6 HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD BY E. CLARENCE HYATT, L.L.B Author of the HISTORY OF MT. KISCO 1898 Entered according to Act ot Congress by E. Clarence Hyatt, in office of Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. HE I'M .N513 1 ILLUSTRATIONS On€ 0/ First Locomotives. Chappaqua, the Former Home of Horace Greeley. Chatham, the Upper Terminus of the Road. A View of Chatham back of the Depot House. Mr. Elliott, the Oldest Conductor. Interior View of Grand Central Depot. View of Mount Kisco. ■ 'erf* CONTENTS. Introductory 4 Charter 5 First Board of Directors ...... 7 Route Through New York City .... 8 Charter as Amended ....... 8 New York & Albany Railroad ..... 9 Extracts from Gov. Throop's Message ... 10 Beginning to Build the Road . . . . . 10 Progress Made . . . . . . . . 11 Cost to Harlem ........ 12 First Trains 12 Extending Road Through Westchester County . 13 Authority to Extend to Albany . , . . 15 Completed to Chatham . . . . . . 15 Running of Trains to Albany . . . . 17 Reminiscences . . . . . . . . 17 Eagerness to See the Trains ..... 20 The FiRST Locomotives ...... 20 Defining the R. R. Boundary Lines , . . 20 Present and Past Conductors . . . , . 21 Notable Places Along the Line. .... 23 Length, AYidth and Cost of Road .... 23 The Tracks 24 The Lake Mahopac Branch ..... 24 Keeping the Road in Repair ..... 24 Shares and Indebtedness ...... 24 Elevated Bridge Over Harlem River ... 25 Lease of the Road 25 Connection with other Roads ..... 26 Former Passenger Depots in the City ... 26 Kinds of Tickets Sold . . . . . . 27 Rates of Fare Charged ...... 27 Stations and Distances from Grand Central Depot _ >s Origin of Xames of Stations 29 Resume . 32 First Railroad Ride . . . . . . . 36 / HIS10RY OF Till-: INTRODUCTORY. , Railroads date from the year 1G30 in England, and from 182G in America, where, at Quincy, Mass., the first railroad in America was built to convey granite from the quarries down to tide water. The first rails were of wood, aiid laid down about the year 1630 between the coal pits near Newcastle, England, and the coal repository by the riverside, and used only for the transportation of coal. A century later, these coal wagon roads came into gen- eral use, and these constituted the germ of the modern railroad. The first iron rails are supposed to have been laid down at Whitehaven, England, as early as 1738. But steam locomotives used on railroads are of much more modern origin. The first steam engine for driving carriages on common roads was built in 1802 by Robert Trevethick a captain in a Cornish tin mine in England, and was used on common roads in the southern part of England, and in 1804 he made the first engine for traveling on railroads, and it was used that year on the Merther Tydvil railway in South Wales, but no other use was made of railways than for transporting coal and ore wagons of the miners until the 25th of September, 1825, when the Stockton A: Darlington Railway, nearly twelve miles long, constructed by Edward Pease and George Stephenson, was opened and freight and passengers were carried at a speed of not over twelve miles an hour : but the engines, when put to the top of their speed, were found capable of running at the rate of from twelve to sixteen miles an hour. This road was four feet eight and a half inches NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. gauge, the same as of the common vehicles of the country. The locomotives were built by George Stephenson, who was the first to put them to any real successful, practical use. They weighed only about eight tons. His first locomotive, called "My Lord. " was constructed in 1813, at Killingworth, England, and placed on the Killingworth railway the following year, and was the most successful engine that had yet been constructed. In 1820, he and Booth built the engine "Rocket," weighing- four and a quarter tons. This engine made thirty-five miles an hour. The first railroad ever built in America for general trans- portation was the Baltimore cfc Ohio road, begun in 1828, and completed to the Point of Rocks on the Potomac river in 1832, and until that time operated with horse power. On this road in 1830, between Baltimore and Ellicott Mills, was used the first locomotive for railroad purposes ever built in America, and the first one used on this side of the Atlantic for the transportation of passengers. This locomotive was built by Peter Cooper of Xew York — weighed not over a ton, and attained a speed of eighteen miles an hour. Among the first railroads built in this country was the Xew York & Harlem, the oldest railroad leading into the City of Xew York. CHARTER. The charter for building the Xew York & Harlem Railroad was granted April 25th, 1831. Its incorporators were Benja- min Baily, Mordecai M. Xoah, Benson MeGowan, James B. Murray. Charles Henry Hall, Moses Henriques, Isaac Adriance, Thomas Addis Emmett, Gideon Lee, Silas E. Buitoavs. Samuel F. Halsey, Cornelius Harsen and Robert Stewart. They were authorized and empowered to construct a single or double track railroad from any point on the north bounds of HISTORY OF THE ONE OF THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVES BUILT AND RUN BY THE RENOWNED LOCOMOTIVE BUILDER, GEORGE STEPHENSON. It was used on the first passenger road built, and successfully used for general traffic in England. This Locomotive may be seen in the British Museum, London. NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 7 Twenty-third street to any point on the Harlem river between the east bounds of Third avenue and the west bounds of Eighth avenue, to transport, take and carry property and persons upon the same by the power and force of steam, of animals, or of any mechanical or other power, or of any combination of them, which the said company may choose to employ. The capital stock is fixed at $350,000 divided into shares of $50 each. There are to be thirteen directors. No lands are to be taken without the consent of the owner or owners thereof, exceeding forty feet in width from east to west, and the City of New York is to regulate the time and manner of using the rail- road, and the speed with which carriages shall be permitted to move on the same, or any part thereof. The charter contained no provision fixing or limiting the rate of fare. Since then, however, a general law of the State has been passed making the maximum fare on roads of the class of the Harlem three cents per mile or fraction thereof, with a right to a minimum single fare of not less than five cents.* •See chapter 565 of the Laws of the State of New York, passed in 1S90, and became a law May 1st, 1S9 . See also chapter 676, passed in 1892, An act to amend the railroad law. Article 11., Sec. 37. DIRECTORS. The first Board of Directors were : Campbell P. White, Pres- ident : John Mason. Treasurer ; Isaac Adriance, Secretary ; Alex- ander Hosack, Harry Hone, John Lozier, Samuel F. Halsey, C. W. Lawrence, Joseph L. Josephs, John R. Peters, Taylor Brown and Lorillard. The Board of Directors in 1845 were : Jacob Little, John Dykers, John Alstyne, Charles W. Sanford, L. G. Morris, S. G. Ferris, G. Morris. W. C. Wetmore, John Gray, Samuel E. Lyon and David Groesbeck. The present Board of Directors are : Cornelius Vanderbilt, HISTORY OF THE William K. Vanderbilt, Frederick W. Vanderbilt, Samuel F. Barger, Chauncej If. Depew, Charles C. Clarke, JohnB. Dutcher. Edward V. W. Rossiter, Francis P. Freeman, Samuel J). Babcock, Alfred Van Santford, Robert Schell and William II. Robertson. Cornelius Vanderbilt, President. Charles C. Clarke, Vice-President. F. V. \V. Rossiter, Secretary and Treasurer. ROUTE THROUGH NEW YORK CITY. The line of route fixed upon by the Board of Directors, Sep- tember 13th, 1831, is through the centre of Fourth avenue from the north side of Twenty-third street to Harlem river. The track was first laid from Prince street to Twenty-third street. On the 26th of November, 1832, the track was completed from Prince street to Fourteenth street, and cars began running between these two points, about a mile apart. This was the first street railroad built in the City of New York. Locomotives ran down as far as Fourteenth street. CHARTER AS AMENDED. The original charter was amended April 6th, 1832, by allowing an extension of the railroad along Fourth avenue to Fourteenth street, and through such other streets as the Mayor. Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York may permit, but not to extend below Prince street, until the completion of four miles of the road above Prince street, and restricting the pro- pelling of the cars south of Fourteenth street to horse power, and NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 9 the speed to a not greater rate than five miles an hour below Fourteenth street, and authorizing the railroad company to in- crease their capital stock not to exceed $500,000. The charter was further amended May 7th. 1840, by authorizing the company to extend their road through West- chester ( ounty. NEW YORK & ALBANY RAILROAD. That there was, long prior to the extension of the Harlem Railroad through Westchester ( ounty and beyond, a desire for a railroad to he built along the line of the present New York & Harlem Railroad, is shown by resolutions which were adopted at a convention held at Leedsville in the town of Amenia, Dutchess County, X. Y., December 7th. 1831, highly commending the pro- posed building of a railroad, the Xew York and Albany, on the easterly side of the Hudson river between the cities of Xew York and Albany. Among the many advantages specified in the resolu- tions were, that such a railroad would be to trade and commerce the opening of a way into the interior, and during the four months of each year that the navigable waters are closed. A charter was granted April 17th, 1832, empowering the railroad company to construct a single, double or treble railroad or way between the cities of New York and Albany, beginning in the island of New York, where the Fourth avenue terminated at Harlem river, and passing through the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia and Renssellaer and ending at some point on the Hudson river, opposite or near the city of Albany, with power to extend the same to the city of Trow Capital stock three million dollar-. Shares one hundred dollars each. Ground was broken at various points along the line of the proposed road, and small portions built. Several extensions of time for the completion of the road had been granted by the 10 HISTORY OF THE legislature. The last extension of time was granted for three years from April 11th, LS42. Failing to make any further gress in its construction, it was sold March 9th, 1846, for $35,000, to the New York & Harlem Railroad Company — the deed of conveyance transferring to this company all right, title and interest of the New York & Albany Railroad Company of, in and to any lands or right of way on the line of the New York & Harlem Railroad Company, or adjoining the same in the counties of AYestchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Columbia (•(unities in the State of New York. The Harlem road at this time was completed and in opera- tion as far as White Plains, and in process of construction as far as ( roton Falls. SUPERIORITY OF THE RAILWAY. In his annual message of 1832, Governor Throop, then gov- ernor of the State of New York, makes special mention of the introduction of railroads in this country, classifying them among modern inventions, and showing the superiority of the railway over all other methods of conveyance, either in the transportation of passengers or of heavy and bulky articles, and that it is the safest, the cheapest and most expeditious way of traveling. BEGINNING TO BUILD THE N. Y. & HARLEM R. R. The charter having been obtained, some length of time elapsed before work was begun. The ceremony of breaking ground preparatory to building the road, took place February 23d, 1832, at an elevated and commanding spot, on Murray Hill, Fourth avenue. NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 11 The rock had been bored and thirteen blasts exploded where- upon John Mason, vice-president of the company, addressed the assemblage of people present. He portrayed the importance of the undertaking, the con- templated connection at Harlem with another road proposed to be built from there to Albany — that the building of the road is delayed by circumstances beyond their control, that the work would go on with all possible expedition — that the benefit to the City of New York, possessing as it does, the best seaport in the Union, will be incalculable — that as to the speculations, supposi- tions and conjectures respecting the construction of the road, its value when completed, that it would never be commenced, that if it should, it would never be finished, and if completed, the stock would be unproductive, but as to this last supposition, he said, gentlemen must judge for themselves, but of one thing we are cer- tain : the road will be built, and the most gratifying results may be anticipated. As to the safety of this mode of traveling, he could only refer them to the experience of thousands who can bear testimony to its security by having traveled on railroads. The address was received with great cheering, after which the company and guests repaired to Hinton's, at the Shot Tower Hotel, where a cold collation was spread, and success to the Har- lem Railroad was drank in sparkling champagne with great hilarity and good feeling. PROGRESS MADE IN BUILDING THE ROAD. On the 10th of May, 1832, General Swift, well known as a practical and scientific engineer, was appointed to superintend and direct the work on the Harlem Railroad. On the 14th of November, 1832, a mile of single track was completed from Prince street in the Bowery to Fourteenth street, and on the 26th the road was opened and a car, built by that vet- eran car builder John Stephenson, and carrying the Mayor and HISTORY OF THE Aldermen of the city, and officials of the road, was run over the newly laid track. At tins time there were only thirty-eighl miles of railroad in this State: namely, seventeen miles from Albany to Schenectady, completed in the fall of 1831, and twenty -one miles from Schenec- tady to Saratoga. Now. ISMS, there are over nine-thousand miles of railroad in this State. The construction of the Harlem Railroad on a line with Fourth avenue to Harlem River involved a large expenditure of money in getting through the massive ledge of rock at Yorkville, necessitating a long and tedious process of hand drilling and of blasting with powder, tunnelling for about half a mile through solid rock leading out upon Harlem Mats, over which the track was laid on high trestle work. The capital stock was increased $250,000, with privilege to borrow not exceeding $400, 000, as may be necessary to complete the road. It had not been completed to Harlem when efforts were being made to have the track extended to the lower part of the city, which extension was subsequently made in the face of such objections as danger in running cars through crowded streets, liability of carriage wheels being broken in contact with the track, etc., etc. But some concession was made in turning from the Bowery and running down Centre street so as not to conflict with the traffic in the lower part of the Bowery next to Chatham Square. COST TO HARLEM RIVER. The entire cost of the road to Harlem river was upwards of $900;000, and the. appurtenances about $250,000. FIRST TRAINS. During four years, from the middle of November, L832, to the summer of 1836, the cars ran no further than Prince street in the Bowery to Fourteenth street. NEW YORK 0 feet higher than its junction at Golden's Bridge. KEEPING THE ROAD IN REPAIR. The whole length of the road, including the Mahopac branch, is divided into thirty-four labor repair sections of about four miles each on double track and six miles each on single track. On each of these sections is kept a force of from six to eight laboring men, keeping the track in repair. In addition to this force, there are three construction trains, one of which is kept actively at work in repairs of the road during the entire year, the other two being laid by through the winter season. SHARES AND INDEBTEDNESS There are 200,000 shares of stock, the par value of which is ten million dollars. There is a debt of twelve million dollars, secured by a consolidated mortgage for that amount, payable with interest at seven per cent., in the year 1900. This mortgage has recently been placed with the Guarantee Trust Company, of New York, as trustees, at three and one-half per cent, interest. NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 25 ELEVATED BRIDGE OVER HARLEM RIVER. The frequent delay to passenger trains on their approach to Harlem river occasioned by the opening of the drawbridge, thus disconnecting the tracks while the various water craft on that river passed through, made the construction of a new bridge to replace, in a more elevated position, the old one then in use. an imperative necessity. The privilege to span the river at this point with a draw- bridge on a higher elevation, and making the connecting tracks conform in height thereto, having been granted by the State Leg- islature, a substantial new bridge, made entirely of iron and steel, w T as constructed and placed in position during the years 1895 and 1896, at an elevation sufficiently high to allow vessels most in use on the river to pass through underneath the bridge. The connecting tracks for a certain distance from each end of the bridge were elevated to a gradual grade up to a level with the drawbridge. The grade being at the rate of forty feet to the mile from 106th street, where the grade begins, to 116th street, and from the other point where the grade begins at 144th street, the grade is 37 feet to the mile to a point 20 feet south of 138th street. There is a gradually descending grade at the rate of 27 7-10 feet per mile from 116th street to 129th street, and 26 6-10 feet per mile from 129th street to south side of Harlem river. The track on this new drawbridge is twenty-six feet above high water line of spring tides, and is sufficiently high for steam tugs and small vessels to pass without opening the draw and interfer- ing with the passage of trains, of which those of three railroads, namely, The New York & Harlem, The New York, Xew Haven & Hartford and The Hudson River, pass daily over this bridge. Trains began running over the new drawbridge and the elevated track connected therewith, February 15th, 1897. LEASE OF THE ROAD. The Xew York & Harlem Railroad, on the 1st day of April, 1873, was leased for a term of 401 years to the Xew York HISTORY OF THE Central A: Hudson River Railroad Company, with the obliga- te pay the lessors eight per cent, annual dividend on their stocks and the interest on the bonded debt — the lessees to furnish the rolling stock. By reason of this lease, the Harlem road was styled the Harlem Division of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The lease does not include that part of the Harlem road run- ning short cars through the city. That part of the road was changed during the year 1897, from horse power to the under- ground trolley system, and leased to the Metropolitan Street Rail- way ( 'ompany. CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER ROADS. The Hudson River Road at Mott Haven. The New Haven Road at Woodlawn. The Lake Mahopac branch at Golden's Bridge. The New England and The New York & Putnam Roads at Brewsters. The Newburg, Dutchess & Connecticut at Millerton. The Central New England & Western and The New York & Massachusetts Roads at Boston Corners. The Boston & Albany and The Lebanon Springs Roads to Chatham. The Lebanon Springs road has recently fallen into disuse. FORMER PASSENGER DEPOTS IN NEW YORK CITY. Ti yon Square, at the junction of Centre street and Park Row. Here the passenger depot and waiting room were on the ground floor of a building where now stands the Staats Zeitung Build- ing. To this point, the large passenger cars of incoming trains NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 27 were drawn by horses down through the city from 30th street and Fourth avenue, where the locomotives were detached, and stopped at certain places on the way down and back to let off and take on passengers. Subsequently, for many years, the depot was at 26th street and Fourth avenue, where the large passenger cars were stopped and started from on the incoming and outgoing trains. This depot building stood on the site of the present Madison Square Garden. In 1871, this depot was changed to the present Grand Central Depot at 42d street. KINDS OF TICKETS SOLD ON THE HARLEM ROAD. Regular tickets for one way only. Excursion for both ways, going and returning. Commutation tickets by the month. School tickets by the month. Family tickets by the year. Special rate tickets by the month, between stations. Mileage tickets. RATES OF FARE CHARGED. Regular tickets, to or from New York, 2J cents per mile. Excursion tickets, to and from New York, 2 cents per mile. Commutation tickets, to and from Xew York, \ cent a mile. School tickets, on a graduating scale, lowering each suc- cessive month. Family tickets, to and from Xew York, 1J cents per mile. Way station tickets, 2J cents per mile. A fractional part of a mile is charged as one mile. Passenger rates of fare are limited by law to three cents per mile or fraction thereof, with a right to a minimum single fare of not less than five cents.* *Enactment of the New York State Legislature, entitled chapter 676, > 37. An Act to amend the railroad law, and went into effect May iSth, 1892. HISTORY OF THE RAILROAD STATIONS AND DISTANCE FROM. L. 125th street, Harlem - 4.38 5. 138th street, Mott Haven .... 4.99 6. Melrose - - •- \ - . - 6.01 10. Fordham - - 8.88 11. Bedford Park - - 951 12. Williams Bridge - 10.51 13. Woodlawn - - 11.77 14. Wakefield - 12.57 15. Mount Vernon - - 13.20 16. Bronxville - 15.39 17. Tuekahoe - - 16.07 18. Scarsdale - 18.93 19. Hartsdale - - 20.61 20. White Plains 22.44 21. Kensico - - 25.45 22. Unionville - 28.52 23. Sherman Park - - 29.52 24. Pleasantville - 30.99 25. Chappaqua - 33.04 26. Mount Kiseo - 37.16 27. Bedford - - 39.78 28. Katonah - 42.35 29. Goldens Bridge - - 44.13 30. Purdys ----- 46.57 31. Croton Falls - 48.19 32. Brewster - 52.39 33. Dvkeman - - 55.16 34. Towners 58.35 35. Patterson - - 60.50 36. Pawling ----- - - 63.81 37. South Dover - 69.56 1. Grand Central in New York City to 2. 86th street - - . - 3. 110th street .... 1.20 mil 3,10 " 7. Morrisania 8. Claremont Park 9. Tremont NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. ^8 T )nvpv Tmi ti r»p 1 'U\ Cl 1 Ul 1I(U V 79 9"^ m 1 1 oo Hilled. Dovpr T'MmiK - 7fi 98 u 40. AVassaic - - i. 41. A liipnui - _ 84 96 a 42. Sharon - ' - w ' - 87.40 it 43. ( \ Ylfvmfl im - v_ v./ 1 v_ i J i c 1 1 1 o a 44 Afillprtnii - JllUtl tun Q9 "U ti 45. IXI Ulilll 1. V. 1 ^ cl a -±U. OOblOIl v_,OIIieiS - QQ AH a 47. Copake Iron Works 104.63 u 48. Hillsdale - - - - - 108.60 a 49. Craryville - 111.31 l( 50. Martindale - - 115.17 (I 51. Phil m out - 118.54 (( 52. Ghent ----- 124.46 a 53. Chatham - 126.96 a ORIGIN OF NAMES OF STATIONS. Harlem — from a city of that name in Holland. Mott Haven — from Jordan L. Mott, owner of the land. Melrose — from an abbey of that name in England. Morrisania — after Gouverneur Morris, a prominent man who lived at that place. Claremont — from the French — a clear mountain. T k e m ox t — three m ount a in s . Bedford— from a city of the same name in England. Williams Bridge — from Williams, who owned the land. Woodlawn — a lawn laid out in the woods. Washingtonville — after General Washington. Mt. Vernon — after the home of Washington. Bronxville — after Jonas Bronx, a large land owner at this place. Tuckahqe — an Indian word, meaning turkey. Scarsdale — a valley of rocks and crags. Hartsdale — a valley owned by the Harts. HISTORY OF THE White Plains — the spontaneous growth of White Balsam on these plains. Kensico — the name of an Indian chief at this place. Unionville — the harmonious union everywhere prevalent. Pleasantville — a village of pleasing appearance. ChaPPAQUA — growth <>f Laurel here which the Indians called ( 'happaqua. Mount Kisco — a village by a brook (Indian). Bedford — after the old village of that name nearby. Katonab — the name of an Indian chief. Golden's Bridge — after Golden, owner of the land. Pi nny's — name of the owner of the land close by the station. Croton Falls — a series of falls in the Croton River. Brewster — name of the owner of the land. Pqwling, Colemans, Millerton, Craryville — all after the names of the owners of the land at these places. Dover — from a locality of the same name in England. Sharon — from Sharon Springs, nearby. Mount Riga — a city of the same name in Russia. Philmont — a lovely mountain. Ghent — a city of the same name in Belgium. Chatham — a borough and town of the same name in England. NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. 32 HISTORY OF THE RESUME. We have endeavored to present to the reader a history of the gradual development, if it may be so called, of the New York & Harlem Railroad from its inception, during the early part of the " thirties,' ' down to the present time. It is not only the first railroad that was ever built in New York City, but it is one of the oldest railroads in the United States. When the New York & Harlem Railroad was built, there 'f was no other railroad anywhere in those Counties through which it now passes, nor anywhere adjacent thereto, with the single exception of the Housatonic, which had recently been built and was in operation along the Housatonic River, in eastern • -^onnVcticu't. The introduction of railroad travel in those early days of of the " thirties," when the stage and the steamboat were the only modes of public conveyance, and during the winter season almost entirely by stage-coach, was regarded by the people with many apprehensions of fear as to the safety and utility of this mode of conveyance, and the projectors of the enterprise had many obstacles to overcome in the way of re- moving from the minds, not only of the traveling public, strong prejudices existing against railroads, but also to reconcile the opposition of the land-owner through whose land the railroad was to be built. Where now are seen villages all along the line of the New York & Harlem, from its extension at Harlem through to Chatham, there were, when the road was completed, no villages save one or two just above Harlem. The road passed through a strictly rural section of country, following, as a great majority of the railroads do, the lowlands and along streams of water and through the valleys. NEW YORK & HARLEM RAILROAD. The people living along the line were mostly fanners, very few of whom had ever seen or scarcely ever heard of a railroad. In view of these facts it would not be surprising that the first running of cars drawn by the little, screeching, spiteful looking locomotive engines, making the hitherto quiet valleys and hill- sides echo and resound with the rattle of the cars over the iron rails, and the shrill whistle of the locomotive, should he looked upon and regarded with wonderment and awe. The New York