HISTORY OF THE CANAL SYSTEM
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
TOGETHER WITH BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE CANALS
OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
VOLUME I
BY NOBLE E. WHITFORD
A tabular list of companies chartered for constructing navigable canals within New York State.
In addition to the two waterways whose histories have just been related, many companies have been incorporated by the Legislature to build other canals. These companies are here presented in a tabulated list, which gives the name, date of incorporation and capitalization of the company, the location of the canal and also a brief account of what was accomplished, so far as a rather extended research can ascertain. Possibly some of the companies, which are described as having done nothing, may have begun a part of the construction, but it is probable that if much had been done some record of the operations would have been found. Chronologically the list begins with the Inland Lock Navigation Companies, whose works were finally acquired by the State, as were also several others started by private enterprise. It will be noticed that the period of greatest activity in canal-building on the part of the State, or between 1815 and 1840, was productive of the keenest desire on the part of individuals to share in the profits of a toll-collecting canal. However, it will be observed also that some companies have been incorporated within comparatively recent times. The list contains three canals that were authorized by the State to be constructed by an unincorporated company or by municipalities. Projects for purely hydraulic or drainage canals are not included. The spelling of the statutes is retained for the names of companies and termini.
TABLE OF COMPANIES WHICH HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED FOR CONSTRUCTING
CANALS AND EXTENDING NAVIGATION IN NEW YORK STATE
| COMPANIES. | Date of Incorporation. |
Capital. | Connections. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany and New Baltimore Ship Canal and Basin Co. | April 12, 1853 | $1,000,000 | Albany and New Baltimore. | Survey made. Never built. |
| Allegany River Slack-water Navigation Co. | April 7, 1857. | 30,000 | --- | To improve Allegany river below Olean. Nothing done. |
| Allegany Slack-water Navigation Co. | May 1, 1839. | 100,000 | --- | To improve Allegany river from Olean to Pennsylvania State line. Nothing done. |
| Auburn Canal and R.R. Co. | April 24, 1832. | 150,000 | Auburn and Erie canal. | Nothing done. |
| Auburn and Owasco Canal Co. | April 21, 1828. | 100,000 | Auburn and Owasco lake. | Nothing done. |
| Auburn and Owasco Canal Co. | Mar. 30, 1832 | 100,000 | Auburn and Owasco lake. | Charter renewed in 1834; not finished. |
| Binghamton, Owego and Pennsylvania Slack-water Navigation Co. | April 9, 1855 | 100,000 | Southern terminus of Chenango canal to Pennsylvania State line. | Act amended in 1857. |
| Black River Canal Co. | Mar. 20, 1828 | 400,000 | Erie canal and Black river. | Nothing done. |
| Black River Co. | April 17, 1832 | 900,000 | Rome and Ogdensburgh. | To construct a railroad or canal. Nothing done, but the Black River canal fulfilled the needs. |
| Black River Navigation Co. | April 5, 1810 | 10,000 | Brownville and Lake Ontario. | Not Constructed. |
| Cassadaga Navigation Co. | April 16, 1827 | 20,000 | --- | To improve Cassadaga creek; not completed. |
| Catetunck Lock Navigation Co. | Mar. 3, 1815 | 70.000 | --- | To improve Catetunck creek from its mouth to northwest branch. Nothing done. |
| Chenango Junction Canal Co. | May 12, 1846 | 1,000,000 | From Chenango canal at Binghamton to Pennsylvania State line. | Nothing done by company. The State undertook the work in 1863, but the line was never completed. |
| Chittenango Canal Co. | Mar. 6, 1818 | 30,000 | Chittenango village and Erie canal. | Assumed by the State and used as a navigable feeder for the Erie canal. |
| Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. | April 23,1823 | 500,000 | Rondout, N.Y., and Honesdale, Pa. | Capital stock increased to $1,500,000 on April 7, 1824. Canal completed in 1829; in operation till close of navigation, 1898. Abandoned January, 1899. A few miles still open. |
| Delaware and Susquehannah Navigation Co. | April 20, 1825 | 500,000 | Delaware and Susquehannah rivers. | Nothing done. |
| Ellicott's Creek Slack-water Navigation Co. | April 23, 1829 | 5,000 | --- | Nothing done. |
| Foster's Meadow Canal and Dock Co. | April 18, 1859 | 5,000 | --- | From Hook creek, where it empties into Jamaica bay, to a point in town of Jamaica. |
| (Gowanus Canal). | April 24, 1837 | --- | Gowanus bay and Hudson river. | City of Brooklyn authorized to construct canal. Partially improved. |
| Great Chazy Navigation Co. | May 11, 1836 | 5,000 | Lake and lower bridge at Champlain. | |
| Granville Canal Co. | April 18, 1825 | 200,000 | Champlain canal and Bishop's Corners | Nothing done. |
| Harlaem Canal Co. | April 18, 1826 | 350,000 | Harlaem creek and North river. | Partly done and abandoned. |
| Harlaem River Canal Co. | April 16, 1827 | 500,000 | Spitendeuvel creek and Harlaem river. | Surveyed, but not constructed. |
| Hudson and Harlem River Canal Co. | May 2, 1863 | 100,000 | Hudson and Harlem rivers. | |
| Hudson and Mohawk Lock Navigation Co. | April 17, 1816 | 500,000 | Cohoes Falls and Schenectady. | Nothing done. |
| Hudson's River Canal and Channel Co. | April 4, 1806 | 3,500 | --- | For raft navigation on upper waters. Nothing done. |
| Ithaca and Port Renwick Railroad Co. | May 8, 1835 | 15,000 | Fall creek to Cayuga lake. | Company which was incorporated April 16, 1834, to build railroad from Ithaca to Cayuga lake, was authorized in 1835 to construct canal. Nothing done. |
| Jamaica Canal and New York Inland Navigation Co. | April 18, 1859 | 100,000 [See errata] |
From Gravesend bay to Jamaica village. | |
| Jefferson County Canal Co. | April 15, 1828 | 300,000 | Carthage and Sacketts Harbor | Nothing done. |
| Junction Canal Co. | April 21, 1828 | 100,000 | From Erie canal near Champlain Junction to Hudson river. | Constructed at a cost of $21,417.16. In 1840 the State was authorized to purchase canal, probably never purchased. |
| Junction Canal Co. | May 11, 1846 | 500,000 | From Chemung canal at Elmira to Pennsylvania State line to connect with North Branch canal. | Completed in 1858. Abandoned in 1871. [see errata] |
| Long Island Canal Co. | April 15, 1828 | 200,000 | To connect Gravesend, Jamaica and Great South bays as far as Fire Island inlet. | Nothing done. |
| Long Island Canal and Navigation Co. | April 8, 1848 | 300,000 | To connect Gravesend and Jamaica bays with Great South bay, and to cross Canoe place to Peconic bay. | Nothing but survey done. Shinnecock and Peconic canal later built State at Canoe place; authorized in 1884. |
| (Main and Hamburg canal) | Mar. 27, 1838 | --- | Main street to Hamburg street, Buffalo. | City of Buffalo authorized to construct canal. Partly built by City. State assumed work in 1840 and later completed canal. Abandoned in 1898. |
| Manlius Canal Co. | April 15, 1828 | 50,000 | Erie canal and Manlius, canal or slack-water navigation. | State canal feeder. |
| Neversink Navigation Co. | April 16, 1816 | 50,000 | --- | The project failed. The State loaned its credit for $10,000 and lost the whole sum. |
| Newtown and Flushing Canal Co. | April 22, 1898 | 100,000 | Newtown and Flushing creeks. | |
| New York and Sharon Canal Co. | April 19, 1823 | --- | From Sharon, Conn., to tide-water at any point on the Hudson or in the City of New York. | Surveyed nearly on the present line of the Hudson R.R. |
| Niagara Canal Co. | April 5, 1798 | --- | Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. | Route first surveyed in 1796, resurveyed after incorporation. Nothing further done. |
| Niagara Canal Co. | April 11, 1823 | 120,000 | From Niagara river, above the falls, to Lewiston. | Nothing done but survey. |
| Niagara Ship Canal Co. | July 21, 1853 | 5,000,000 | Lake Erie to Lake Ontario | Nothing done. |
| Niagara Ship Canal Co. | April 24, 1866 | 6,000,000 | From a point on Niagara river above falls to a point below on the river or upon the shore of Lake Ontario. | Nothing done. |
| Northern Inland Lock Navigation Co. | Mar. 30, 1792 | --- | Hudsons river and Lake Champlain. | Work commenced but no part completed. |
| Northern Slack-water and Railway Co. | May 13, 1846 | 2,000,000 | Port Kent and Boonville. | Nothing done. |
| Oneida Lake Canal Co. | Mar. 22, 1832 | 40,000 | Oneida lake and Erie canal. | Finished in 1835 at a cost of nearly $90,000, and purchased by the State in 1841, for $50,000. |
| Onondaga Canal Co . | Nov. 25, 1824 | --- | Erie canal and Onondaga Hollow. | Not constructed. |
| Ontario Canal Co. | Mar. 31, 1821 | 100,000 | Canandaigua lake and Erie canal. | Nothing done. |
| Orange and Sussex Canal Co. | April 9, 1824 | 600,000 | From Columbia, on the Delaware, through Orange county, to the Hudson. | The right granted in 1828 to build a railroad on the line. Nothing done on either. |
| Oswegatchie Navigation Co. | April 25, 1831 | 30,000 | From the St. Lawrence to Black lake and Canton. | Nothing done. |
| Oswegatchie Navigation Co. | April 12, 1848 | 10,000 | --- | To improve Oswegatchie river and Black lake. |
| Oswego Canal Co. | April 23, 1823 | 10,000 | Canal on east side of Oswego river, below Oswego falls. | After the company had expended from $3,000 to $4,000 for improvements, the State took possession of works to form part of Oswego canal. |
| Owasco and Erie Canal Co. | May 1, 1829 | 150,000 | Owasco lake and Erie canal. | Nothing done. |
| Peaconic Navigation Co. | Mar. 10, 1835 | 10,000 | --- | To improve Peaconic river from Riverhead. Never completed. |
| Peconic River Lock Navigation Co. | April 8, 1808 | 5,000 | --- | To construct locks and dams in Peconic river. Nothing done. |
| Riverhead Canal and Mill Co. | April 17, 1854 | 10,000 | Forge pond on Peconic river and Riverhead. | |
| Rochester Canal and R.R. Co. | Mar. 26, 1831 | 30,000 | Rochester and Lake Ontario. | Railroad only constructed. |
| Salmon River Harbor Canal Co. | May 16, 1837 | 350,000 | Lake Ontario and Port Ontario. | Never completed. |
| Scottsville Canal Co. | April 30, 1829 | 15,000 | Scottsville and Genesee river. | Built in 1837 and used for several years in carrying grain and flour from the southwestern part of Monroe county. |
| Seneca Lock Navigation Co. | April 6, 1813 | 50,000 | For improving navigation between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. | Improvements completed in 1821. State authorized to purchase company's rights in 1825. |
| Seneca and Susquehannah Lock Navigation Co. | Mar. 31, 1815 | 300,000 | From Seneca lake to Chemung river at Elmira. | Nothing done. |
| Sodus Canal Co. | Mar. 19, 1829 | 200,000 | From Seneca river or Canandaigua outlet to Great Sodus Bay. | Partly constructed, but never used. $100,000 expended. (See Assembly Documents, 1851, Nos. 64 and 65, for history.) |
| Sparkill Creek Canal Co. | May 2, 1871 | 100,000 | From Sparkill creek, at New York-New Jersey boundary line, through town of Orangetown, Rockland county, to the Hudson river. | |
| St. Lawrence Lock Co. | April 1, 1808 | --- | For building locks at Isle au Rapid. | Locks completed, but too small for general use. |
| Susquehannah and Chenango (Side canal). [see errata] | May 20, 1836 | --- | Susquehannah river at Brandywine creek to Chenango canal. | Individuals (not incorporated) authorized to construct canal and to charge triple tolls. Nothing done. |
| Tidal Waterway Co. | May 19, 1894 | 5,000 | --- | To construct canals in First Senate District (Long Island). |
| Wallabocht Canal Co. | April 9, 1828 | 20,000 | Wallabocht bay and Tillory street, Brooklyn. | Not constructed. |
| Wallabout Canal Co. | April 18, 1838 | 25,000 | Wallabout bay to Williamsburg (now part of B’klyn). | |
| Western Inland Lock Navigation Co. | Mar. 30, 1792 | --- | To open navigation on the Mohawk, Wood creek, Oneida, Oswego and Seneca rivers to Lake Ontario and to Seneca lake. | Completed to Oneida lake in 1798, State having given much aid. Wood creek further improved in 1820. The grants west of Oneida lake were surrendered in 1808. The State purchased all remaining rights in 1802, and used a few available portions for the Erie canal. |
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