City Islanders Complain and Force the Operators of Their Horse Railroad to Agree to Replace Antiquated Cars in 1908

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Regular readers know that I have been engaged in a project to document the history of the horse railroad once operated in the Town of Pelham between Bartow Station and the tip of City Island.  The horse railroad, operated by Pelham Park Railroad Company and the City Island Railroad Company, continued to operate after New York City annexed the area.  I have collected many links to previous postings on the topic at the end of this brief article.

In 1908, the residents of City Island became fed up with the conditions of four of the cars operated on the line.  They complained to the Public Service Commission and a hearing was scheduled.  When City Islanders showed up for the hearing to address their complaint, they found that it had already been held.  A brief newspaper article describes what transpired.

"REJOICING AT CITY ISLAND.
-----
Old Bandboxes To Be Replaced by Four New Cars.

They were talking last night in City Island of getting up a transit celebration, with balloon ascension and 'sich like,' after the fashion of the subway celebration held by Jamaica.  And why?  Because the managers of the Pelham Park Railroad Company and the City Island Railroad Company had promised Commissioner Eustis, of the Public Service Commission, that four of the nine antiquated bandboxes operated between Bartow and Belden's Point, City Island, termed cars through courtesy, would to to the junk heap.  In their place the companies will buy four brand new cars. 

Most of City Island moved down to the offices of the Public Service Commission yesterday afternoon to attend the hearing on a complaint they had made against the companies.  When they got there they found the hearing was over, and they were inclined to be indignant.  But when they heard the news of the cars, and also that the roadbed was to be repaired, they cooled down.  The representatives of the companies had got in before them and, admitting the necessity for improvements, had promised to make them.  The hearing was therefore adjourned at once."

Source:  Rejoicing At City Island, New-York Daily Tribune, Jun. 9, 1908, p. 4, col. 4.


Wed., April 28, 2010:  Efforts by the Pelham Park Horse Railroad to Expand and Develop a Trolley Car Line on Shore Road in 1897.

Tue., April 27, 2010:  New York City's Interborough Rapid Transit Company Sued to Foreclose a Mortgage on the Horse Railroad in 1911.

Mon., April 26, 2010:  Public Service Commission Couldn't Find Marshall's Corners in 1909.

Fri., March 5, 2010:  Construction of the City Island Horse Railroad in 1887.

Thu., March 4, 2010:  Beginnings of Horse Railroad - News from Pelham and City Island Published in 1884.

Wed., March 3, 2010:  1879 Advertisement for Robert J. Vickery's City Island Stage Line, A Predecessor to the City Island Horse Railroad.

Tue., March 2, 2010:  1901 Report Indicated that The Flynn Syndicate Planned to Buy the Pelham Bay Park & City Island Horse Car Line.

Mon., March 1, 2010:  Flynn Syndicate Buys the City Island Horse Car Line in 1907 to Incorporate It Into Electric Trolley Line.

Fri., February 26, 2010:  1913 Decision of Public Service Commission to Allow Reorganization of City Island Horse Railroad for Electrification.

Thu., February 25, 2010:  Photograph of Patrick Byrnes and Article About His Retirement of the City Island Horse Car in 1914.

Wed., February 24, 2010:  Attempted Suicide of City Island's Long-Time Horse Car Driver

Wed., February 3, 2010:  Early Information Published in 1885 About the Organization of the "City Island Railroad", a Horse Railroad from Bartow Station to City Island

Tue., February 2, 2010:  Information About the Pelham Park Railroad at its Outset

Fri., January 22, 2010:  1884 Account of Early Origins of Horse Railroad Between Bartow Station and City Island

Tue., September 1, 2009:  Pelham News on February 29, 1884 Including Talk of Constructing a New Horse Railroad from Bartow to City Island

Wed., December 2, 2009:  Accident on Horse-Car of the Pelham Park Railroad Line in 1889

 Thu., December 31, 2009:  1887 Election of the Board of Directors of The City Island and Pelham Park Horse Railroad Company

Mon., January 4, 2010:  1888 Local News Account Describes Altercation on the Horse Railroad Running from Bartow Station to City Island.

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/.
Please Click Here for Index to All Blog Postings.