Historic Pelham Blog Archive
August 3, 2005

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During the early 1870s, plans to build a branch railroad line parallel to the Long Island Sound ripened. The "Branch Line" as it came to be known was intended to serve the hamlet known as Bartow, City Island and parts of what we know today as the Village of Pelham Manor (among many other locations). Today's and tomorrow's Blog postings will reproduce early news accounts from the New York Herald describing developments regarding the creation of the line.

A meeting composed of influential real estate owners of the town of Westchester, Westchester county, was held in the Town Hall of the former place on Monday evening, for the purpose of considering what measures were requisite to secure the early construction of the proposed Harlem River and Portchester Railroad. Among those present were William D. Bishop, President of the New York and New Haven Railroad, and many of the directors of the projected road.

After the meeting had been organized by the choice of William Watson, president, and the appointment of Claiborne Ferris, secretary, Mr. BISHOP in a somewhat lengthy address set forth the effect of opening a railroad in enhancing the value of land through which it might pass, as well as the inevitable appreciation which would follow regarding property contiguous to the proposed road. He contended that the population of Westchester and adjoining towns is too sparse at the present time to warrant the company in paying extravagant prices for land, and in addition construct a first class railroad: but that if those whose lands would be increased in value by the road would tender or provide the right of way, the company would immediately go to work and give them a first class railroad. Without some inducement on the part of the property owners along the line of the proposed road, he could not hold out much encouragement to the residents of that locality as to the time when the project would be carried out.

C. A. ROOSEVELT of Pelham, stated that the property owners of his town were prepared to tender the right of way.

A committee was then appointed on the part of the town of Westchester, to confer with similar bodies in behalf of the towns of Pelham and West Farms, to obtain the right of way for the contemplated railroad through those towns."

Source: Harlem River and Portchester Railroad, N.Y. Herald, Jun. 1, 1870, p. 6, col. 3.

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posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:04 AM Comment

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