Syracuse and Onondaga Railway

Syracuse and Onondaga Railway
Locale Syracuse, New York, United States
Dates of operation 1863–1890
Successor People's Railroad
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Headquarters Syracuse, New York

The Syracuse and Onondaga Railway, a horse-drawn city railway, was chartered on April 29, 1863, and opened on July 25, 1864,[1] in Syracuse, New York.[2] The line commenced in Downtown Syracuse at Washington Street and terminated at Oakwood Cemetery at Brighton Avenue where it connected with the Onondaga Valley Railroad.[3] By 1890, the total length of the road was 2 miles (3.2 km).[4]

In late 1890, the company merged with People's Railroad and ceased to exist.[5]

History

The Syracuse and Onondaga Railway had a franchise to run a trolley line from Washington Street to Kennedy Street. This line ended at Washington Street on the north because the New York Central Railroad would not give permission for operation of the cars across its tracks.[6]

At the south end of Kennedy Street, passengers were required to change to a steam railroad which ran out South Salina Street to Seneca Turnpike and then west to Candee Corners and Hopper Glen.[6] In 1890, the company finally received permission to cross the New York Central Railroad tracks in Washington Street and also across the old swing bridge over the Erie Canal. The line was next extended to Willow Street, then to North State Street and finally to Wolf Street, but the latter franchises were secured under the name of the Central City Railway Company.[6]

Danforth

In 1874, when Danforth was incorporated as a village, the railroad ran along South Salina Street and connected Danforth with Syracuse to the north and Onondaga Hollow to the south. Danforth incorporated with Syracuse in 1887.[7]

Company management

The company was first formed in 1863 under the direction of A. S. Newell, Lyman C. Smith, Anson N. Palmer, H. L. Duguld, Charles P. Clark, Wilbur M. Brown, I. E. Britton, M. W. Hanchett, J. C. Chase, T. W. Meachem, D. Pratt and George W. Garrett, all of Syracuse. Peter Burns was president and Lyman C. Smith was secretary and treasurer. Henry Thompson was named as superintendent.[2]

Officers of the company in 1875 included; Charles Tallman, president, Charles P. Clark, vice-president; Anson N. Palmer, secretary and treasurer and Henry Thompson, superintendent.[3]

During 1890, Anson N. Palmer was president, Charles P. Clark was vice-president, George W. Garrett was secretary and treasurer and Henry Thompson was superintendent.[4]

Operations

By 1890, the road employed both 28 and 47 pound rail and had 18 cars and 38 horses.[4]

People's railroad

On November 1, 1890, People's Railroad, founded in 1860, took a perpetual lease of the Central City Railway and the Syracuse and Onondaga Railway and those lines then merged into the company.[5]

In 1896, People's Railroad merged into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Beauchamp, Rev. William Martin. "Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga county, New York (Volume 1)". New York: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908, pg. 489. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Poor, Henry Varnum. Manual of the railroads of the United States, Volume 22. Poors, 1889 p. 85; 317. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Boyd's Syracuse Boyd's City Directory 1875. Andrew Boyd, 1875.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Whipple, Fred H. Whipple's Electric, Gas and Street Railway Financial Reference Directory. Electronic Library, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Poor, Henry Varnum. Manual of the railroads of the United States, Volume 27. Poors, 1894 p. 262. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Study for Bus Franchise Recalls Early Trolley Lines". Syracuse Herald-Journal (Syracuse, New York). May 23, 1940.
  7. ↑ Hardin, Evamaria. Syracuse landmarks: an AIA guide to downtown and historic neighborhoods. Onondaga Historical Society, 1993 p. 263. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ American street railway investments. The Street Railway Publishing Company, 1899 p. 262. Retrieved February 18, 2011.