A Century of Sail and Steam on the Niagara River Part 13

Gradually the scope of our courses of traffic leading to the Niagara River were thus widened but not with ease; what in these present days can be done in a single joint meeting, or by the issue of a single joint rate sheet, required in those days, years of work, visiting the distant parts, and much personal address. It was in these last that Mr. John Foy particularly shone. He had a happy way of gaining and keeping new friends and allies.

In our own local and home city sphere we began working for new business.

"Book Tickets" for families, with coupons for the trips, were introduced, an entirely new development, enabling citizens of Toronto to live at home during the summer and yet give their families lake travel and fresh air at remarkably cheap rates.

In this we received the aid of the medical profession. One doctor is remembered as putting it this way: "I tell my people," said he, "that when they want to wash their hands clean they must use clean water, and similarly if they require, as I wish them, to clear out their lungs, they must get fresh air where the clearest and freshest air is to be got, by crossing the lake on your steamers to Niagara."

Another doctor with a large family practice said: "When I find the digestion of the children of any of my families getting out of order I prescribe a 'book ticket on the Niagara route.' It provides in such cases a splendid natural emetic." There is many a well grown citizen in Toronto whose vigor has been promoted or life saved in infant days by the pure air gained by these trips across the lake. Excursions by societies, Sunday schools, national and benevolent bodies were sought out and encouraged to devote their energies to providing outings for their a.s.sociations and friends. Every possible method was employed to get new business. We certainly needed it, as we certainly had not, so far, a very profitable time.

Gradually the business on the route showed signs of growth until we saw that if we were to deserve our position with the railway companies and meet the increasing traffic we must add to our equipment. The railway officials had also expressed their opinion that another steamer would soon be needed and stated that in adding it the Navigation Company would receive the continued support of their companies. The first year of peace closed satisfactorily, and 1885 was marked in white upon the milestones of our progress.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Which in itself is a monument to the energy and years of faithful service of Miss Janet Carnochan, the valued Historian of the District.

[3] Pa.s.senger Train Schedules--

_Local Railways, 1843._ Albany. Syracuse. Buffalo.

Lv. 6.00 a.m. Arr. 5.15 p.m. Arr. 7.00 a.m.

1.30 p.m. 2.00 a.m. 3.00 p.m.

7.30 p.m. 8.00 a.m. 9.00 p.m.

_New York Central, 1855._ Albany. Syracuse. Buffalo.

Lv. 6.30 a.m. Arr. 12.00 noon. Arr. 7.00 p.m.

7.30 a.m. 1.25 p.m. 7.00 p.m.

9.00 a.m. 3.50 p.m. 1.00 a.m.

6.00 p.m. 12.30 a.m. 6.30 a.m.

CHAPTER XII.

FIRST RAILWAYS AT LEWISTON--EXPANSION REQUIRED--THE RENOWN OF THE "LET HER B"--A CRITIC OF PLIMSOLL.

The original terminus of the Lewiston branch, after it had emerged from the cuttings in the Gorge, was at the upper end of the town, about a mile and a half from the steamboat dock at the sh.o.r.e of the river. During the season of 1886 the New York Central began again to consider the advisability of extending their rails so that the trains might be brought to the steamer's side.

This location had been a relic from the earliest travelling days. The rills of travel from all parts of the West converged at Niagara Falls and then pa.s.sed on to join the steamboats for Lake Ontario.

Davison's "Travellers' Guide," published at Saratoga Springs in 1834, says:--"A stage leaves Buffalo every morning at 6 o'clock, pa.s.sing through the village of Black Rock, 3 miles; Tonawanda, 9 miles; Niagara Falls, 11 miles. Fare $1.60. This line, after giving pa.s.sengers an opportunity of witnessing the Falls for two or three hours, proceeds to Youngstown, or Fort Niagara, pa.s.sing through Lewiston."

The _Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad_ had been organized and surveyed, and the first steam trains commenced running in 1836 with a speed of 15 miles per hour, a rate which was considered notable. The track was laid on wooden sills faced with sc.r.a.p iron, and during the first winter was so heaved by the frost, that the steam engines had to be taken off, and horses used to haul the cars, these being only little ones with four wheels each, modeled largely after the stage coaches of the period. In 1839, this railway having been equipped with all-iron rails, had grown to two steam trains per day each way, between Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

A further extension followed when another small railway company, the _Niagara Falls and Ontario R.R._ was organized in 1852 to build a railway of 14 miles from the Falls to the sh.o.r.es of the Lake at _Youngstown_, where the steamers would be joined. Benj. Pringle, president; John Porter, vice president; Bradley B. Davis, secretary. The company, at an expense relatively much greater in those days than at the present, excavated the rock cuttings and cut the shelf in the side of the cliff upon which the New York Central Railway now runs through the Gorge, alongside the courses of the Niagara River, and the railway was graded and opened to Lewiston in 1854. Construction was continued further to Youngstown and the track laid in 1855, but only one train was run down to the lower port. It has been said that this was necessary in order to complete the terms of the charter, and appears to have been a final effort. The means of the company were no doubt impaired, so that shortly afterward all further work on this extension was suspended, the track taken up, and thus in 1855 the balance of the line being leased to the New York Central, the Lewiston station had become the terminus of the railroad, where it had ever since remained. As the transfer to the steamers was originally intended to be made at Youngstown, there had been no need, at that time, for the station at Lewiston being constructed any nearer to the River bank.

From the very first the break in connection between train and boat had been found inconvenient, and in the fall of 1855, Mr. Gordon, of the steamer _Peerless_ wrote to the superintendent of the New York Central Railway, saying:--"You must get the road down alongside the water at once."

This unpleasant transfer of pa.s.sengers and their baggage in both directions by road and bus had existed all these years. The extension now proposed, would, it was expected, certainly be of advantage both to railway and to steamboat, as facilitating travel. It would mean a considerable expenditure to the New York Central Railway, yet they stated that if we would undertake to put on another boat, they would build the extension. The Michigan Central at Niagara-on-the-Lake, which had now become one of the New York Central lines, had had quite enough trial of their "any boat" arrangement and now desired a permanent service, which the putting on of another boat would supply.

Decisions had, therefore, to be come to by both parties. "The first thing for us to decide," said the Hon. Frank, "is whether _Chicora_ is good enough to build a partner for her. This settled, we will then do our share on the water, for advancing the traffic of the route while the railways do theirs on the land."

[Ill.u.s.tration: The CORONA leaving N. N. Co. Dock at Toronto. page 178]

Immediately on the season closing in October, 1886 the steamer was put into Muir's dry dock at Port Dalhousie and every atom of lining in her hull removed so that the plates could be seen from the inside as well as from the outside. The Government hull inspector, and W. White of Montreal, shipbuilder, were brought over to make the inspection. From the beginning and throughout as well as a.s.sisting in traffic matters the charge of the hulls and engines had been my particular care. Led by Webster, the chief engineer of _Chicora_, we entered the hull. Webster was a quiet sort of fellow, sometimes nervous and at times excitable, perhaps a bit over-intense in his work. He was lean and with a loose waistcoat. It has been said by some that a steamboat engineer, to be successful, should have a decent sized stomach to help steady him through the changing conditions in his running days. The suggestion is well founded.

We went under deck. Webster was striking somewhat lightly on a plate which showed some signs of inner scale when White broke out at him. "Mon ar' ye feart o' goin' through? Gie ma t-hammer." Whereupon he rained his forceful blows upon the plate with such vigor as to make the din ring. "Hoot," said he as he stopped, "I'd 'a got through gin 'a could, but 'a couldn't."

At the end of the afternoon the inspecting party came out. "Well, White,"

was asked, "what's the verdict?"

Wiping the sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt he answered: "Wull, ye may tell Mr. Smith that when he, and I, and you are 'a in our graves _Chicora_ will still be runnin' gin ye keep her off the rocks."

We therefore accepted the position set out by the railway companies and undertook to build a new steamer to be ready for the season of '88, and run the risk of profit on the investment while waiting for more traffic to grow up. We determined that speed was the essential requisite. First to perform the service with ease and regularity. Second to meet any compet.i.tion which might afterwards arise.

There were then in Canada no builders of fast marine engines of the size we required. These were only to be found on the Clyde, so Mr. John Foy and I sailed the next week on the _Lahn_ of the North German Lloyd for Southampton.

We inspected the princ.i.p.al day boats on the lower Thames, and English Channel, making notes and enquiries. Thence to Liverpool for Isle of Man steamers. Here we called on the head office of "Lairds," the builders of the _Chicora_, and made enquiries of her from the manager. "Chicora: Chicora, I don't remember any steamer of that name--Ah: did you say the _Let Her B_? Yes, she was the best ship of her cla.s.s we ever built. There she is," and raising his hand he pointed to the model of the _Let Her B_, still hanging on the wall. He said they had built several steamers for service in blockade running into the ports of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. Three of these were named _Let Her Go_, _Let Her Rip_, _Let Her B_. Of all the steamers which they had built the last named and the last turned out was the most successful. Fast, seaworthy, of a model which was a thing of beauty, she had not been surpa.s.sed. He was quite enthusiastic about her and added "She had a stronger frame than usual, so that she would be worth replating should it ever be desirable.[4]" He gave us every attention and much information and for the requirements which we detailed to him, advised us to go to the Clyde, giving us letters to some of the best yards there.

In travelling one makes strange acquaintances. On the day express between Liverpool and Glasgow when we were running at high speed down the grades into Carlisle and the carriage was banging from side to side a gentleman, the only other occupant with us, who had never said a word since we started suddenly broke into speech, at the same time throwing his feet up on the seat opposite to him. "Pit yer legs up! Quick!" The necessity for doing this he explained by adding "Gin we leave the line yer legs might be cut off by the seats comin' tegither." A good laugh at his fears and earnestness dispelled the silence which had previously reigned. He was a Scotch shipowner, and finding we were in the same line became communicative.

How earnestly he blamed Plimsoll for his legislation in putting his "mark"

for load line on British ships but leaving the foreigner free, with all the privileges of trading between British ports, and of loading as deeply as he pleased. The effect, he said, on the British coasting trade was, that as the foreigner could load as far as he liked, and therefore carry larger cargoes, he could accept lower rates. Many British vessels were in consequence of this compet.i.tion sold out, and transferred to foreign ownership.

"I suppose he thinks it's not his business to keep the furriner from bein'

drooned, yet he ties our hands and helps him take our trade, and noo he's at it agin."

Mr. Plimsoll was just then introducing a new Bill into the House of Commons at Westminster, proposing to make it illegal for Marine insurance companies to insure the hulls of vessels for more than two-thirds of their value.

With this legislation our Scotch friend was very irate.

"Does the man think I want to lose my vessels. I'm in the business as my fayther was, and I want to stay in the business. As things are I can insure for full value. If I meet an accident either I get my vessel back again, fit for her service, or I get the money and build a new and larger one. If every time I have a total loss I am to be docked of one-third of my capital, then it wouldn't be long before I'd be out of business. Ye never can keep up the British merchant marine that way."

But wouldn't it be better for the insurance companies?

"No, not at all. The insurance companies make their money, not on the ships' hulls, but on the cargoes which the ships carry. A single ship in one season will carry dozens of cargoes. We are the shuttles which carry backwards and forwards the cargo values on which the companies earn their rates. In fact, we help to earn their money for them. Where would be the cargoes without the ships? 'Gin Plimsoll had his way he'd wipe all the British ships off the seas, but we're no so bad as he wad paint us."

There was a good deal of truth in what he said, for given that the repute and moral hazard is good, it matters little so far as the owners exercise of care for the avoiding of loss is concerned, whether the insurance carried is for total value or only partial.

Needless to say the Plimsoll Bill did not carry. As evidence of our faith I may mention that in the early days, when the Niagara company was simply a family ownership, we insured only against fire and collision, carrying the whole of the marine risk ourselves. But we watched with infinite closeness the ships and our men, as is equally done now when the company insures for a portion of the value.

November in Glasgow! A mixture of smoke, fogs and grime. Never was such gloomy weather experienced. A soot of blue murkiness seemed to pervade the atmosphere. We visited and consulted with the builders of the fast steamers particularly the Fairfield Co. at Govan and the Denny's of Dunbarton.

Nothing could exceed the freedom with which the fullest information was laid before us.

We also inspected the fast day steamers of the David Mactryne and the Caledonian S.S. companies among them the _Columba_ and _Lord of the Isles_, whose repute as day steamers for speed and equipment stood on the highest scale and are still (1912) performing their regular service.

While there was much to admire in them, yet we found they were lacking in many things in both exterior and interior fittings which our summer lake pa.s.sengers would consider important.

For instance--in making a trip one day on one of these steamers there was a nasty drizzling rain. It dribbled down the main stairway which was open to the sky, and there were no awnings or coverings over the upper deck. As a result the pa.s.sengers, who wished to have fresh air, sat along the deck seats, either huddled together under umbrellas, or wrapped up in the Scotch plaids with which almost everybody seemed to be supplied.