HISTORY: Chapter 8, History of Cayuga Co., NY 1879; Cayuga co., NY

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1789 - History of Cayuga County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical
Sketches of some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, by Elliot G. Storke,
assisted by Jas. H. Smith. Pub. by D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, N.Y. 1879

CHAPTER VIII.

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION.

EARLY MODES OF TRAVEL - DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED - WESTERN INLAND LOCK
NAVIGATION CO. - CANAL PROJECTED - SURVEYS -EARLY ROADS - STAGES - FREIGHT
WAGONS - ERIE CANAL - ITS IMPORTANCE - RAILROADS -     COMPARED WITH CANALS.

THE routes over which the early settlers came to Cayuga County, and by which
their families and their household and other goods were transported, were
circuitous, rude and toilsome in the extreme.

The first summer route was by water from Schenectady to Cayuga and Seneca
Lakes The Hudson River furnished a feasible means of reaching Albany; but
between that point and the mouth of the Mohawk so many difficulties were to be
met, that the river was abandoned and the land route taken, a distance of
sixteen miles over the sand-barrens, very difficult to traverse. At
Schenectady the Mohawk was taken to near the Little Falls, fifty-six miles
distant; and on this part of the route the navigation was comparatively easy,
the current was gentle and the water sufficiently deep for the flat-bottomed
boats used upon it.

At Little Falls a portage of three-fourths of a mile was encountered, through
a rocky gorge, over the jagged surface of which a rude and crooked way was
made, and over it were carried by men the canoes and light boats, while the
heavier boats were drawn by oxen. These larger boats were from twenty to
thirty feet long, and from four to six feet wide, flat-bottomed and of
light draft. Upon the upper edge and on both sides ran a wale or plank, the
entire length, upon which the boatmen walked as they slowly poled the boats up
stream. This was done by placing one end of a long pole on the bottom of the
river and the other against the shoulder, and thus, by pushing, the boat was
propelled.

After passing Little Falls there was a free passage of six miles, to the
German Flats, where, by reason of shoals, a short portage was made. From
thence to Utica, fifteen miles, the passage was again free. Between Utica and
Rome the water was shallow and obstructed by trees felled into it by the
settlers. At Fort Stanwix, now Rome, immigrants left the Mohawk and passed
into Wood Creek by a portage of about two miles. This was a small, yet
navigable stream, that flowed into Oneida Lake after a course of about thirty
miles. From Oneida Lake the route lay through the Oswego and Seneca Rivers to
the outlets of the Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. On the latter, at Seneca Falls,
their last obstruction was met.

The time required to make this journey from Schenectady to Seneca Lake was
from fifteen to twenty days, and the bateaux then used were propelled by three
men, and would carry about one and a half tons. A single family with few
effects would, therefore, constitute a full load. This was the summer route of
travel. In winter, the immigrants came on rude sleds drawn by oxen, through an
unbroken forest, over a rude pathway made by widening the Indian trails, and
often upon routes the only guides to which were blazed trees.

The summer route referred to was under the control and management of the
Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, incorporated in 1791. This Company
rapidly improved the navigation of their line, by constructing locks at Little
Falls, removing the other obstructions in the Mohawk, and connecting that
river with Wood Creek by a canal, straightening the former and shortening the
distance over it nearly one half. Boats were now put upon the route propelled
by five men, that would carry twelve tons, and ten days only were then
required to go from Schenectady to Seneca Lake.

These improvements, limited as they were, are said to have doubled the value
of the contiguous lands. For many years the route was liberally
patronized by the flood of immigrants that were seeking homes in Western New
York. It was the great popular line to the West, passing through Cayuga
County. It bore thousands of the early settlers to their new homes, brought to
them their merchandise, and carried their produce to the eastern markets.

ERIE CANAL. - As settlements increased, the shoulders of men were found
inadequate to push through the tortuous channels of the natural water courses
the needed supplies and productions of the people, and as early as 1803,
Gouverneur Morris sounded the key note when be said Lake Erie must be tapped
and its waters carried over the country to the Hudson. The project of an
artificial canal between the Hudson and the lakes, was vigorously canvassed
from 1807 till the conclusion to build the work was reached. The survey was
ordered in February, 1808. James Geddes, of Syracuse, was entrusted with the
preliminary surveys, and instructed by the Surveyor-General as follows:

As the provision made for the expenses of this business is not adequate to the
effectual exploring of the country for this purpose, you will, in the first
place, examine what may appear to be the best route for a canal from Oneida
Lake to Lake Ontario, in the town of Mexico, and take a level and survey of
it; also whether a canal cannot be made between the Oneida Lake and Oswego, by
a route in part to the west of the Oswego river, so as to avoid those parts
along it where it will be impracticable to make a good navigation.

The next object will be the ground between Lakes Erie and Ontario, which must
be examined with a view to determine what will be the most eligible track for
a canal from below Niagara Falls to Lake Erie. If your means will admit of it,
it would be desirable to have a level taken throughout the whole distance
between the lakes.

The whole expense of this preliminary survey was only $675. Mr. Geddes
submitted his report on the three different routes in 1809. He most favored
the interior route without passing through Lake Ontario.

These surveys established the practicability of this interior route for a
canal, arid the next step was to secure the means to build it An effort was
made to secure the aid of the General Government in 1809, and the surveys and
plans were laid before President Jefferson, who carefully examined them, but
regarded the scheme as in the highest degree chimerical and disposed of it in
the following summary way: "You talk of making a canal three hundred and fifty
miles through the wilderness; it is little short of madness to think of it at
this day." But there was "order" and energy in the "madness" of the canal men
at that day; they persevered and triumphed.

In 1810 a commission was appointed, consisting of DeWitt Clinton, Stephen Van
Rensselaer and seven others, to explore the inland navigation route. They did
so, and made a favorable report the next year. James Geddes and Benjamin
Wright were then employed as engineers, and a second and fruitless effort was
made to secure Congressional aid. In 1812 the commissioners reported that "the
canal should be built by the State of New York on her own account."

The war of 1812-'15, suspended operations relating to the canal; but the
Legislature of 1816 authorized the loan of a million dollars, and the section
from Rome to the Seneca River was to be the first completed. This conclusion
was based upon the possible contingency that the full plan might not be
executed, and if not, the completion of this section would, with the Mohawk
River, furnish greatly increased means of interior communication.

The report of the engineers, Messrs. Geddes and Wright, was made in 1816,
embracing a careful survey of the line from Rome to Black Rock and revised
estimates of the cost of the entire canal, placing it at $5,000,000.

On June 27th, 1817, the first contract was made, and July 4th of that year the
first spadeful of earth was lifted at Rome from the grand Erie Canal with
appropriate ceremonies. The first contractor was John Richardson, of Cayuga
County. Ninety-four miles of the canal were completed in the autumn of 1820,
and in November, 1825, the entire work was finished from the Hudson to the
Lakes, at a cost, including the Champlain Canal, of $8,273,122.66.

In July, 1820, boats commenced running between Utica and Montezuma three times
a week, the trip requiring two days, and the fare on the packet boats,
including board, was $4. Stages ran from the principal interior villages for
the transportation of passengers. and freight wagons for goods and
merchandise. In 1821 the boats ran from Montezuma to Schenectady.

In the completion of the Erie Canal our citizens took a lively interest and
made arrangements to celebrate the event. On the 29th day of September, 1825,
a meeting of the citizens of Auburn was held at the Western Exchange, then
kept by Holt & Curtis; Dr. Erastus Humphreys was Chairman, and William H.
Seward, Secretary. The following resolution was passed:

"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 cooperate with our fellow-citizens in
other parts in celebrating the same."

Elijah Miller, Erastus Humphreys and S. W. Hughes were appointed a committee
to arrange for the celebration. That event occurred at Port Byron - then
Bucksville - on the 27th day of October, 1825, and was an occasion of great
festivity. An ox was roasted, cannon fired, speeches made and toasts given;
one of the latter, as exhibiting the enthusiasm excited by the event, we
reproduce. 

By James Lucky, Esq.:
"The grand Erie Canal; a monument of wonder, which at its commencement was
looked upon by its friends with fear, and by its foes as an impossibility. But
fear has been lost in joy, and impossibilities have been overcome; the work is
completed and it is ours to 'rejoice with exceeding joy.'"

"Weed's Basin" and "Bucksville" were sharp rivals for the honor of being the
port of entry for the more pretentious village of Auburn, and of the business
of the county to and from the canal. Stages were run over both routes, and a
lively freight and passenger traffic was mainly tamed for fourteen years,
until the construction of the Auburn & Syracuse Railroad.

EARLY ROADS - STAGES. - The first roads through our County followed quite
closely the Indian trails. In 1790, General Wadsworth and a party of
immigrants, widened the trail from Whitestown to Canandaigua. In 1797, $45,000
were raised by lotteries, under the authority of the State, to improve its
various roads, the great Genesee road receiving $2,200, of this sum. That road
through this County was, substantially, the old road through Skaneateles and
Mottville, through Franklin Street in Auburn, and thence westerly nearly on a
line with Genesee street, to Cayuga Ferry, which was about one mile north of
the present Cayuga Village,

In 1797, the Cayuga Bridge Company was incorporated, comprising John Harris,
Thomas Morris, Wilhemus Mynders, Charles Williamson and Joseph Annin, the
latter the Sheriff of the County in 1800. The bridge was completed in that at
a cost of $25,000.00. Its length was one mile and eight rods.

THE SENECA TURNPIKE COMPANY. - This company was incorporated in 1800, to
construct a turnpike road six rods wide, from Utica to Canandaigua;
twenty-five feet of it, in the center, to be covered with gravel, or broken
stone, to a depth of fifteen inches. They were permitted to place gates ten
miles from each other, and to exact twelve and one-half cents toll for two-
horse teams, and twenty-five cents for four horses. The Cherry Valley Turnpike
was also laid out in that year, running from Cherry Valley, in the county of
Otsego. to the outlet of the Skaneateles Lake, where it connected with the
great Seneca Turnpike.

In 1804, an act was passed giving Jason Parker and Levi Stevens the exclusive
right to run stage wagons for seven years, on the new turn pike between Utica
and Canandaigua. These were the first stages which ran through Cayuga County.
The number of passengers to each coach was limited by law to seven adults, and
the stages made two trips per week. In 1805, John Post fitted up three stage
boats, or bateaux with seats and oil cloth coverings, to run between Utica and
Schenectady. The current would carry the boats down the Mohawk; but they were
poled up by men, the same as were the other boats of the "Navigation Company."

The population of Cayuga County and of the entire Military Tract was, at this
time, increasing with wonderful rapidity, and the supplies of merchandise
which they required and the shipment eastward of their surplus productions, so
over-taxed the public means of transportation, that they were supplemented by
private freight wagons, carrying farm products to Albany and returning laden
with merchandise. A caravan of teams from a neighborhood would go in company
and assist each other, by doubling teams up heavy hills or through the deep
sloughs. These long journeys, the round trip often occupying two weeks, were
thus cheered by mutual aid and sympathy, and were rather interesting episodes
in the routine of early farm life. At the hospitable inns, which arose by the
way-side every few miles, these hardy and happy teamsters would pass a noon,
or night, as cheerfully as any modern traveler in the pretentious hotels of
today. Besides these farm-teams heavy transportation wagons were regularly run
over the Seneca Turnpike, often drawn by from seven to nine horses, and
carrying a proportionate load. The wagons were massive, with very broad tires,
to prevent them from penetrating the road-bed. The writer well remembers the
interest with which in early boyhood he viewed the broad and distinctly marked
paths left in the highways by the wheels of these "big wagons," and the great
difficulty which they encountered in passing through the miry road south of
the "Bottsford Tavern," three miles north of Auburn.

THE SHERWOOD'S AND OTHER STAGE LINES. In 1809, Isaac Sherwood, of Skaneateles,
became a partner of Jason Parker of Utica, in the stage line through this
County, carrying the United States Mail, In 18 1816, a line of stages left
Canandaigua every week-day, and ran to Utica in thirty-six hours. The
proprietors were Thomas Powell, J. Parker, J. Wetmore, Aaron Thorpe and Isaac
Sherwood & Co. From Utica east, a tri-weekly line ran to Albany, under the
control of the same parties. This "old line mail," held the exclusive control
of the passenger transportation over the great central line of travel, until
1828, and their business was large and remunerative.

In that year the "Pioneer line" of stages was put upon the route. It was
intended to further the reforms demanded by a large public sentiment opposed
to Sunday traveling. A national society "to promote the due observance of the
Sabbath, had been for med. The members of this society were required to sign
written or printed pledges to patronize only those lines of stages, steam, and
canal boats, that ran only on secular days. Auxiliary societies were formed
throughout the country, and liberal subscriptions made to carry out the plan
of running "six day lines." The old stage companies offered to sell their
stage property to the new organization; but their offer was rejected and the
gauntlet thrown down for a terrible stage war.

The old companies were financially strong; understood their business fully;
had, by an experience of years of successful business, mastered all its
details, and were, of course, prepared to maintain a sharp contest with their
inexperienced rivals. They had but one interest over the principal lines of
travel in the State, and they united, as one man, in the fight. The old
contestants at this time were: Jason Parker, A Shepard, S. D. Child, and T. 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, of Madison; William Storey, Cherry
Valley; Asa Sprague, of Schenectady; and A. Thorpe, of Albany.

Many stage lines then converged at Auburn, from Homer, Ithaca, Oswego, Aurora,
&c., and hence the struggle for passengers at this point was sharp. The
"Pioneer line" obtained control of the Western Exchange, then the leading
hotel of the village, where the old line horses had been kept, and hoped thus
to embarrass and defeat their rivals; but a new place was quickly fitted up
opposite the Bank of Auburn, entitled the "Bank Coffee House," and made the
general head-quarters here of the old line."

The citizens of Auburn and of the county generally were not idle spectators of
the contest. They came in large numbers to the aid of the old stage interest,
and to defend, what they believed to be a sacred individual right, attempted
to be forcibly wrested from them by a class of men whom they denominated
fanatics. At a very large public meeting, at which it is said one thousand
were in attendance, Rev. John Jeffreys, of Mentz, stated the object of the
meeting, and the following is one of the resolutions adopted.

"Resolved, as the sense of this meeting, that 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 rights of conscience; and that this meeting hereby enters their solemn
protest against the forming, or organizing any religious party in politics."

Archibald Green, William H. Seward, and Dr. Campbell, were appointed a
committee to publish the proceedings of the meeting in pamphlet form.

The opponents of the "Pioneer line" did not object to legitimate competition
in running stages, or in other business; but they did object to combining the
religious opinions of a portion of the community, to coerce those who differed
from them.

To secure a more rapid transit of passengers, and thus increase patronage, J.
M. Sherwood & Co., caused to be built for them, a sufficient number of light,
yet strong, coaches, to carry six passengers only, drawn by their fleetest
horses, and driven by their most reliable men, and denominated the "Telegraph
line."

The building of the "American Hotel," now St. James, was an outgrowth of the
stage contest. It was commenced in 1828 and finished and occupied in 1830, by
J. M. Sherwood & Co., and was the head-quarters of their stage business. The
hotel was kept by Thomas Noyes, and the agent of the large stage business, was
the ever bland and courteous Consider Carter, kindly remembered, by all that
knew him. The new and rapid "Telegraph line"; the building of the "American";
the failure to secure the carriage of the United States Mail; but above all
the failing support of their enterprise by the great body of the people, were
so many broken links in the chain of their hopes, that the "Pioneer" speedily
waned, withered and died: leaving the field again free to the "old line,"
which they held until January 28th, 1838. On the completion of the Auburn and
Syracuse Railroad. the eastern bound stages were hauled off; and many of the
horses were employed for about a year and a half in drawing the cars upon
wooden rails between Auburn and Syracuse.

RAILROADS. - The first movement towards the construction of a railroad from
Auburn to the canal was made in 1828, in which year the committee of the
Legislature on Canals and Internal Improvements, reported favorably upon the
subject of lending State aid to the construction of the road from Auburn to
Weed's Basin. Their reasons for favoring the measure were first; it would be a
feasible and cheap experiment, and furnish a model for improvements of a
similar kind; second; the needed accommodations of the people, and third; the
advantage it would be to the interests of the State represented in the Auburn
prison.

The same committee add: "That in particular districts, and for particular
objects, improvements by railroads can be usefully extended; but that they can
bear a fair competition with well located arid well supplied canals, remains
to be proved; and while railroads are of minor consideration, yet as
tributaries to the canals, they will be of vital importance." The committee
add, "that unemployed convicts could be engaged in the construction of the
road," and they unanimously agreed upon a bill for the purpose. Francis
Granger was the chairman of the committee, and the presumed author of the
report, but the measure failed.

AUBURN ANU SYRACUSE RAILROAD. - Pursuant to the action of a public meeting
held at the Western Exchange in January, 1832, an application was made to the
Legislature, then in session, to incorporate a company to construct a railroad
to the canal. The charter was finally obtained May 1st, 1834; (Chapter 228
Session Laws.) The corporators were: Daniel Sennett, Ulysses F. Doubleday.
Bradley Tuttle, David Munro, Grove Lawrence and William Porter, Jr. The
following named gentlemen were appointed commissioners to receive
subscriptions of stock, viz.: Daniel Sennett, Ulysses F. Doubleday, Bradley
Tuttle, John Seymour, Halsey Phelps, Stephen Van Anden, David Munro, John
Wilkinson, Grove Lawrence, Hezekiah Earll and William Porter, Jr. The
organization was perfected in January, 1835, as follows : Elijah Miller,
President; A. D. Leonard, George B. Throop, N. Garrow, J. M. Sherwood, S. Van
Anden, Richard Steele, John Seymour, Abijah Fitch, E. E. Marvine and Allen
Warden, of Auburn, and Henry Raynor and Vivus W. Smith, of Syracuse,
Directors; E. F. Johnson, Engineer, and Levi Williams, Assistant Engineer;
Levi Lewis, Superintendent. About six months were spent in surveying and
locating the road, and work was begun upon it in December, 1835. The first
payment to contractors was in January, 1836.

The construction of this road was met with unexpected embarrassment. The very
severe financial panic of 1837, and the general suspension of banks and the
failure of business men, rendered it difficult to negotiate the necessary
funds; but the energy and perseverance of the directors overcame these
obstacles, and on January 8th, 1838, the road was open from Auburn to Geddes,
the cars being drawn by horses until June 4th, 1839, when the first locomotive
was used. Amos Sherwood, Alfred Conklin, J. H. Chedeli, Thomas Y. How, Jr.,
John Wilkinson, C. C. Dennis, and George H. Wood, have been prominently
connected with its management.

This road was first intended to be a part of a line of communication extending
to the head of Owasco Lake, and its depot terminus was to have been near the
stone mills of Messrs. Burr & Thorne, and there connect with the projected
Owasco Canal. A freight depot was secured on the south side of Genesee street,
and used for some time. This road had the exceptional privilege, at that day,
of carrying freight. Wilham G. Fargo commenced his eventful life in
transportation, in the capacity of freight agent in this depot. Silas W.
Arnett and George C. Skinner, were, in turn, his successors.

The freight cars then used had but four wheels, and three tons constituted a
full load. These freight cars were hauled to and from the car house, then on
Van Anden street, to the freight depot, one at a time, by horses owned and
driven by Jabez Gould. " Uncle Nat Williams," long the prince of freight men
between Auburn and the Erie Canal, was the freight conductor on this road. He
was succeeded on the 5th day of Sept., 1841, by J. Lewis Grant, this being his
first experience in railroad business in which he subsequently became
distinguished as the superintendent and manager of several important lines.
The depot was fixed at its present location by law, after a long and bitter
controversy.

The early passenger cars rested on four wheels, had three compartments, with
seats running lengthwise upon the sides like those of an omnibus and each
compartment would seat eight persons. There was no room to move about, or
stand upright, any more than in the late stage coaches. Side doors opened into
each compartment through which "collector," as he was called, could enter. He
passed from one compartment and car to another, by hanging to a hand rail near
the top of the car, and walking on a foot piece extending the length of the
car on the outside, and about four or five inches wide. Collector Wilkinson
lost his life by slipping from his frail foot-hold one snowy night and rolling
beneath the cars.

The first eight-wheel coach, with center aisles and end platforms, was put
upon the Auburn road in 1839, and it was, for several years, the only
eight-wheeled car upon the entire line to Albany. The locomotives then used
were about one-fourth the present weight.

The Auburn and Rochester Railroad was completed November 4th, 1841, finishing
the chain of roads from Albany to Buffalo, then comprising seven separate
companies, as follows: Albany and Schenectady, Utica and Schenectady. Syracuse
and Utica, Auburn and Syracuse. Auburn and Rochester, Rochester and Attica,
and Attica and Buffalo. Each of these roads was operated separately and, at
the terminus of each, the passengers and baggage changed cars, the check for
the baggage being a chalk mark upon it, indicating its destination. Seven
different tickets must be procured by each through passenger, and there were
the same number of conductors to "punch," not the tickets, but the sleepy and
irritated travelers, who could take but little rest between the terminal
stations. This annoying practice was soon superseded by through tickets and
through cars. The Auburn and Syracuse and Auburn and Rochester Railroads, were
consolidated in July, 1850, and a general consolidation of all the roads was
effected under the general title of the "New York Central," on May 17th, 1853.

THE DIRECT LINE OF THE NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD. - The line from Syracuse to
Rochester, composed of the Auburn & Syracuse and the Auburn & Rochester
Railroads, was one hundred and four miles over a crooked route with heavy
grades. In 1849, the attention of Mr. John Wilkinson, of Syracuse, and others
was called to the necessity of constructing a more direct and level railroad
between Syracuse and Rochester, and with that object in view they organized
the Rochester and Syracuse Direct Railroad Company, August 1st, 1850, with a
capital of $4,200,000. The surveys were made by O. C. Childs, and showed that
a level railroad could be constructed twenty-two miles shorter than the old
line. This road was built in the ensuing years under the direction of James
Hall, engineer, and opened in 1853. in 1855 it was consolidated with the New
York Central Railroad Company which was formed under the Act of April 2d,
1853, authorizing the consolidation of the several roads in operation and in
contemplation between Albany, Troy, Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The stock of
the company was received at $130, and each stockholder received a like amount
of stock of the new company at par, and for the difference, certificates or
premium bonds bearing six percent interest, and payable May 1st, 1883.

SOUTHERN CENTRAL RAILROAD. - This road extends from Fair Haven, on Lake
Ontario, to the village of Sayre, Pa. It is one hundred and twenty miles in
length, opening a very direct and easy communication between the great centers
of trade, New York and Philadelphia, and the fertile and productive region
bordering upon, and tributary to the road, including the western part of the
Dominion of Canada. It has not only opened to much of this region a means
hitherto wanting, of railroad communication with the commercial centers; but
has also been the means of cheapening transportation over all the competing
lines; and, when we take into account the large annual shipments both ways
over these several routes, and the gain to the shippers in the reduction of
freights, the necessity and value of the road can be clearly seen.

It is largely a coal road, penetrating the Pennsylvania coal region and
connecting it by a short and direct route with central and western New York
and Canada; its coal carriage is immense. The fisheries of the lake, the
lumber of Canada, and the merchandise and grain of the tributary region
furnish a large and increasing volume of business; for the proper transaction
of which the officers of the road have assiduously prepared, by a careful
ballasting and improvement of the road-bed, supplying rolling stock,
reconstructing bridges, erecting warehouses and elevators, and by improved
facilities for handling coal and grain.

Like most of our early efforts in the construction of railroads, those
directed to the work of building a road over this line were a failure. As
early as 1852 an effort was made by the organization of a company entitled the
"Lake Ontario, Auburn and New York Railroad Company," with a capital of
1,500,000, of which the directors were: President, Thomas Y. How, Jr. ;
Secretary, B. F. Hall; Treasurer, Joshua Burt; Directors, Roland F. Russell,
Worthington Smith, Hiram S. Farrar, Moses T. Fell, 0. C. Crocker, Lyman
Murdock, Isaac Bell, David Cook, Robert Hume; Engineer, Levi Williams. The
route was surveyed and established upon what is familiarly known as the
Murdock Line, its southern terminus being Pugley's Station and Fair Haven its
northern. The right of way was procured over most of the line, contracts made,
and about $375,000 expended in grading. So many of the original subscribers
defaulted that funds for its continuance could not be procured and the
enterprise collapsed.

The effort was renewed in 1858 and a company organized to construct the road
and work began on the line from Weedsport to the lake, on which about $450,000
were expended. Operations were suspended by the rebellion, and not efficiently
renewed until 1865, when a reorganization of the company was effected, and the
location of the southern line of the road changed by adopting the route
through Moravia, Groton and Dryden. The several towns on the line issued the
necessary amount of bonds to secure the completion of the road, which was
rapidly effected. The officers were then as follows: Cyrus C. Dennis,
President; J. J. Taylor, Vice-president; William H. Seward, Treasurer; George
I. Post, Secretary; Thomas C. Platt of Owego, William Lincoln of Newark
Valley, Hiram W. Sears of Dryden, H. K. Clarke of Groton, William Titus of
Moravia, Charles P. Wood, William C. Barber and George J. Letchworth of
Auburn, and John T. Knapp of Cato, Directors.

The road was completed and trains moved over it in 1869. The business of this
road is constantly and largely increasing. For the year ending December 1st,
1877, about 240,000 tons of coal were transported over it, and the passenger
and general freight traffic was also large. Its facilities have been greatly
increased and its advantages as they become more widely known are better
appreciated, and its patronage thereby extended.

It is the policy of the managers to keep the road in perfect order. In
extensions and repairs they have used during the past year over $1,000,000
feet of lumber. 50,000 ties and four miles of steel rails. The company has now
sixteen locomotives nine passenger coaches, five baggage cars, eight cabooses,
forty-nine box cars, eighty-two flat cars, twenty gondolas, and two hundred
and forty-eight coal cars. The rolling stock is mostly new and in good
condition. The road has always been operated with exceptional care and
accidents upon it have been of rare occurrence.

The advantages of this road to the people of the County, by whose funds mainly
it was constructed, have already yielded a full return for the investments
made in it, and its permanence is fully assured.

The following are its present officers: Elmore P. Ross, President; T. C .
Platt, Vice-President; J. N. Knapp, Secretary; C. L. Rich, Treasurer; Henry D.
Titus, Assistant Treasurer; J. G. Knapp, General Superintendent; and Charles
A. Warden, General Freight and Passenger Agent.

CAYUGA SOUTHERN RAILROAD. - This road extends from Cayuga to Ithaca, a
distance of thirty-eight miles. This company was first organized in 1865, as
the Cayuga Lake Railroad Company. with the following directors: Henry Wells,
E. B. Morgan. T. Delafleld, J. J. Thomas, D. Anthony, A. Beardsley, C. H.
Adams, L. A. Pelton, Samuel Adams, J. H. Burr, H. J. Grant, Joseph Esty, B. B.
Howland, Henry Wells, President; C. H. Adams, Secretary; and T. Delafield,
Treasurer.

The line was surveyed by George Geddes, of Syracuse, who recommended the
shore-line, on account of its favorable grades, and as dispensing with one
line of fencing. Work was begun upon the road in 1871, and completed and
trains run over it in 1873. But the panic of the latter year embarrassed the
finances of the company, and the property was sold by a foreclosure of the
second mortgage bonds. The company was then reorganized as the Cayuga Lake
Railroad Company, with a capital stock of $400,000, and a bonded debt of
$800,000. The President of this company was T. Delafield; Vice-President,
F. Collins; Secretary and Treasurer, James Stillman. Directors: James
Stillman, D. B. Coe, F. Collins, G. C. Morris, James R. Cox, A H. Goss, E. H.
Patterson, Horace T. Cook, J. J. Thomas, T. Delafield, J. Lewis Grant, H.
Grant.

Under this management the road was run until 1877, when, as the earnings of
the road were only sufficient to meet its running expenses, there was no
alternative except the sale of the road by a foreclosure of the first mortgage
bonds, and it was bought in by the bondholders, who sold the property to Judge
Packer for $425,000 of the stock of the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre Railroad.

An organization was then made under the title of the Cayuga Southern Railroad
Company, and is run by R. A. Packer in the interest of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company. The length of the road is thirty-eight miles, and its
original cost, including equipments, was $1,450,000.   Of this sum the bonds of
the town of Springport were issued for $100,000, and the town of Lansing for
$75,000, in exchange for the stock of the company. The latter was blotted out
by the sale of the road. The failure of this enterprise was due to a
non-fulfillment of the original plan of a connection with the Ithaca & Athens
Railroad.

The Erie Canal has now been in use a trifle over a half century, and it has
been a work of national importance. It opened a cheap and capacious means of
communication between the populous East and the nearly unoccupied West, by
which the manufactures of the former and the productions of the latter could
be readily exchanged. The settlement of the West was by that means, rendered
not only possible but profitable. To its broad and fertile prairies, the labor
and the capital of the East and of Europe was speedily turned, and its
settlement and general improvement was rapid beyond all former example. Beyond
reasonable question, the settlement and development of the country was
advanced a full quarter of a century beyond what it could have been without
the Erie Canal. Without it, the same settlements and improvements would
doubtless have been made; but at a much later period. Railroads, after
experience had perfected them, would have produced similar results, but their
construction would have been delayed. The passengers and the freight to be
transported between the East and the West, were the outgrowth of the Erie
Canal improvement, that had populated the latter.

In 1827, the Hon. Francis Granger, a man of large experience, and so far as
time had developed results, of generally sound views, predicted that railroads
could never successfully compete with canals. but would become valuable
tributaries to them. He could not, however, foresee the changes which a
half-century would produce, and in the light of present facts would doubtless
have revised his conclusions.

The New York Central Railroad in 1877, carried 6,803,680 tons, of which
4,300,000 was eastern bound freight, a quantity sufficient to load one of the
largest canal boats of to-day every fifteen minutes, day and night during the
entire season of canal navigation. The New York Central is but one of six
trunk lines running from the West to the seaboard, and their united eastern
bound freight would require a fully loaded boat to depart every two and a half
minutes. Were all these lines but tributaries of canals like the Erie, they
would over-tax the capacity of a full half dozen of them; but the present
facilities for the transportation of passengers, have not only kept fully even
with those for the movement of freights, but, in many respects, have surpassed
them. Wherever the face of the country will permit it, air-line railroads have
been constructed - connecting the main points of the country by the shortest
practicable routes; the road beds are carefully graded and firmly ballasted;
steel rails have taken the place of iron, securing safety and durability;
strong locomotives with an extreme power of movement of little less than one
hundred miles per hour; coaches that combine comfort and even luxury, wherein
days and nights may he spent, the lodging and the larder nearly equaling those
of a good hotel, in which may be reached in a few days the farthest bounds of
the continent. In 1817, four days were required to reach Auburn, by stage,
from Schenectady, 157 miles. In 1879, in the same time, the passenger can
travel over 2,500 miles.