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CHAPTER XVIII.

RAILROADS.

Geographical Location of Ithaca.-Early Prosperity.-Injured by Railway Development.-Declining Importance.-Inaccessible. Necessity for Additional Facilities of Travel.-Ithaca & Athens Railroad.-Ithaca & Cortland.-Geneva & Ithaca. -Utica, Ithaca & Elmira.-Bonding Towns.-Inability to Complete Roads.-Mr. Cornell Undertakes the Work.-Financial Crisis, 1873.-Embarrassments.-Fatal Illness and Death.-Sale of Interests.-Great Losses.-Superb Facilities for Travel Provided.

THE peculiar geographical location of Ithaca has at different periods of its history exercised a material influence upon its prosperity and development as a business centre. In the early days of the navigation of the canal system of the State, the situation of Ithaca at the head of Cayuga Lake, through which connection with the Erie Canal was secured, made it a point of shipment for the products of a large section of country, embracing the southern tier from Binghamton to Elmira and the adjacent northern counties in Pennsylvania.

Supplies of merchandize received by canal and

lake at Ithaca were distributed through this extensive region by teams which had brought lumber, grain, and coal for shipment. In view of the magnitude of this traffic, a railway-one of the first built in this State, and indeed in this country -was projected and constructed between Ithaca and Owego. This road-the first for which ground was broken within the State-with its celebrated inclined planes, worked by stationary power, to overcome the high elevation near Ithaca, was completed and put in operation about the year 1832. Like many similar enterprises, the road found inadequate business for its support, and proved a failure financially. After a few years of languishing business, it was abandoned by its owners, and finally ceased its operations for a number of years, until rebuilt by a new company.

So long as Ithaca commanded the trade of this extensive interior country, it continued to prosper, but the ultimate extension of the Chemung Canal from the head of Seneca Lake to Elmira, and the Chenango Canal from Utica to Binghamton, diverted much of the commercial traffic which had formerly found its outlet by way of Ithaca and the Cayuga Lake. Later, when the New York & Erie Railroad was extended along the southern tier, and branches were constructed from Binghamton to Syracuse, and from Elmira to Ca

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nandaigua, the territory tributary to the business interests of Ithaca was substantially confined to the County of Tompkins. In 1849 the railroad between Ithaca and Owego was rebuilt, thus placing Ithaca in railway connection with the Erie road at Owego, as it was also connected by steamboat navigation with the New York Central road at Cayuga Bridge. Thus the situation of Ithaca was changed from a point of commercial importance, commanding an extensive trade from a wide range of territory, to that of a mere local village, isolated from the great lines of travel and connected with them by transportation of very limited character. It was no wonder, therefore, that the growth of the village was checked and the ambition of its residents substantially culminated.

Such was the condition of Ithaca when Mr. Cornell projected the establishment there of a great educational institution. One of the first, and really the most serious embarrassment that was realized as to the location of the University, was the lack of adequate facilities for travel. Four months in each year the lake was closed with ice, and communication with the Central road depended upon stages, or, if by rail, by the circuitous route via Owego and Binghamton to Syracuse. All felt that this condition of things must be overcome, or

the University would fail to accomplish its proper mission on account of its isolated situation.

The development of the Pennsylvania coal fields had already given new life to the Susquehanna Valley, and the people of that locality were seeking railway facilities to connect them with the canal system of New York, as an outlet for their coal product. To meet this necessity, the Ithaca & Athens Railroad Company was organized in 1866, with Mr. Cornell as president. This company constructed a railroad from Ithaca to Athens, where it connected with the Lehigh Valley Railway via Wilkesbarre to New York and Philadelphia.

The new road, while developing important business interests and connections for Ithaca, failed to remedy in any important degree the lack of railway facilities requisite to accommodate the University travel. The result of greatest importance to be accomplished was some direct communication with the Central road, but no progress was made in this direction until the enactment of the law authorizing the bonding of towns and villages to provide for railroad building. Under the unhealthy stimulus of this profligate measure several lines of railroad were projected to connect Ithaca with the outer world. Three of these projects finally gained the requisite vitality to un

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dertake the building of roads: one from Ithaca to Geneva, another from Ithaca to Cayuga Bridge along the east side of Cayuga Lake, and the third from Ithaca to Cortland-which latter was afterward merged into the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad Company. The town of Ithaca bonded herself $200,000 for the Ithaca & Athens road; $300,000 for the Geneva & Ithaca; and the village of Ithaca was bonded to the extent of $100,000 for the Ithaca & Cortland enterprise.

Other towns on these various routes were also bonded for different sums, varying in amount according to the ability of the towns or the extent of their active interest in the proposed roads. Unfortunately, the easy process of issuing town bonds encouraged the commencement of roads for which no adequate warrant of business existed. Besides, the great stimulation in railway building advanced the market value of iron and other supplies to an extravagant price. In some instances the cost of iron rails for these roads was more than one hundred dollars per ton, and other materials in proportion. Thus the double mistake was inevitable, of building roads which would starve each other in competing for business inadequate for all, and at the same time making the roads cost one-quarter or one-third more than they would if but half as many roads had been constructed.

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