Beginnings of Horse Railroad - News From Pelham and City Island Published in 1884

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Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog continues my unexpectedly-robust series of items on the Horse Railroad that once operated between Bartow Station and City Island in the Town of Pelham.  Below I have transcribed a column published in September 1884 in the New Rochelle Pioneer describing developments in Pelham and City Island.  The final paragraph of the column describes recent efforts by a group of men to create the horse railroad.  I have transcribed the column in its entirety.

"PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND.

--Three wagon loads of young women visited this place last Saturday and disgraced themselves, and shocked the descent people by their coarse and unseemingly actions.

--James Price was held to await the action of the Grand Jury by Justice Martin last Friday evening.  He is charged with assaulting Jos. Schowsboe with a oar [sic], breaking his arm.

--Our reporter must have been star gazing in the vicinity of Capt. Josh's residence last week and mistook a man for a falling star.  The captain says he never feels pugnacious nor did any such thing happen at his place.

--The children and friends of Grace church Sunday School had an excursion to Locust Grove on Saturday.  There was quite a large attendance and all enjoyed themselves in spite of the stormy weather.

--The propeller, 'Captain John' had nearly 300 friends and children of Trinity M. E. Sunday School on an excursion to Locust Grove on Wednesday.  A most pleasant time was enjoyed by all.  A nice surplus was netted.

--Several odd jobs have been done at the shipyards this week, and it is hoped that the slack season is about over.  At Carll's shipyard the repairs to the wrecked schooner Dick Williams are nearly completed.  The Kelpie has been launched and the yachts Rena and Hope have been hauled out on the same set of ways.  The propeller Annie is being lengthened fifteen feet.

--A horse railroad between City Island and Bartow Station is likely to be started in the near future.  A company, composed of Chas.  Witthoff, J. B. Miller, W. R. Lamberton, C. W. Burton, Homer H. Stuart, E. U. Unable, Inglis Stuart, and others, was recently formed.  On Tuesday last the consent of the property owners to build the road in question was filed at White Plains.  It is proposed to call the road from Bartow to Marshall's corner, the Pelham Park Road and from there to City Island, the City Island Railroad."

Source:  Pelham and City Island, New Rochelle Pioneer, Sep. 6, 1884, p. ?, col. 7 (the copy of the newspaper page available is cut off at the very top and does not display the page number).

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