The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
RAILWAYS IN 1880.
Not More than Twenty Miles an Hour
stop Fifteen Minutes at stations.

De Witt c. Hadcock in Utica On. ~ Press.
In April. 1880. the Legislature of the
State of New York passed an act 10 in
corporate the Canajoharie & Catskill Rail-
road Company. This OF the first
in the State, but it was a railroad mostly
in imagination. as only twenty-five miles
were ever constructed. 1t went TO Cooks
burg its western terminus. 1t ran for two
seasons. Then bridge broke down, killed
one man and injured several others. This
was the end OF the enterprise. From that
time it went down to ruin, but even at the
present day some Of the remains OF this
old road are found along its line. The old
strap rail is now and then discovered, and
some of the oak sleepers are sound as
they ever were, and some OF the roadbed
is just the same as when first made.
In the charter were some peculiar re-
strictions. They were not to exceed twenty
miles an hour; they were to slow down at
crossings to five miles per hour and stop
fifteen minutes at ali stations. 1t was no
easy natter at that time 10 get railroad
charter. In the Legislature some argued
that the road would inJure the Erie canal;
it would destroy the stage routes and ruin
the sale of horses. One member said the
internal scheme would in the end depopu-
late the State of New York. Who would
risk his life in car going at the rate OK
twenty miles an hour, running on mar
row thread of a rail and little cast-iron
wheel and an engine that is liable TO blow
up any hour of the day.
ter were also interesting. The road was
to be a cutoff and shorten the distance
from Canajoharie TO New York city, as
travel and freight went mostly by the Erie
canal The boats carried only thirty tons
and made two miles an hour. The d.
lance from Canajoharie to Albany is sixty
nine miles by canal, and IL took thirty
eight hours TO cover the distance. No boat
could draw more than three feet OF water,
as the depth was only three feet six inches.
Freight rates were also high. IL cost 81
barrel to carry flour from Rochester 10
New York and took sixteen days IN transit.
There was no flour brought beyond Roches-
ter to the seaboard at that time IL was
called the Genesee flour and was considered
the best in the world.
One senator, in arguing about the ran !,
road, said: We may not live to see ~;
but the day will come when people VIII
ride over the iron rails at the rate OF TWEEN
ty-fiye miles per hour and with compare
tive safety. Freight will be carried on
these railroads and also the United States
mails" 1t is strange that America was
the pioneer in building railroads. All the
inventions pertaining 10 them were mace
in this country. The highest rate or 3peec
known in the world is over the New YORK
Central. There is other country thaS
could support such costly display as Is seen
in these moving palaces. and the American
people are willing to pay If there is any,
thing better to be had. What time Will
reveal in railroad travel we cannot con-
ceive, for the past has been marvel 10 Us.
Ii has been said that the first rail- was
laid on the Mohawk division OF the New
York Central Railroad. But this is mis-
take. The first rail ever made was IN
vented by r. l.. Stevens. of Hoboken. y. J.,
and made in 1880 by Sir John Gurst at mis-
works in Wales, under the personal super
vision Of Mr.. Stevens IL was with these
rails that the Camden & Amboy Railroad
was laid in 1881
One of the great inventions for a rail-
road, although simple IN its appearance,
was made in Utica by a blacksmith on
John street. 1t was the fish plate that con-
meets the two rails, and is held 10y butts
passing through the rail, taking the place
of the old cast iron shoe. The blacksmith
never made a dollar out OF IL. Had be
availed himself of the opportunity and OBJ
tanned a patent, he would have been the
richest man in Utica. The chilled iron faced
car wheel was also invented in Utica. by
man named Peckham. He also neglected
| TO take out a patent and made nothing
| out of it, but a man by the name OF Dodd,
| of Rochester, secured ii in some way and
made fortune