The Delaware and Hudson Canal, a history, Part 9

Author: Le Roy, Edwin D., 1903-
Publication date: 1950
Publisher: [Honesdale, Pa.] Wayne County Historical Society
Number of Pages: 106


USA > Pennsylvania > The Delaware and Hudson Canal, a history > Part 9


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).


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Lock tenders were; Will Hallstead, W. Donnley, Henry Rogers, Enoch Rogers, Dan Hanion, Bill Robinson, Bill Foster. Jack McCarthy, Hank Woods, Joe McKenne.


All these men took some coal to warm their little coop, but Jack McCarthy took more than all the rest. because he had the biggest scoop.


John Upright, the same at all the other locks, could make a good lamp board or good feed box.


Louie Beardsley, they call this county line.


Next Lock was where Mose Clark lived, who painted up our sign.


Mrs. Callahan made our flag. headdress or anything we wished.


G. L. Ostrander made our hammock and nets to catch the fish. Mr. Yoppy had all the buildings painted white Jim Startup sold liniment and swore that it would kill a spavin in a night.


Two miles more to where Sam Taylor tended lock and Joe Quigley tended store.


Ellenville was a great manufacturing town and goods from far and near, Most everything was shipped by boat, even Culmers beer.


Shirleys Lock where the carpenter's shop stood by the road.


They built boats at Cantonville tho' they never carried a big load.


Chris Genniel came next and baseball he loved to play. Jack Comfort had a store at Robinson Decker's and was the first to make it pay.


Remember no hills below this lock.


Reformatory on the Barrom, they called it Napanock.


Port Ben dry dock, the store run by A. C. Cline.


Bob Drivers built boats at Port Hickson, the best along the line.


There were farming sections around Middleport and how the crops did grow.


We had three miles of good canal till we reached the fiddlers elbow.


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The store at Port Jackson sold groceries and dry goods. Jacko sold hats while I bought mine from Mart Woods. Scrub cedar grew plentiful around Foleys (Will Davis) and seldom seen was a large oak.


Everything was spick and span at Alligerville where there was no engine to give off smoke.


Some Captains said there was not four miles in the next level, But. John Leonard the watchman said "yes", Here I put the bone in the pot and got ready for the Highfall "mess".


There were five (6-7) locks at the collectors aqueduct and then a sharp felt turn. Upon the porch in a big arm chair we saw our old friend Bill Hearn. Next three were called Nigger Locks, for some reason I don't know why.


They loaded cement on the tow-path but we scooted right on by.


Coles Basin, then Humphrey's where Jonnie Herzog lost his wife.


Two locks at Lawrenceville where Bill Delaney lost his life.


Rosendale and Rocklock where America's great cement is made. Do you remember the spring at Websters over in the shade?


Milhams near Laughlins dinner sign. Now Creek Locks where they have the shortest level on the line. Some thought the creek dangerous to go down, if the water was high. Ask Mrs. McGinnis (Margaret) She might know why.


When strange teams saw the hill at guard lock, they became somewhat afraid.


Now at Eddyville all coal boats were weighed.


Through the last lock we did go, George Debois, captain of the Pittston, would be waiting to take us in his tow.


To Rondout for our turn to wait when the cargo was discharged then would draw on freight.


On the D & H Canal our friends were many but the dollars they were few.


I'd be glad if we had the old times again, maybe its the same with you.


Boatmen employed on the D & H Canal - 1898


Aiken, John F. Agin, David


Doolittle, Emmett


Jansen, Frederick Jourdan, Charles


McCue, James McCue, Michael


Shaffer, Charles Shafer, Philip Schroeder, Chris'


Dougherty, Daniel


Jordan, Thomas


McGinnis, Peter


Bennett, Philip


Brown, George A.


Eck, William


Kelley, Michael


McGoway, Edward


Shanley, Thomas


Brnck, Nich.


Eck. Louis


Kelder, W. E.


McAndrew, Edward


{ Burns, Jos.


Eck. Ferd.


Kearney, Peter


McClure, David


| Bell, John Bradford, W. H. Bracy, John


Evans, George


Kelb, Joseph Jr .


McAndrew. James


Burger, David


Fahey, William


Fitzgerald, James


Frantz. Adelbert


Feeley, William


Lowery, Michael


Neimeyer. A.


Landers, William H.


Neimeyer, William


Landers. Charles


Naughton, Patrick


Solon, John Jr.


Finan, John J.


Lowery, James J.


O'Neill, Felix


Spellman, Patrick Startup, Charles


Garrity, John Galloway, Gov.


Murphy, Martin


Terwilliger, Jonathan A.


Galloway, David


Murphy, Michael


Tierney, William


Grimes, Peter


Murphy, John


Purcell, Patrick


Turner, Nelson


Gabriel, George


Murphy. James


Purcell, Hugh


Tucker, Bernard


Green, Increase


Martin, Patrick


Pettibone, Jacob


Tucker. Thomas


Morrow, Charles


Pettibone, Joseph Jr.


Murray, James J.


Powers, John


Thornton, John


Martin, Lewis


Prophet, Robert


Thornton, James


Harvey, John Hayes, Edward


Manning, William Miller. Philip


Quinn, Thomas


Hamilton, James


Malone, Daniel


Updenbrow, D.


Hoffman, Peter


Milraney, Martin


Rut ledge, Hugh


Rose, John N.


Vicinnes, Fred


Mullen, John H.


Rose, Joseph


Roosa, W. H.


Welch, Chris


Mullen, John D.


Rogan, M. J. Reilly, Daniel


Wood, A. L.


Moran, Dennis


Markle. Arch


Reilly, Bernard


Madden, John


Reilly, Owen


Weber, George K. Wissert, Fred


McCarty, Thomas


Reilly, James


Mclaughlin, James, Jr,


Reilly, William


Sahloff, Frederick


Kane, William J.


McAliney, Patrick


Kallighan, Thomas


McCue, Patrick


Smith, Hiram Sherman, Jos. Schycart, George Schleede, William


Stoehr, Henry


Freer, Oliver


Lynch, John


O'Rourke, Patrick


Lerch, Andrew


Oulton, Martin


O'Boyle. Anthony Osterhoudt, J. H.


Terwilliger, John A.


Carey, Patrick Cavanaugh, Daniel Colo, Patrick Coughlan, Patrick Coyne, Philip Carr. James, Sr. Cummings. D. Cummings, William Carney, Sylvester Contant, R. P. Comfort, Richard Constant, Leonard Clark. James T.


Dougherty, Hugh Donnelly, John Dunn, Thomas Deyo, Levi Donahue, Michael Dougherty, Robert Doughney, Jere. Dow, Thomas Donnelly, James Delaney, William


Hoppy, William Hayes, R. H. Hanrahan, Patrick Hardy, Daniel Hoffman, Ed. Hines, Patrick Havey, Patrick Hotchkiss, E. G. Hensberger, Frank Horan, John J.


Moran. John Miller. John


Rafferty, Daniel


Woolsey, Richard


Burns, Patrick Broaders, Michael Burger, C. B. Butler, Dennis Baird, Riley Burns, M. J. Burger, Elmer Bowen, John


Ennis. James


Kelb, Fred


McGinnis, Lawrence


Ecker, Peter J.


Kennedy, Patrick


McDermott. John


Smith, Sidney Startup, R. W. Sherry, Patrick Sutton, John Stahl, George Shafer. Jacob


Kane, James


McFadden, James


Finn, Henry


Feeney, Barney


Freer. Joseph


Luby, John


Gibbons, Patrick Ganghan, Thomas


Thornton, Joseph


Thornton, George


Miller, Michael


Wood, Charles


Donnelly, John


McNamee, Thomas


Smith. C. W.


93


No. 109.


In Assembly,


February 23, 1829.


[Brought in by Mr. BRADISH.]


AN ACT


To loan the credit of the State to the Presi- dent, Managers and Company of the De- laware and Hudson Canal Company.


The People of the State of New- York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows :


1 Section 1. The comptroller is licreby directed to issue, to the president, 2 managers and company of the Delaware and Hudson canal company, in 3 such sums as the said company may require, special certificates of stock to 4 the amount of fire hundred thousand dollars, redeemable at any time after 5 the year 1849, at the pleasure of the state, and bearing an interest at the 6 rate of four and an half per cent per annum, payable quarterly at the office 7 of the said company in the city of New-York ; for the redemption of which [8 stock, and the due payment of the interest thereon, to the owners of such stock, the faith and credit of the people of this state are hereby pledged.


] § 2. The said stock shall be so issued by the comptroller, on the delivery 2 of the security herein after provided to be given to the people of this state, 3 by the said company, for the said loan of dro hundred thousand dollars.


1 $3. The said stock shall be made payable to the said corporation, or their , order, and may be transferred by the said corporation at their pleasure fbut 3 the mid stook chatt, trutt www be transferable only im person, or by utfor 4 wpany ti the City of New-York, in booter 5.


1 § 4. Whenever any holder of any certificates of such stock shall desire 2 to transfer, divide or consolidate the same, he shall be authorised to do so, 3 in the manner provided for by the fifth section of the act, entitled " an act to 4 loan the credit of the people of the state of New-York, to the president, 5 managers and company of the Delaware and Hudson Canal company, and 6 for other purposes," passed March 10, 1827.


1 § 5. For the purpose of completely securing the people of this state for 2 the responsibility incurred by the pledge of their credit, as aforesaid, the 3 comptroller, with the advice of the attorney-general, before he issues the 4 said stock, or any part thereof, shall receive from the said company, the like 5 security as is provided in the sixth section of the lost


·lecsa


.. ...


Courtesy of New York Historical Society


94


Albany, February 25, 1829.


Sir-


The Hon. W. L. Marcy, late comptroller, in his report in relation to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, having adverted to the Schuylkill and Lehigh coals, as the only anthracites that might compete, in our market, with the Lackawanock : and inquiries having been made of me, as to the probable consumption of this description of fuel, I deem it to be my duty to lay before you, some facts on both these points ; to which I beg leave to solicit your attentive consideration : and believing, as I do, that your conclusions will have an important bearing on the general interests and domestic comforts of a large portion of your fellow-citizens, and especially on our numerous and in- creasing manufactories, I trust I shall have your kind indulgence for this communication.


I am with great respect, Your obedient servant,


President of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company.


Extract of a letter from Messrs. I. & J. Townsend, to the Hon. W. I. Marcy, late comptroller, dated Albany, Jun- uary 21st, 1829.


" Your favor of the 20th January was duly received, asking our opinion as to the quality of Lackawanock coal. We have tried it in our furnace, and at the Troy iron and nail factory, and the foremen of both establishments prefer it for heating and melting iron, to the Lehigh or any other anthracite coal, which they have used. It ig- nites in much less time, and the same weight produces a better result.


" Twenty or more families in this city are using this coal, who all give it a most decided preference to either Lehigh or Schuylkill for the grate.


" From our experience in the use of this coal in the different manufactures of iron and nails, in which we are engaged, we give it as our most decided opinion, that the Lackawanock coal will be preferred to any other anthra- cite, for all manufacturing purposes."


Extract of a letter from Capt. Elam Lynds, superintendent of the state prison, Sing-Sing, to S. M. Hopkins, Esq. one of the commissioners, dated 26th January, 1829.


" I received about a month since, five chaldrons of Lackawanock coal. It was put on the forge of one of our best blacksmiths, and he pronounced it the best coal we ever had. The smith's forge tests the purity of coal, perhaps, better than any other mode of burning it. We have also burned it under our steam boiler, and in the stoves.


" It burns freer, and is much more pure than either Schuylkill or Lehigh, and I have no doubt it will be found a better coal for all uses, than either of the other kinds,"


Extract of a letter from Lemuel Pomeroy, Esq. (manufacturing arms for the U. States,) to Messrs. I. & J. Town. send, dated Pittsfield, February 10th, 1829.


" The subject of Lackawanock coal is very important. The advantage which it possesses over the Lehigh, is very manifest in the furnace, where its heat is applied to the welding of musket barrels. I found that we could weld nearly double the number of barrels with the Lackawanock, that were welded with the Lehigh, and a ton of the former will produce much more heat."


In conversation with Messrs. Townsends, Mr. Pomeroy stated that with the Lehigh, his men welded from 6 to 8 gun barrels a day, with the Lackawanock 14.


Extract of a letter from an iron manufacturer in New-York, dated 20th February.


I have used five chaldrons of Lackawanock coal, and have no hesitation in pronouncing it the best kind of an- thracite. It melts iron faster in a Cupola Furnace, than either Schuylkill or Lehigh. I have used it on the blacksmith's forge, and in the grate ; it ignites quick and gives a very strong heat ; it is free from slate and stone, which is not the case with either of the other coals.


Mr. Baldwin of Kingston reports that he uses anthracite coals exclusively in his furnace. That he has used Schuylkill, Lehigh and Lackawanock, and after repeated experiments of each kind by measure, he found that with Lackawanock, he melted his charge of about 7001bs. of iron in half an hour less, and made better metal.


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COPYRIGHT 1950, E. D. LeR.





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