By RICHARD F. PALMER
All segments of what is now the Penn-Central Railroad in Oswego County originally were a part of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburgh Railroad. In each chapter, each segment is treated individually. Earliest predecessor of the R.W. & O. was the Watertown & Rome Railroad, incorporated April 17, 1832 to build a rail line from Rome, to a point "where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River." Nothing was done at this early date.
Although financially unable to do any construction, the founders managed to keep the charter alive, and it was renewed in 1837,1845 and 1847. The latter year the company was organized and construction began. By autumn, 1850, some 24 miles of track had been laid. Passenger service commenced between Rome and Camden on September 10, 1850. On September 5,1851, the rails reached Watertown and on May 1, 1852, the line was opened to Cape Vincent. On July 4, 1861 the Watertown & Rome and the Potsdam & Watertown Railroads were merged to form the R.W. & 0., so you can see, railroad mergers are nothing new. The line was a money-maker from the start. Finally, as will be seen, the R.W. & 0. became a part of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad on March 14,1891. For many years, the Central's "Ontario Division" shops were located in Oswego, on the west side. Due to labor problems arising over modes of paying employees, these shops were later abandoned. Before the coming of the automobile and improved roads, the line continued to prosper. In the past decade, however, the old "Hojack," as it is called by railroaders, has been stripped of its former glory and is a bedraggled, sliced-up series of branchlines. The old mainline between Camden and Richland was abandoned on November 19, 1957.
One by one, passenger trains were lopped off as passenger traffic dwindled. It is said, however, that the Central didn't go out of their way to encourage such business. Last service between Utica and the north via Richland ceased to exist in October, 1956. On Feb. 14-15,1964, the last remaining passenger service on the "Hojack," a single "Beeliner," rail diesel car, made its final run between Syracuse and Massena and return. Your author was among the last riders.
This railroad today is merely a trunkline between the mainline at Syracuse, and Canada. One of the major shippers is the Jones- Laughlin Steel Corp. of Benson Mines.
No more do passenger trains pulled by Pacifies stop at the famous restaurant in the Richland station. The old "Hojack" is only a shadow of its former self. But it isn't hard to visualize the "varnish" rushing across the shining rails on its way to the White Mountains. And if you listen hard enough, maybe you can hear the click of the telegrapher's sounder even though the wires have long-since been stripped from the poles.
"The Lake Ontario Shore Railroad"It took more than talk to build a railroad in the old days. It took money. And money isn't what the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad had at its disposal.
The company had been incorporated on March 17, 1868, with a goal of connecting Oswego with Suspension Bridge and the "Great West." Capital of the company was to be $4 million.
Its construction was slow, and for a few years, the "railhead" was just 18 miles west of Oswego. The city of Oswego and a number of towns along the proposed route had invested in bonds to aid in construction, but somehow this wasn't enough.
However insolvent, the "Shore Road" or "West Hojack" managed to carry a distinguished roster of directors, including such prominent Oswegonians as Gerrit Smith, Luther Wright, Alanson S. Page, Frederick T. Remington, and Theodore Irwin.
The promoters were persistent but they chose to overlook the fact that the territory they sought to thread promosed but little local traffic returns for many years to come. Some saw the prospect of making a profit in the near future a small one indeed. The nearby Midland Railroad had something the "Shore" boys didn't - a D.C. Littlejohn.
In their somewhat weak sales pitch, Lake Ontario Shore promoters stressed that valuable connections would be made at Sterling with the coal-hauling Southern Central; at Sodus with the Sodus Point & Southern, and at Rochester with the Rochester & State Line. Not to mention the future prospects of pushing through to Suspension Bridge.
The railroad attempted to revive itself when, on Sept. 29,1874, it was RW&O's decision was on this "consideration" is not known, but it can be safely assumed it was negative.
Dissatisfied with the RW&O hierarchy, the committee appealed to the State Board of Railroad Commissioners for assistance. On April 21,1884, the board ordered the RW&O to restore the line. The RW&O did not comply, and on Nov. 15th, the matter was turned over to the State Attorney General for action. The case wsas appealed to the Supreme Court on Nov. 20,1885, but did not come to trail until June 3, 1886. On October 5th, the court rendered a verdict in favor of the railroad. In their case, the RW&O maintained it would cost $70,000 to restore the line, with an annual operating expense of about $15,000. Thus died Sandy Creek's efforts to have the railroad restored. Forever after, trains from the south came to Lacona via Richland.
The old roadbed is still very evident as it follows Rt. 11 for several miles.
"The Phoenix Branch"Although the village of Phoenix agitated for a railroad many years, it was the last Oswego County community to get one.
For many years, its only rail connection was the DL&W at Lamson's, some four miles to the west. One of the first attempts at railroad building came in 1869, with the organization of a "Syracuse & Northwestern Railroad Co." which was to build a line from Syracuse to Mexico, via the village of Phoenix. Needless to say, nothing ever came of this.
An attempt to revive this idea was made on October 18, 1871 at a meeting in Phoenix. Representatives from Mexico, Palermo, Phoenix and Baldwinsville pledged "the united efforts of the people they represented to make the proposition a success." Accordingly, the Baldwinsville, Phoenix & Mexico Railroad Company was formed to have a capital of $400,000. Thirteen directors were elected; two from Mexico, two from Palermo, three from Baldwinsville and six from the town of Schroeppel. Governeur M. Sweet, a Phoenix merchant, was elected president. Edmund Merry and Edmund G. Hutchinson of the Phoenix Bank were named secretary and treasurer, respectively. D.W.G. Peck of Mexico was named vice president.
Directors included Samuel Avery, President of the Phoenix Bank; Amasa P. Hart, a land speculator, and Reuben Sutton, owner of a large and prosperous farm in Pennellville, through which the proposed railroad was to pass. Crossing the New York & Oswego Midland at that point, Pennellville envisioned itself as a future railroad junction town.
While all of this was going on, a railroad from Syracuse to Oswego, via Phoenix and Fulton, also was being promoted. The 38 miles could be accomplished by constructing only 17 miles of new track, it was emphasized.
This would be accomplished by trackage rights over the Syracuse Northern from Syracuse to Woodward Station, from there to Fulton over new track; and the remainder with trackage rights over the Midland. It was estimated that the total venture would cost about $320,000. Primarily interested in the project were the four mill interests in Phoenix. Its board of directors included seven from Syracuse, three from Phoenix and one each from Liverpool, Fulton and Oswego. Oliver Breed and JBsph J . Glass of Syracuse, partners in the Glass, Breed & Co., flour mill, and Stephen O. Howard were the Phoenix directors. Howard was a one-third owner in H. Wetherby & Co.'s flour mill.
George G. Breed of Phoenix was elected president, with Allen Munroe and Patrick Agan, the eternal pair of Syracuse railroad operators, acting as treasurer and secretary, respectively. These two played an important role in the development of the Syracuse Northern.
Since financial support in the form of public bonds from the town of Schroeppel was critical to the construction of either railroad project, public opinion in the town was of upmost importance. After a period of agitation, the Baldwinsville, Phoenix & Mexico railroad project was "pigeonholed" indefinitely and plans for the Syracuse, Phoenix & Oswego went ahead.
The town of Schroeppel was asked to bond itself for $50,000 to support the railroad, while $20,000 was asked from the village. A controversy ensued as citizens in the eastern part of the town tried to block approval of the bonding. In order to win support of this area, the Syracuse, Phoenix & Oswego directors announced plans to make a junction with the Mildland "at or near Pennellville." Finally with a majority of 388 landowners (out of a 755 total) signed their approval and the bonds were issued.
By the end of 1873 some $90,000 had been paid in on stock subscriptions. Of this, about half was spent for Tand, fences, grading and engineering. On July 29th that year ground was broken "on the farm of Peter I. Quackenbush, located between Euclid and Belgium, and just east of Teal's corners." Sealed proposals for construction were advertised and the contract was subsequently award to S.D. Keller A.J. Brown of Syracuse was low bidder for the construction of bridge at Three Rivers
On July 30, 1873, the Syracuse Journal reported:
"Today a large force of men and teams are at work between Woodward Station on the Northern Railroad and the Morgan meeting house; also near the road leading from Three River Point to Brewerton, on the south side of the river."
Work progressed rapidly through the succeeding spring and summer In the fall of 1874 the grading wa: completed, "ready for the super structure, at an expense of less than $116,000 and all paid for except a floating debt of $10,000," reported James Barnes of Phoenix, the civil engineer on the project. Bridging of the Oneida River was accomplished with the construction of a two-span structure 200 feet long, of the Howe's truss design.
Meanwhile, arrangements were being worked out for trackage rights from Woodward to Syracuse over the Syracuse Northern.. But soon, the Northern fell into the hands of the RW&O. Patrick Agan wrote "it was found to be impossible to make a satisfactory connection of the two lines at Woodward Station, and a independent line from that point became necessary. To effect this object in the best way the 'Syracuse Northerwestern Railroad Company' was organized and consolidated with the Phoenix road through an amendment of the general railroad law . . ." If built, this road would be built along the Oswego Canal to "Haymarket Square" in Syracuse.
But the country, in general, soon found itself reeling under the shock of a financial depression and no more funds from railroad stock were forthcoming. Company resources were soon exhausted and the project, on which about $100,000 had been expended, went into a dormant state.
In the late '70's, rumors, at times, were circulated as to the fate of the abandoned railroad project. Once it was said the New York Central was interested in acquiring the "assets." Some thought the Midland might see the opportunity of using the line to gain access to Syracuse.
All speculation, including making it a link in a through route from Boston to Lake Ontario, proved false, and it was not until the railroad was acquired by receivership that outside capita" finally completed the task of making Phoenix a railroad town.
Early in 1885, George Potts of Ocean Grove, N.J. purchased the property with the idea of completing the long talked-of railroad Again, James Barnes was appointed resident engineer to supervise the work. Potts was confident he'd have trains running July 4. He was only a few days off, Except for some unexpected delays in shipments of rail and suppilies work was pushed as fast as possible. On June 7, the Syracuse Standard's Fulton corresponded reported "Satisfactory progress has been made during the pasi week on the Phoenix railroad, the track having reached to within a short distance of the village of Tioenix. From Fulton the road is ballasted for some miles south. Work has also commenced at Woodward's Station and will be continued without interruption to Three River Point."
From such accounts, it was learned that this later construction of the railroad commenced at the junction with the now New York, Ontario & Western R.R. and proceeded southward.
Finally, the road was officially opened as far as Phoenix on July 8, 1885; the line being operated by the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburgh. The bridge that had been built several years before at Three Rivers was replaced with a new one. On September 7, 1885, the moment so many local people had been long awaiting came. The Syracuse Standard of a day later said:
"Just one minute after 8 o'clock yesterday morning the first regular train over the Phoenix road moved away from the Northern station. Twelve minutes later Liverpool was reached, and Woodward, where the new road begins, was arrived at in five minutes more. The road to Three River Point is as straight as a line. The new bridge, which seems a most firm structure, was crossed at 8:30. In six minutes more Phoenix was reached, where the uptrain from Oswego was waiting. At this point all trains will meet until further notice. Fulton was made a little ahead of time and Oswego at 9:28. The road-bed is as smooth as that of the Central or Erie, and there will be no trouble in materially shortening the time between Syracuse and Oswego in the forthcoming timetable. The train from Oswego brought a number of passengers. At Phoenix where the greatest interest in the new road has centered nearly half of the population was at the station. Some fifty persons, including many leading citizens, came on board."
Apparently, the railroad ran into some trouble over trackage rights on the Midland from Fulton & Oswego and accordingly, the Fulton & Oswego Railroad Company was formed that December in anticipation of building a parallel line. This company extended the Phoenix line from the NYO & W junction to Broadway, Fulton, and there erected a depot. Nothing further was done, as satisfactory arrangements were worked out with the NYO&W.