Chenango Canal Opens



       Notice to meet and Plan Canal Celebration 
                [Broome County Courier, April 5, 1837]
     The Chenango Canal is now completed and expected to go into operation on the 20th inst. Our village will then be thrown open to the world and become connected by a permanent water navigation with other places of business and importance. In view of this event and the stirring home business of Binghamton which has made it in years past one of the most active villages in the state, during the last season endue anxiety was exhibited by gentlemen from abroad to secure a foothold among us.     
    Consequently investments were made, and generally for real use by purchasers. The state of affairs this spring, tightness of money markets and  general pressure and disarrangement among business men...it has been feared would retard very considerably the onward march of the whole country. So far as this village is concerned, however, the spring is opening cheerily upon us.
    Last season a large number of new stores and tenements were erected which remained through the winter without occupants, but are now full,  and we hear there is still quite a call both for dwellings
and stores. There have already been some handsome operations in real estate and they are increasing. There are large preparations also for building. Most imposing is the plan of Dr. Ely, one of our most wealthy and energetic citizens, for erection of a Hotel (the Ely House) with heavy block of stores on the most desirable portion of Mr.Ely's village property, extending from the corner of Court and Washington Street up the north side of Court street to the Canal. Valuable buildings are to be removed to make room for the improvement.
    McKinney's valuable block an Court Street east of the Canal was commenced last season and is new near completion. 



     Broome Republican
Thursday, April 13, 1837

                          Chenango Canal
    On Thursday of next week, the Chenango Canal is to be in navigable order, and as soon as practicable, a boat from Utica is expected, with the Canal Commissioners, and delegations of citizens from the different villages on the line. This will be a proud day for Binghamton. The citizens of the village are respectfully requested to attend a publican meeting at Orcutt’s THIS EVENING, at 7 o’clock, to make arrangements for the observance of this event in a becoming manner. 
T. Robinson
John A. Collier
Myron Merrill
L.M. Rexford
George Park
Jesse Hinds, Jun.
J.K. Rugg
Vincent Whitney
Loey Halstead

Chenango Telegraph
Wednesday, April 26, 1837

    The Canal. - Owing to some damage to the embankments on the canal, above and below, it is not yet in navigable order. A bad break of the river into the canal, in Sherburne, is, we understand, about repaired. Unless other breaks occur, boats from Albany may soon be expected to reach this village, freighted with goods for our merchants.
   P.S. The water was let into the canal in this neighborhood yesterday.

Chenango Telegraph
Wednesday, May 3, 1837

    A Caution. - A boy, not of the smallest size, fell into the race which runs around the lock in the canal in this village, on Sunday last, and was instantly forced by the water down into the canal below. He was sudsed about, to and fro, for a minute or two - his hat and both shoes were washed off - but he was taken out by one of our villages, two of whom plunged in after him. With help, he would have been drowned. Let this be a caution to the boys of the village, how they venture to approach the race or the lock.

Chenango Telegraph
Wednesday, May 3, 1837

    The Canal. - There is water in abundance in the canal in this vicinity, for all the purposes of navigation. No boats have arrive yet. (Tuesday morning;) but we hear that several boats have cleared from Utica, which may be looked for soon. Some repairing of breaks has been necessary at the north, which has delayed the arrival of the first boat.
    A Caution. - A boy, not of the smallest size, fell into the race which runs around the lock in the canal in this village, on Sunday last, and was instantly forced by the water down into the canal below. He was sudsed about, to and fro, for a minute or two - his hat and both shoes were washed off - but he was taken out by one of our villages, two of whom plunged in after him. With help, he would have been drowned. Let this be a caution to the boys of the village, how they venture to approach the race or the lock.


                            Canal bridge at Bouckville, N.Y.
                                             _______
Chenango Telegraph
Wednesday, May 10, 1837

    The Canal. - Boats have arrived with freight for this village, and adjacent country. They have also passed on south, for Oxford, Greene and Binghamton.   

Broome Republican
Thursday,  May 11, 1837

     A Canal Boat, from Crooked Lake, via Utica and the Chenango Canal reached this village on Thursday last, on which occasion there was considerable rejoicing, and some powder burnt.
    The first boat cleared from this place was fitted up by Deacon Wattles (for nearly thirty years past a highly respectable citizen of this town,) for the removal of his family to the west. The boat came down the Chenango on Monday last, entered the canal by the out-let lock, and proceeded on her voyage. The passengers carry with them the best wishes of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. 

Broome Republican, Binghamton
June 15, 1837

                  From the Troy Whig. 
    ARRIVAL EXTRAORDINARY. -  Troy, June 2, 1837, arrived Canal boat Rocky Mountains, Capt. Justus Went, with a valuable cargo of 35,000 feet wide pine lumber. to Silliman, Grant & Coffin. Said boat is the first loaded boat that ever arrived from the Susquehanna River, by the Chenango Canal.
   This lumber was from the mills of Gen. T.G. Waterman, of this village. Gen. W. now has on hand a large quantity of first quality lumber - about ten thousand feet - of of which he’d designed to send to the same market the present season. Several gentlemen of this village and vicinity also have large supplies of starves, heading, white pine and other descriptions of lumber, ready for the Troy, Albany and New-York markets - in all, enough, we understand, to load a boat daily from this time until the close of navigation; but as sales cannot be effect at either of those places, at any thing like the usual rates, the greater part of it, we presume, will remain piled on the banks of the canal, or in the yards of the owners.

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