Collections of Cayuga County Historical Society, Auburn, N.Y. Number Six - 1888
J. Lewis Grant
Early Modes of Travel and Transportation
[A Paper Read Before the Cayuga County Historical Society, January 8, 1878. By J. Lewis Grant]
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Cayuga County Historical Society :
It is with feelings nearly allied to reluctance that I attempt at the present time to interest you by the reading of a paper
upon, “ The early modes of travel and transportation in Cayuga County.” My apology is therefore due, not that I find insufficient matter within the limit of the county to form the basis of a paper upon the subject, but, rather from the fact of my inability to confine myself strictly within those limits and give you a paper truly historical, that would merit your attention or be at all satisfactory to myself.
In pursuing the study of this subject, I have found the history of travel and transportation in Cayuga County so intimately interwoven with that of her sister counties, the whole state, and in some instances our neighboring states, that I have necessarily trespassed upon ground outside of our own county.
The earliest record I find of a public mode of transportation from the east to the west through Cayuga County is in the year 1791, and that by water from Schenectady to Seneca Lake. In that year a company was formed and duly incorporated by an act of the legislature, called the Western Inland Lock and Navigation Company. The object of this company was to improve the facilities for transportation of goods and produce and settled effects between the then growing west and the east and this company undertook to open a route by water from Schenectady to Seneca Lake.
The condition of the route although it had been known and used by the Indians for ages and also in later times by the pioneers in their journeys to the west, we find at this time to have been as follows :
On account of the long distance around, and the difficulties attending the navigation of the Hudson river and the Mohawk between Albany and Schenectady, the water was abandoned, and a land route, sixteen miles, adopted between those two places. On the Mohawk from Schenectady to Little Falls, a distance of fifty-six miles, no serious obstructions were found. The stream was broad and in many places deep with an easy current and a smooth and unruffled surface.
Arriving at Little Falls a carry or portage became unavoidable. Light boats and canoes were carried by hand, while the heavy boats and batteaux were drawn three-fourths of a mile around the falls by ox teams over a difficult and rocky pathway.
The boats or batteaux used in these early days were generally from twenty to thirty feet in length and four to six feet broad, flat bottomed and of light draft. Upon the upper edge, and upon both sides of those boats ran a wale or plank their entire length, upon which the boatmen whose power alone propelled the craft, could walk.
The mode when moving against the current was to place one end of a pole upon the bottom of the stream and the other against their shoulder, and then by pushing, the boat would glide along under their feet, while they walked its length, much the same as a treadmill is moved by the animal propelling it.
After passing Little Falls the next obstruction to free navigation was the shoals or rapids, at German Flats, then called, now Herkimer. From the latter place to Utica an easy passage was found. From Utica to Rome, however, the river was more shallow and was obstructed by logs and trees felled into it, by settlers as a more expeditious manner to dispose of them than to burn.
At Rome or Fort Stanwix as it was then known, a carry was necessary to reach Wood creek, a small stream, which instead of emptying into the Mohawk, less than two miles distant, with an elevation of land of only two feet between them, it flowed by a circuitous route of nearly thirty miles into Oneida Lake, and thence by the Oswego river into Lake Ontario. The portage at Fort Stanwix was called by the Indians De-o-wain-sta, the place where canoes were carried from one stream to another.
Through Wood Creek therefore, and Oneida Lake, lay the route of these batteaux, by which they reached the Oswego river, thence into Seneca river, passing Montezuma which was the stopping place for Cayuga County, and pursuing the course of that river in its windings and through the marshes into Canandaigua creek which, being followed, would bring them to Seneca Falls, to find the last obstruction in the passage to Seneca Lake.
In this condition of navigation through central New York, a batteaux could with difficulty transport, with a crew of these men, between Schenectady and Seneca Lake, in fifteen to twenty days, one and a half tons of goods.
Many pioneer settlers reached their chosen lands for settlement, in the summer season in small boats or canoes containing their family and effects, over this long and tedious route. Others came in winter, upon rude sleds drawn by oxen through the wilderness over the narrowly cut out roads, with little else than the cutting done upon them, and in many places nothing but Indian trails or blazed trees to guide them through the forest.
The Western Inland Lock & Navigation Company pursued a vigorous policy and in two or three years constructed locks at Little Falls, some of which are still visible, improved the condition of the river at German Flats, removed obstruction between Utica and Rome, built a canal at the latter place to connect the Mohawk and Wood Creek, and shortened the distance to Oneida Lake, by straightening Wood Creek nearly one-half, so that enlarged boats with five men could transport between the extreme terminal points of their improved navigation, twelve tons in ten days.
These limited improvements were said to have doubled the value of the lands lying contiguous to their line of inland navigation. For many years this was the popular route to the west through Cayuga County.
The success of this enterprise had its effect, together with the increase of population, and the extended area of cultivation, in the ultimate construction of the Grand Canal, which became daily more and more apparent, a public necessity.
In August, 1816, the Grand Canal project had been so fully a discussed, and so well understood, that we find records of favorable legislation and a commission duly appointed to cause books of subscription to be opened at various points along the line, to solicit donations of land or money, to aid in its construction.
A committee for this purpose, in the village of Auburn consisted of the following named gentlemen, viz: Joseph Colt, Elijah Miller, and John Haring.
The work was at length commenced and the first spade in its construction was thrust into the ground at Rome near the old United States arsenal by the Hon. Joshua Hathaway. The receipts of aid for its construction, by donation, were however insufficient for the proper prosecution of the work, and an application was presented to Congress, praying for aid, but President Monroe expressed it as his settled conviction that Congress did not possess a constitutional right to appropriate money for internal improvements.
This decision of the president was a great disappointment to the friends of the project, and drew from a resident of Auburn the following words, which should be printed in letters of gold and treasured in the archives of the Empire State:
“It Mr. Monroe thinks, that by his refusing any assistance to the people of this state, in the execution of the grand project which is now in the full tide of successful experiment, he can damp the ardor of the people, he is greatly mistaken and every attempt that may be made to discourage their operations, will but stimulate them to still greater exertions. Rich in population and resources, united by ties of common interest, commanding the internal commerce of a vast fertile region -New York - single and alone, has breasted herself to the mighty work. She will triumph in its accomplishment -and the glory will be her own.” So spake and wrote Thomas M. Skinner, who still lives an honored resident of our beautiful city.
In July, 1820, the Grand Canal had been so far completed as to allow boats to run between Montezuma and Utica six times a week, taking two days for the trip, the fare four dollars. Stages were found in waiting at the principal places on the canal to convey passengers to villages on the turnpike.
The locks at Little Falls were completed and the water let into the canal, on the 18th of November, 1821, which extended the trip of the packet boats from Montezuma to Schenectady.
On the 29th day of September, 1825, a meeting of the citizens of Auburn was held at the Western Exchange Tavern kept by Holt & Curtis, with Dr. Erastus Humphrey in the chair and William H. Seward, secretary. That meeting passed the following resolution:
Resolved. That we hail with great satisfaction the approaching completion of the Erie Canal, the most splendid work of internal improvement undertaken in any country, and that we will heartily concur with our fellow citizens in other parts of the state, in celebrating the same.
Resolved, That John W. Hulburt, Elijah Miller, Erastus Humphrey, S. W. Hughes and G. Ash Gamage, Esqrs., be appointed a committee to correspond with other committees and report at a future meeting.
The final completion was in October, 1825, which was duly celebrated at the principal places along its entire length. The celebration for Cayuga County was at Port Byron on the 27th day of the month. Auburn was fully represented by
her ablest and best men. Myron C. Reed of Auburn in the chair as vice-president of the day, and who addressed the assemblage. On this festive occasion an ox was roasted whole, toasts and speeches and the firing of cannon, were amongst the demonstrations of general joy.
Port Byron and Weed Basin vied with each other many years as to which should be considered the landing place or port of entry for the village of Auburn. Stages were placed upon both routes to connect with the packet boats. Heavy public wagons to transport merchandise and products between Auburn and the canal, formed a business for a large number of persons many years.
Uncle “ Nat” Williams was one of the favored and favorite of those hard working teamsters. This was Auburn’s outlet for passengers and property except by the lines of stages of which I shall speak directly, for nearly fourteen years.
The roads through our county when first cut through the forest, followed as closely as practicable, the old Indian trails, and in 1790 and 1791, a party of emigrants under the direction of General Wadsworth, improved the road through the wilderness, between Whitestown and Canandaigua.
In 1797 a law was passed authorizing the raising of $45,000 by lotteries to improve the various roads of the state, and the sum of $2,200 out of that fund was appropriated to the improve ment of the great Genesce road. The great Genesee road through Cayuga County was substantially the old road from Skaneateles or Mottville by Franklin street to Auburn and thence nearly on the line of West Genesee street, to Cayuga ferry about one mile north of the present by village of Cayuga. In that same year, 1797, the Cayuga Bridge Company was incorporated called the Manhattan Company, consisting of John Harris, Thomas Morris, Wilhelmus Mynderse, Charles Williamson, and Joseph Annin, the latter,
sheriff of Cayuga County in 1800, the year of the completion of the bridge. The cost of the first bridge was $26,000, and the total length of it one mile and eight rods.
In the year 1800, an act passed the legislature incorporating the Seneca Road or Turnpike Company. This road as cited on the act was to run between the house of John House, in the village of Utica and the Court House in Canandaigua, substantially covering the ground of the great Genesee road. The trustees of this company were Charles Williamson, Benjamin Walker, Jedediah Sanger, and Israel Chapin.
The act required the road to be six rods in width and twenty feet of it in the center to be covered with broken stone or gravel to the depth of fifteen inches. Toll gates were to be ten miles from each other, and the toll for a two horse vehicle twelve and a half cents; four horse twenty-five cents. No person passing to or from public worship on Sunday, going to their common labor on their farms with their cattle or teams, carrying firewood, going to or returning from mill, for the grinding of grains for family use, going to or returning from any funeral, shall pay any toll in the town in which they reside.
The Cherry Valley turnpike was also laid out in the year 1800, which ran from Cherry Valley in Otsego County to the outlet of Skaneateles lake, there to connect with the great Seneca Turnpike to the west. An act passed the legislature in March 1804, giving Jason Parker and Levi Stevens the exclusive right to run stage wagons for seven years on this new turnpike, between Utica and Canandaigua. This was the first line of stages that ever ran through Cayuga County.
The number of passengers in each wagon was limited by law to seven adults, and the stages made two trips per week. In 1805, the year following, a line was extended eastward from Utica, by Mr. John Post, who fitted up three stage boats or batteaux with seats and oil-cloth covering. These boats ran to Schenectady assisted by the current of the river, and were brought back by men with poles as has been heretofore been described.
The surplus product of the county and the merchandise used were often taken to and from Albany by teams over the new and imperfect roads of the day. These long journeys consuming more than a week’s time were however, not without interest. A neighborhood of farmers would set out together, with loads, assisting each other as occasion required, over hard roads, and heavy inclines, congregating at noontime, by the side of some shaded stream or bubbling spring to bait their teams and enjoy their luncheon, and at night to assemble at the wayside inns of the period to enjoy the hospitalities of mine host.
In 1809, Mr. Isaac Sherwood of Skaneateles became the partner of Mr. Jason Parker of Utica, in the stage lines through this county carrying the United States Mail. In 1816 a line of stages left Canandaigua and Utica every week-day to run through in thirty-six hours. The proprietors of this line were Thomas Powell, Jason Parker, Isaac. Whitmore, Aaron Thorp and Isaac Sprague, and Isaac Sherwood & Co. In connection with this line of stages another company ran east from Utica, a tri-weekly line for Albany.
The parties above mentioned constituted the proprietors of what is familiarly known as the Old Line Mail, upon this growing thoroughfare, and who maintained undisputed and unmolested occupation and control up to the year 1828, nearly or quite twelve years when the Pioneer Line, in opposition, was placed upon the route.
The history of this bitter opposition is not without interest, and I here briefly submit a portion of it. The public mind in the year 1828, was unusually excited, and disturbed the tariff question, the temperance question, and political antimasonry, swept through the country like a whirlwind, and that was probably one of the most vindictive seasons of political warfare, ever known to the state.
During this season of excitement, the question of a more strict observance of the Sabbath, was another theme for discussion in the streets, debate upon the platform, and discourse from the pulpit. Public journals espoused the cause - some
for it and others against the wisdom of the course pursued by its advocates ; public meetings were held throughout the country and a call for a convention was made to be held in Auburn, on the 18th of February, 1828, at which twenty-two delegates appeared. A few of those delegates had been engaged in stage business, and the remainder known as men of extraordinary zeal in matters of religion.
The citizens of the village were astonished to find as the result of the deliberations of this body, the appointment of commissioners to establish a line of stages from Albany to Buffalo, which should travel six days in the week only; to
which line of stages the persons present, as members of the convention and as individuals, pledged their patronage, support, influence and exertion, declaring it to be the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that it must prevail.
The commissioners so appointed were John T. Norton, of Albany; Jonathan Crane, Schenectady; Elizur Goodrich,Abram Varick, and Edward Vernon, Utica; William Brown, of Auburn; William Tillman, Geneva; H. W. Taylor and Walter Hubbell, of Canandaigua; A Champion, William Atkinson, Josiah Bissell, of Rochester; and Thaddeus Joy, of Buffalo. A convention was also held in the city of New York, at which two hundred and fifty delegates were present, two-thirds of whom were clergymen.
This convention formed and organized a grand national society for promoting the observance of the Christian Sabbath, based upon the principle of requiring from each member, a pledge in writing to patronize those lines of conveyance by stages, steamboats and canal boats, which travel six days in the week only, to the seclusion of all others. Subscriptions were circulated through the state and large sums of money raised for a new line of stages between Albany and Buffalo, to be called the Pioneer Line, which was in due time placed upon the route, not, however, before offers were made by the proprietors of the old lines, to sell out their entire stage property, and retire from the business, leaving the field open to the new line, but their offer was rejected and the gauntlet thrown down for the terrible stage war that followed.
The old line proprietors consisted of the following parties, viz: Jason Parker, A. Shepard, S. D. Childs, and S. S. Faxton, of Utica; Isaac Sherwood, of Skaneateles; J. M. Sherwood, of Auburn; C. H. Coe, of Canandaigua; Adams & Blinn, of Rochester; B. D. Coe, of Buffalo; E. Phillips, of Syracuse; S. Goodwin, Madison; William Storey, Cherry Valley; Asa Sprague, of Schenectady; and Aaron. Thorpe of Albany.
Auburn was the grand central battle ground for the rivals, for during the ten preceding years, lines of stages had been placed upon the new and improved lateral roads leading to Homer, Ithaca, Levanna and Aurora, as well as to Oswego, and other points in the northern part of the county, so that here a large amount of travel concentrated to take passage east and west by the through lines.
The Pioneer Line interest obtained control of the Western Exchange Hotel, the best then in the village, and hoped by refusal to accommodate old line passengers and by turning Sherwood’s horses from their stables into the street, to steal the march upon their rivals. A few days, however, sufficed to fit up the brick block standing upon the north side of Genesee street, opposite the old Bank of Auburn, as a hotel, which was opened by John H. Bacon and Thompson Maxwell, as the Bank Coffee House, and the general head-quarters of the old line.
The people of Auburn did not remain quiet spectators in the grand stage tournament, but came to the rescue of the Sherwood Line, in large respectable numbers. A public meeting was held in the Court House yard, in front of the Court House, on Saturday, August 23, 1828, with Henry Polhemus in the chair and Barnabas Smith as secretary. The Rev. Mr. Jeffries, of Mentz, stated the object of the meeting.
A series of resolutions were adopted from which I extract the following:
Resolved, That as the sense of this meeting, all associations and combinations of men, formed to prescribe and dictate to others, in what manner they shall observe and keep the Sabbath, are subversive of the free exercise of the right of con-
science; that the members of this meeting, hereby enter their solemn protest against the forming or organizing any religious party in politics.
Archibald Green, William H. Seward and Dr. Campbell Waldo were appointed a committee to prepare and publish at
length in pamphlet form the proceedings of the meeting.
A paper published in Auburn by U. F. Doubleday called The Gospel Advocate, under date of September 13th, 1828, had the following allusions to this subject: “ The Pioneer line of stages, bad it been started on the principles of fair competition, would have excited no emotion beyond the individuals concerned, but when it was established for a religious purpose and in tones of authority demanded the patronage of the religious part of community, thus endeavoring to enlist the religious prejudices of society against individuals who had long been faithful
servants of the public, it excited the just reprobation of an insulted community.”
A new outfit of splendid light stage coaches carrying only six passengers, built expressly to contend with the pioneer line, were gotten up by J. M. Sherwood & Co., called the Telegraph Line and placed in service. This popular line was manned bytheir most experienced and careful drivers, and their best and fleetest teams, and ran night and day, and met with unqualified success.
A stage journey under such circumstances was far from being unpleasant, on the contrary at certain seasons of the year, when the roads were in good condition, and the woods were clothed in their livery of green, the fields waving with their bountiful crops or dotted over with flocks and herds, it afforded to the stage passenger a moving panorama of nature’s loveliness and beauty, entrancing to behold.
The facilities for expression of public sentiment through the columns of the press, were not then as now, and the popular voice usually came through public meetings by resolution. A meeting was called June 9th, 1828, at the Bank Coffee House, with Lyman Paine in the chair and Parliament Bronson, secretary. The object of the meeting was expressed in the resolution following, which I select from a series passed at the meeting:
Resolved, That it is expedient to erect a new hotel in this village on a scale suitable to the wealth and importance of the village, and that the following gentlemen be appointed a committee to select a site: Allen Warden, Joseph T. Pitney, J. Hardenburgh, Amos Underwood, Elijah Miller, Ezekiel Williams, Abijah Fitch, J. M. Sherwood, Hugh Watson, Lyman Paine and P. Bronson.
The committee agreed upon the site and the American Hotel now “St. James,” was speedily erected by J. M. Sherwood, and opened on the 1st day of January, 1830, by Thomas Noyes, from Rochester. Offices in the hotel were prepared for the immense stage business of the time, in which, for several years, was seen the bland and courteous agent, Mr. Consider Carter.
The building of this new hotel, the inauguration of the Telegraph line of stages, the failure to secure the mail contract, combined, seemed to be the turning-point in the destiny of the Pioneer Line, for it now began to wane and soon to show the sere and yellow leaf and finally break down, and withdraw altogether, leaving the Old Line for the next seven years and J. M. Sherwood & Co., masters of the situation up to the 8th of January, 1838, when his stages were withdrawn from the road and many of his horses, and placed upon the Auburn and Syracuse railroad. These stage teams drew the cars upon wooden rails, between this place and Syracuse, up to the 4th of June, 1839, when they in turn gave place to the iron horse east of Auburn. Having thus at some length, but at the same time, I fear, imperfectly given, the history of the stage lines in our county, I now ask of you to retrace with me the years back from 1839 to 1828, where we find the first movement made toward the construction of a railroad, from the village of Auburn.
In the month of February of that year, the committee on canals and internal improvements submitted report to the legislature, from which I make the following extracts, which the committee gave as reasons for their favorable consideration of the subject:
First, as an experiment by the state, for the purposes of collecting accurate information on the subject of railroads, and of furnishing a model for improvement of a similar nature; second, the accommodation that would extend to that portion of community; and, thirdly and principally, the pecuniary interests of the state as arising from said old, as connected with the prison at Auburn.
They further state their belief, that in particular districts and for particular objects within this state, improvements by railroad can be usefully extended but that they can beat a fair competition with well located and well supplied canals means to be proved; and while railroads are a minor consideration to canals, yet as tributaries to them they will become of vital importance.
In conclusion they state that as the convicts unemployed upon contracts in the prison can be used in building the railroad and as the ground and material between Auburn and Weed’s Basin are of the most favorable character for the construction of the proposed road, they unanimously direct their chairman to prepare and as leave to present a bill for that purpose.
FRANCIS GRANGER
Chairman
Various plans and projects for a railroad to the canal were submitted and discussed by the people. The one from Auburn to Syracuse was finally adopted.
A public meeting was held at the Western Exchange, in January, 1832, at which a resolution was passed, that an application be made to the Legislature for a charter to construct a road to the canal. William H. Seward then in the State Senate procured the passage of a bill for the charter which was obtained on the 1st. of May, 1834. The organization of the Auburn and Syracuse Railroad took place in January, 1835.
Hon. Elijah Miller was elected President. Directors were; A.D. Leonard, George B. Throop, Nathaniel Garrow, John M. Sherwood, Stephen Van Anden, Richard Steele, John Seymour, Abijah Fitch, Edward E. Marvin and Allen of Auburn. Directors from Syracuse were Henry Raynor, and Vivus W.Smith. Edwin F. Johnson and Levi Williams were appointed Engineers and Levi Lewis was appointed Superintendent.
The surveys Commenced in the April following and about six months time was consumed to surveying and locations the road. Contracts were let and the work of construction commenced in December. The first payment made to the contractors was in January of 1836.
The progress of the work on this road was attacked with difficulties and embarrassments greater perhaps than any other line ever built in the State. It encountered the financial disturbance of 1836-1837. The extraordinary advance in prices of provisions, labor and material was enough to dishearten and discourage any but the men of indomitable energy and perseverance constituting its board of directors. Later on its history we find on the board the names of Amos Underwood, Alfred Conkling, John H. Chedell, Thomas Y. How Jr., John Wilkinson, Cyrus C. Dennis and George H. Wood.
The track was laid with wooden rails so that on the 8th of January 1838, several cars of excursionists were taken to Geddes by John M. Sherwood’s stage teams which continued to be the motive power up to June 4, 1839, at which time the wooden ribbons had been removed and iron rails substituted, so that a locomotive engine, the Syracuse with Mr. Perry as engineer took a train with officers and invited guests to Syracuse.
The Auburn and Syracuse Railroad was first conceived as a link in the line of transportation from the head of Owasco Lake and a feeder to the Erie Canal. Its terminus in Auburn was to be on the southerly side of the outlet near the stone mill at present owned by Messrs. Burr and Thorne there to connect with the Auburn and Owasco Canal. The large building on the southerly side of East Genesee Street in Auburn known to many as Richardson's Livery Stable, was built by Charles W. Pomeroy for the freight depot and was for several years used for that purpose and there are residents of this city who well remember seeing cars across the bridge near the mills.
This railroad by its charter was allowed to carry freight, a privilege denied tor several years to all other roads in the State running parallel with the canals. William G. Fargo of express notoriety commenced his eventful life in the transportation business in this Genesee Street freight depot as Agent. He was followed by Deacon S. W. Smith who in due course of time was succeeded by George C. Skinner who if I mistake not occupied the position up to the time of consolidation of the Auburn and Syracuse and the Auburn and Rochester Railroad.
The freight cars used at this time upon the railroad had put four wheels each, and were considered fully loaded when they had received thirty barrels of flour or three tons of goods. These cars were drawn by Jabez Gould from the freight depot to the car house on Van Anden Street, one at a time. At the latter place they were coupled up into trains of twelve to fourteen cars, ready for the engine which took them to Syracuse to be delivered in to the Company Canal warehouse where for a time Henry Underwood of Auburn was agent.
"Uncle" Nat Williams withdrew his teams from the road to canal, and in consideration was appointed freight conductor on the Auburn road and as no other road was permitted to carry freight he was he was undoubtedly the first man who held such a position in the State. Mr.Williams retired on September 5, 1841, and J. Lewis Grant was appointed to succeed him, that being his first engagement upon any railroad.
The location of the passenger depot on its present site was by Legislative enactment the result of a long and heated
quarrel amongst the property holders and others in the village. On account of the heavy grade and sharp curves it was found impossible to run the engines through the streets to the depot on Genesee Street. The question then arose to where a depot should be located. Some advocated Seymour Street, others Van Anden Street and singular as it may appear at the present day quite a large number of people advocated the south side of Dill Street. This was opposite Tallman's Livery Stable. Appeal to the Legislature resulted in a law (Chapter184, Laws of New York, passed May 10,1841 by 2/3's vote) which remains to this day upon the statute books fixing it where the depot now stands. The first telegraph office in the City of Auburn was opened in the old depot in May, 1846 and the first attempt to use it for the movement of trains on the road resulted in a collision between two passenger trains on the curve a short distance of Fairmount Station.
The writer of this paper being one of the engineers can well describe the event. The train due from Rochester at 4 a.m. had not arrived at 5:50 a.m. and as the engine was to leave Auburn must be in Syracuse and return with the train at seven it was ordered to go without the Rochester train, and leave Syracuse on time where the up train would be held by telegraph operator when it arrived. The message did not appear in the Syracuse office until after your humble servant had left with the up train and a collision was the unavoidable result. Splinters were plenty but no one was seriously hurt.
During portions of the year when freights were light and less than full train was received during the day for transportation, the cars containing it were attached to the passenger trains. The passenger cars, with the exception of one, stood upon four wheels. There were three compartments in each car with seats for eight persons, four on each seat face to face in each compartment, without sufficient room to move about or stand upright.
Side doors opened into each compartment which the conductor could enter in the discharge of his duties. His only mode of reaching these doors was by hanging upon on a rail outside and hear the top of the car of not more than four inches in width. Conductor George Williamson one cold snowy night lost his hold upon the hand rail and fell near Marcellus upon a bank of snow at the side of the road from which he rolled under the wheels of the train at full speed and received his death wounds.
In the year 1839 the Auburn & Syracuse Railroad received the first eight wheeled passenger car, built by Stephenson & Company, stagecoach builders in New York City. It had an aisle through the center and platforms at each end. For several years this was the only eight wheel car between Auburn and Albany. There are some persons who will remember the the diamond car from the peculiarity of its construction.
Soon after receipt of this new car a circumstance of startling interest occurred that cast a gloom on the whole community. Samuel Wildrick, a favorite conductor was crushed between this car and the depot doorway in Syracuse, the space being less than four inches wide, which caused his instant death. This took place as the evening train leaving for Auburn and he was not missed from the train until it had proceeded some three miles on its way, when it was backed up to find the lifeless remains of the conductor in the depot.
The attempt was first made to run the engines upon the wooden rails or ribbons but the idea was soon abandoned. The first flat or strap rail was laid upon the timbers shortly thereafter. Then followed the era of the snakeheads with all their attending results for a period of eight years up to 1847. Some may not be familiar with the term Snakehead. The flat rail used was 2 1/2 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick laid upon the edge of six-inch square Norway Pine timbers and nailed down with spikes about 13 feet apart. The weight of the train had the tendency to roll the iron upward and in so doing the spikes at and near the ends, would break off or pull out and allow the rail to stand up like a section of a large loop sometimes a few inches only and often one to two feet.
The company owned three locomotives built by Rogers, Ketchum and Grosevenor of Paterson, New Jersey. They weighed 10 1/2 tons apiece. The train capacity of these engines was fourteen small cars containing in all a total of 420 tons or about eight car loads of the present time. During 1847-1848, the flat rail was taken up and the road was relayed with "T" rail, the pattern now used.
The Emigrant traffic westward was at this time very heavy; it having wholly left the canal and a law was passed allowing all railroads to transport freight by paying to the State the same rate of tolls exacted upon the canal, which together with prosperous passenger business gave a traffic to the railroads that they were poorly prepared to take care of.
New engines of greater capacity and freight were in demand and the firm of Dennis,Wood and Russell of the Commercial Iron Works in Auburn constructed two (actually several), one of which went to the Attica and Buffalo and the other, the Wyoming, was purchased by the Auburn and Syracuse Railroad. It is said to be one of the best of its capacity ever used upon the road.
This engine was the best ever built in this country to work its steam experimentally by what is known to machinists as lap and lead of main valves, a plan now universally in use, The builders were Cyrus C. Dennis, Charles P. Wood and R. F. Russell. The superintendent of construction of the engine was William S. Hudson, who is still engaged in the business with the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works.
The first engine which had driving wheels six feet in diameter in use west of the Hudson river was the locomotive
Thomas Y. How Jr., named for the road's treasurer, built at Rogers. This engine was considered an unlucky one and many mishaps occurred to it and to the trains to which it was from time to time attached. Upon one occasion it left Syracuse with a train of four coaches and a baggage car, being in charge of Engineer William Delano and Thomas Hooper, fireman, and upon it for the novelty of an engine ride, were Howard Delano, the engineer's brother, and C.C. Dennis, Esq., one of the road's directors.
While running at a speed of 50 or 60 miles per hour, it left the track a mile west of Sennett Station, completely wrecking itself and the whole train. The engineer and fireman were both killed. Mr. Delano escaped with minor injuries, but Dennis was somewhat disfigured forever afterward. The Superintendent of the road was Elijah P. Williams, his assistant, J. Lewis Grant. The master mechanic was Melancton W. Mason. Conductors were W. H. Smith, Henry M. Frick and John H. Hudson. Engineers were L. Pond, F. W. Howard, E.R.Smith, R.D. Grant, F. W. Grant and William Delano. The ticket agent, A.G.Smith, Trainmaster Abraham Backus, and conductor of the work train, Matthew Sittser.
The Auburn and Rochester road was completed into Auburn on November 4, 1841, it being the last of seven links in the chain of railroads between Albany and Buffalo. Through tickets and baggage tickets were then unknown and as each one of the seven roads were managed and operated separately, the passengers and baggage were unloaded at every terminus and the passengers were compelled to elect their baggage and have it checked to the next place to which he was also required to purchase a new ticket.
This troublesome practice, however, soon gave way to through baggage cars and through tickets for passengers on through trains. The consolidation of the two Auburn roads occurred in August, 1850. The railroad tolls for carrying freight were removed by a law passed in 1851 leaving all roads to carry goods of every description independent of the canal to which they had for several years paid tribute.
At the opening of the Rochester road into Auburn, Robert Higham Esq., the engineer, was the superintendent, and at that date and soon after, the following names of gentlemen will be remembered as conductors upon that road, and favorites with the traveling public. I refer to Harvey Neal, William Blossom, Joe Holland, Job Collamer, Horace T. Cook, and the veteran John Houghtaling, who was promoted from the baggage car and is now the oldest conductor in service of any in the State.
Our esteemed fellow citizen, H.T. Cook was, in the active discharge of a perilous duty as conductor met with the accident so sad and severe to himself and so deeply regretted by all who know him. The consolidation of all roads between Albany and Buffalo, into what is now the New York Central, took place on May 17, 1853. To mark the progress of a half century you will pardon me for introducing a comparison between 1827 and 1877. The Hon. Francis Granger then ventured the prediction that railroads could never compete with canals, but would be of importance as tributaries.
The aggregate tonnage carried in the year 1876 upon the New York Central Railroad was 6,603,680 tons. Of this amount, one third was merchandise. Westward bound products, 4,300,000 tons, or a quantity sufficient to load one of the large canal boats of today every 15 minutes day and night during the entire months of canal navigation. The New York Central is only one of six lines of transportation from the west to the seaboard. On the basis of last year's returns the combined tonnage of these lines would require to receive a boat of 200 tons register every 23 minutes during the whole canal season. Such "tributaries," as Granger called them, although their capacity is only taxed, would swamp half a dozen; canals like our grand Erie.
My subject, The Early Modes of Travel and Transportation, having in an imperfect madder been examined up to the date of the general consolidation of the New York Central, comes to a close. I will now leave its final consideration to some party more able to do it justice in the future.
J. Lewis Grant, Auburn, January 8, 1878
Justus Lewis Grant was descended from New England ancestors. His father, Justus Fales Grant, was born at Wrentham, Mass., July 4th, 1799. The maiden name of his mother was Hannah Hale, and they were married at Dunstable, now Nashua, New Hampshire, about 1816. Mr. Grant’s father’s tool manufacturer, and a superior mechanic. Justis Lewis was born at Nashua, N. H., November 4th, 1818.
When he was eleven years of age, in 1829, his father located in Auburn, and engaged in the establishment of Joseph Wadsworth, in the manufacture of scythes, hoes, &c., with whom and his son Samuel, he continued until his death, in 1845. He died suddenly of paralysis. The writer of this sketch
The writer of this sketch has often heard Mr. Grant, when referring to the sudden death of his father, express the fear that he too might die suddenly and of a similar disease. J. Lewis Grant was twice married. His first wife was Miss Betsey Allen, whom he married December 5, 1835. They settled in Michigan where, in the fall of 1838, his wife died the same year he returned to Auburn. On October 27, 1839, he married Abbey Janette Mills.
Mr. Grant was systematic and methodical in his habits. He kept a diary, from which we extract :
“During the four years succeeding our arrival in Auburn, I passed most of my time at school, under the kind and intelligent teaching of Mr. Jonah J. Underhill. At the age of fourteen, my father desired me to assist him in the support of his family. With assurances from him that I might choose any other trade or profession in the spring, I entered the trip hammer shop under his instruction. My proficiency was even greater than I had dared to hope. I was well pleased with the business, and was satisfied to adopt that trade in preference to any other.”
Here he continued until be was twenty-three years of age. Mr. Grant was a natural mechanic, and rapidly became an expert worker in metals. His subsequent successes as a railroad man are largely due to the practical knowledge thus obtained, which supplemented and perfected his natural genius. His first railroad experience was on the Auburn and Syracuse Railroad, in September. 1841, under the superintendency of E. P. Williams, as freight conductor.
His capabilities as a mechanic were soon manifest that he was appointed locomotive engineer of that road, and was afterwards entrusted with the charge of its entire motive power, responsible trust, but once which discharged with singular acceptance and success.
In August, 1850, he was appointed “ Superintendent of motive power” of the Watertown and Rome Railroad and took up his residence in Rome, where he remained some six years; when, in February, 1856, he was called to Toronto, Canada. to tale charge, as General Superintendent, of the Northern Railway of Canada.Here he remained and successfully discharged his duties until December 31, 1862, when the bitterness of feeling which grew out of our Civil War led to the demand that he should take the oath of allegiance to the British Crown. This he refused to do, and resigned his position and returned to Auburn, purchasing
the VauTuyl farm, intending to devote his life to rural quiet.
But that was not to be. He was too thorough an expert in railroad affairs and the value of his services as such too widely known, to permit retirement. On the importunity of the late Dean Richmond, he consented to take the Superintendency of the Buffalo & Erie Railroad, on May 6th, 1864. That position he was induced to resign in August of that year, to assume the General Superintendency of the Merchants’ Union Express Company, whose business was then widely extended.
This position, chiefly office work, and very different from his previous experience, was not congenial to him, and he resigned to enter again his chosen field, as President of the Southern Central Railroad, an enterprise which had engaged, from its inception, his liveliest interest, and to the success of which he had devoted his time and means. His next and last railroad experience was as Superintendent of the Cayuga Lake Shore Road. He was at the time of his death, and for some time previously had been, Superintendent of the Auburn Water Works Company.
The death of Mr. Grant was sudden and sad. He was returning from the west accompanied by his wife and daughter, Mrs. Parish. He was apparently In his usual health and genialilty of spirits. The train had passed Rochester, and, expecting his son Herbert, and son-in-law, Mr. Parish, to pass them, was standing in the rear doorway to greet them. He was there stricken wit apoplexy, and immediately expired, Oct. 20th, 1878, aged 60 years.
Mr. Grant left & widow, three sons, Julius Herbert, J. Lewis and Albert Edward and one daughter, Ivola Janette, and Mrs. Parish. He had lost by death one son and two daughters.
- Facing Page 153, History of Cayuga County, New York by Elliot G. Storke, 1879
