Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway
Encyclopedia
The Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway, an interurban
rail, was chartered on May 21, 1896. The company was a consolidation of the Syracuse Street Railroad Company, the Syracuse Consolidated Street Railway Company
and the People's Railroad Company
which was formerly leased to the Syracuse Street Railroad Company.
The company was consolidated with the New York State Railways, affiliated with New York Central Railroad
in 1912.
During 1897, the company leased the Syracuse and East Side Railway for 22 years and guaranteed five percent interest on the bonds and five percent dividends on the preferred stock of the Syracuse and East Side Railway Company. By 1899, the properties had been thoroughly rebuilt and new equipment and apparatus was added.
.
A second mortgage of $750,000 dated on July 1, 1898, was due in 1928 to Merchants National Bank of Syracuse, New York
.
By June 30, 1897, total passengers carried on the line numbered 8,524,996 and a year later, in 1898, the number had risen to 9,220,110. Net income in 1897 was $45,515 and $32,542 in 1898 and earnings from operation increased from $178,076 to $208,298 during that same period. Total debt outstanding at the end of 1898 was $7,588,556.
had a first mortgage of $750,000 dated January 1, 1891, and due in 1921. The whole of the first mortgage bonds were held in escrow to retire the bond issue.
; E. W. Moore, vice-president, of Cleveland, Ohio
; Thomas H. Conderman, secretary and treasurer, of Philadelphia; Gen. Man. C. Loomis Allen, auditor; A. S. Palfray, superintendent of transportation; J. R. Carrier, superintendent; and H. Greer, Jr., engineer.
Directors were W. P. Gannon, H. D. Coffinberry, L. K. McClymonds, E. W. Moore, Theodore H. Conderman, W. R. Kimball, H. R. Newcomb, W. D. Walker and F. W. Gridley. General officers were located in Syracuse, New York
.
In 1908, the company headquarters were located at 300 Gridley Building
. Horace E. Andrews was president, C. Loomis Allen was vice-president and general manager, T. H. Conderman was secretary treasurer, John E. Duffy was superintendent and Joseph M. Joel was auditor.
.
The company owned a total of 20 horses, two horse cars, 125 motor cars and 20 trail cars. The equipment consisted of Allis and Cleveland engines, General Electric and Walker dynamos and motors, Brill, Gilbert, Barney & Smith cars and Brill trucks.
In June 1910, the company ordered 25 30.92 feet (9.4 m), semi-convertible cars from the G. C. Kuhlman Car Company. The cars were equipped each with four 50-horsepower General Electric motors.
and the Andrews-Stanley Syndicate.
including land and then went to New York City
and took measurements for the original pier while there. The Syracuse
Iron Pier had no iron in the construction and resembled the New York pier only in dimensions and general appearance. Both piers were built 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. The Syracuse
structure was 500 feet (152.4 m) long and the one in New York City
was 510 feet (155.4 m).
The pier was built in the days when pleasure seekers took a boat at the Salina pier to go "across the lake." At that time, Demong was proprietor of the Franklin House and ran a line of steamboats. During those years business was thriving.
The People's Railroad Company
let the contract to A. J. Hallock of Liverpool
and it was "extensively advertised." The first year the railway company conducted it but did not make any money. The next year, Harlan & Rollins, the theatrical men, leased the place and "broke" in the middle of the year. The third year, Charles Demong ran the place on a percentage and the following year leased it outright. "It is said that the pier never paid, but that the steamboat end of it did."
In 1899, the Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway Company attempted to infuse new life into the pier and band concerts were held every night, "fireworks and other specialties being tried." It was of no avail, "the people would not go there."
Just as things began to look prosperous, the Syracuse, Lakeside and Baldwinsville Railroad was built and people began to go "across the lake" by trolley. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
also began to run cars to the resorts, and the boat business fell off rapidly. Demong held on to the pier until 1906, when the "place was closed for good."
After 19 years of existence, the Iron Pier was torn down in March 1907. Superintendent, J. E. Duffy had advertised for proposals for removing the building. The contractor who performed the job kept the lumber contained in the structure and "was all the company had to show for the building" which was erected at a cost of $45,000 in the late 1880s when labor and materials were much "cheaper than they are today."
The company had not decided what to do with the site. It was thought that the barge canal would some day make the land more valuable than it was in 1907.
in 1912.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
rail, was chartered on May 21, 1896. The company was a consolidation of the Syracuse Street Railroad Company, the Syracuse Consolidated Street Railway Company
Syracuse Consolidated Street Railway
The Syracuse Consolidated Street Railway, chartered on May 22, 1890, in Syracuse, New York. On July 1, 1890, the company leased, in perpetuity, several street railroads in the city including Third Ward Railway, Fourth Ward Railroad, Fifth Ward Railroad, Seventh Ward Railroad, Eleventh Ward...
and the People's Railroad Company
People's Railroad
The People's Railroad was a street railway chartered in 1887 and opened for business in 1889 in Syracuse, New York. The total length of the line was with branches each . In 1896, the company merged into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway.-History:...
which was formerly leased to the Syracuse Street Railroad Company.
The company was consolidated with the New York State Railways, affiliated with New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
in 1912.
History
After the organization of the company in 1896, rails weighing from 91 to 140 pounds to the yard replaced lighter rails weighing 30 to 45 pounds. The large double-track cars were replaced with small single-track cars with from 100 to 200 percent greater seating space in each car. Approximately 26 miles (41.8 km) of new tracks were laid bringing the total to 71.3 miles (114.7 km).During 1897, the company leased the Syracuse and East Side Railway for 22 years and guaranteed five percent interest on the bonds and five percent dividends on the preferred stock of the Syracuse and East Side Railway Company. By 1899, the properties had been thoroughly rebuilt and new equipment and apparatus was added.
Financial
In 1899, capital stock or common stock authorized and issued totaled $2,750,000 and preferred stock was valued at $1,250,000. Funded debt in the form of a first mortgage with five percent gold bonds, authorized, was valued at $3,250,000 dated on March 1, 1896, and due in 1946 to the Guaranty Trust Company of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
A second mortgage of $750,000 dated on July 1, 1898, was due in 1928 to Merchants National Bank of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
By June 30, 1897, total passengers carried on the line numbered 8,524,996 and a year later, in 1898, the number had risen to 9,220,110. Net income in 1897 was $45,515 and $32,542 in 1898 and earnings from operation increased from $178,076 to $208,298 during that same period. Total debt outstanding at the end of 1898 was $7,588,556.
People's railroad
At the time of the consolidation in 1896, the People's Railroad CompanyPeople's Railroad
The People's Railroad was a street railway chartered in 1887 and opened for business in 1889 in Syracuse, New York. The total length of the line was with branches each . In 1896, the company merged into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway.-History:...
had a first mortgage of $750,000 dated January 1, 1891, and due in 1921. The whole of the first mortgage bonds were held in escrow to retire the bond issue.
Company management
By 1899, officers of the company were William P. Gannon, president, of Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
; E. W. Moore, vice-president, of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
; Thomas H. Conderman, secretary and treasurer, of Philadelphia; Gen. Man. C. Loomis Allen, auditor; A. S. Palfray, superintendent of transportation; J. R. Carrier, superintendent; and H. Greer, Jr., engineer.
Directors were W. P. Gannon, H. D. Coffinberry, L. K. McClymonds, E. W. Moore, Theodore H. Conderman, W. R. Kimball, H. R. Newcomb, W. D. Walker and F. W. Gridley. General officers were located in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
In 1908, the company headquarters were located at 300 Gridley Building
Gridley Building
The Gridley Building, built in 1867 and known previously as the Onondaga County Savings Bank Building, is a prominent historic building on Clinton Square and Hanover Square in Syracuse, New York...
. Horace E. Andrews was president, C. Loomis Allen was vice-president and general manager, T. H. Conderman was secretary treasurer, John E. Duffy was superintendent and Joseph M. Joel was auditor.
Expansion
Work was started in August 1907, on extension of Park line from Butternut Street through Park, Pond and Spring Streets on the city's NorthsideNorthside, Syracuse
The Northside is a neighborhood in the city of Syracuse, New York consisting of a residential area bordered by commercial corridors. As defined by Syracuse's "Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today" planning system, the Northside is a large section of the city of Syracuse, covering almost four square...
.
Operations
Total distance covered by the rail was 53.83 miles (86.6 km) horse drawn, and 0.38 mile (0.6115492 km) was powered by electricity.The company owned a total of 20 horses, two horse cars, 125 motor cars and 20 trail cars. The equipment consisted of Allis and Cleveland engines, General Electric and Walker dynamos and motors, Brill, Gilbert, Barney & Smith cars and Brill trucks.
In June 1910, the company ordered 25 30.92 feet (9.4 m), semi-convertible cars from the G. C. Kuhlman Car Company. The cars were equipped each with four 50-horsepower General Electric motors.
East Side Traction company
On June 1, 1899, the company leased the properties of the East Side Traction Company for the term of 99 years at a rental of $12,500 per year. The property had been thoroughly rebuilt and new equipment added. The company also owned the stock of the East Side Traction Company. A controlling interest in the stock of this company had been acquired by the Mohawk Valley Company, which was owned jointly by the New York Central and Hudson Railroad CompanyNew York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and the Andrews-Stanley Syndicate.
Iron pier
The Iron Pier was named by Charles Demong who sold the People's RailroadPeople's Railroad
The People's Railroad was a street railway chartered in 1887 and opened for business in 1889 in Syracuse, New York. The total length of the line was with branches each . In 1896, the company merged into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway.-History:...
including land and then went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and took measurements for the original pier while there. The Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
Iron Pier had no iron in the construction and resembled the New York pier only in dimensions and general appearance. Both piers were built 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. The Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
structure was 500 feet (152.4 m) long and the one in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was 510 feet (155.4 m).
The pier was built in the days when pleasure seekers took a boat at the Salina pier to go "across the lake." At that time, Demong was proprietor of the Franklin House and ran a line of steamboats. During those years business was thriving.
The People's Railroad Company
People's Railroad
The People's Railroad was a street railway chartered in 1887 and opened for business in 1889 in Syracuse, New York. The total length of the line was with branches each . In 1896, the company merged into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway.-History:...
let the contract to A. J. Hallock of Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
and it was "extensively advertised." The first year the railway company conducted it but did not make any money. The next year, Harlan & Rollins, the theatrical men, leased the place and "broke" in the middle of the year. The third year, Charles Demong ran the place on a percentage and the following year leased it outright. "It is said that the pier never paid, but that the steamboat end of it did."
In 1899, the Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway Company attempted to infuse new life into the pier and band concerts were held every night, "fireworks and other specialties being tried." It was of no avail, "the people would not go there."
Just as things began to look prosperous, the Syracuse, Lakeside and Baldwinsville Railroad was built and people began to go "across the lake" by trolley. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
also began to run cars to the resorts, and the boat business fell off rapidly. Demong held on to the pier until 1906, when the "place was closed for good."
After 19 years of existence, the Iron Pier was torn down in March 1907. Superintendent, J. E. Duffy had advertised for proposals for removing the building. The contractor who performed the job kept the lumber contained in the structure and "was all the company had to show for the building" which was erected at a cost of $45,000 in the late 1880s when labor and materials were much "cheaper than they are today."
The company had not decided what to do with the site. It was thought that the barge canal would some day make the land more valuable than it was in 1907.
New York State railways
Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway was consolidated with the New York State Railways, affiliated with New York Central RailroadNew York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
in 1912.