Connecticut western news., 1901-10-10
RAILROADING IN 1850.


 garret of the old Dr. Ithamar H Smitl. house many books and pamphlets oi more or less value Among the lot b. fl Ids the annual report of the directors of the Housatonic Railroad, dated Jan uary, 1850, which he thinks may in terest some of the older readers of tho NEWS
 Among the directors at that time W, note: Daniel Marsh, New Milford; Le' Garfield, Falls Village; Luther Muuson. Canaan. W. P. Burrsll of Bridgeport was the president.
 It appears that the gross earnings of he road were $287, l84 and the ''ex penses for the same period" were $l33, 2S4, making net earrings Sl53, 300. The interest and dividends guaranteed were Sl5S. 9l3. so the management ran behind about $5, 900. and they offer the following explanation to appease the stockholders: "The prevalence of the cholera and general falling off in
 
 that if the iron industry in the Housa- tonic valley had been at it's normal con dition the receipts of the road "would have been at least $25. Quo more" which must have been very comforting to the stockholders By the way, the writer has very vivid recollection that the same excuse was offered by the direc- tors of the old Conn. Western railroad. not many years ago.
 Up to this time the southern term inal was Bridgeport; the northern, State Line. Tn New York and New Haven railroad was just completed; for the report says, "There was small increase of receipts from passengers. This is doubtless to be attributed to the opening of the New York and New Haven Railroad ard the influence of the new connections thus formed, which have been sufficient to overbalance the falling off from the prevalence of cholera and other causes" There was probably terrible epi iemic at that time.
 Here is an item of interest: "No passenger on the road has received the slightest injury since 1846. and no DOT tion of a passenger train has been of 'the track within the last year. except in single instance, in which one truck of baggage car was slightly displaced. by the engine cunning in contact with cow" But it does appear that there was an occasional wreck. for the report says that "a loss of about $500 was caused by collision between two freight trains, Tn consequence of care lessness of the conductors Whsthsr the conductors were ''lsid of l" or dis charged doth not appear.
 At this date (185O) there was no rail road running from the south to Pitts field, but one had been projected and in fact was fast toward completion. It is called "branch railroad" and diverged from the main line at Van Deusenville and extending thence by Housatonic- vile, Alger's Furnace, Glendale, Stock bridge, South Lee, Lee. Lenox Furnace, to Pittsfeld, where connection was made with the "Western" railroad, now the Boston and Albany.
 By the way, il may be we'll to note that 'The Naugstuck Railroad having been completed during the past season" WIS another stimulus to the growth of the New York and New Haven. The Housatonic was operated in 1842, 1S43. Heretofore the idea of railroads com peting with water transr ortation had seemed impossible but some plucky people proposed to see if there could be profitable competition in that line Considering the enormous business the New York and New Haven does now the following may be interesting: The report mentions contact with line of steambosts running between Bridge port and New York which is about to expire. and goes cn to say: "If tie New York and New Haven R ,ilroad Company are by that time (Novem Der, 1850) prepared to enter into the freight ing business ihe dirt ctors hope to make some satisfactory arrangements for quicker shipment of freight to New York "
 As to items of expense the following may be interesting. Wood was the fuel in those days, It cost $22, ,OCO. The coal bill was $ll36. They were sensible about their insurance for they only blowed in SIP 50 The item of $5, ,258 for oil, which seems excessive, we think was due to the fact that no mineral oil was then in use. Lard, and sperm oil and tallow were the lubri | cants.
 The gross earnings of the road gradu. ally increased from SPA, 169 in 1S43 to $287, 184 in 1849.
 It appears from other reports which the writer has that Charles Hunt of Ga. naan was elected president sometime in 1853 From his personal report he must have shaken up some of the dry bones during his first years administra tion but Daniel Marsh of New Milford and Lee Garfield of Falls Village re mained on the directorate.