, was as far up as White Plains, and amusing enough are the limited calcula- tions made by the engineers of the day, to meet the question as to the ability of Westchester County to support a railroad. The passengers and freight from five supposed points at which they would come on the road, are figured out by one of the engineers on the basis of stage fares and tonnage prices, and the result is that $47,788 would be received from passengers and

$60.980 from freight or a total of $108,768, which it was said would fully meet all expenditures and yield a profit of at least 25 per cent. on the capital in- vested. Another engineer calculates upon an imme- diate income of $60.000, $950 of which is to come from the Catholic School at Fordham and Powell's School at Westchester. The following is another statement ventured by the President of the New York and Albany Railroad in 1838. "The town of East Ches- ter will contribute along with Kain's Marble Quarry $15,000, and six other towns of Westchester County $16,000 to support a railroad." It is safe to affirm that no one took as much interest in the construction of this road as Mr. Gouverneur Morris. The route found to be the most advantageous after leaving the Harlem, was to aim directly for Mill Brook, and thence along it to the valley of the Bronx near William's Bridge, and thence along that valley to White Plains, the whole distance being 20 miles. Here were found broad level flats above the bed of the streams avera- ging 500 feet in width, skirted by table lands of gravel 30 feet above the flat and averaging 200 feet in width, affording great facilities for grading. Rock occurs at a few points, chiefly granite and gneiss, offering stone for culverts at reasonable distances and inconsidera- ble expense. The road was constructed and in use to Fordham by October 18411 to William's Bridge by 1842, to Tuckchoe by July, 1844 and to White Plains later in the same year, passing through the towns of Morrisania, West Farms, Yonkers, East Chester, Scars- dale, Greenburg and White Plains. Says one long an employee of the road, "the first running of the trains through the county was a matter of great curiosity, and crowds of people surveyed it from the adjoining hills." From the report of the company in 1846, we learn that the cost of construction of six miles of road from the south side of Harlem River Bridge to William's Bridge was $38,475 per mile, while the thirteen miles of road from William's Bridge to White Plains cost $11,277 per mile. Stages from the import- ant villages, were immediately put on for the nearest stations as the work advanced. It is stated as a fact that the company suffered severely at first from the dishonesty of the conductors who collected their fares on board of the trains. The building of the road above White Plains seems to have been pro- ceeded with, after very little, if any, delay. In the report above cited the completion of the whole dis- tance is promised by May, 1847. Mr. Allan Campbell, the engineer, thus details the route chosen: " It pur- sues the valley of the Bronx for three miles, when it passes to the valley of the Saw Mill by Davis's Brook and Fly Brook The Saw Mill is then fol- lowed to its head-waters, where the ridge (of high broken ground running from east to west about cight or ten miles above White Plains, the principal obsta-

1 Committee's Report to Stockholders, October 15, 1841.

479

GENERAL HISTORY FROM 1783 TO 1860.

clc) is passed with a cutting of only nine fect. The line now descends by the Kisco, a branch of the Croton and Mnddy Brook, to Cross River; thence over broken ground between this stream aud the Croton to the valley which is occupied through the remainder of Westchester,-a very direct line has been obtained at an expense which must be regarded as moderate, only four structures of any considerable magnitude being required, one of sixty feet over the Bronx, one of eighty feet over the Titicus, one of one hundred and twenty fcet over the Cross River and one of one hundred and sixty feet over the Croton at the county line-a single track with twenty-five feet width in excavations and sixteen feet at top of embankments-a substantial and permanent track over which passeuger trains may be transported at great speed." The road was opened to Croton Falls in June, 1847, and passed through the towns, above White Plains, of Mt. Pleasant, New Castle, Bedford, Lewisboro and North Castle, and through, it is said, ninety-seven farms. The following familiar names of Westchester County have been connected with the direction of the Harlem : Gouverueur Morris, Thomas W. Ludlow, J. Warren Tompkins, Thomas HI. and Edward G. Faile, John Alstyne, Samuel E. Lyon, Philip Dater, Francis W. Edmonds, Francis Kain, Lancaster Underhill, Albert Smith, William C. Wetmore, Edward Haight, Peter Lorillard, William H. Leonard, John E. Burrill, Nathaniel P. Bailey, Augustus A. Cammann and others, of whom Gouver- neur Morris was for a while Vice-President, and Mr. Wetmore and Mr. Eduouds for short periods Presi- dents of the road. The following engineers are re- inembered in connection with its construction and improvement : James J. Shipman, Mr. Shotwell, Mr. Morgan, Allan Campbell, James B. Sargent and J. C. Buckhout. The present incumbent is F. S. Curtis.1

The original capital of the company was but $350, - 000, which, in 1832, was iucreased to 8500,000, with a stipulation that the road should be completed to the Harlem River in 1835. Although this was not done, the Legislature, in the latter year, authorized the company to increase the capital to $750,000, to bor- row 8400,000, and in 1839 to convert the bonds into stock. When the extension through Westchester County was begun, the capital had been swollen to $1,950,000, and still another increase of $1,000,000 was uceded to carry the road through the county. When the line was completed to Chatham Four Cor- ners, in 1852, it had cost $7,948,118, and its liabilities were over $11,000,000. In 1872 the company leased the New York and Mahopac Railroad fromn Golden's Bridge to Lake Mahopac, and on April 1st of that year was itself leased for four hundred and one years

by the New York Central and Hudson River Rail- road Company, at eight per cent. in stock and inter- est on the bonded debt. The amount of stock is $9,450,000 ; funded debt, $10,618.069; floating debt, $700,000-total, $20,768,069. The road now extends to Chatham, from whence it reaches Albany over the tracks of the Boston and Albany road.

The New York Central and Hudson River Rail- road, which, before 1870, was the New York and Hud- son River Railroad, passes along the western shore of the county through the towns of King's Bridge (now in the city of New York), Yonkers, Greenburgh, Mt. Pleasant, Ossiniug and Cortlandt-a distance of about thirty miles. The charter was obtained from the Legislature in May, 1846, but although the import- ance of the construction of the road was urged in the newspapers of the day,2 the work was not actually commenced until the middle of the succeeding year. Meanwhile the company had appointed as chief en- gineer, Mr. Johu B. Jervis, a gentleman of large ex- perieuce, and who proved throughout admirably fitted for the arduous duties that fell on him. The com- pany at this time, it seems, complained that they were not met iu a fair and equitable spirit by the owners of the land through which the road would pass, " who would derive," it was said, " far greater benefit than the company itself could expect." In the summer of 1847 the route which Mr. Jervis deemed it highly important should follow closely the river, and which had been divided into sections, was placed under con- tract, and by November all the contractors on the line of the road had commenced work and the desire was to push it forward with all speed Mr. Jervis, by the following remark in his report of Jannary, 1848, indicates his own anxiety : " The contractors cannot induce men to work at night." But the men were found as untractable, when national feuds sprang up among them, and efforts were made to drive each other from the line. This rioting between the " Corkonians and the Far Downs " delayed, of course, the work. But obstacles unavoidable occurred, which, in a large measure were owing to the proximity of the road to the river, adverse winds and tides ofteu hindering the workmen. From the same cause in the cuttings which were found at points very hard, much trouble was occasioued by the flow of the water into the crevices in the rock. The board, however, at the in- stigation of the engineers did everything it could to encourage the contractors, adopting the principle of making allowances when unforeseen difficulties were presented in the execution of the work.

" The plau of grading," says Mr. William C. Young, who became, in 1849, chief engineer, " for the road- bed south of Poughkeepsie was for a double track, having a width of twenty-six feet in rock-cuttings, twenty-two fcet in tunnel cuttings and twenty-four feet between bridge abutments. The embankments

1 The following toast was given at a celebration of one of the early de- velopments of the road. "The Locomotive, the only good motive for riding a man upon a rail."

2 See Journal of Commerce, January 9, 1874.

480

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

have been designed thirty feet wide, having a wide inargin of ten feet between the face of the river-wall and the west rail of the track. These dimensions have been carried out in the coustruction of the road- bed as nearly as could be done consistently with an early opening of the road for public use."

On the 29th of September, 1849, passenger travel over the road as far as Peekskill was commenced. At this time Mr. Jervis became Consulting Engi- neer of the company. The average number of pas- seugers per day for the first month (October) was eight hundred and thirty, and the total number twenty-one thousand five hundred and ninety-three ; and for the next month (November) the average num- ber was ten hundred and fifty-five, and the total num- ber twenty-seven thousand four hundred and forty-one. At this time it was calculated that the land taken for the roadway in Westchester County had cost the com- pany, exclusive of agencies and other charges, $185,- 905.02, and also that the grading had involved an expenditure of not far from a million of dollars, which was about three hundred thousand dollars above the cost as estimated by the original lettings in 1847. The first train conductors on this road were J. D. Elliot and H. E. Newell.

Of the many interesting incidents in the early his- tory of the running over the road in this county, none perhaps created more of a sensation than the double accident just above Croton, on the 4th of Deceurber, 1851. It seems that the four o'clock afternoon train from New York was stopped by the conductor (Carey) to put off two men who would not pay their fare, and was run iuto by an engine without cars, and five or six passengers were severely injured. But the five o'clock express train (Morgan's) which followed, having switched off to the west track, on coming abreast of the wrecked train halted to render assistance, and while so doing was run into by the five and a-half Peekskill traiu (Nichols), which had also taken the west track, but was driving ahead heedless of danger at the usual speed. Here again others were hurt, sonie very seriously. The company exhibited on the occasion great conceru for the sufferers, and visited with prompt punishment the offending officials.

The Vanderbilt influence came into control of the New York and Hudson River Railroad in 1864, but the road between New York and Albany was operated independently of the Ceutral Railroad until 1870, when, iu accordance with the legislative act of No- vember, 1869, authorizing a consolidation of the whole interest between New York, Buffalo and Sus- pension Bridge, the consolidated organization as- sumed the title of the New York Ceutral and Hud- son River Railroad Company. The Hudson River road cost, to build aud equip, $78,014,954, or $76,272 per mile of track.

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad extends through the county, making a junction with the Harlem, at Washingtonville in the town of East

Chester, and so passes into the city. It runs in its course from the Connecticut line through the towns of Rye, Harrison, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Pelham and East Chester, covering a distance of 13.61 miles. The work of constructing this part of the road was carried on during the years 1847 and 1848. On Christmas day, 1848, a party of gentlemen made an excursion over it from New York to New Haven, returning the next day. The road was opened for business on the following day. The character of the ground of the road in this county is described as "heavy with rough heavy cuttings." It was at first a single track road. The line as surveyed was fol- lowed. At Pelhamville the original embaukment was as it is now. The numerous curves on the road were caused by the restricted financial condition, making it necessary, as far as possible, to avoid cuttings and embankments. The desire had been to build the road in a substantial and permanent manner, but it was found difficult to complete it in any shape. Mr. Sidney S. Miller, one of the original contractors and most active of the projectors of the road, is still living at Madison, N. J. It is a curious fact that when the trains first commenced to run, the passengers were booked as in the old stage-coach times, their names being duly reported by the conductors to the com- pany. This company was originally " The New York and New Haven," but in 1872 was consolidated with the Hartford and New Haven Company, and the new system took the name by which it is now known. In 1873 the company leased the Harlem River and the Port Chester Railroad, between the Harlem aud New Rochelle, and opened it for use. It runs from its depot at the Harlem River through tlie towns of Morrisania, Westchester, Pelham and New Rochelle, where it joins the New Haven road. It is soinetimes denominated, the Harlem River Branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and has opened out one of the most beautiful portions of the county. In the spring of 1872, the work of construction began by filling in the bulkhead at the Harlem River, and a fine dock and slip of land was formed. Blasting had to be done on the Morris es- tate where rock of a lava-like appearance was found, and seams and colors of the same in fine curves, angles, etc. The pile building came in for a share of careful attention, as after passing Port Morris piles of sixty and eighty feet in length were used, which made a substantial job throughout. The rock cut at Hunt's Point bridge caused a great deal of trouble on ac- count of the wet, spongy nature of the soil,-one would have expected the softest nearest the water. The Bronx River was bridged by a strong Jackknife Draw. Filling for embankment across Pelham Salt Marsh was a tedious job, as firm bottom was hard to find. East Chester Bay reached a fine piece of work was done in building the pile-bridging across it. Too much praise cannot be given to E. W. Reid, General Superintendent of the New York, New Haven and

481

GENERAL HISTORY FROM 1783 TO 1860.

Hartford Railroad Company, for the substantial and workmanlike manner in which as the whole job, so especially the ercction of the piers aud approaches of the fine pivot drawbridge was conducted. The stone for the masonry, of the very first quality, was furnished by the veteran Mr. Beattie, of Stony Creek, Conn. Borrow pits were necessary on Bartow embankments and at Timpsons. As material for them was lack- ing on the whole line, ballast, except the broken stone ballast, was brought from as far as New Canaan. The construction of the fresh water swamp trestle ended the work that was of any size or account before reaching the junction with the main line, near New Rochelle village. The contractors were, Sections one and two, Peter Sanford & Co .; sections two, three and four, Dunn & Lowther ; sections six and seven, Beattie & Edwards; sections eight, nine and ten, Richard Dooley. Under Mr. Reid's care the whole line has been since improved in every way aud ranks first class. The stations along this road are Port Morris, Casa- nova, Hunt's Point, West Farms, Van Nest, West- chester, Timpsons, Baychester, Bartow, Pelham Manor and New Rochelle Junction. The road is 12.13 miles in length.

NEW YORK CITY AND NORTHERN RAILROAD,- This road has reached its present condition and as- sumed its present name after having passed through a very varied experience, and been known under several different titles. The persons with whom the idea originated were John Q. Hoyt and Andrew MeKin- ney, who were instrumental in organizing what was known as the New York and Boston Railroad, iu 1871. Of this organization John Q. Hoyt was presi- dent, and Andrew Mckinney, treasurer. The road was to run from New York to Brewsters, in Putnam County, and was there to connect with roads leading to Boston. The larger part of the right of way was purchased, considerable grading done, and a portion of the track was laid, but much of the right of way was obtained under conditions which were never sat- isfied, and the land reverted to its original owners. In 1871 a combination was formed between this road, the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad and the Harlem Extension, the consolidation being known as the New York, Boston and Montreal Railroad. Under this new organization, of which George H. Brown was president, large loans were negotiated in Europe, the principal creditor being the Franco-Egyptian Bank of Paris, and Bishop Scheim and T. Gold Schulz of London, who advanced several millions of dollars ; but the forcclosure of prior mortgages, and the sale of the road rendered these advances a complete loss, and a suit has long been pending in the United States Courts to determine the personal responsibility of the trustces who had the handling of the funds. At the time of the sale under foreclosure, the road was purchased by the former bond-holders, and was reorganized under its present name, in 1878. The first president was A. B. Stout, who shortly after re-

signed and was succeeded by Robert M. Galloway, who has retaincd the position till the present time. The first secretary was Calvin Goddard, who still holds the position. When the road was built, its New York terminus was at High Bridge, but an ex- tension, something over a mile iu length, connects with the Eighth Avenue Elevated Road. This ex- tension was made under a separate organization known as " the West Side aud Yonkers Railroad," and furnishes the most direct road for rapid transit between New York and the interior of Westchester County.

At the time of the organization of the present company, a contraet was made with Louis Rob- erts, to finish the building, and to equip the road. This task was performed by Mr. Roberts in a most active and euergetic manner. The right of way was repurchased, the grading finished, and the track laid and the completed road opened for business in the spring of 1881. The length of this road from High Bridge to Brewsters (Putnam County) is fifty-three miles, and the length of the extension from High Bridge to Eighth Avenue is one and one-sixteenth miles. The benefit of this road to the property holders along its entire leugth ean scarcely be over- estimated.

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 125

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1354

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354