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Editor's Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article written by George W. Murdock, for the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman newspaper in the 1930s. Murdock, a veteran marine engineer, wrote a regular column. Articles transcribed by HRMM volunteer Adam Kaplan. For more of Murdock's articles, see the "Steamboat Biographies" category  Endicott & Co. lithograph of the steamboat "State of New York," Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. By some manner of coincidence steamboats whose names began with the letter “S” were known to rivermen as “hard luck boats,” and to this group belonged the steamboat “State of New York.” Built at Brooklyn in 1866 by C. & R. Poillon, the “State of New York” had a wooden hull measuring 268 feet long, a breadth of beam of 36 feet, and depth of hold of nine feet six inches. Her gross tonnage was rated at 1,417 and net tonnage at 1,047. Her vertical beam engine was built by Cobanks & Theall of New York, and the cylinder diameter was 65 inches with a 12-foot stroke. The “State of New York” was constructed for the Hartford and New York Steamboat Company and her name was scheduled to be “Vermont,” but when she was launched she was christened the “State of New York,” under the command of Captain D.A. Mills. Costing $200,000 the “State of New York” was the largest steamboat built up to that time for use of the Connecticut river, and her passenger rating was listed at 800 people. For many years the “State of New York” ran in line with the “City of Hartford” and the “Granite State,” and in 1880 she was in service on a route from Stonington to New York. During her entire career the steamboat was dogged by accidents, although no lives were lost as a result of these mishaps. When the Saybrook breakwaters were built in 1872 a huge boulder rolled into the ship channel - and the “State of New York” hit it and was forced to lay over a day in New York City for repairs. Later, in avoiding a tow in Hell Gate, the steamboat struck another rock and had to be beached at Hallets Point. Her stern was submerged on this occasion but the 90 passengers aboard were saved and most of the freight was salvaged. Captain Peter Cahill, a former wheelsman on the “State of New York” under Captain Peter Dibble, was at that time owner of a salvage tugboat and was called to haul the freight of the wrecked “State of New York” to Hartford. The owners of the “State of New York” refused to pay Captain Cahill’s claim of $300 for this job, and a suit followed in which the tugboat captain received his claim. On August 28, 1881 the “State of New York” struck a snag on the Salmon river above East Haddam, Connecticut, tore out two planks, and was beached again to save her from sinking. Her bow rode up on the bank and her stern sank in deep water, and this episode cost her owners $40,000 before she could again be placed in service. Under Captain R.K. Miner the ill-fated steamboat met with another serious accident while coming out of Peck Slip in a strong ebb tide. Before she could straighten out in the river she was hurled into the Brooklyn docks, carrying away one side of her deck house and damaging wharves and dock houses to the amount of $80,000.  The steamboat "City of Springfield," formerly the "State of New York." Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. Following these latest mishaps, the name “State of New York” disappeared from the steamboat and in its place came the name “City of Springfield”. This change was not long in force before the steamboat broke her walking beam and was laid up for some time at Middle Haddam awaiting repairs. The spring of 1883 was the occasion for the “City of Springfield” to appear on the Hudson river- and became known to local rivermen. In that year she was chartered to the Cornell Steamboat Company of Rondout, because of two events which had happened previous to the spring of 1883. On March 27, 1882 the steamboat “Thomas Cornell” had been wrecked on Danskammer Point, and the steamboat “City of Catskill” had been chartered to replace the “Thomas Cornell.” After running one season on the “Thomas Cornell’s” route, the “City of Catskill” was destroyed by fire at Rondout on February 11, 1883, and then the “City of Springfield” (“State of New York”) was chartered to run on the route of the “Thomas Cornell.” The “City of Springfield” plied the route of the “Thomas Cornell” for one season, under the command of Captain William Van Keuren. Henry Briggs served as pilot and Nicholas M. McLean was chief engineer. The following year marked the appearance of the steamboat “City of Kingston,” and brought to a close the term of service of the “City of Springfield” on the Rondout route. The next account of the former “State of New York” concerns a collision with the “City of Boston” off Cornfield Point Light. In this encounter one of the “City of Boston’s” boilers was rolled off her guard and her smokestack tumbled onto the deck of the “City of Springfield.” The “City of Springfield” remained in commission until 1895 when she was tied up and later sold and converted into a coal barge named the “Jimmy Hughes”. Fate still watched over the former “State of New York”- for the converted coal barge finally foundered in a storm off the Jersey coast, ending her career. AuthorGeorge W. Murdock, (b. 1853-d. 1940) was a veteran marine engineer who served on the steamboats "Utica", "Sunnyside", "City of Troy", and "Mary Powell". He also helped dismantle engines in scrapped steamboats in the winter months and later in his career worked as an engineer at the brickyards in Port Ewen. In 1883 he moved to Brooklyn, NY and operated several private yachts. He ended his career working in power houses in the outer boroughs of New York City. His mother Catherine Murdock was the keeper of the Rondout Lighthouse for 50 years. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
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Editor’s Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article featuring stories by Captain William O. Benson (1911-1986). Beginning in 1971, Benson, a retired tugboat captain, reminisced about his 40 years on the Hudson River in a regular column for the Kingston (NY) Freeman’s Sunday Tempo magazine. Captain Benson's articles were compiled and transcribed by HRMM volunteer Carl Mayer. See more of Captain Benson’s articles here. This article was originally published on September 10, 1972.  Black and white copy of an advertising poster for the nightboat "Berkshire," Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. The largest steamboat ever built for service on the Hudson River was the “Berkshire” of the Hudson River Night Line, built to run in overnight passenger and freight service between Albany and New York. Because of her imposing size, most boatmen referred to her as the “Mighty Berkshire” rather than by her mountainous name alone. The “Berkshire” was some 440 feet long overall, making her 13 feet longer than her one time running mate, the “C.W. Morse,” and nearly 26 feet longer than the “Washington Irving.” the largest steamer of the Hudson River Day Line. The late Francis “Dick” Chapman of New Baltimore, her last captain, was later a pilot with me on the the Cornell tugboat “Lion” and related to me a number of incidents about the big Night Liner. One night back in July 1935, the “Berkshire” was preceding down river on her regular run from Albany to New York. As they were passing Saugerties at about 11 p.m. the steam steering gear broke. The men in the pilot house immediately shifted to the big hand steering wheels. How Wheels Worked The steam gear had a small pilot wheel at the front of the pilot house which the pilot could turn with ease with one hand. This small pilot wheel was in turn connected to an auxiliary steam engine which actually turned the rudder. The hand steering wheels, on the other hand, were huge affairs located in the middle of the pilot house to be used in times of emergency. They were connected directly the the rudder and when in use were turned by brute strength. The engineers, unfortunately were unable to make repairs to the steam steering gear, the usual means of steering the steamer, and the pilots took her all the rest of the way to New York steering her by the hand gears. It took four men to constantly man the two big hand steering wheels and, except on straight courses, they had to run dead slow in order to get the rudder over. The sharp turns in the river at Magazine Point, West Point and Anthony's Nose were particularly troublesome. In order to make the sharp turns, the “Berkshire” had to be backed a couple of times to get the rudder over so the turns could be made. When she finally got to New York they had to get tugboats to put the “Berkshire” in her slip. There the repairs were made to the steam steering gear and she was able to leave on her regular up trip as usual. The “Berkshire” also had a close call on her very last trip down river from Albany. The year 1937 was the “Berkshire’s” last season in service and her final sailing from Albany for New York was made on the night of Labor Day. Hazy Weather All the way down the river the weather was hazy. When the “Berkshire” was off Esopus Island, fog set in thick. At Crum Elbow they could hear a bell being run [sic] rapidly at minute intervals, meaning something was anchored ahead. On the “Berkshire” they were running slow on time courses and sounding her whistle. Suddenly, through the fog, the pilot house crew of the “Berkshire” dimly saw two white lights high in the air dead ahead, which they realized was a large anchored ship. They passed the ship so close the guards of the “Berkshire” rubbed along the ship's side. Since it was ebb tide and because of his position, Captain Chapman was afraid to back down because he thought his steamer might back across the bow of the anchored ship. So what could have been a terrible accident, turned out all right for the mighty “Berkshire” on her last trip down the Hudson under her own power. The “Berkshire’s” career on the Hudson River from the time she entered service in 1913 until her final season of 1937, in general, was a placid one and relatively uneventful. Her beginning and ending, however, were a little unusual.  The steamboat "Princeton," later renamed "Berkshire," partially completed at dock in Athens, NY in July, 1907. Tracy I. Brooks Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. Launched in 1907 The huge steamboat was launched on September 21, 1907 from the yard of the New York Shipbuilding Co. at Camden, N.J. with the name “Princeton” painted on her bows. Launched in the midst of the panic of 1907, funds apparently were not available for her completion. With engine and boilers installed but with no superstructure, the uncompleted vessel was layed up and not completed until six years later. When finally completed, her launching name of ‘‘Princeton” had been changed to “Berkshire.” The “Berkshire” arrived at Albany on her first trip on the morning of May 23, 1913. The very next day, the “Washington Irving,” the new flagship of the Hudson River Day Line, arrived at Albany on her inaugural trip. Thus by a turn of fate, the largest night boat ever built for service on the Hudson River and the largest day boat ever built for service on the Hudson both made their first trips to Albany within hours of each other. It was a big weekend for big steamboats at Albany.  Coast Guard Cutter "Comanche" towing the "Berkshire" on her last trip down the Hudson, January 31, 1941. Hudson River Maritime Museum Collection. After the ‘‘Berkshire’s” final trip in 1937, she was layed up at Athens. With the coming of World War II, the big steamer was acquired by the federal government and at the end of January 1941 was towed by the Coast Guard through the ice to New York harbor.  Steamboat "Berkshire" in St. George's Harbor, Bermuda, June, 1942. Tracy I. Brooks Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. In June, she was towed to Bermuda where she was used as a floating barracks for construction workers engaged in the building of U.S. World War II bases on the island. After the war was over, the “Berkshire” was towed back from Bermuda to Philadelphia where she was finally broken up.  The steamboat "Berkshire" being scrapped at Philadelphia, February 11, 1946. Tracy I. Brooks Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum. AuthorCaptain William Odell Benson was a life-long resident of Sleightsburgh, N.Y., where he was born on March 17, 1911, the son of the late Albert and Ida Olson Benson. He served as captain of Callanan Company tugs including Peter Callanan, and Callanan No. 1 and was an early member of the Hudson River Maritime Museum. He retained, and shared, lifelong memories of incidents and anecdotes along the Hudson River. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
The Newburgh-Beacon ferry "Orange" in the Newburgh slip. Photo taken June 1, 1957 by Edward O. Clark. Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum.
The ferry crossing between Newburgh, NY and Beacon, NY was one of the longest running on the Hudson River. Three ferries served the crossing in later years, the "Orange," the "Beacon," and the "Dutchess." The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge would not be built until 1963, so the ferries were the only way passengers and automobilists could cross the river between the two cities. Two of the ferries would be in service, one for each city and passing each other in the middle, with a third ferry kept in reserve. The ferries would rotate duties.
Newburgh-Beacon ferry "Dutchess" in an undated photograph, likely for a celebration, decked in flags and crowded with passengers. Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum.
After the success of the construction of the Bear Mountain Bridge in 1924, the state pursued the construction of other Hudson River bridges, including between Newburgh and Beacon. In anticipation of the bridge construction, the New York Bridge Authority purchased the ferry company in 1956 and operated the ferry service under the Bridge Authority name until the bridge was complete. The original two-lane span of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge opened to the public on November 2, 1963. At the end of the day on November 3, 1963, the ferries were removed from service - the last Hudson River commuter ferries in operation north of New York City were now gone.
The Newburgh-Beacon ferry "Beacon," branded with the New York State Bridge Authority name. Hudson River Maritime Museum Collection.
For this Media Monday, we revisit some of the stories and sounds from the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, recorded by the Sound and Story Project.
The Oldest Running Ferry
From horse powered ferries to steam boats, the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry is believed to be one of the oldest running ferries in the United States dating back to 1743. John Fasulo gives an overview of the the ferry's 250 year old history beginning with the ferrying of settlers by the Indians.
Bye Bye Ferry
On November 3, 1963 the Newburgh-Beacon bridge opened and the ferry made its last Hudson River crossing. Mary McTamaney recalls her final trip on the historic ferry.
The Last Salute
On September 3, 1963 Conrad recorded the Hudson River Day Line Alexander Hamilton and the Newburgh Beacon Ferry as they passed each other and exchanged salutes. This was the last trip of the season for the Alexander Hamilton and the Newburgh Beacon ferry would soon cease to run.
Newburgh-Beacon ferries "Orange" and "Beacon" being towed away by tugboat "Sheila Moran" at the end of their last season, 1963. Donald C. Ringwald Collection, Hudson River Maritime Museum.
In 2005, the Newburgh-Beacon ferry was revived, and now serves passenger commuter traffic between Newburgh, NY and the Metro North train station in Beacon, NY.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
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