Train Station Safe at Pelham Manor Depot Was Blown Open with Dynamite Yet Again on April 24, 1902

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The Pelham Manor Depot and the little Pelham Manor Post Office once stood near the eastern end of today's Esplanade, across the branch line railroad tracks from today's Manor Circle.  Poor local residents repeatedly had to suffer through massive dynamite explosions as burglars repeatedly cracked the station safe and the post office safe.  I have written about one such incident in 1894.  See Fri., March 6, 2009:  Burglars Blow the Safe at the Pelham Manor Post Office in 1894. 

In April, 1902, burglars used dynamite to blow open the Pelham Manor Depot safe twice in quick succession.  The crafty thieves realized that if they left the red-hot stove in the station as they blew the safe, the resulting fire likely would prevent them from collecting their loot.  Thus, they carried the red hot stove outside into the roadway so it would not be upset inside the station.

An article about the burglaries appeared in the April 26, 1902 issue of the New Rochelle Pioneer.  The text of that article appears below.

"BURGLARS USE DYNAMITE
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Second Visit Within a Month of Robbers at Pelham Manor.
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DISCOVERED BY A WATCHMAN.
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For the second time in a month Pelham Manor was visited by safe blowers on Tuesday night.  On a former visit the gang blew open the safe in the Post Office, and in order to avoid setting fire to the building carried a redhot stove out into the middle of the road.  Tuesday night [April 22, 1902] they blew open the safe in the office of the Pelham Trading Company, but obtained only some insurance papers, as the company's money had been deposited in the afternoon in one of the banks of this city.

The cracksmen then went to the suburban station of the New Haven Railroad, where they attempted to blow open the safe with dynamite, but failed in the first attempt because the charge was not heavy enough.  A second charge was then prepared, but as the men were ready to light the fuse they were discovered by a watchman and fled.  There were four of the burglars, the watchman says, each wearing a mask and heavily armed.  They escaped by jumping on a passing freight train, and it is believed that they are now in Connecticut.

The charge of dynamite was still in the safe, and the employees were afraid to go near it.  The safe contained all the tickets and commutation books and several hundred dollars in cash.  The station agent sent word to the officers of the company at New Haven for an expert who removed the dynamite."

Source:  Burglars Use Dynamite, New Rochelle Pioneer, Vol. 44, No. 6, Apr. 26, 1902, p. 1, col. 1.

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A Pelham Mystery Solved: The Pelham Trading Company Incorporated in 1901

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On Monday, April 10, 2006, I posted to the Historic Pelham Blog an item entitled "A Mystery Yet To Be Solved: The Pelham Trading Company Incorporated in 1901". It has taken nearly a year, but that mystery is now solved.

As I noted in the April 10, 2006 posting, buried in the collections of The Office of The Historian of The Town of Pelham is stock certificate "No. 1" issued by The Pelham Trading Company. An image of the stock certificate appears immediately below.

In closing the summary of the meager evidence regarding the company, the posting noted: "Beyond these few basic facts, nothing else is known about the history or the activities of this company. Only time will tell whether more can be uncovered. . . . . . "

More has been uncovered. The Pelham Trading Company was incorporated on May 6, 1901. At about the same time, a large group of residents of the Village of Pelham Manor created The Village Improvement Association of Pelham Manor.

With one exception (Alfred L. Hammett), every individual who served as an officer of The Pelham Trading Company or who was involved with The Pelham Trading Company was also an active member of The Village Improvement Association of Pelham Manor.
Research suggests that as part of an intense drive by Pelham Manor residents in 1901 to improve their lovely village, various residents created The Pelham Trading Company to ensure a local "high quality" supply of various necessities such as coal, wood for burning in stoves and fireplaces, livestock feed, hay, straw, oats and livery services. William K. Gillett served as President of the company. Edward M. Fowler acted as Vice-President. Alfred L. Hammett served as treasurer. R. Clifford Black, Jr. served as secretary. The board of directors included Robert C. Black, Edward M. Fowler, William K. Gillett, Alfred L. Hammett and Henry B. B. Stapler.

In October 1901 the Publication Committee of The Village Improvement Association of Pelham Manor issued a publication entitled The Pelham Manor Review. The extensive journal included a host of articles on local and national issues. On page 28 of that publication there appeared an advertisement for The Pelham Trading Company. The text of the advertisement sheds light on the activities of the company. An image of the advertisement appears immediately below, with a citation to its source. To facilitate searching I have transcribed the text of the advertisement beneath its image.

Source: The Pelham Trading Company [Advertisement], The Pelham Manor Review, Oct. 1901, p. 28 (original in the collections of The Office of The Historian of The Town of Pelham).

"WILLIAM K. GILLETT, President. ALFRED L. HAMMETT, Treasurer
EDWARD M. FOWLER, Vice President. R. CLIFFORD BLACK, JR., Secretary
DIRECTORS:
ROBERT C. BLACK, EDWARD M. FOWLER, WILLIAM K. GILLETT, ALFRED L. HAMMETT, HENRY B. B. STAPLER.
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The Pelham Trading Company
PELHAM MANOR, N. Y.
Coal, Wood, Feed, Hay, Straw, Oats.
We keep only the VERY BEST of everything we offer to the Public. This may be relied upon.
LIVERY: Carriages to let, and horses boarded by the day, week or month.
Distance Telephone: 33 Pelham Manor
CHARLES F. ROPER, Manager."

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