| Date |
Event |
| 1823 |
Maurice Wurts makes a rough survey of
the valleys to satisfy both himself and his brothers that the route was
feasible and called Benjamin Wright to make a detailed appraisal of the
route. Same person that was named Principal Engineer of the Eric
Canal. |
| March 13, 1823 |
Pennsylvania Legislature passes an act
authorizing the Wurts brothers to canalize the Lackawaxen River. |
| April 23, 1893 |
New York lawmakers passed an act to
incorporate an organization with the unusual name of "The President,
Managers and Company of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Co." |
| January 1824 |
Wright and his associates complete
their surveys and evaluations.
Proposal is for a 4' Deep and 32' Wide canal. |
| 1824 |
A load of coal is rafted down to
Philadelphia where it is transported to New York aboard the sloop "Tripler". |
| January 7, 1825 |
The coal burns brightly in the Tontine
Coffee House while names of investors are recorded into the company's
stock books. |
| March 8, 1825 |
A meeting at the Tontine Coffee House
at make Philip Hone the first president of the D&H serving from
1825-1826 after taking the office of Mayor of New York while remaining on
the Board of Managers until 1851. |
| July 13, 1825 |
Plans are completed to a level that
work can begin. |
| 1825 |
First Section (Summit Level) is
completed as a 17-mile lock-free stretch. |
| October 25, 1825 |
The Eric Canal officially opens. |
| December 6, 1825 |
The stretch from Eddy's Factory (later
called Eddyville) on the Rondout at tidewater to Mongaup on the Delaware
River was under construction; 60-miles. |
| January 21, 1826 |
John Bolton (Treasurer) is named
second president of the D&H |
| April 5, 1826 |
Pennsylvania Legislature authorized
the building of a railroad from the coal beds at Carbondale over the
Moosic Mountains to Honesdale. |
| November 1826 |
Last stone is placed at the tidewater
lock at Eddyville with a colorful Masonic rites. |
| April 1827 |
John B. Jervis begins his survey for a
Gravity Railroad which he presents his report on October 24, 1827.
By Fall of 1827, the order to begin construction is authorized |
| Mid-Summer 1827 |
The canal was navigable from the
Hudson to the Delaware and work on the remaining sections was
progressing. |
| February 15, 1828 |
Horatio Allen goes to England to
obtain a Steam Engine and rails. Builder of the first Steam
Locomotive "Rocket" George Stephenson is contacted. |
| April 22, 1828 |
Canal becomes a revenue operational
company. |
| July 1828 |
Horatio Allen reports that he has
contracted one Rocket style Engine from Robert Stephenson & Co. of
Newcastle and three from Foster, Rastrick & Co. of Stourbridge.
He also has obtained a large quantity of strap rail by Messrs. W.
& I. Sparrow of Wolverhampton. Engines obtained are the "America",
"Delaware", "Hudson", and the "Stourbridge
Lion" |
| October 16, 1828 |
First historic trip via the "Orange
Packet" from Rondout bound for Honesdale over the complete
begins. |
| December 5, 1828 |
Trip completed over the 108-Mile /
109-Lock canal that was 4' Deep, 36' Wide at the surface and 20' Wide at
the clay bottom that could accommodate a boat with up to 30 Tons of
cargo. The Kingston Band boarded the "Superior" at
Eddyville and rode down to Rondout Creek with the fleet amid great
celebration and musket fire. 10 Tons of coal is transferred to the
sloop "Toleration" for transport to New York. |
| January 15, 1829 |
The Engine "America"
arrives in New York aboard the clipper ship "Columbia"
and was later set up on blocks and turned under steam on May 27, 1829 |
| May 13, 1829 |
The Engine "Stourbridge Lion"
arrives in Gotham and is also setup on blocks and turned under steam on
May 28, 1829 |
| July 3, 1829 |
Both the "America"
& "Stourbridge Lion" are both loaded on the steamer
"Congress" and shipped up the Hudson to Rondout.
There they are transferred to canal boats to the Gravity Line at
Honesdale; but, no record of the "America" arriving when
the boats reached Honesdale on July 24, 1829. |
| Summer 1829 |
Engines "Delaware"
& "Hudson" arrive in New York and also shipped up to
Rondout where all traces of them are lost. |
| August 8, 1829 |
The Engine "Stourbridge Lion"
is officially tested with Horatio Allen at the controls. This marks
the first operation of a steam locomotive in North America. |
| September 9, 1829 |
The "Stourbridge Lion"
makes a second test run and its determined that the weight of the engine
was to excessive for the road. The engine is rolled of the tracks
and moved into a makeshift shelter to rot for 20 years. It won't be
until 1860 that a steam locomotive will operated on the D&H again. |
| October 9, 1829 |
First load of coal over the Gravity
Railroad arrives in Honesdale. |
| April 13, 1831 |
John Wurts is named the third
president of the D&H. Brother of founders Maurice and William
Wurts who founded the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. |
| April 17, 1832 |
Gideon M. Davison petitions
legislation and gains charter for the Saratoga & Fort Edward Rail Road
and engages John B. Jervis but project does not move forward |
| 1834 |
Full capacity of the Gravity Railroad
and Canal system reached. 100,000 Tons annually. |
| 1834 |
Gideon M. Davison tries again and
gains charter for the Saratoga & Whitewall. The plans again
failed and all worked stopped by 1837 and nothing happens until Feb.
1847 |
| 1837 |
More improvements made to the Gravity
Railroad. |
| 1841 |
Gravity Railroad and Canal system
moving 200,000 tons annually stressing the system. James Archbald
engineer of the Railroad and Mines begin improvements. |
| September 1842 |
Word goes out from the Managers and
President Wurts to expand the canal. |
| 1844 Season |
The canal was altered to 5' Deep to
allow 40-ton boats and water raised in 1845. |
| Close 1845 Season |
Project to lower the canal to 5 1/2'
Deep to accommodate 50-ton boats. |
| January 6, 1847 |
Decision to accept Roebling's Aqueduct
proposal occurs. |
| End of 1848 |
Delaware and Lackawaxen Aqueducts are
completed and ready for the 1849 season. |
| 1840's |
Rutland & Washington and Troy
& Rutland railroads service Rutland County, Vermont marble quarries. |
| November 13, 1847 |
Rutland & Washington Rail-Road is
granted charter from the Vermont Legislature to build a line from Rutland
to the New York state line. The line is built southwest through
Poultney rather than directly west through Castleton and Fair Haven as
planned. This unsets interest in Saratoga & Washington and form
the Rutland & Washington to they in turn extend their line from New
York State line through Fair Haven to connect to Rutland & Washington
at Castleton. |
| April 1849 |
Neversink and High Falls Aqueducts
begin, completed in the Winter of 1850, and ready for the 1851 season. |
| July 2, 1849 |
Troy & Rutland is granted by New
York Legislature to build a line from Troy to Poultney and to connect to
the Rutland & Washington. |
| October 1849 |
Rutland & Washington open a 10
mile section from Rutland to Castleton with plans to go onto Poultney. |
| June 1850 |
Troy & Rutland transfer rights to
the Rutland & Washington from Eagle Bridge to the Vermont state
line. Rutland & Washington then extend a line from Salem, NY to
Poultney, VT and from Eagle Bridge to Salem. |
| February 20, 1851 |
Albany Northern Rail Road is chartered |
| April 11, 1853 |
Albany Northern opens from Albany to
Cohoes |
| October 16, 1856 |
Albany Northern is sold to Christopher
Binder at a public auction. |
| November 7, 1856 |
Albany Northern becomes Albany,
Vermont & Canada Rail Road. |
| March 15, 1858 |
George Talbot Olyphant becomes the
forth
president of the D&H. |
| 1859 |
Albany, Vermont & Canada Rail Road
files for |
| 1860 |
Gravity Railroad extended 4 miles to
mines at Providence (Near Scranton); but, this time this section is
powered by Engines which is the first time since the "Stourbridge
Lion" trials in 1829. So begins the early operations of
what would become the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. W. Cook &
Co. of Scranton build two engines which are the 0-4-0 "Major Sykes"
and the 4-4-0 "C. P. Wurts" and Passenger Service begins
that summer. |
| April 5, 1860 |
Albany & Vermont Rail Road fails, Rensselaer & Saratoga
and Troy & Boston take over. R&S lease the section from
Albany to Waterford Junction and the lines from there to Eagle Bridge are
removed. |
| 1862 |
Engine 0-6-0 "Lackawanna"
is built by Dickson Machine Co. |
| 1863 |
Troy & Rutland is sold in foreclosure
to Jay Gould |
| 1865 |
Rutland & Washington is sold to
William T. Hart that also has interests in the Rensselaer & Saratoga. |
| June 3, 1865 |
Jay Gould & William T. Hart
incorporate the Troy, Salem & Rutland Rail Road with rights to operate
in New York and lease the section within Vermont. |
| June 15, 1865 |
Troy, Salem & Rutland Rail Road is
consolidated into the Rensselaer & Saratoga. |
| 1866 |
The last changes to Gravity Railroad
are made between Farview and Waymart. |
| July 1866 |
Contract with Albany & Susquehanna
Railroad to move coal using A&S equipment. |
| May 1867 |
Petitioned and received the rights
from the State of New York for railroad rights. |
| September 2, 1868 |
Contract with Erie Railroad to build
line from Carbondale to Lanesboro Junction. |
| May 13, 1869 |
Thomas Dickson becomes the fifth president of the D&H. |
| September 7, 1869 |
Twin Girls "Dinah Delaware"
and "Catherine Hudson" Richards are born on the train. |
| August 10, 1869 |
"Erie War" occurs |
| 1870 |
The boiler from the "Stourbridge
Lion" that was used in the company shops in Carbondale is
replaced. |
| February 24, 1870 |
Lease of Albany & Susquehanna
Railroad |
| October 28, 1870 |
First load of coal is moved North out
of Carbondale on the Jefferson Railroad. |
| May 1871 |
Lease of Rensselaer & Saratoga
Railroad who also have interests in the Steamboat lines of Lake George and
Champlain. |
| October 1871 |
D&H obtains interest into the
United States Hotel. |
| 1877 |
Passenger Service on the Gravity
Railroad begins with speeds up to 35 MPH. |
| September 1898 |
Record Passenger Service on the
Gravity Railroad occurs with nearly 15,000 passengers. |
| 1899 |
The Gravity Railroad and Canal are
abandoned. |
| 1923 |
Engine Cylinder of "America" found
in the Smithsonian Institution |
