More on the Westchester County Brewing Company that Operated in Pelham Before Prohibition

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Few realize that the extensive parking area behind the Village Hall building of the Village of Pelham on Sparks Avenue once was the site of a massive beer brewery, refrigeration stock house, and ice manufacturing facility operated by the Westchester County Brewing Company (often also referred to as the Westchester Brewing Company and, occasionally, as "Westchester Brewery").  The brewery operated from 1910 until about the beginning of Prohibition when it became a full-time ice manufacturing facility.

The brewery, stock house, and ice facility once was located along the Hutchinson River near Sparks Avenue in an area where, today, Tiffany & Co. (and other businesses) have back office operations.  In late 1909 and early 1910, that area was desolate and low-lying.  There were virtually no residences in the area except for a few homes (and businesses) along Wolf's Lane.  The brewery and ice facility was completed in about May, 1910.  The business had its "Office and Bottling Dept." located across the Hutchinson River in Mount Vernon.  Thus, the business often was referenced as the Westchester County Brewing Company of Mount Vernon, though its main plant was located in the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights). 

Detail from 1914 Bromley Map With "WESTCHESTER BREWING CO."

Shown in Upper Left Quadrant of Detail Between Sparks Avenue and the

New Haven Main Line.   Source:  "Pelham and New Rochelle" in G. W. 

Bromley & Co., Atlas of Westchester County, N.Y. Pocket, Desk and

Automobile Edition, Vol. I, pp. 124-25 (NY, NY:  G. W. Bromley & Co.,

1914).  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

I have written before about the history of the Westchester County Brewing Company.  See Wed., Jan. 07, 2015:  Westchester County Brewing Company Operated in Pelham Before Prohibition. Today's Historic Pelham Blog article documents additional research regarding the history of the company, its founders, and its facility in the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights).  The focus of the research presented today is the serious set of financial difficulties faced by the business and its founders from its inception.

Early 20th Century Wooden Advertising Sign for the

Westchester County Brewing Company.  NOTE:

Click on Image to Enlarge.

There were two principal founders of the Westchester County Brewing Company:  William H. Ebling, Jr. of Pelham Heights who became President of the Company and William O. Hobby of Mount Vernon who became President after Ebling's untimely death.  In the months leading up to the completion of the main facility and its opening, the pair touted the new business as a sure "bonanza" and sold stock in the venture to investors throughout Westchester County and New York City.  

Although the United States economy was healthy in 1910, Ebling and Hobby over-extended themselves and their new business with debt at precisely the time the U.S. Economy moved from a twenty-year-period of rapid growth to a twenty-year-period of modest growth.  Indeed, the period from 1890 to 1910, generally, was one of economic growth in excess of 4%.  Beginning in 1910, however, there was a break as economic growth in the U.S. slowed to about 2.8% from 1910 to 1929.  The combination of slowing economic growth and too much debt turned out to be too much for the new business and its founders.

Indeed, financial strain may have played some role in the death of William H. Ebling, Jr.  He died "suddenly" on December 8, 1910, only seven months after the Westchester County Brewing Company opened its new facility near his home in Pelham Heights.  

In less than a year, the new business was in trouble.  On September 12, 1911, bankruptcy proceedings were commenced as a voluntary petition for dissolution of the business was filed.  In reality, the bankruptcy was merely a move to fend off creditors.  There were more than twenty lawsuits pending against the company at the time of filing with some nearing judgment.  According to one news account:

"The application was made because of the financial difficulties the corporation is in, and is preparatory to an application for a voluntary dissolution of the corporation.  It was also made to forestall having the plant and property levied on under judgments, as about twenty suits are now pending against the company, and have almost gone to judgment.  The bonded indebtedness of the company is secured by a mortgage for $250,000 held by the Empire Trust Company of New York to protect the bond holders.  There is due to different persons and corporations on promissory notes, the sum of $145,175.20, and for other debts and liabilities the sum of $95,496.87.  As against this immense debt, the corporation owns property buildings, plant, office furnishings, horses, wagons, harness, auto trucks and stock on hand valued at $395,568.20.  There are 114 stockholders of the corporation, scattered throughout Westchester County, New York City and in nearby Connecticut towns."

As the proceedings dragged along, the brewery continued to operate under receivers including William O. Hobby (the remaining living founder).  Hobby's own financial situation, however, grew increasingly bleak.  In March, 1915, Hobby filed for personal bankruptcy.  An account in the New York Times made clear how dire his situation had become.  It stated:

"WILLIAM O. HOBBY of Mount Vernon has filed a petition in bankruptcy, with liabilities of $182,664 and no available assets.  He has 1,000 shares of stock of the Westchester County Brewery, 720 shares Wauregan Hotel Company, 200 Elk Creek Oil and Gas Company, and 20 Mount Vernon National Bank, all of which are put in as of no value.  Most of his liabilities are for endorsing notes of the Westchester County Brewery, against which concern a petition in bankruptcy was filed here on Sept. 12, 1911.  William Hobby was President of the Company, and was also appointed one of the receivers for it.  Among his creditors are Philip Tillinghast, receiver of the Mount Vernon National Bank, $27,852; Mount Vernon Trust Company, $7,451; First National Bank of Jamaica, $4,184; Trustees of the First National Bank of Oneonta, $9,3331; Bollinger Brothers, Pittsburgh, $49,000; Frick Company, Waynesboro, Penn., $22,000, and Liberty Brewing Company, $6,631." 
 

 

Example of Beer Bottle of the "WESTCHESTER COUNTY BREWING

COMPANY" of  "MOUNT VERNON, N.Y." With Close-Up of the

Embossed Medallion of the Bottle Immediately Below.  NOTE:  Click

on Image to Enlarge.

By the late Teens, with Prohibition looming, officials of the Westchester County Brewery Company negotiated a sale of the Pelham Heights facility off Sparks Avenue to the Knickerbocker Ice Company, a supplier of ice to lower Westchester County.  In 1933, as Prohibition came to a close, there were brief efforts to reinstate a brewery on the site, although Village building inspectors halted the work.  At least two lawsuits followed with one of those suits eventually resulting in a decision to relocate the proposed brewery elsewhere. 

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"Wm. H. Ebling

Attended by many people of prominence from Pelham Heights, Pelham, New York and Philadelphia, and by the Mount Vernon Lodge of Elks, the funeral services of William H. Ebling, Jr., President of the Westchester County Brewery, who died suddenly on December 8th, were held on December 12th, at Pelham Heights, N. Y.

The services were conducted by the Rev. H. H. Brown, the rector of the Church of the Redeemer, in Pelham.  Following came the ritualistic burial service of the Elks, which was conducted by the Exalted Ruler Robert R. Kallman and the officers of the lodge.  Mr. Williams, of the Mount Vernon Lodge, sang 'Nearer, My God, to Thee' and 'The Vacant Chair.'

The floral tributes were numerous and beautiful.  The honorary pallbearers were F. F. Ballinger, of Pittsburgh, Pa., Sidney A. Syme, Leon St. C. Dick, John L. Fee, E. J. Farrell, Charles Wintermeyer, Henry Muck, and William Hobby.  The body was placed in a receiving vault in Woodlawn temporarily.

Among those in attendance at the funeral were:  Edward, Harry and C. Schmidt, of Philadelphia; from New York:  Mr. and Mrs. Peter Doger, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Zoller, M. Zoller, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Heabler, Charles Warner, secretary of the Brewers' exchange; Louis Heidenheimer and Harry E. Rauch.  Many in the list are prominent brewers."

Source:  Wm. H. Ebling, The American Bottler, Vol. XXXI, No. 1, p. 63 (NY, NY:  Jan. 15, 1911).  

"TWO RECEIVERS NOW ACTING FOR THE BREWERY CO.
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William Hobby and Leo Oppenheimer are Appointed in the Bankruptcy Proceedings by Judge Hough.
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ANOTHER DECISION IN THIS LITIGATION NOW
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Proceedings Yesterday -- Bonds Fixed at $10,000 Each -- Status Is Now of Federal Jurisdiction -- What the Attorneys Say.
-----

Judge Hough yesterday named Leo Oppenheimer, of No. 60 Wall street, New York, and William Hobby, of Mount Vernon, receivers in bankruptcy for the Westchester county brewery.  On whose application the receivers were appointed does not seem to be agreed upon as Moos, Princ and Nathan, of New York, who represent a number of creditors, claim that the appointment was made on their application while Judge Syme for the brewery corporation, says it was on their application.  The bond of the receivers was fixed at $10,000 each.

It was stated at the office of Moose, Princ and Nathan this morning by Attorney Princ that in answer to the application made before Judge Hough that the Westchester county brewery be declared in bankruptcy last week, Receiver Hobby, through
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(Continued on page 13.)

TWO RECEIVERS NOW ACTING FOR THE BREWERY CO.
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(Continued From Page One)
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Attorney Syme denied that the brewery was insolvent -- and denied that the petition of creditors who made the application were creditors of the Westchester county brewery.

As such an answer was filed with Judge Hough, Moos, Prince and Nathan secured an order to show cause which was returnable Monday as to why the answer of the Westchester county brewery should not be stricken -- out, on the ground that it was 'false, a sham and frivolous and interpose for the purpose of delay.'  When argument were heard on this order to show cause Monday, Moos, Princ and Nathan presented to the court a certified copy of the proceedings in the supreme court of voluntary dissolution proceedings of the brewery, which showed that the brewery was insolvent.  Other facts were brought out about the proceedings and Judge Hough ordered that the answer be stricken out and declared the Westchester county brewery to be in bankruptcy.

After that an application was made to the court that two receivers be appointed in bankruptcy for the brewery and Judge Hough made the appointments yesterday as already told.

Mr. Princ was asked this morning why it was that he requested that Mr. Hobby be appointed a receiver with Mr. Oppenheimer when in the original application he had asked for the removal of Mr. Hobby and the appointment of a receiver to take his place.  Mr. Princ said that the thought that it would be well to have Mr. Hobby retained in view of the fact that he was familiar with the business and it would be better for the creditors to have him appointed to act with somebody else.  

Judge Hough refused to appoint a receiver on September 15 but it was afterward found that money had to be raised to pay for the licenses of customers on October 1 and that it was necessary to have a receiver to do this.  Judge Hough yesterday allowed the receivers to issue certificates for $47,800 to be a first lien on the assets ahead of the mortgages.  Of this amount $34,300 is to be issued to be used solely to pay the liquor tax certificates $13,500 is to be held in a trust company as security for any damages that may arise to the non-assenting bondholders.

Judge Syme, as counsel, for Mr. Hobby when seen this morning denied that Judge Hough appointed the receivers on the application of the New York attorneys.  He declared that Mr. Hobby went before Judge Hough yesterday and stated that he was unable to get any money from the local banks on receiver's certificates and so it was necessary for him to get the money in New York.  He said that such a step would be necessary to keep the business; if it was not done it would have to close.  He declared that Judge Hough consequently appointed Mr. Oppenheimer and Mr. Hobby as receivers.  '''This appointment really makes Mr. Hobby's position -- stronger than it was before,' said Judge Syme this morning.  We beat those New York lawyers in their application to have Mr. Hobby removed and we obtained the money an hour after the appointment was made.'  

The receivers were given authority by the court to carry on the business for thirty days."

Source:  TWO RECEIVERS NOW ACTING FOR THE BREWERY CO -- William Hobby and Leo Oppenheimer are Appointed in the Bankruptcy Proceedings by Judge Hough-- ANOTHER DECISION IN THIS LITIGATION NOW -- Proceedings Yesterday -- Bonds Fixed at $10,000 Each -- Status Is Now of Federal Jurisdiction -- What the Attorneys Say, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Sep. 29, 1911, No. 6653, p. 1, col. 3 & p. 13, col. 1.

"Hobby Brewery in Bankruptcy
-----
276 Claims, 32 Notes and Several Contracts Unpaid.

Greatly to the surprise of everyone who heard of it, Justice Tomkins this morning appointed William Hobby of Mount Vernon, as temporary receiver of the Westchester Brewery of Mount Vernon, on the application of the Board of Directors of the institution.  Mr. Hobby immediately qualified by filing a bond for $30,000 and takes charge at once.

The Westchester Brewery stock was sold about the county and 114 invested in it.  One of the heaviest of the local investors was Henry Fulle.  Mr. Fulle served the Westchester beer at his hotel and it is quite popular there.  

The directors are:  William Hobby, Sydney A. Syme, C. Davies Tinter, William M. N. Eglenton and Henry Fulle.

When the stock was being sold the scheme was held forth as a bonanza.  There would be a refrigerator, cold storage and ice making plant in connection with it.  Stockholders from White Plains are Chas F. Armbruster, two shares; Henry Fulle, ten shares; I. V. Fowler, five shares; C. D. Horton, seven shares.  There are 276 claimants, besides 32 notes.  Hobby claims $30,000 for services as manager.

What Financial Difficulties Are. 

The application was made because of the financial difficulties the corporation is in, and is preparatory to an application for a voluntary dissolution of the corporation.  It was also made to forestall having the plant and property levied on under judgments, as about twenty suits are now pending against the company, and have almost gone to judgment.  The bonded indebtedness of the company is secured by a mortgage for $250,000 held by the Empire Trust Company of New York to protect the bond holders.  There is due to different persons and corporations on promissory notes, the sum of $145,175.20, and for other debts and liabilities the sum of $95,496.87.  As against this immense debt, the corporation owns property buildings, plant, office furnishings, horses, wagons, harness, auto trucks and stock on hand valued at $395,568.20.  There are 114 stockholders of the corporation, scattered throughout Westchester County, New York City and in nearby Connecticut towns.

The Justice has also appointed Arthur Rowland, of Yonkers, as Referee and has directed that notice be given to all creditors of the corporation to show cause before Mr. Rowland at his office in Yonkers on October 27 next at 3 p.m. why the corporation should not be dissolved. -- Westchester Co. Reporter, Sept. 1."

Source:  Hobby Brewery in Bankruptcy -- 276 Claims, 32 Notes and Several Contracts Unpaid, New Rochelle Pioneer, Sep. 9, 1911, Vol. 53, No. 24, p. 3, col. 7.


"BUSINESS TROUBLES.
-----
Receivers for the Westchester County Brewery Will Protect Liquor Licenses.

Judge Hough yesterday appointed Leo Oppenheimer of 60 Wall street and William Hobby of Mount Vernon receivers in bankruptcy for the Westchester County Brewery of Mount Vernon.  They are authorized to carry on the business for thirty days.  Judge Hough allows the receivers to issue receivers' certificates for $47,800 to be a first lien on the assets ahead of the mortgages.  Of this amount $34,300 is to be issued for cash, to be used solely to pay liquor tax certificates for customers, and $13,500 is to be held in a trust company as security for any damage that may arise to the non-assenting bondholders. . . ."

Source:  BUSINESS TROUBLES-- Receivers for the Westchester County Brewery Will Protect Liquor Licenses, The Sun [NY, NY], Sep. 29, 1911, p. 13, col. 5.  

"BUSINESS TROUBLES. . . .

WILLIAM O. HOBBY of Mount Vernon has filed a petition in bankruptcy, with liabilities of $182,664 and no available assets.  He has 1,000 shares of stock of the Westchester County Brewery, 720 shares Wauregan Hotel Company, 200 Elk Creek Oil and Gas Company, and 20 Mount Vernon National Bank, all of which are put in as of no value.  Most of his liabilities are for endorsing notes of the Westchester County Brewery, against which concern a petition in bankruptcy was filed here on Sept. 12, 1911.  William Hobby was President of the Company, and was also appointed one of the receivers for it.  Among his creditors are Philip Tillinghast, receiver of the Mount Vernon National Bank, $27,852; Mount Vernon Trust Company, $7,451; First National Bank of Jamaica, $4,184; Trustees of the First National Bank of Oneonta, $9,3331; Bollinger Brothers, Pittsburgh, $49,000; Frick Company, Waynesboro, Penn., $22,000, and Liberty Brewing Company, $6,631."

Source:  BUSINESS TROUBLES. . . .  WILLIAM O. HOBBY, N.Y. Times, Mar. 24, 1915, Vol. LXIV, No. 20,878, p. 16, col. 3.

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Early Fatal Automobile Accident in Pelham Manor in 1909

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It truly is difficult to imagine how profoundly different parts of Pelham are today from what they were like barely a century ago.  Take Pelhamdale Avenue between Shore Road and Boston Post Road for example.

In 1909, the roadway was a dark, desolate, and lonely stretch.  There were virtually no homes between a cluster near Christ Church all the way to the New Haven Branch Line railroad overpass where a few homes stood on Manor Circle adjacent to the railroad tracks and Pelham Manor Depot.  Old growth woods lined both sides of the roadway.  With no streetlights, the towering trees made the roadway exceedingly dark at night.  In addition, with virtually no homes yet built along either side of the road, the ground on each side had not been leveled and embankments stood along the roadway.

Along that dark roadway at about 1:00 a.m. on September 6, 1909, Mount Vernon resident William Hobby was driving home from an evening of work.  In his car were three fellow musicians.  Indeed, the entire group of men were all talented and well-trained musicians who played music for churches and a temple in the region.  The group had finished performing at an event at the famed Bay View Hotel on City island that night.

 The Bay View Hotel, City Island, Circa 1904. Source:  Image from

Post Card Postmarked in 1904.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

The tiny little automobile had a rumble seat.  William Hobby was driving.  Joseph Eisinger, 63 years old, of 522 West 112th Street in New York City, was in the passenger seat next to William Hobby.  Henry Claussen, aged 54, of 319 East 87th Street in New York City was in the rumble seat in the rear.  It appears that the fourth musician, 27-year-old Sidney B. Chase of 22 North Fourth Avenue in Mount Vernon was crouched on the floor of the car, likely beneath Eisinger's feet.

1909 Advertisement Depicting Example of Automobile with

Front Driver and Passenger Seats and a Rumble Seat in the

Rear.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

As the car bounced along Pelhamdale Avenue headed westward toward Boston Post Road something terrible happened.  Precisely what happened was disputed thereafter.  According to the driver, William Hobby, about 300 feet east of the New Haven Branch Line railroad overpass above Pelhamdale Avenue, a tire on the vehicle suddenly exploded.  As the car veered out of control, the steering mechanism "became disarranged."  Hobby lost control and the automobile veered off the roadway into an embankment with a large rock.  When the vehicle struck the rock, it nearly stopped, throwing all four men out of the car.  Once the men hit the ground, the vehicle chugged along and scraped several trees along the embankment until it stopped.

Fortuitously, Pelham Manor Police Officer James Butler, in his third year with the force, was nearby and heard the crash.  He hustled to the scene and found the wrecked vehicle and four men lying on the ground.  He contacted headquarters for assistance.  

A local physician was called to the scene.  Joseph Eisinger and Henry Claussen were badly injured.  The other two men were bruised and banged up, but not seriously injured.  Eisinger was in critical condition with a fractured skull.  The police contacted a local garage to arrange for an automobile to take Eisinger and Claussen to Mount Vernon Hospital.  On the way, Joseph Eisinger died in the car.  Claussen survived.

The automobile was just coming into its own in Pelham in 1909.  Though there had been other automobile accidents in the town before that time, this one was notable not only due to the fatality, but also because the men were such well known musicians.  Sadly, this would not be the last fatal automobile accident in our little town.  Many since have followed.

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"MAN WAS KILLED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT AT PELHAM MANOR EARLY YESTERDAY
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Car Operated by William Hobby Goes Over Embankment in Dark Road and Joseph Eisinger, of New York, Dies From His Injuries on Way to the Hospital
-----
Henry Clausen Also Hurt -- Owner and Other Occupants Escape With Bruises -- Car Wrecked -- Were on Their Way Home From City Island
-----

A fatality attended an automobile accident about 1 o'clock yesterday morning in Pelham Manor, when the car owned and driven by William Hobby, of this city, and containing, besides Mr. Hobby, Sidney B. Chase, aged 27, of 22 North Fourth avenue; Joseph Eisinger, aged 63, of 522 West 112th street, and Henry Claussen, aged 54, of 319 East 87th street, New York, struck a rock and ran up an embankment on the north side of Pehamdale avenue about 300 feet east of the bridge of the Harlem River division of the New Haven road.

Mr. Eisinger was thrown out and struck on his head, sustaining a fractured skull.  He died shortly afterward while being hurried to the Mount Vernon hospital in an automobile.  Claussen and Chase were also thrown out, but were not severely injured.  Claussen received a scalp wound and a contusion of the back and was taken to the Mount Vernon hospital.  Dr. Woodruff, who attended him, stated this morning that he was not seriously hurt and did not show signs at present of being internally injured.  Mr. Hobby suffered some bruises and is confined to his home today, it is reported.  

Both Hobby and Chase had remarkable escapes from being severely injured.  Erroneous reports appeared in the New York papers that Mr. Hobby was thrown forty feet out of the car.  This is not so.  According to the statements of the Pelham Manor police, Mr. Hobby, who was driving the car, was thrown only a few feet after it ran up the embankment.

Mr. Hobby and the three men, who are musicians, were returning from the Bay View hotel at City Island.  Eisinger and Claussen are violinists.  They were driving along Pelhamdale avenue, which is one of the darkest thoroughfares in the town of Pelham on account of the woods, when, as they reached a point about 300 feet east of the railroad bridge, a tire exploded, according to Mr. Hobby's statement at the time.  At the same time the steering gear of the machine became disarranged.  Mr. Hobby lost control of the car and it shot up an embankment on the north side of the road.  It first struck a rock, which caused it to stop so suddenly that all of the occupants were hurled out.  Officer Butler, of the Pelham Manor police force, heard the crash of the car as it struck the rock and then ground along into some of the small trees, situated along the embankment.  

When the policeman reached the scene, he saw four men lying on the ground.  Shortly after his arrival he saw one man, who later proved to be Eisinger, lying about 20 feet in front of the car on the road.  Near him was Claussen.  About that time Chase raised himself from the ground and exclaimed 'I am lucky that I was not killed.'  Shortly afterward Mr. Hobby revived.

Officer Butler notified police headquarters of the accident, and Dr. Washburn of Pelham Manor, 
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(Continued on Page Six).
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MAN WAS
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(Continued From Page One.)
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was summoned.  He examined Eisinger and Claussen and found that the former was in a critical condition and ordered that they be removed to the hospital at once.

An automobile was secured from Reynold's garage and the two injured men, in company with Dr. Washburn, were hurried to the Mount Vernon hospital.  On the way to that instituion Eisinger died and was later removed to Van Arsdale's morgue.

After the injured men had been taken away, Chief Marks ordered Officer Butler to place Mr. Hobby under arrest, and he was brought to police headquarters.  Coroner Boedecker was notified of the accident and went to police headquarters in Pelham Manor.  When asked as to what caused the accident, Mr. Hobby told the coroner that one of his tires blew out, as far as he knew, and that he consequently lost control of the car.  The coroner released him under $5,000 bail to appear for examination at the inquest which will be held next Monday evening at 8 o'clock.

Coroner Boedecker said this morning that there was no evidence to show that any of the tires on the car blew out.  As far as could be ascertained, it appeared as if the machine suddenly left the road and struck a rock.  The coroner also said this morning that in view of the fact that an external examination failed to show the extent of Eisinger's injuries and what caused his death, he directed that an autopsy be performed.

This was done yesterday afternoon by Dr. Washburn, of Pelham Manor, and Dr. Knapp, of Mount Vernon, and showed that Eisinger's skull had been fractured and that death had been caused by cerebral hemorrhage and shock.

Another version this morning is that Hobby and Eisinger were sitting in the front seat and Chase on the floor of the car.  In the rumble seat in back was Claussen.

Yesterday morning Chief Marks, Coroner Boedecker and two experts went to the scene of the accident and examined the car.  They found the two front wheels smashed, the spokes of one of them being torn out.  The axle was also bent.  The car was brought to this city in the afternoon.  

Chief Marks declared this morning that the car was so badly wrecked that it must have been travelling [sic] faster than twelve miles, although Mr. Hobby said that the machine was not going faster than that.

The dead man was a musician of note, being organist of St. Aloysiuis Church, West 132nd street and of Temple Beth-El, Jersey City.  He was a composer of church music as well.  He was born in Copenhagen.  In 1846, and studied music at Leipsic [sic], Prague and Copenhagen, before going to New York in 1867.  He was organist in St. Jerome's church in the Bronx for twenty years and at St. Lawrence's church for ten years.  His Easter compositions are in use in the large churches thoughout the country.  He is survived by a widow and five children.

The body was taken to Mr. Eisinger's late home, in New York, last evening, and the funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock."

Source:   MAN WAS KILLED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT AT PELHAM MANOR EARLY YESTERDAY -- Car Operated by William Hobby Goes Over Embankment in Dark Road and Joseph Eisinger, of New York, Dies From His Injuries on Way to the Hospital -- Henry Clausen Also Hurt -- Owner and Other Occupants Escape With Bruises -- Car Wrecked -- Were on Their Way Home From City Island, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Sep. 7, 1909, No. 6026, p. 1, cols. 1-2 & p. 6, col. 4.


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I have written before about the early days of automobiles in Pelham.  For a few examples, see:

Wed., Aug. 30, 2017:  Automobile Club "Run" from the Hunter Island Inn on the Pelham Manor Border in 1901.

Fri., Apr. 21, 2017:  The Great "Two-Gallon Efficiency" Run of 1906 Through Pelham for Early Automobiles.

Mon., Mar. 06, 2017:  "Fool Automobiling" in Pelham in 1906.

Mon., Dec. 12, 2016:  One of the Earliest Illegal Motorcar Races Tore Through Pelham in 1905.

Thu., Dec. 01, 2016:  Pelham Manor Sided With the Anti-Automobilists in 1902.

Wed., Nov. 09, 2016:  Who Drove the First Automobile in Pelham?

Thu., Nov. 05, 2015:  The Earliest Days of the Automobile in Pelham.

Thu., Jan. 07, 2010:  Pelham Manor Police Establish Speed Traps on Shore Road in 1910 to Catch Those Traveling Faster than Fifteen Miles Per Hour.

Mon., Jul. 20, 2009:  Early Automobile Accident and Explosion on Shore Road Near Travers Island in 1902.

Wed., Jan. 21, 2009:  "Fool Driving" in Pelham in the New-Fangled Automobile in 1906.

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