CHAPTER 4
Hudson River Steamboats
Smaller Hudson River Boats of the 1830's
The few steamboats running under Fulton-Livingston monopoly in 1826 had increased to forty-five in the late 1830's. In addition to the through regular liners there were smaller steamboats doing local business, and others that carried passengers and towed barges. The list includes Arrow, connecting Haverstraw and Nyack with New York, commanded by Captain Isaac Smith. Arrow was built by Lawrence & Sneden, New York, in 1837 and was rated 290 tons. Later Arrow was known as Broadway and George Washington, and in 1865 again Arrow, when a boiler exploded August 4th, off 30th street, New York, killing a number of persons.
Congress, built by Noah Brown in 1825 to run between New York and Raritan River points, towed barges and carried passengers on the Hudson under command of Captain Joseph Nelson. Experiment, Captain S. J. Tobias, was built at New Windsor and ran between New York and Cornwall. Frank, 175 tons, a market boat to Fort Washington, ran out of New York in 1838 and, under Captain J. B. Coffin, ran on the lower Hudson routes for many years. Henry Eckford, Captain Peck, named for the naval architect and built in 1825, with compound engine built by James P. Allaire, first ran to Bridgeport and came to the Hudson as a towboat. Illinois, built by William Brown, New York, towed barges and canal boats and carried passengers in 1838.
Jonas C. Heartt and John Mason, two small steamers, ran between Albany and Troy. John Jay, Captain D. Schultz, and James Fairlie, Captain M. Stoughton, were towboats of the 1830's. General Jackson, Captain S. Van Wart, connected New York and Rondout in 1838, having been built by Smith & Dimon, New York, in 1828 for the Sing Sing route. General Jackson exploded a boiler at Grassy Point, near Haverstraw, in 1831, and was later repaired. Hudson was served by Legislator in 1838, which had been built by Noah Brown in 1824 for the Raritan River. Captain Thomas Newbery was Legislator's master when it towed whaling ships, which made Hudson their home port between 1830 and 1845.
Mount Pleasant towed barges and carried passengers to Albany, afterwards going South and was lost. Norfolk, from the South, ran between New York and New Windsor, under command of Captain H. B. Murray. Norfolk was built in 1826 for Chesapeake Bay service. North America was a notable steamboat, built in 1827, with two walking beam engines and two stacks, which came to the Hudson in 1828 and was wrecked the following year while docked at Albany by the breaking up of the ice in Island Creek.
New London, 181 tons, built in 1825 by Brown & Bell for Long Island Sound, was a towboat running to Troy in 1838. New London, Captain A. Hitchcock, carried a large mast upon which sail was spread. Orange, Captain Isaac Tallman, connected Nyack and New York, having been built in 1834. Osceola was built for Captain Albert De Groot to run to Fishkill (now Beacon) and later trips were extended to Poughkeepsie. Oliver Ellsworth from the Connecticut River, built in 1824, came to the Hudson as a towboat in 1838 under command of Captain J. T. Haviland and continued fifteen years on the river until cut through by ice and sinking just below New Hamburg. Providence, Captain Levi D. Woolsey, built in 1823 to run on Narragansett Bay, connected Newburgh and Albany in the late '30's, later commanded by Captain Frank Bogardus. Hudson and Albany were connected by Rockland, built at Nyack in 1830.
Sandusky, Captain L. W. Brainard, was a passage towboat connecting Albany and New York, and Superior, from the New Haven line, ran to Newburgh in 1836, commanded by Captain James H. Leeds. Telegraph, Captain J. S. Odell, 243 tons, connected New York and Sing Sing, while Union, Captain Nelson, built by Bishop & Simonson, ran to Sing Sing and Peekskill. Warren, Captain J. Mansell, was built in 1836 at Nyack and ran from there to New York. Wadsworth, built at Providence in 1830, was a local towboat at Albany. William Young ran to Low Point, above Newburgh, being built there in 1831, succeeded by American Eagle from East River. Osceola ran between Poughkeepsie and New York on the morning line. Osceola was fast and beat Highlander in a match race. Gazelle, Captain Philip Smith, ran between Poughkeepsie and Albany.
The Peekskill route was one of Commodore Vanderbilt's early steamboat ventures. He had commanded Bellona for Thomas Gibbons in the New York-Elizabethtown run. When Gibbons won his fight against Fulton's monopoly Bellona was sold to the Stevenses and Captain Jacob Vanderbilt, the Commodore's brother, was master.
Being the quick means of communication to Putnam county, the line prospered. Daniel Drew traveled by the Vanderbilt boats to reach his home in Carmel. Drew was beginning then his admiration of Commodore Vanderbilt, which, in spite of financial wars waged bitterly between them in after years, induced Drew to follow Vanderbilt's lead. Drew subscribed to the stock of a new company, investing $1,000. It was a "people's line" opposed to the Vanderbilt monopoly, and had many local stockholders. Water Witch was built for this opposition service.
Vanderbilt fought the newcomers, bringing out Cinderella. The boats ran each other hard through the season, and Water Witch lost $10,000. Daniel Drew went among Putnam county farmers inducing more to come into the company, and he increased the capital. In a rate war fares dropped to a shilling (12-1/2 cents). When Commodore Vanderbilt realized that Drew was not to be run off in a few weeks of hard going he purchased Drew's holdings and those of James Smith. Water Witch went to the Connecticut River. Stockholders who had gone into the enterprise to better transportation and break Vanderbilt's monopoly, to build Water Witch and to provide additional working capital to bring Vanderbilt to Drew's terms, now felt themselves outraged. It was such a transaction as characterized Uncle Daniel Drew's later activities in steamboating, railroading and finance.
The North River Association was the strong operator in the Albany trade. Vanderbilt fell out with the directors and put on opposition boats, operating them so successfully that the Association bought him out, the terms providing that he should not reenter the Albany field for ten years. Daniel Drew was familiar with Vanderbilt's sellout, and he bought two boats, running them in competition with the North River Association for a year, when Drew was taken into the pooling arrangement, sharing profits with the Association.
Though Drew was now an insider, he purchased another boat through a dummy, and secretly fought his associates. The new boat cut prices and hurt business. Drew turned the conversation to the opposition of the newcomer at each directors' meeting until the directors authorized him to negotiate with the owner and buy him off. Drew consulted with himself, raised the directors' offer $8,000 and sold his dummy company to the Association and yet was not content, but sought control of the company. He quarreled with the directors and resigned, and bought Westchester, which was no match for the newer Association boats, and he next added Bright Emerald, purchased for $26,000, which ran as a night boat. Westchester and Emerald were the first boats of the People's Line.
When the fight waxed warm Drew added Rochester, which cost $50,000, and the Association countered with the new and splendid Swallow. The bitterness spread to the boats, which raced at every meeting, and the public became partisan.
The Association, weakened by Drew's attacks, was embroiled in a fight for which they had equipped the enemy with capital, and it sold out to Drew. Ruinous fares were put back to $3 and Drew recovered all he had lost in the fight. The prosperity invited competition and rates dropped again, and a new trick introduced when $1.50 fares were charged one night and 50 cents the next. Travelers were often fooled and a 50-cent night became $1.50 fare night without notice. Those who had made their plans complained bitterly, but paid the price. When Wave came to the route, with some show of sticking, fares fell to two shillings and to no price at all, but this was not as ruinous as appears, for once a passenger was on board prices for staterooms and meals were loaded to carry some of the loss on fares.
Commodore J. W. Hancox was one of the competitors whom Drew fought hardest. He grew hard under Drew's punishment and though he whined at first, the practices of the day made him bitter and a dangerous fighter. Hancox never had sufficient capital to play the game on the grand and for the most part fought with poor tools, old clucks of steamboats that had outlived their favor. He first competed with Napoleon, from the Delaware River, running against the smarter De Witt Clinton.
As Napoleon started up river De Witt Clinton crowded Napoleon and the two boats approached the New Jersey shore, without opportunity for Napoleon to turn up stream. Commodore Hancox picked up a rifle and shot through De Witt Clinton's pilot house, narrowly missing the wheelsman, when De Witt Clinton gave way. On another occasion De Witt Clinton rammed Napoleon, scaring passengers. Commodore Hancox told his story in large display advertisements.
"TO THE PUBLIC
"It is the first time in my life that I have been forced to appeal directly to the public; but after being persecuted as I have been for the last three days by one of the greatest monopolies of this country, my duty towards my family, as I owe them a support, makes it necessary that I should inform the public of my situation.
"When I purchased the steamboat Napoleon last winter, and associated with myself E. C. Corwin and James Cochrane, who became equal partners with me in the boat, and the Articles of Co-Partnership were drawn in such a manner that the boat was to run to Albany and nowhere else. Recently the monopoly, after ascertaining that I was determined not to remove from this route, has made extravagant offers, made in such a way that I was to be left alone; and consequently, as my means are small, I must, without doubt, be ruined and my family beggared, I now simply appeal to my friends to assist me in supporting Napoleon; for so long as she does not lose, no money that can be provided will prevent me from running.
"But if she does, an injunction will be immediately served on the boat. I can also state that E. C. Corwin has spurned their offers, even at a sacrifice of $6,000.
"J. W. HANCOX."
Hancox again resorted to the public prints with more complaints. -His second notice said:
"MONOPOLIES AND PERSECUTION
"Are the people aware of the disgraceful manner in which the Hudson river monopoly persecutes the steamboat Napoleon and her owners, especially by hiring the most abandoned and profligate wretches to run against her for passengers and making use of the most disgraceful language to prevent passengers from going on board of her:
"They are guilty of the foulest lies and assertions. We had been, we thought, on the free waters of the United States, but if this is the manner in which the people are to be driven from their lawful and honorable pursuits, away then with our boasted freedom!
"Are the people aware of the manner in which we have been driven from pillar to post for the last few days? When they found out they could not terrorize the owners of this boat, they said, 'Let's crush them.
They are poor and cannot stand against such monopolies as we are but a few days longer.' Will the people suffer this, or will they patronize the Napoleon and keep the fare at One Dollar, and thus sustain the poor in fair rates and honorable pursuits?
"Napoleon."
Uncle Daniel Drew promoted the People's Line, proposing it to Isaac Newton, who became president, and Drew treasurer. Emerald and Westchester composed the line. Emerald was running in 1838 under command of Captain Jacob H. Tremper, between New York and Poughkeepsie, carrying passengers and towing barges. Captain Tremper's first steamboat was Fanny, from Norwich, Ct., Emerald was built by Smith & Dimon in 1825 for the New York and New Brunswick Line and later became a Hudson towboat, being dismantled at Rondout in the 1860's.
Isaac Newton, hailing from Rensselaer county, was a famous operator on the Hudson River. Devine Burtis, Brooklyn, built Balloon for him in 1839, to run from New York to Newburgh. Balloon was fast, having extra large paddle wheels, 204 tons, 160 feet length, 18 feet beam and 7.6 feet depth of hold. At a later period Balloon ran on Long Island Sound and finished on the upper Delaware River.
The old North America was cut down by ice and sunk, and a new steamboat of the same name succeeded. The new North America, Captain R. H. Furey, with South America, which followed in 1840, set style for finer steamboats. They excelled in speed and other qualities and were designed by Isaac Newton, the hulls built by Devine Burtis, South Brooklyn, and the engines by James Cunningham. South America, Captain Thomas N. Hulse, was the first steamboat to make Albany from New York in less than eight hours.
South America measured 638 tons, 260 feet length, 26 feet beam and 9.6 feet depth of hold. The engine had cylinder 54 inches diameter by 11 feet stroke. South America ran until 1863, when the hull was made into a hay barge, and the engine was then installed in Berkshire. Isaac Newton successfully burned coal in North America and South America and is credited with substituting coal in a practical manner, though coal had been tried previously.
The rivalry between Albany and Troy was so great that townspeople of either city would not patronize the boats which went directly to the other city from New York. The success of North America and South America led the Troy Line to order two magnificent steamers. Troy. Captain A. Gorham, which began to run to Troy in 1841, was the largest steamboat on the river and the pride of Troy citizens. Troy was built by John Englis, Brooklyn, and measured 724 tons, 294 feet length, 39 feet beam, 61 feet over guards, 10 feet depth of hold and had two engines from Erie, designed by William Lighthall and built by T. F. Secor. The cylinders were 44 inches diameter by 10 feet stroke. The engines were placed horizontally, the cylinders lying against the bottom of the boat, the walking beams being turned on end. Troy was built for the day route and cost $100,000, being converted to a night liner some years later, and continuing twenty years before being broken up at Keyport, New Jersey.
The second steamboat for the Troy Line was Empire, Captain R. B. Macey, built in 1843. The owners feared that travelers would mistake the boat for an Albany liner and the paddle boxes were lettered "Empire of Troy." Empire was then the largest vessel in the world, 936 tons, 307 feet length, 30 feet beam and 9 feet depth of hold. W. A. Lighthall built the two inclined beam engines, with cylinders 48 inches diameter by 12 feet stroke. Empire was in collision with the schooner Mary Brown in Newburgh Bay, May 18, 1849, when twenty-four lives were lost.
Telegraph, Captain J. S. Odell, and Kosciusko were fast boats which frequently raced, running to Sing Sing previous to 1842. It mattered not if passengers were waiting at announced landings, for the steamboats rushed by leaving hapless people on the dock, so great was the rivalry between the captains. Telegraph, 243 tons, was built by Lawrence & Sneden and later ran to New Haven, coming back to the Hudson as a towboat out of Rondout, then owned by Captain Farnham. When making the West Camp crossover, just below Catskill, in the late 1860's, Telegraph was run down and cut through by Drew of the People's Line.
Knickerbocker, built in 1843 by John Englis, Brooklyn, was 220 feet length, 38 feet beam and 13 feet depth of hold. Knickerbocker inherited its engine from De Witt Clinton, and ran from the foot of Robinson Street (now Park Place) to Albany, and later in place of Manhattan out of Rondout, until Thomas Cornell, then building, was completed. Knickerbocker continued until 1862. going South in Civil War service.
Niagara, commanded by Captain Fountain and later by Captain H. S. Kellogg, was built for Troy service in 1848 by George Collyer, New York. Niagara was 688 tons, 265 feet length, 28.6 feet beam and 9.3 feet depth of hold. The engine, built by Hogg & Delamater, New York, had cylinder 6o inches diameter by 11 feet stroke. After many years as a passenger liner Niagara continued as a towboat, being broken up in 1898 after fifty years on the Hudson.
Iron Witch, a freak of the 1840's, was designed by John Ericsson, fitted with special type engine with small side wheels, coming out in 1846. The first trip to Albany occupied 9 hours and 23 minutes. Iron Witch was withdrawn in September. The side wheels were removed and side screw wheels geared to the shaft, but the vessel was then even slower, and regular radial wheels were substituted and Iron Witch became Erie, running to Piermont in connection with the railroad. The engines were removed in 1861 and placed in Pavonia, the first ferry built for the Erie connecting New York and Jersey City.
Rip Van Winkle, Captain Steven J. Roe, was built in 1845 for Albany day service by George Collyer, New York. W. A. Lighthall built the engine with cylinder 50 inches diameter by 10 feet stroke. Rip Van Winkle was 544 tons, 242 feet length, 25 feet beam, 8.9 feet depth of hold, and became a night boat in 1846, going to the Delaware River to run between Philadelphia and Cape May and returned to the Albany run in 1847. Rip Van Winkle was a tramp on several routes and came to end by running against the railroad bridge at Albany, on a down trip from Troy, April 16, 1872.
The People's Line brought out Hendrick Hudson, Captain R. G. Cruttenden, in 1845, designed by Isaac Newton and built by John Englis, Brooklyn. Hendrick Hudson measured 1,179 tons, the first steamboat on the river to exceed 1,000 tons, and was 300 feet length, 40 feet beam, 55 feet over guards and 10 feet depth of hold. The Allaire Works built the engine with cylinder 72 inches diameter by 11 feet stroke. Manhattan ran to Albany in 1845 with Hendrick Hudson. Later Major Cornell operated Manhattan out of Rondout, and in the Civil War Manhattan went South, afterwards to the Delaware River.
"Live Oak George" Law owned Oregon, 1.0050 tons, a fast boat built in 1845 for Albany service. Oregon hooked up with Traveler, pride of Commodore Vanderbilt's fleet, in a match race run in June, 1846. The two steamboats ran a dead heat, covering a 20-mile course in 57 minutes. A second match race for $1,000 was arranged between Oregon and Cornelius Vanderbilt, which took place on the Hudson, June 1, 1847, both steamboats getting away from the Battery at 11 o'clock.
There was no perceptible difference in the speed of the rival racers. But for an unfortunate move Vanderbilt, who had charge of his steamer, and kept his boat under full speed when rounding the turning stake and thus lost several hundred yards, might have won the race. Oregon slowed down and maneuvered easily in turning the mark. On the down-river run Oregon's coal gave out and berths, chairs, benches, furniture and stateroom partitions went under the boilers. Oregon finished 1,200 feet ahead in 3 hours and 20 minutes, distance 66 miles, an average of 20 miles an hour. Daniel Drew bought Oregon for the People's Line and later Oregon ran to Hudson with Hudson and continued a river favorite, being sunk in New York harbor, October 22, 1863, in collision with City of Boston.
Thomas Powell, built to take Highlander's place, and owned by Thomas Powell and his son-in-law, Homer Ramsdell, was the fast steamboat on the Hudson, making Cauldwell's, June 18, 1846, in 2 hours flat, distance 43 miles, and Newburgh, 60 miles, in 2 hours and 40 minutes. A portrait bust of Thomas Powell adorned the pilot house roof. For many years Thomas Powell ran between New York and Newburgh, and later in connection with the Erie railroad trains from Piermont to New York. Thomas Powell ran to Poughkeepsie in 1851 and that year went to Philadelphia-Cape May route, returning to the Hudson to run to Poughkeepsie and Rondout, until relieved by Mary Powell in 1862. Next Thomas Powell ran to Catskill and in 1872 to Troy as a night boat when the Citizens' Line was organized, being finally broken up at Port Ewen in 1881 after thirty-five years of splendid service.
Isaac Newton, Captain W. H. Peck, was named for Isaac Newton, a strong Baptist and a pillar of the old Oliver Street church, New York. William Brown built Isaac Newton in 1846, larger than any previous river steamer, 1,332 tons, 338 feet length, 40 feet beam, 10.6 feet depth of hold and about 5 feet draught, with engine by the Allaire Works having cylinder 81½ inches diameter by 12 feet stroke. Steam was generated in two iron boilers, 38 feet length, 12.6 feet wide and 10.6 feet high with 4,540 square feet of heating surface and 161 square feet of grate. Isaac Newton consumed four tons of anthracite coal per hour, then considered a prodigal amount. The wheels were 39 feet diameter with double buckets.
Isaac Newton had been planned for a day liner for Captain Curtis Peck and was purchased by the People's Line before completion. Isaac Newton had but two decks for the first nine years, being rebuilt in 1855 by John Englis to be 405 feet length, 48 feet beam and 1,540 tons. Over guards Isaac Newton was 78 feet beam and had enormous capacity, being unapproached for splendor of furnishings and size. The starboard boiler exploded December 5, 1863, when opposite Fort Lee and the liner burned to the water's edge, seventeen persons being scalded, and nine died.
New World, Captain A. P. St. John, 1,418 tons, came out as a day boat in 1848, built by William H. Brown, New York, 371 feet length, 36 feet beam, 69 feet over guards, 6.6 feet draught. The engine was built by T. F. Secor & Co., with cylinder 76 inches diameter by 15 feet stroke, making 17 revolutions and 20 miles speed. Boilers were 40.6 feet length, 11 feet diameter, with 5,328 square feet of heating surface and 212 square feet of grate. Wheels were 46 feet diameter, with 38 buckets, 12 feet width and 40 inches dip.
New World was rebuilt as a night liner by John Englis in 1855 and assumed monster proportions and enormous earning power, being 385 feet length, 47 feet beam and registered 1,675 tons. New World was the first inland steamer to have a double tier of staterooms above the main deck, and ran with Isaac Newton. The two were then the finest steamboats in service on inland waters, being lighted by gas and having rich cabin furnishings. New World's decorations included many Corinthian columns and Isaac Newton's trim was Gothic.
Seven steamboats left daily for New York and for Albany and the two big night boats had enormous capacity, yet all did business and earned important profits. New World set a mark of 1,000 passengers for a single trip, August, 1857. Even when the railroads came and forced fares down to $1 the large boats continued money makers. New World met with an unfortunate accident, October 25, 1849. When opposite Fort Washington a schooner crossed the steamer's bow, and in answer to the reverse bell the engineer stopped the engine too suddenly. As a result of the strain put upon the gallows frame, the walking beam dropped, the connecting rod snapped and pushed its way through the bottom of the boat. New World sank in thirty minutes. Passengers were taken off by a sloop and the steamer Ohio.
New World was raised and rebuilt for the night run. New World sank again off Stuyvesant shore, July 4, 1861, on its way to Albany, in daylight and no lives were lost. When the engine had been removed for installation in St. John, New World was taken to Fortress Monroe and used as a hospital ship in the Civil War.
The Merchants' Line opposed New World and Isaac Newton with Hero, Captain Anning Smith, and Knickerbocker Captain Hunt. Hero was originally New Jersey, running to Troy with Buffalo in on the Connecticut Line. In this competition Albany fares dropped to 6 cents. Roger Williams, Captain A. De Groot, a Providence boat, ran several years to Troy and Columbus, Captain J. S. Odell, was of the same period. Sandusky, Captain L. W. Brainard, a passage and towboat, ran to Troy.
Armenia and Alida came out in 1847. Thomas Collyer, New York, built Armenia, 185 feet length, 28 feet beam, 8 feet depth of hold and 3.9 feet draught, afterwards lengthened to 212 feet and 528 tons. Henry R. Dunham & Company built the engine, with cylinder 40 inches diameter by 14 feet stroke. This very long stroke occasioned a high gallows frame for the walking beam and made Armenia easily recognized. Boilers were below deck, having 1,402 square feet of heating surface and 57 square feet of grate and consumed 2,500 lbs. of coal per hour. The wheels were 29.4 feet diameter, with buckets 8.3 feet wide having 28 inches dip.
Armenia, Captain J. P. Smith, had been built to run to Peekskill, but being fast was taken for Albany day service, and established a new record to Albany, 146 miles, 7 hours and 42 minutes. Armenia ran to Keyport in 1853, but for the most part on the Hudson.
Alida, Captain G. P. Tupper, was built by George B. Collyer, New York, in 1847, being 640 tons, 265 feet length, 28.6 feet beam and 9 feet depth of hold. When a new bow was added the length was 276 feet. Henry R. Dunham & Company built the engine with cylinder 56 inches diameter by 12 feet stroke, turning 25 revolutions. Boilers were located on the guards, 32.6 feet by 8.6 feet, with 2,786 square feet of heating surface and 100 square feet of grate, consuming three tons of anthracite coal per hour. The wheels were 32 feet diameter with 30 buckets, 9.6 feet wide and 35 inches dip.
Alida was fast. Leaving New York one morning at 7 A.M., Alida caught Hendrick Hudson, also starting for Albany. A trial of speed got under way, and carrying flood tide, conditions were fortunate for fast time. Alida made one stop and reached Albany at 2:55, just under 8 hours. Hendrick Hudson followed 15 minutes later. Both steamers hung close to 20 miles average speed. Alida became a towboat and went out of service in 1875, being broken up at Port Ewen.
Armenia steamed up and down the river playing popular airs through high pitched pipes of a powerful steam calliope and echoes answered from the rocky high hills. Folks ashore dropped their work and rushed for a view. Armenia's calliope came from Glen Cove, but consumed steam so fast that the organ had to be scrapped.
Passengers had choice of twenty steamboats to Albany in the summer of 1849. The day liners left at 7 in the morning, Hendrick Hudson, New World and Alida of the People's Line and Buffalo, Rip Van Winkle, Rochester, Manhattan, Eureka, Confidence and Cataline of the opposition. In night service were Oregon and Isaac Newton, through boats, South America and Rochester, which stopped at way landings, of the People's Line, and Troy, Empire and Columbia, which ran to Troy. The Troy boats quit landing at Albany 'in 1849.
Columbia, Captain W. W. Tupper, an Albany night boat carrying mails, was built in 1849, long remembered as a side-wheel towboat which burned at Watervliet in 1876. Freight movement absorbed old steamboats for towing when they lost favor with passengers. Oswego, built in 1848, was the first to be built for towing. Capes & Burtis, Brooklyn, built Oswego, 212 feet length, 28 feet beam, and Henry R. Dunham & Company's Archimedes Works built the engine, having cylinder 52 inches diameter by 11 feet stroke. Oswego had many owners, but was long in the Cornell Line, being broken up at Kingston in 1920.
Joseph Belknap, named for the engine builder, and Baltic, built at Greenport, ran with Armenia between Poughkeepsie and Albany in 1850, in the service of the new railroad, for in that year the Hudson River Railroad had only reached northward as far as Poughkeepsie. It was extended to Albany in 1852.
Reindeer was built by Thomas Collyer for the Keyport-New York run, 1851, and being fast was taken for a day liner to Albany, commanded by Captain A. De Groot, and later by Captain Farnham. Reindeer bore Jenny Lind in triumph to Albany, when making her successful tour. Reindeer's boiler exploded at Bristol, forty miles below Albany, September 4, 1852. Six persons were killed and twenty-five others died of injuries. Reindeer's engine went in the coasting steamer Perseverance. While racing with Henry Clay July 1, 1851, Reindeer ran from Albany to New York in 7 hours and 44 minutes, making six landings.
Henry Clay, Captain Tallman, an opposition boat out of Albany, met with one of the most tragic disasters in the history of the Hudson, July 28, 1852, while racing with Armenia. The two steamboats were close together through the day, Henry Clay being ahead when the lower river was reached. Fire was discovered and Henry Clay headed for the Riverdale shore and ran hard aground, but most passengers were in the stern, which was in deep water, and imprisoned by flames. Panic ensued and terror-stricken men and women fought for life preservers and struggled with each other. Sixty lives were lost, including many well-known New Yorkers. The accident made great public stir, and inspired legislation from which the present steamboat inspection service was organized in 1852.
Business methods to attract passengers were often unethical. Towns were placarded with gaudy challenging bills and runners for rival lines made the water front active. Rival runners raced to secure passengers' baggage, hurrying it aboard, and the runner's compensation was measured by the number of shanghaied passengers. Sometimes passengers went by one line and their carpet bags by another. Husbands were separated from wives. Nervous old ladies, timid of boiler explosions, were glibly told that the runner's boat "had no boilers." The cries of solicitous steamboat runners made the water front a babel of weird noises.
Cornelius Vanderbilt competed for river travel forty years. The Commodore owned more than fifty steamboats operated on many routes. Later, when he had been attracted to the gold rush opportunity in 1849, and to the ocean field, the river business was brought into better order and cut-throat competition eliminated, but Vanderbilt became head of the Hudson River Railroad and fought his old steamboat enemies with a new weapon.
Francis Skiddy, which came out in 1852, floated on the water with a grace said never to have been equaled before or since. George B. Collyer, of the famous steamboat building family of Collyers, designed Francis Skiddy. One vertical beam engine with cylinder 70 inches diameter by 14 feet stroke turned radial wheels 40 feet diameter. Steam was supplied by four iron boilers, two set ahead and two abaft the paddle wheels, each 24 feet by 9 feet, carrying 70 lbs. pressure, and each consumed a ton of anthracite coal per hour:
On June 30, 1852, Francis Skiddy ran from New York to Hudson, 1116-3/8 miles, making five landings, in 5 hours and 23 minutes, elapsed time 5 hours and 3 minutes, or at rate of 23.04 miles per hour. Francis Skiddy regularly made Albany in 7½ hours and for a time in 1853 left New York regularly every morning, and from Albany every evening, a round trip every 24 hours. In 1855 Francis Skiddy was rebuilt as a night boat, running to Troy. Francis Skiddy, under command of Captain W. H. Christopher, was wrecked by stranding on Van Wie's Point, four miles below Albany, November 15, 1864. Passengers were taken off by Hendrick Hudson.
Francis Skiddy was 1,480 tons, 322 feet length, 38 feet beam, 10.6 feet depth of hold and 5.6 feet draught. The engine was built by James Cunningham & Company's Phoenix Foundry and was recovered from the wreck of the Francis Skiddy and installed in Dean Richmond, continuing in that hull until 1909.
The People's Line in 1852 ran Hendrick Hudson and Isaac Newton, through night boats, Rip Van Winkle, Oregon and New World, night boats making way landings, and the Troy Line operated Troy and Empire, night boats. Regular and opposition day boats included Francis Skiddy, Alida, Henry Clay, Armenia, Manhattan and Reindeer. Empire was lost in 1853 and Troy retired in 1854. A new Troy line was established in 1855 by the New Jersey Navigation Company (Stonington, Conn., Line) controlled by the New Jersey Steamboat Company. Both companies were Daniel Drew enterprises. Commodore, Captain Levi Smith, running with Rip Van Winkle, Captain C. W. Farnham, served Troy and in 1856 Captain Farnham succeeded to command of Commodore and Francis Skiddy then ran to Troy, but the former speed was gone. A second hull had been built outside the original, to decrease the draught, Francis Skiddy then drawing two feet less. The greatest width between the two hulls, amidship, was six feet.
Jenny Lind was named for the singer who electrified audiences under P. T. Barnum's management, about 130 feet length, and ran from New York to Sing Sing in I853, afterwards out of New London, and the engine was later installed in the ferryboat Uncas, connecting Elizabethport and Staten Island.
The People's Line obtained a New Jersey charter in 1854 as the New Jersey Steamboat Company, with $500,000 capital, later increased to $2,000,00000. Isaac Newton was the first president and Daniel Drew treasurer and Captain A. P. St. John one of the incorporators. When Newton died in 1859 Drew succeeded as president, until 1878. The People's Line discontinued intermediate stops and its day service in 1854, and then worked in close affiliation with the New York Central Railroad. The line got rid of its smaller boats, retaining only New World, Isaac Newton and Hendrick Hudson.
Commodore Alfred Van Santvoord purchased Alida in November, 1855, and began the present Hudson River Day Line in 1856, running Armenia with Alida. Commodore Van Santvoord had previously engaged in river towing. Glen Cove came to the Hudson that summer, built two years before by Thomas Collyer, and having Henry Clay's engine. Glen Cove ran opposition and was fast and for three months competition made fares low. Glen Cove was fitted with a steam calliope, invented in 1855 by the American Steam Music Company of Worcester, Mass. The calliope proved a great drawing card. Glen Cove was sold in 1857 to run on the James River, continuing until sunk by the Confederates when they evacuated Richmond. Armenia and Metamora were the leading boats of the Hudson from 1857 to 1860.
Daniel Drew, a new day steamer, came on in 1860, remembered for twenty-five years' service and for the great number of Currier & Ives colored lithographs picturing the burning of the steamer at Kingston Point, August 29, 1885. Thomas Collyer built Daniel Drew, 251.8 feet length, 30.6 feet beam and 9.3 feet depth of hold. The engine had cylinder originally 6o inches and later 68 inches diameter by 10 feet stroke, from the tug Titian, built by the Neptune Iron Works, New York. The hull was widened 5 feet in 1862.
When Daniel Drew appeared Commodore Van Santvoord ran Alida between New York and Poughkeepsie, making a round trip daily. There had been many speed brushes between the two and vicious announcements were published in newspapers, which blossomed challenges, as:
"STEAMER ALIDA
"The splendid day boat Alida is now the only boat for passengers to depend upon. She makes all landings and arrives at Albany and Troy two hours ahead of the old boat, the Drew, now 12 years old, and her machinery so worn as to be nearly broken down. On Wednesday her passengers did not arrive in Albany until 10 o'clock at night, too late for the cars, and this morning she was seen with but one engine at work. Those traveling should patronize the only opposition on the river, and more especially as she is far the fastest boat. Fare 50 cents."
The owners smarted under this sting and when the season closed issued this challenge:
"The steamboat Daniel Drew having discontinued her trips on the day route for the season will for the purpose of gratifying the curiosity of certain individuals hold herself in readiness until the 27th of the present month to make a trial trip from New York to Albany with any other steamboat now built, for $1,000 or upwards, on one week's notice from this date, the boats to start from the foot of 30th street, North River, at 8 A.M., to run with their usual tackle as used in their ordinary business. Any person or persons having a steamer that they think can beat her may have opportunity to make a profitable trip by calling on the subscriber."
Neither Alida or any other steamboat took up the challenge.
Commodore Van Santvoord, with Captain David Hitchcock, built City of Albany, 1862-3, which proved too slow for the run and was sold to the Navy for $82,000, coming back to the Hudson after the war, running to Nyack and later to Norwalk, Conn., as Adelphi. Commodore Van Santvoord bought Daniel Drew from James F. Collyer, September, 1863, and Armenia from Isaac P. Smith in October and in 1864 added Chauncey Vibbard, one of the famous steamboats of the river.
Captain Jacob H. Tremper of Rondout, who began steamboating in the little side-wheeler Fanny, running between New York and Marlborough, followed by Emerald from Philadelphia, running to Poughkeepsie, built James W. Baldwin' in 186o and until he died in 1888 was commander, succeeded by his son. James W. Baldwin was built by M. S. Allison, Jersey City, six months before Mary Powell, and ran more than fifty years with that boat, upon the same route, being latterly known as Central Hudson. James W. Baldwin was 242 feet length (later increased 10 feet), 34 feet beam and 9 feet depth of hold. Fletcher Harrison & Company built the engine, having cylinder 6o inches diameter by 11 feet stroke. When new, James W. Baldwin was the fastest steamboat with staterooms, originally having 50, and later an extra tier making 111 staterooms and capacity for 350 persons. James W. Baldwin was sunk at West Point, raised and broken up at Perth Amboy, graveyard of ships. A life-size figure of a man in white trousers and blue coat, peering through a spy glass, stood just ahead of the mainmast, seeming to survey the river.
Washington, from Providence River, came to the Hudson in the '50's to run out of Catskill. Washington had two engines, one being afterwards installed in the towboat Storm, which ran on the Hudson, owned by the Knickerbocker Ice Company. Storm went down off Saybrook in Long Island Sound. Santa Claus was a Troy passenger steamer, but was longer known as A. B. Valentine, a towboat.
J. Flanagan & Company operated Swan, Captain W. P. Cropper, between New York and Newburgh in 1857, but the line was short lived. Caledonia, Captain Robert Wardrop, made two weekly trips and South America towed freight barges. Newburgh was busy in 1858 when Thomas Powell left for New York, Armenia or Metamora for Albany and New York and Constitution ran Tuesdays and Saturdays for Albany, while R. L. Stevens and South America landed at Long Dock on their way to New York. Broadway ran to Newburgh from New York on Sundays, and in 1859 Eagle, Captain H. Fairbanks, began to run to Albany, succeeding Mazeppa, Captain John Stratton.
Oregon, Captain C. F. King, and South America, Captain M. Sherman, ran between New York and Hudson in 1859, stopping at Catskill, West Camp, Maiden, Red Hook, Barrytown, Rhinebeck, Poughkeepsie, Milton and Newburgh, Cauldwell's and Cozzens. They ran in connection with Peter G. Coffin of the Hudson and Albany line. Rip Van Winkle, Captain Fraley, ran between Coxsackie and New York, landing at Hudson.
Isaac Smith, D. S. Miller, Captain Charles Ru Ton, and John L. Hasbrouck, propellers, were built in the early '1860's for the Poughkeepsie Line. Isaac Smith went to the Navy in the Civil War and was captured by the Confederates. John L. Hasbrouck and Daniel Miller had walking beam engines arranged athwartship and driving propeller shafts through gears. They were smart boats, about 125 feet length. Daniel Miller became Poughkeepsie and John L. Hasbrouck was renamed Marlboro, continuing until broken up in 1917. Eagle, 422 tons, built 1852 at Brooklyn, ran on the day line route, Newburgh to Albany, with Milton M. Martin. When the Civil War was breaking Milton Martin was taken to be General Grant's dispatch boat, being smart and well furnished. After the war Milton Martin returned to run between Catskill and Albany, continuing sixty years, and was only broken up in 1922. G. T. Olyphant was an early steamboat running to the Middle Hudson.
City of Hudson, originally Escort, when it came to the Hudson in the late '70's, was rebuilt in 1883, becoming Catskill, and collided with St. John September 15, 1897. When raised and rebuilt Catskill was named City of Hudson, running many years with Walter Brett. Ida and Ulster long ran on the Saugerties route, Ulster having been originally Ansonia, built in 1848, and known (1923) as Robert A. Snyder. Ida, from Baltimore succeeded Shenandoah, afterwards Saugerties, and burned in 1905.
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