A Century of Sail and Steam on the Niagara River. Barlow Cumberland
travel, rising to a splendid climax when the application of steam to transportation on land and the introduction of railways brought such decadence to the River that all its steamers but one had disappeared.
The transfer of the second "City of Toronto" and of steamboating investment from the Niagara River to the undeveloped routes of the Upper Lakes leads to a diversion of the narration as bringing the initiation of another era on the Niagara River and explaining how the steamer, which formed its centre, came to be brought to the River service.
The closing 35 years of the century form the era of the Niagara Navigation Co., in which the period of decadence was converted into one of intense activity and splendid success.
Our steam boating coterie had been promised by Mr. Chas. Gildersleeve, General Manager of the Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co., that he would write up the navigation history of the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River sections upon which he and his forbears had been foremost leaders. Unfortunately he passed away somewhat suddenly, before being able to do this, and they pressed upon me to produce the Niagara section which had been alloted to myself.
The narration has been completed during the intervals between serious illness and is sent out in fulfilment of a promise, but yet in hope that it may be found acceptable to transportation men and with its local historical notes interesting to the travelling public.
Thanks are given to Mr. J. Ross Robertson, for the reproduction of some cuts of early steamers, and particularly to Mr. Frederick J. Shepard, of the Buffalo Public Library, who has been invaluable in tracing up and confirming data in the United States.
Dr. A. G. Dougaty, C.M.G., Archivist of Canada, Mr. Frank Severance, of the Buffalo Historical Society, and Mr. Locke, Public Librarian, Toronto, have been good enough to give much assistance which is warmly acknowledged.
Barlow Cumberland.
Dunain, Port Hope.
A CENTURY OF SAIL AND STEAM ON THE NIAGARA RIVER.
Chap. I.—The First Eras of Canoe and Sail 9 Chap. II.—The First Steamboats on the River and Lake Ontario 17 Chap. III.—More Steamboats and Early Water Routes. The River the Centre of Through Travel East and West. 25 Chap. IV.—Expansion and Decline of Traffic on the River. A Final Flash, and a Move to the North 36 Chap. V.—On the Upper Lakes With the Wolseley Expedition and Lord Dufferin 47 Chap. VI.—A Novel Idea and a New Venture. Buffalo in Sailing Ship Days. A Risky Passage 58 Chap. VII.—Down Through the Welland. The Miseries of Horse-towing Times. Port Dalhousie and a Lake Veteran. The Problem Solved. Toronto at Last 68 Chap. VIII.—The Niagara Portal. Old Times and Old Names at Newark and Niagara. A Winter of Changes. A New Rivalry Begun 80 Chap. IX.—The First Season of The Niagara Navigation Company. A Hot Competition. Steamboat Manoeuvres 94 Chap. X.—Change Partners Rate-cutting and Racing. Hanlan and Toronto Waterside. Passenger Limitation Introduced 109 Chap. XI.—Niagara Camps Formed. More Changes and Competition. Beginnings of Railroads in New York State. Early Passenger Men and Ways 119 Chap. XII.—First Railways to Lewiston. Expansion Required. The Renown of the Let-Her-B. A Critic of Plimsoll 134 Chap. XIII.—Winter and Whisky in Scotland. Rail Arrives at Lewiston Dock. How Cibola got Her Name. On the U. E. Loyalist Route. Ongiara Added 143 Chap. XIV.—Running the Blockade on the Let-Her-B. as Told by Her Captain-owner 156 Chap. XV.—The Canadian Electric Railway to Queenston. An Old Portage Route Revived. The Trek to the Western States. Chippewa Arrives. Railway Chief 165 Chap. XVI.—Cibola Goes, Corona Comes. The Gorge Electric Railway Opens to Lewiston. How the Falls Cut Their Way Back Through the Rocks. Royal Visitors. The Decisiveness of Israel Tarte. 178 Chap. XVII.—Cayuga Adds Her Name. Niagara and Hamilton Rejoined. Ice Jams on the River. The Niagara Ferry Completed. Once More the United Management From "Niagara to the Sea" 189
INDEX.
A.
Accommodation, Steamer 17 Advertising, N. Y. C. 175 Alaska, S.S. 145 Alberta, Steamer 121 Albany Northern Railroad 42 Alciope, Steamer 29 Algoma, Steamer 35, 44, 121 Algoma, qualifications of electors 46 American Civil War 43 American Colonists under James II 81 American Constitution Compared 47 American Express Line 37 American Prisoners from Queenston Heights 14 Arabian, Steamer 37 Armenia, Steamer 126 Asia, Steamer 78 Assiniboia, Steamer 121 B. Barre, Chevalier de la 81 Barrie, R. N., Commodore 29, 30 Baldwin, Dr. 15 Bankruptcy of Steamers on River 43 Bay State, Steamer 37, 105 Baxter, Alderman John 152 Beatty, Jas, Jr., Mayor 114 Bell, Mr. David 64 Benson, Judge 33 Benson, Capt. 33 Blockade-Running 160 Bolton, Col. R. E. 48 Book Tickets Introduced 132 Boswell, A. R 114 Bouchette, Commodore 13 Bowes, Mayor J. G. 38 Boynton, Capt. George B. 156 Brampton, Mills 42 Britannia, Steamer 33 Brock, General 15, 33, 169 Brock's Monument, Imitation of 33 Brooklyn, Steamer 48 Bruce Mines 44 Buffalo & Niagara Falls Railroad 31 Buffalo Dry Dock Co. 63 Buffalo in Sailing Days 64 Buffalo