Crash of Col. Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach" During its First Season in 1876

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In 1876 a horse-drawn road coach known as “The Pelham Coach” (also known, informally, as the "Tally Ho!") began running between New York City’s Hotel Brunswick and the “Pelham Manor” of yore. This road coach was not a simple hired coach that ferried passengers from New York City.  Rather, this road coach was driven by Colonel Delancey Kane, one of the so-called “millionaire coachmen,” who engaged in a sport known as “public coaching” or “road coaching” as it sometimes was called. The purpose of the sport was to rush the carriage between designated points on a specified schedule, with quick changes of horses at strategic points along the way, and to maintain that schedule rigorously. 

Colonel Delancey Kane became quite famous for his handling of The Pelham Coach, a bright canary yellow coach that was cheered along its route from the Hotel Brunswick in New York City to Pelham Bridge in the Town of Pelham and, later, along Shore Road into New Rochelle. The iconic image of the Tally Ho! immediately below appeared on song sheets, in etchings and engravings distributed throughout the United States. It shows The Pelham Coach. 

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Colonel Kane changed the terminus of the Tally Ho! a number of times. In various years the coach traveled to the Lorillard cottage (Arcularius Hotel) at Pelham Bridge, the Pelham Bridge Hotel, the Huguenot House in New Rochelle, and a number of other locations in the region in and around Pelham. The Tally Ho! route always, however, either terminated at Pelham Bridge or continued through Pelham along Shore Road past the settlement of Bartow and Bolton Priory on its way to New Rochelle.

The first "Coaching Season" for the Delancey Kane's Tally Ho! was in 1876.  I have written before about the first trip of the Pelham Coach on May 1, 1876 as well as the last trip that ended the season on November 30, 1876.  See:

Thu., Jan. 15, 2009:  The First Trip of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" on May 1, 1876. 

Tue., Jul. 29, 2014:  Wonderful Description of Coaching to Pelham on the Tally-Ho's First Trip of the Season on May 1, 1882.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2009:  The Final Trip of the First Season of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" in 1876.

All was not rosy during that first Coaching Season for the Tally Ho! in 1876.  Research has revealed that early in that first season, the Pelham Coach crashed into a vehicle while traveling through Central Park.  The crash turned into a public relations disaster for Colonel DeLancey Kane as he tried to promote the "Sport of Coaching."

It seems that the Pelham Coach was "thundering through Central Park at a rate of speed prohibited by law" when it "ran into a private conveyance and overturned it."  One of the two occupants of the vehicle that was overturned was injured.

It is impossible, of course, to know today precisely what happened at the time of the accident.  Newspapers in New York and elsewhere, however, seem to have excoriated DeLancey Kane, "the Millionaire Coachman."  According to one account, the New York City newspaper The World reported that after the accident, DeLancey Kane simply tossed his calling card to the driver of the overturned vehicle, an act that the newspaper reported with some disgust.  The story reported by The World was picked up in newspapers as far away as Deer Lodge, Montana (see below). 

Colonel DeLancey Kane and the Pelham Coach survived the public relations problems of that first season of coaching.  Although there were many such seasons to follow, the public seemed to tire of the notion of "Millionaire Coachmen" promoting a "Sport" of coaching.  Newspapers parodied coachmen including DeLancey Kane.  See, e.g., Thu., Jul. 28, 2016:  The Chicago Tribune Lampooned Coaching to Pelham in 1884.  Publicity seekers took to taunting coachmen by following them in mule-drawn vehicles with drivers and passengers dressed to make fun of the coachmen and their passengers.  See, e.g., Wed., Sep. 28, 2005:  Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.  Still, the Pelham Coach continued its historic route from the Brunswick Hotel to Pelham and the surrounding region for many years of coaching!

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"NEW NOR'WESTERS. . . 

-- The New York press is coach mad.  Because the Pelham coach, thundering through Central Park at a rate of speed prohibited by law, ran into a private conveyance and overturned it, injuring one of the two occupants, the World criticises [sic] the latter for their carelessness and the unfashionable appearance of their turnout, and blames the park police for not keeping the road clear.  The courtesy of the coachman, 'Col.' Delancey Kane, in throwing his card to the driver of the overturned vehicle, it regards with evident approbation."

Source:  NEW NOR'WESTERS, The New North-West [Deer Lodge, Montana], Jun. 16, 1876, Vol. 7, No. 51, p. 1, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

*          *          *          *          *

Below is a list of articles and blog postings that I previously have posted regarding the subject of "Coaching to Pelham."

Mon., Feb. 12, 2018:  Is This a Rare Photograph of the Famed Pelham Coach?

Tue., Aug. 15, 2017:  1877 Advertisement for Colonel Delancey Kane's Pelham Coach Known as the "Tally Ho".

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach" (Sep. 2003).

Thu., Jul. 28, 2016:  The Chicago Tribune Lampooned Coaching to Pelham in 1884.

Wed., Jul. 30, 2014:  Yet Another Attempt in 1894 to Resurrect the Glory Days of Coaching to Pelham.  

Tue., Jul. 29, 2014:  Wonderful Description of Coaching to Pelham on the Tally-Ho's First Trip of the Season on May 1, 1882.

Wed., Apr. 14, 2010:  Col. Delancey Kane Changes the Timing and Route of The Pelham Coach in 1876.

Tue., Sep. 08, 2009:  1877 Advertisement with Timetable for the Tally Ho Coach to Pelham.

Mon., Mar. 23, 2009:  The Greyhound and the Tantivy-- The Four-in-Hand Coaches that Succeeded Col. Delancey Kane's "Tally-Ho" to Pelham.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2009: The Final Trip of the First Season of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" in 1876.

Thu., Jan. 15, 2009:  The First Trip of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" on May 1, 1876.

Thu., Mar. 06, 2008:  Auctioning the Tantivy's Horses at the Close of the 1886 Coaching Season.

Wed., Mar. 05, 2008:  Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886.  

Thu., Jan. 24, 2008:  An Account of the First Trip of Colonel Delancey Kane's Tally-Ho to Open the 1880 Coaching Season.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008: Brief "History of Coaching" Published in 1891 Shows Ties of Sport to Pelham, New York

Thursday, August 3, 2006: Images of Colonel Delancey Kane and His "Pelham Coach" Published in 1878.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005: 1882 Engraving Shows Opening of Coaching Season From Hotel Brunswick to Pelham Bridge.

Thu., Jun. 09, 2005:  Coaching to Pelham: Colonel Delancey Astor Kane Did Not Operate the Only Coach to Pelham.

Fri., Feb. 11, 2005:  Col. Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach", Also Known as The Tally-Ho, Is Located.

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach", The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XII, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2003, p. 1, col. 1.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

Is This a Rare Photograph of the Famed Pelham Coach?

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

On the coach for Pelham, Hear the long horn blowing;

Dashing on for Pelham, Bless me! How we’re going,

Sound the horn “yo ho!” again, Snap the whip now, Colonel Kane!

Give the “four-in-hand” full rein, Be on time at Pelham

-- From the Song “Coaching To Pelham” Published in 1876

eBay continues as an interesting forum to find items related to the history of the Town of Pelham.  Currently a cabinet photo is being auctioned that is described as "Ca 1890 Cabinet Photo The Pelham Coach passing Park Plaza New York City NY".  The reverse of the image has "The Pelham Coach" handwritten in ink.  Does this cabinet photo depict the Pelham Coach?  

Click on Images to Enlarge.  

In 1876 a horse-drawn road coach known as “The Pelham Coach” (also known, informally, as the "Tally Ho!") began running between New York City’s Hotel Brunswick and the “Pelham Manor” of yore. This road coach was not a simple hired coach that ferried passengers from New York City in the days before Henry Ford mass produced his Model T. Rather, this road coach was driven by Colonel Delancey Kane, one of the so-called “millionaire coachmen,” who engaged in a sport known as “public coaching” or “road coaching” as it sometimes was called. The purpose of the sport was to rush the carriage between designated points on a specified schedule, with quick changes of horses at strategic points along the way, and to maintain that schedule rigorously. 

Colonel Delancey Kane became quite famous for his handling of The Pelham Coach, a bright canary yellow coach that was cheered along its route from the Hotel Brunswick in New York City to Pelham Bridge in the Town of Pelham and, later, along Shore Road into New Rochelle. The iconic image of the Tally Ho! immediately below appeared on song sheets, in etchings and engravings distributed throughout the United States. It shows The Pelham Coach. 

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Colonel Kane changed the terminus of the Tally Ho! a number of times. In various years the coach traveled to the Lorillard cottage (Arcularius Hotel) at Pelham Bridge, the Pelham Bridge Hotel, the Huguenot House in New Rochelle, and a number of other locations in the region. The coach route always, however, either terminated at Pelham Bridge or continued through Pelham along Shore Road past the settlement of Bartow and Bolton Priory on its way to New Rochelle.

The cabinet photo depicting "The Pelham Coach" does not depict Colonel Delancey Kane's famed Tally Ho!  Colonel Kane no longer ran his Pelham Coach in the late 1880s or early 1890s.  Color images of his coach (and descriptions) indicate that portions were canary yellow.  Additionally, some engravings show lettering on at least one door at one point ("New York and Pelham Manor").  There are no indications that the cabinet photo depicts the actual Tally Ho!

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Yet, that does NOT mean that the photograph does not depict The Pelham Coach.  Over the years, a number of sporting coachmen ran coaches to -- and through -- Pelham Manor.  Given the fame of the original Pelham Coach, it should come as no surprise that such coaches often were referenced as "The Pelham Coach."

The cabinet photo likely depicts The Tempest, a sporting coach that began running to Pelham in 1894 in an effort to resurrect the bygone days of coaching to Pelham.  It occasionally was referred to as "The Pelham Coach" and, significantly, stopped at the Plaza Hotel in New York City which this cabinet photo purports to depict.  I have written before about The Tempest and its efforts to resurrect the glory days of coaching to Pelham.  See:  Wed., Jul. 30, 2014:  Yet Another Attempt in 1894 to Resurrect the Glory Days of Coaching to Pelham.  

Despite the fact that The Tempest was referenced, occasionally, as The Pelham Coach, I have not yet located evidence that The Tempest traveled all the way to Pelham.  Rather, it ran to "The Country Club" which, by the late 1880s, had moved from Shore Road in Pelham to a location on nearby Throggs Neck.

*          *          *          *          *

Below is a list of articles and blog postings that I previously have posted regarding the subject of "Coaching to Pelham."

Tue., Aug. 15, 2017:  1877 Advertisement for Colonel Delancey Kane's Pelham Coach Known as the "Tally Ho".

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach" (Sep. 2003).

Thu., Jul. 28, 2016:  The Chicago Tribune Lampooned Coaching to Pelham in 1884.

Wed., Jul. 30, 2014:  Yet Another Attempt in 1894 to Resurrect the Glory Days of Coaching to Pelham.  

Tue., Jul. 29, 2014:  Wonderful Description of Coaching to Pelham on the Tally-Ho's First Trip of the Season on May 1, 1882.

Wed., Apr. 14, 2010:  Col. Delancey Kane Changes the Timing and Route of The Pelham Coach in 1876.

Tue., Sep. 08, 2009:  1877 Advertisement with Timetable for the Tally Ho Coach to Pelham.

Mon., Mar. 23, 2009:  The Greyhound and the Tantivy-- The Four-in-Hand Coaches that Succeeded Col. Delancey Kane's "Tally-Ho" to Pelham.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2009: The Final Trip of the First Season of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" in 1876.

Thu., Jan. 15, 2009:  The First Trip of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" on May 1, 1876.

Thu., Mar. 06, 2008:  Auctioning the Tantivy's Horses at the Close of the 1886 Coaching Season.

Wed., Mar. 05, 2008:  Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886.  

Thu., Jan. 24, 2008:  An Account of the First Trip of Colonel Delancey Kane's Tally-Ho to Open the 1880 Coaching Season.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008: Brief "History of Coaching" Published in 1891 Shows Ties of Sport to Pelham, New York

Thursday, August 3, 2006: Images of Colonel Delancey Kane and His "Pelham Coach" Published in 1878.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005: 1882 Engraving Shows Opening of Coaching Season From Hotel Brunswick to Pelham Bridge.

Thu., Jun. 09, 2005:  Coaching to Pelham: Colonel Delancey Astor Kane Did Not Operate the Only Coach to Pelham.

Fri., Feb. 11, 2005:  Col. Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach", Also Known as The Tally-Ho, Is Located.

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach", The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XII, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2003, p. 1, col. 1.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

1877 Advertisement for Colonel Delancey Kane's Pelham Coach Known as the "Tally Ho"

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

In 1876 a horse-drawn road coach known as “The Pelham Coach” (also known, informally, as the "Tally Ho!") began running between New York City’s Hotel Brunswick and the “Pelham Manor” of yore.  This road coach was not a simple hired coach that ferried passengers from New York City in the days before Henry Ford mass produced his Model T.  Rather, this road coach was driven by Colonel Delancey Kane, one of the so-called “millionaire coachmen,” who engaged in a sport known as “public coaching” or “road coaching” as it sometimes was called.  The purpose of the sport was to rush the carriage between designated points on a specified schedule, with quick changes of horses at strategic points along the way, and to maintain that schedule rigorously.

Colonel Delancey Kane became quite famous for his handling of The Pelham Coach, a bright canary yellow coach that was cheered along its route from the Hotel Brunswick in New York City to Pelham Bridge in the Town of Pelham. The iconic image included at the end of today's Historic Pelham article appeared on song sheets, in etchings and engravings distributed throughout the United States.  It shows The Pelham Coach.

Colonel Kane changed the terminus of the Tally Ho! a number of times.  In various years the coach traveled to the Lorillard cottage (Arcularius Hotel) at Pelham Bridge, the Pelham Bridge Hotel, the Huguenot House in New Rochelle, and a number of other locations in the region.  The coach route always, however, either terminated at Pelham Bridge or continued through Pelham along Shore Road past the settlement of Bartow and Bolton Priory on its way to New Rochelle.

A fascinating advertisement for the Tally Ho!  appeared in the June 9, 1877 issue of The Spirit of the Times, a sporting magazine of the day.  An image of the advertisement (and a transcription to facilitate search) appear below.  The advertisement provides a detailed time table showing the route of the coach, locations of horse changes, and the exact fares from each location during the second coaching season of the Tally Ho!

The advertisement shows that there was an "office" located within the Hotel Brunswick in Manhattan where seats on the coach could be arranged.  The coveted box seat atop the coach cost an extra fifty cents each way.  

The advertisement further reveals that passengers were permitted luggage up to fifty pounds for free. The coach also carried parcels "at moderate rates" between stops and would pick up and "set down" passengers "wherever hailed, except between the Brunswick and Fifty-ninth Street."
The changes of horses during the rides were always among the most exciting parts of each trip.  As the time table makes clear, during the 1877 coaching season which began May 1, changes of horses took place at Mott Haven, Union Port, and Pelham Bridge.  Such changes were necessary to ensure that the four horses that pulled the coach would not be overworked as they raced their portions of the two-hour twenty mile trip from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon to New Rochelle each morning and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. back to the Hotel Brunswick each afternoon (except Sundays).

Passengers either brought picnics for the trip or enjoyed sumptuous repasts at a local hotel at the terminus.  During the 1877 coaching season the coach took passengers to the Huguenot House where they could enjoy a lovely lunch before departing for New York City promptly at 2:00 p.m.

Below are an image and transcription of the text of the 1877 advertisement for the Tally Ho!  They are followed by a citation and link to their source.

"NEW YORK

AND

NEW ROCHELLE

VIA PELHAM.

COMMENCING MAY 1.

-----

The 'Tally Ho!' Coach leaves the Brunswick, New York, at 10 A. M., and the Huguenot New Rochelle, at 2 P. M., daily (Sundays excepted).

TIME TABLE AND FARES.

Fares.	Down.		Time.		Fares.	Up.		Time.
	LEAVING New York	…..	A.M. 10.00			LEAVING New Rochelle	…..	P.M. 2.00
$	ARRIVE AT	…..			$	ARRIVE AT	…..
0.50	Harlem	…..	10.33			Neptune House	…..	2.10
0.50	*Mott Haven	…..	10.36		0.25	Bolton Priory	…..	2.15
0.75	Fox’s Corner	…..	10.58		0.25	Bartow	…..	2.26
1.00	*Union Port	…..	11.08		0.50	*Pelham Bridge	…..	2.30
1.00	Westchester	…..	11.15		0.75	Westchester	…..	2.45
1.50	*Pelham Bridge	…..	11.30		0.75	*Union Port	…..	2.58
1.75	Bartow	…..	11.36		1.00	Fox’s Corner	…..	3.00
1.75	Bolton Priory	…..	11.45		1.25	*Mott Haven	…..	3.18
2.00	Neptune House	…..	11.50		1.50	Harlem	…..	3.25
2.00	Huguenot House	…..	12.00		2.00	Hotel Brunswick	…..	4.00

 *Change Horses.

Box Seat, 50 cents Extra each way.
Distance 20 Miles.  Time 2 Hours.

Passengers' luggage up to 50 lbs., free.  Parcels carried at moderate rates and punctually delivered.  This coach stops to pick up and set down passengers wherever hailed, except between the Brunswick and Fifty-ninth Street.

N. B. -- Passengers cautioned to be on time.

Seats secured and all information given in Office, Hotel Brunswick."

Source:  NEW YORK AND NEW ROCHELLE VIA PELHAM COMMENCING MAY 1, The Spirit of the Times, Jun. 9, 1877, p. 510, col. 3.

Colonel Delancey Astor Kane and The Pelham Coach

During a "Coaching to Pelham" Excursion.

NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

Below is a list of articles and blog postings that I previously have posted regarding the subject of "Coaching to Pelham."  

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach" (Sep. 2003).

Thu., Jul. 28, 2016:  The Chicago Tribune Lampooned Coaching to Pelham in 1884.

Wed., Jul. 30, 2014:  Yet Another Attempt in 1894 to Resurrect the Glory Days of Coaching to Pelham.  

Tue., Jul. 29, 2014:  Wonderful Description of Coaching to Pelham on the Tally-Ho's First Trip of the Season on May 1, 1882.

Wed., Apr. 14, 2010:  Col. Delancey Kane Changes the Timing and Route of The Pelham Coach in 1876.

Tue., Sep. 08, 2009:  1877 Advertisement with Timetable for the Tally Ho Coach to Pelham.

Mon., Mar. 23, 2009:  The Greyhound and the Tantivy-- The Four-in-Hand Coaches that Succeeded Col. Delancey Kane's "Tally-Ho" to Pelham.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2009: The Final Trip of the First Season of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" in 1876.

Thu., Jan. 15, 2009:  The First Trip of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" on May 1, 1876.

Thu., Mar. 06, 2008:  Auctioning the Tantivy's Horses at the Close of the 1886 Coaching Season.

Wed., Mar. 05, 2008:  Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886.  

Thu., Jan. 24, 2008:  An Account of the First Trip of Colonel Delancey Kane's Tally-Ho to Open the 1880 Coaching Season.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008: Brief "History of Coaching" Published in 1891 Shows Ties of Sport to Pelham, New York

Thursday, August 3, 2006: Images of Colonel Delancey Kane and His "Pelham Coach" Published in 1878.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005: 1882 Engraving Shows Opening of Coaching Season From Hotel Brunswick to Pelham Bridge.

Thu., Jun. 09, 2005:  Coaching to Pelham: Colonel Delancey Astor Kane Did Not Operate the Only Coach to Pelham.

Fri., Feb. 11, 2005:  Col. Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach", Also Known as The Tally-Ho, Is Located.

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach", The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XII, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2003, p. 1, col. 1.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."