Last Years of the Chenango Canal
Chenango Union
May 20, 1875
Capt. W. A. Stiver, formerly of this village, called upon us lakes week. He recently moved from Pennsylvania where he had been residing for some time past, to Cambridge, Maryland.
Chenango Union, Norwich
February 10, 1876
At a meeting of the Canal Board, held in Albany last week, Commissioner Walrath in his report strongly urged the abandonment of three of the laterals of the Middle Division - the Chenango, Chemung and Crooked Lake Canals. He shows that the cost of the Chenango Canal with interest was $1,416,093.00; tolls collected up to 1874, with interest, $1,555,160.10; balance against the canal, $12,863,933.71. The tolls collected on this canal in 1873 amounted to $2,900.
Oxford Times
May 3, 1876
The Chenango Canal
More Rumors - What Are We Going To Do?
_____
Superintendent Sweet writes us that he will make no appointments on the Chenango Canal until the Canal Board formally declares the canal open. There is but little money that can be expended on the canal this year. The Board has power to close up the canal at any time, and it is uncertain how long it will be operated. - Union
It is reported that Commissioner Walrath, who has charge of the Chenango Canal, will not order the water to be let into the ditch, below Hamilton, this season. - Ex.
The feeder gates above us have been shut down and the level through this village is draining out. Have we got to stand the stench from the mud and decaying matter in the canal during the summer? It is basin the spring when the level is necessarily drawn for repairs, and what is the west side of the village to do in case of fire?
Our citizens should look into the matter. No harm, we believe, can result by letting this level remain full.
The Norwich correspondent of the Binghamton Times says W.P. Pope, of that city, was in Norwich two days last week interviewing citizens interested in keeping the canal open. He proposes to run the canal from Binghamton to Hamilton on his own responsibility, and asks for pecuniary aid to complete necessary repairs, one break being estimated at $400. Forty dollars was pledged by citizens at last accounts.
Chenango Union
Thursday, May 11, 1876
An Old Favorite. - Upon the opening of canal navigation, on Thursday last, the first boat that arrived in Utica, from the east, was the packet Norwich, which, the Observer says, freshly painted in the Centennial red, white and blue, drove grandly into town behind three mules, the ribs of which do not show so plainly as they should for real thoroughbred canalers. It will make it regular trips during the season.
Many of our readers will recall to mind with pleasure the time when the Norwich plied between this village and Binghamton - before the days of railroads in this valley - when the trip each way occupied an entire day, he passengers occupying the time in admiring the beautiful scenery upon the route, or amusing themselves in various ways, while the urbane Capt. Stiver made every one feel at home on board his craft. Those journeys, which now appear so tedious, wee often most enjoyable; and that old packet boar witnessed many a rich scene, as well as some sorrowful ones, while plowing the raging Chenango, now alas! nearly played out.
Chenango Union
May 11, 1876
The Canal. - The Utica Herald learns from Commissioner Walrath, that the Chenango Canal will not be opened this season, as the Legislature made no appropriation for that purpose. A number of boars are thing in this vicinity, waiting for permission to move - one of them from the south, loaded with hop-poles for some northern town.
The D.L. & W. swing bridges which cross the canal are kept closed, the company refusing to allow boats to pass, unless as has been the case in two or three instances, the owners pay the company $40 each for the privilege of having a canal owned by the State.
A meeting of the Canal Board is to be held in Albany today (Wednesday), when the matter will probably be disposed of in some shape. Mr. Pope, of Binghamton, a gentleman largely interested in forwarding, with other from villages on the line of the canal, will be present at the meeting.
Remains of aqueduct at Earlville about 1910.
Chenango Union
Wed., May 18, 1876
Seventeen gentlemen, those interested in the opening of the Chenango Canal, visited Albany on Wednesday of last week, with the expectation of being present at a meeting of the Canal Board, in which they were disappointed, no such meeting being held.
Consultation was had, however, with members of the Board, and it is believed that steps will be taken by them, at a special meeting for that purpose, on Tuesday of next week, to relieve those residing upon the line of the canal, and those doing business upon it, from their present embarrassment.
Cazenovia Republican
June 1, 1876
The Chenango Canal will be opened after all, June 15, but probably will remain open only a part of the season.
Oxford Times
June 14, 1876
Charles W. Brown appointed canal collector at Oxford
Oxford Times
July 5, 1876
Canal boat “Belle of the Wave” repainted and available for excursions.
Cazenovia Republican
July 13, 1876
The water in the Chenango Canal is very low, and boats move with difficulty and considerable loss of time.
Cazenovia Republican
Thursday, July 20, 1876
Tolls on the Chenango Canal have been so high as to be nearly prohibitory. The lower rate recently adopted comes too late to be of much benefit, as the boats have been left to rot, and trade has found other channels.
Rome Sentinel
August 1, 1876
A Chenango Canal boat captain took a cargo at the Franklin Iron Works, and secured $120 advance freight. He then left his boat, freight and wife as indemnity at the iron works, and ran away with the money.
Rome Sentinel
August 29, 1876
The Chenango Canal is full of eel-grass at Hamilton, and boating is almost impossible.
Remains of aqueduct at Greene about 1910.
Remains of aqueduct at Greene about 1910.
Albany Morning Express
Wed., Sept. 6, 1876
Meeting of the Canal Board Yesterday
(Excerpt. Meeting held at the Auditor’s office).
A petition was received from W.P. Pope & Co., of Binghamton shippers of anthracite coal on the Chenango canal, asking that the Board adopt the same rate of tolls for anthracite as is assessed on the same quality of coal transported on the Erie Canal from tidewater.
The petitioners represent that the increased tolls on the Chenango canal over those of last year materially reduces the tonnage of coal they can transport. The toll on the coal from Binghamton to Utica is about the same as from Troy to Rochester on the Erie Canal. As Binghamton has been a coal shipping point for the past twenty years it appears to the petitioners as though the State was competing against itself to increase the toll on coal on the Chenango Canal going in the same direction as coal on the Erie Canal.
Mr. Dorsheimer offered a resolution that the toll upon anthracite coal on all the canals of the State be at the rate now fixed on the Erie Canal. Adopted.
Utica Morning Herald
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 1876
Alderman Williams, from the select committee to confer with the special canal commission in reference to the abandonment of the Chenango canal, presented to the Canal Commission, as follows:
The large interests at stake on the canal north of the Oriskany creek feeder, require that that portion of the canal, at least, should be maintained, and not abandoned. The health of the city would be endangered by its abandonment; the State Lunatic Asylum would be injured; a source for supplying water for the extinguishment of fires in the winter would be cut off. The communication asks that the State give the canal property, that it may be used for sewer purposes, and that the streets crossing it may be kept open. Placed on file.
(Excerpts from article in Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, Norwich, January 24, 1877 giving Canal Commissioners Report)
This canal commences in the city of Utica, at which is called the Frankfort level of the Erie canal, into which it empties and extends south to the city of Binghamton, a distance of 97 miles. The summit level of this canal, which is reached at Solsville, is about 760 feet above the Frankfort level of the Erie, and is attained through 76 locks, in a distance of about 23 miles; it is about five miles in length and extends nearly to the village of Hamilton.
Thence the canal descends about 390 feet, through 38 locks, a distance of about 69 miles to the city of Binghamton.
The waters of Madison Brook, Leland’s Pond, Kingsley’s Brook, Bradley’s Brook, Hatch’s Lake and Eaton Reservoirs are discharged into the summit level near the village of Bouckville. The waters of Woodman’s Pond, a small reservoir near the village of Hamilton, afre discharged into the level next south of the summit level and flow south.
Between the summit level and Binghamton, the canal is still further supplied by contribution of water through five or six feeders from the Chenango River. All of the water from the reservoirs which empty into the summit level flows north to the Erie, except such as is discharged at the south end of this level.
A portion thereof is discharged at Solsville into Oriskany Creek and thence into the Rome level of the Erie, near the village of Oriskany, whenever, in a dry season, the same may be desired to make up any deficiency of water in that level; and the balance thereof is discharged through the canal into the Frankfort level of the Erie.
Many of the locks, aqueducts and other structures on this canal are in bad condition and will require extensive repairs if navigation is to be continued thereon and to guard against great risk of serious damage to adjacent property from breakage, several of them must be replaced by new structures within the course of to or three years.
Coal is furnished by railroads which own the mines supplying this section, and the canal from necessity has ceased almost altogether to be a channel for its transportation. It is gone or is fast disappearing, and its necessity no longer exists.* Lumber, formerly the chief article transported on this canal, is no longer manufactured in the country for exportation, and thus the business of the canal not only from point to point and by way of importation, has almost entirely ceased and disappeared. The amount of tolls collected on this canal during the year 1876, is $3,086.32. There has been expended on this canal during the past season, for repairs and employees, the sum of $8,418.41.
*Note: Existing coal dealers like Per Lee in North Norwich were independent of the railroad dealers and had been getting canal coal and not eligible to compete with the new "railroad" dealers who eventually forced them out.
Ruins of aqueduct at Greene, over Chenango River.
Doug Ellison photo
Oxford Times
October 8, 1876
Chenango Canal to remain open until November 15.
Chenango Union
April 19, 1877
The toll collector’s office has been abolished in Oxford.
Workers dismantle lock gates at Oriskany Falls in 1877.
Watkins Democrat
Watkins Glen, N.Y.
June 20, 1877
The passage of a law providing for the sale of lateral canals by our law-makers, directs the abandonment of the Chenango Canal and its extension after May 1, 1878, the Chemung Canal after the 30th of September, 1877, the Crooked Lake Canal on and after the passage of this act, and the Genesee Valley Canal on and after the 30th of September 1878.
The law also directs the Canal Commissioners to advertise the sale of these works properly, and the material of the locks, aqueducts, etc. The proceeds of the sale, after paying expenses incurred under this law, shall become a part of the sinking fund to pay the interest and redeem the principal of the canal debt.
Chenango Telegraph
July 29, 1878
The old packet boat “Norwich,” which used to do such good service on the Chenango Canal, is now doing good business upon the Erie Canal.
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