The Kingston Daily Freeman from Kingston, New York • Page 10

TEN THE KINGSTON DAILY FREEMAN, KINGSTON, N. TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 8, 1957 History of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Ferry BY DONALD C. RING WALD Since the beginning of time, people have been faced on occasions with the necessity of crossing from one bank of a stream to the other. At points where there was sufficient traffic, enterprising men capitalized upon this need by establishing a ferry. Ferrying was a full-time occupation on busy routes.

On less frequented byways, it was generally only a side line of the proprietor, who derived his principal income from other sources. Our first local ferryman of record seems to have been in the latter category. His name was Jacob Kip and he was one of the early settlers of Dutchess county. Kip owned a tract of land on the east bank of the Hudson nearly opposite Kingston Point and in the early 1700's menced to operate a ferry across fatent in no in i the method of running the ferry, the river from his dock, which which continued as two separate was near to his home. He was enterprises.

Kip, of course, main- the father of nine children, one tained his boat at of whom. Abraham, aided in east bank and his establish. ment was known as the east the operation of the ferry and fcrry on the west bank later succeeded to it. operated the west ferry. It would Many years afterwards appear that, normally.

landing was enlarged and ex- Passengers were principally those hound west, while Cantme tended out into the river. It ported those going eastward. came to be known as the Long Ordinarily, either ferryman Dock and was approximately would then return to his home three-quarters of a mile above I shore without passengers, tor in the present ferryslip at Rhinecliff and east by north of Kingston Point proper. antine Starts Operation About 1740 Moses Cantvne the early days it was probably unusual to take a traveller across the Hudson and find another waiting to go back. Many years later an agreement was in force whereby the operator of the west ferry, if he picked up a tion still another half mile from the village of Rhinebeck.

Accordingly, they met and agreed to cooperate. Rondouters looked down their noses at this and held that the principal figures in the Kingston demonstration had lobbied the preceding winter against a bill which was evidently intended to improve service by changing the west terminus to Rondout. Regardless, the meeting at Kingston seems to have had some effect on the Russells, who began to run the ferry regularly to the Slate Dock. But they completely supine. Shortly after the meeting one of the of Kingston, probably a member of the aforementioned committee, crossed on the ferry.

Although he was bound for the railroad station, the ferry proceeded to land him at the The George Clinton sailing from Rhinecliff for Kingston. (later spelled Cantine) began uestboun(j passenger would split were kept in motion by a horse and her upper works somewhat in his fee with the proporietor of I or horses on a moving platform i burned. thnrnhv nnnar cast frrrv, and vice versa. contcr of the boat. This 'Adequate Service east shore, and thereby appar- bill was passed by the Fiftieth ently came into direct competi- 1 New York State tion with the Kips Nevertheless, commenced by Kip and Cantine.

22, 1821, Above Kingston Point and became Chapter 94 of the there is no indication of any particular rivalry. Perhaps by that The wording of the letters 1 1 the State of New York time there was sufficient traf- patent, which placed for 1827. fic so that the operation of a landing opposite would Possibly the intent of the oper- Up until 1848 the ferry service provided seems to have been adequate for the times. An idea of the amount of business may be had from the fact that in 1847 the profit was said to have been $1,200. But a railroad was soon single ferry had become burden- 0ne to the reasonable belief at0rs was to run a single horse- lhat mUSt HaVC i th0 r0Ute- but in aCtUal Ihnrn nf tho Hndinn With Can- uhere on or just above Kingston practice the old svstem of twoshor? the Hudson.

With an Neither Kips ferry wncre on or jusi aixjve runrsiun ferry was established in a Point. Although open to question. I senarate ferries swms to have sense They were run by a statement made in 1848 by S0CmS ha'e I th. the proprietors simplv as a con- jobn Radcliff regarding this I venience to travellers and as an must included. Radcliff.

who I additional source of income to i with his father at one time op- the Rondout Courier supported a proposal that the western termi- Flrst steam Ferry nus cf the ferry be moved to When the first steam ferry Rondout. He further suggested ployes seemed to aim at inconveniencing the passengers; the 12 2 fare was double what it should be and the 25c fare was extortion; the ferry failed to be a public convenience. He urged that the whole matter be brought to a head by challenging the ferry legality with a steamboat running from Rondout to connect with the trains. In those days of fierce local pride, when Kingston and Rondout were separate villages, the citizens of both always see eye to eye. In this however, the editor of the Kingston On June 5 Corneil used the Rhine for another excursion to which he invited all interested Rondouters and Kingstonians so that they could for how much better it would be if the eastern terminus and the railroad station were at Dock.

They would also be given the opportunity to examine the site of proposed landing at Rondout. These excursionists likewise held a meeting, agreed that Rondout and Shat- Dock were the and terminations of the ferry and thanked Cornell for his efforts to bring about better ac track. Ferryboat Astoria Arrives Generally, however, the Russells now played cautiously. On Monday, October 27, 1851, the ferryboat Astoria, formerly on the Hell Gate ferry in New York, arrived under charter to replace the Knickerbocker. She came in the nick of time to mollify local tempers.

On the night before a number of Kingstonians and Rondouters had gotten off the train at Rhinebeck station at 9 p. m. to find that a rowboat was lying at the dock in the capacity of the ferry. This would have been adequate except for the fact that the man in charge was dead i commodations for the travelling The hapless passengers i public. But there were still mut- soon discovered that no accom- terings in Kingston from those rr.odations were available at the who had interests at Kingston hotel and were forced to spend Point.

the night on a freight and pas- The next step was up to the serfger barge that was lying at Russells. They succeeded when the landing. the directors of the Hudson River With the coming of the As-; Railroad met on October 12 and toria, conditions improved. That I voted to move the Rhinebeck boat substantial and station from the Slate Dock to made the crossing from Kingston Dock. Point to the Slate Dock, and was This meant that the eastern at hand to wait for late trains, terminus of the ferry would cer- The editor of the Kingston Dem- tainly be changed, but there was ocratic Journal had occasion to: speculation as to whether that cross at 10 one night and would finally bring about the was delighted to find that a move from Kingston Point to steam ferry was running and Rondout on the west.

Cornell laid that the fare was only nine cents. the matter to rest on November Later in the fall the Astoria 9 by announcing that on Novem- an in- whizzing up from New York in was replaced by the Wallabout, ber 11, 1852, the Rhine would nvnmm Fcrrv crease in business to Rondout three hours, it was singularly another New York ferryboat commence running between At that time this was the only Executors of P. W. Rad- hut that was not'all there was discouraRing to have to trudge under charter. With the extreme- Shatzell's Dock and Rondout To exclusive light to operate a ferry docoasod proprietors of the to it.

The great argument for up a third of a mile of railroad ly cold weather of mid-December pacify the Kingston Point advo- ai. a at tne ena 01 ini point sun i wjth baggage hand, to she was forced to lay up. This cates, he also announced that of in- the Knickerbocker would run froze so between Kingston Point and the pnvrmnr Vho 1 Comnanv built a harf a short season, sne win resume running it. Kunning as it aid across a i soon be run Long Dock. This resulted in a govrmorol the Province of New vrornpanv ouni a nan a ski ooj He thundered that in across the ice to connect with most unusual situation, whereby themselves.

But by 1752 Can-1 praVod feirrv averred was put into service has not been that the eastern terminus be Democratic Journal agreed that tine and Abraham Kip decided th ran his boat from determined. The earliest refer- shifted to Dock, about the ferry proprietors they needed protection. They! uharf on Rondout Creek in ence thus far found to a steam of a mile south of the stopped landing and receiving felt that inasmuch as they were kh k- Aftpr he died the ferry is in an advertisement Slate Dock arid opposite the 'railroad passengers at the Long maintaining a satisfactory sen hands which appeared for several mouth of Rondout Creek and I Dock in Rhinebeck instead of at ice, they should be given a mon- in thn Kingston Demo- 1 that thp railroad rstahlish a station at the Slate Dock, there would be a powerful and united demand to repeal their belief i charter. He inferred that, after I of a who was also named months in the Kingston Demo- that the railroad establish a opoly to guarantee thpir present Acrording to cratic Journal in 1845 It firs. 'station there.

and lutine investments In vouneer Cantine then moved his appeared in the issue for Aprili The editor was motivi wharves and boats. According- oV IRJ-V and read in mrt oart hv the rpasonahle 1 thev notifionpd I terminus to the tip of Kingston ana reaa in part ny tne ton the colonial covWnor a' foot of what is now Point Rhinebeck that this would result in ion. ino eojomai governor lor a nmogn in htiginngc ated in having the western terminus of the ferry moved to Rondout. The Russells, of course, were still hopeful that the eastern terminus would eventually be Shat- Dock. The new Rriine arrived late in April and on the 28th of that month Cornell used the boat for an excursion, to which he invited prominent Rondouters.

After a sail on the Hudson, they were taken to Rhinebeck landing and sat down to a tasty collation at the hotel of W. H. McElroy. As was usual, the excursionists held a meeting, tendered their thanks to Cornell and went on record as approving a change in the western terminus to Rondout. Having received this support, Cornell then assured those Kingstonians who were reluctant to see such a change made, that nothing would be done unless Long Dock and so forced him to they were satisfied that such a hike down a third of a mile of change would be best.

York, should not be confused to the south in order to on the Ferry on Tuesday the 22d swamp, it was expensive to main- with the George Clinton who coal sailing vessels of under the charge of Wm. tain and was generally in a de- brcame the first governor of the such deep draft that they could W. Geer, master. She will, when plorable condition. That condi- State of New York.

It is al- not be completelv loaded in Ron- not crossing, remain constantly tion, incidentally, has had a way most certain, however that the dout Creek. In 1896, with suit- at the Ferry Dock at Kingston of repeating itself even in mod- two were distant cousins. able modifications, the Point. And all persons, carnages, ern times! Letters Patent Granted dock at Kingston Point became cattle, or other stock, will be One rhymster put it thus: Tho petition of Abraham Kip 1 the "ell-rrmembered landing of promptly convey and Moses Cantine was favorably considered and Governor Clinton, in the name of King George II, granted the letters the age of telegraph and steam navigation, 12r2C or 25c was too much to pay for crossing the Hudson river and two hours too long to cover four miles. the New York and Albany day- Slate or Long line beck, as the majorit Point 'estimate by the 'amount of fare) on board at In addition to his ferry and cacb trjp mav dictate, patent, dated August 5.

1752, and other activities, Moses Cantine, i anv CLAIM THE '0 rithrrthe of (rogI commoding the Passengers wa? the Wall-' Although it was annou Dock at Rhine- part of a plan. Both the east in Anril Lraii-s that both Dock Ijority of the pas- That hourly w.k« the fiound and west ferry- had. by this time, 'lL Rondout had become the tc teamsters Ire; Today the same, as when Columbus tP it William and er so that she could fill in, but thc Rhirjc on November Russells William H. and there may be some slight A many team i Cfiarlcs H. who had also The remained untii: question about the former.

The quired the former Shatzell farm, The did not begin to stop at Dock until Decem- this Public Notice to the propri- early. Then, on October 1, 1851, spelled variously as -r Hudson River Railroad. and later became part of the Old accounts infer that Wil- New- York Central System, was liam H. managed the ferry while icini rrquiremenis. inese inciud- Kingston Point may have been nf tho side of the ed the payment of an annual known as Columbus Point before 2 fJ I the new quitrent of five shillings on everv Tu eoiumnus neiore Ferry that one-half of said fare which Ladv Day (March 25T the lhlS 1 bo retained for the services New York Central System, was tenance of two sufCent foTn 'o Colte ca'me of the boat, and the other half oponPd over its entire length Boats one to be kept on the Fast i a came to bo over t0 bim on demand, from ncw York to side and the other on the West the point, rather than and the same allowance of half opposite Albany.

Available to side of the said River an-v a the fare will he claimed for any Kingstonians and Rondouters constant and adequate attention period afterwards. Kingston who may cr0Ss from the was the most modern form of in tKzx r------Foint was both as Kings-j West to the sjdo Gf the transportation known to man- Here again William H. Russell ton I oint and as (olumbus rjver by the Horse Boat or kjnd There it was, just across likely was, too. The in- small boats belonging to the the river, but almost as inacces- accounts mention that the Rhinebeck side sible as if it had been in another and compliance ith the rates operated by Kip and Can- The Slate Dock referred to country. Never, it seems, had the of ferriage presented with the Hue under the letters patent was about a third of a mile south i ferry service been so poor nor petition and set forth in the let- werr a type of periauger.

The of the Long Dock and directly tbe to Kingston Point so ters patent. word originally across from the upper end of the bad The rates covered such things meant a dugout is, i latter-day Hudson River Day Editor Was Active as a man and horse at two a canoe made by hollowing out Line landing at Kingston Point. Th cditor 0f the Rondout shillings and sixpence; a single i a tree but it had come it will be noted that the Courier worked himself up into horse or beast, one shilling and to be used to cover variations of vertisement said the Knicker- dudgeon He accused to the business of the ferry either by themselves in person or by a sufficient number of able and skillful servants Charles H. owned the land, but they were probably jointly concerned with both. Charles H.

Russell was also a stockholder in the Hudson River Railroad. tent was to move the eastern terminus of the ferry to Shat- Dock, have the railroad move the station from the Slate Dock to Dock, and to develop their land-holdings into a thriving village. This was akin the ice and was forced to return to Rondout for repairs. With the river frozen solid, she opened a channel to Dock on Tuesday and by crossing two or three times each night to keep it open, was able to continue without undue difficulty. Warmer weather followed and there seems to have been no further trouble in maintaining the schedule.

Commence New Route As for the alternative route between Kingston Point and the Long Dock, that had probably been closed when the ice commenced to form in the river. It is unlikely that the ferry proprietors had ever considered its continuance as anything more than a device with which to scothe those in Kingston who had money interests at Kingston Point. By doing so, they had been able to commence the new route between Rondout and Dock without any spirited opposition. Once having established that line and seen it accepted by the general public, they felt that they could abandon the Kingston Point run with a minimum of ado. Apparently the Kingston Point interests woke up to what was going on hen the spring of 1853 came and there was no resumption of the Kingston Point ferry line.

This was the call to action, but it was too late. The ferry proprietors expected that the general public would back them and they were right. When Thomas Cornell announced that steps were being taken to force a removal of the Rondout terminus to Kingston Point, handbills were struck and an indignation meeting opposing such a change was held in Clinton Hall in Rondout. The new west terminus stayed where it was. Although no public notice of the discontinuance of the Kingston Point-Long Dock route has been found, the fact that it was gone forever was confirmed by an announcement in the latter part of the spring of 1853 that the Knickerbocker had been sold.

In the middle of June she commenced service as a ferryboat between Catskill and Oak Hill. The Catskill Recorder greeted her with joy and was quoted as calling her an excellent boat, nearly new, of immense strength, and in every respect capable of doing all the business required Apparently the awful truth soon came out, for another paper sourly observed of the engine that there was some doubt whether the machinery now aboard of her is an engine or a sausage In August it was noted that a new ferry company was being formed at Catskill to secure a good steam ferryboat to replace the horse boat and skiffs then in use. Evidently the Knickerbocker term of service at Catskill was noteworthy only by its brevity. No indication of what happened to her afterwards has been found. Another Outburst One other slight outburst from as now on a route the Kingston Point advocates followed by local took form as that year of 1853 er a century: Shat- reached its close.

On New wa.r IL 1 Dock on tho east: Rondout Eve the Rhine was in her slip at Russell, who now slipped con- on the west. The distance was Dock awaiting the ar- venicntly out of the picture. Into about one and a half miles, rival of the 8.Id p. m. express the spotlight in his stead came which made the crossing a long train fiom New York city.

The Charles H. Russell, like a total one. Since the larger portion of night was stormy and there were stranger against whom nobody the trip was on the waters of a number of teams on boaid the as yet grievances. The Rondout Creek, the ferry spent boat. This was to be the final new ferrvboat which was named more time in paralleling the tiip of the dav and in such in- the Rhine, was enrolled his shores of the creek than she did stances the rule of the ferry was name as sole owner on April 24, in crossing the Hudson.

Actual- to wait one houi for the tiain. 1852 ly, the added distance was a If a train was later than that, Rv offiriil or statutorv meas- convenience rather than a dis- it was assumed that an accident her lengfh advantage. One eould travel had occurred. The Rhine obeyed 9 inches; breadth of hull, 20 feet 0a5lIy and 6 inches; depth of hold, 6 feet 9 ferry 4than. on and: inches; tonnage, 106 A west terminus step ashore al- the trains.

two ferry lines under the same When the river opened again ownership ran across the Hudson in March, the Wallabout resumed vvjthin a short distance of one trips. Although a new ferryboat another. As we shall see, it was was being built expressly for the transitory. Aetuallv, this business of in- rmhe. there was doubt as Rondout Terminus I to whether she would be ready announccd and hppiin on thp rconaout naa necorne ine tcrmi: come under tho control of the uere ocgun on ine TvnicKerDocK contemporary description gives most in the heart of Rondout village.

Users of the new route tn the Dlans of Moses Cantine her over-all length on deck as to the Plans ot Moses cantine need never again face the perils on the west bank years before Opposed to Change sixpence; a calf or hog, sixpence; this form. The late Aiphonso T. will resume run- 0llrpn he confused a sheep or lamb, fourpence; a Clearwater WTote that his grand- ning which indicates that I II as the grantor of loaded wagon or cart, six remembered the peri- she must have been in service in patCnt of 1752 shillings; a pail of butter, two- augers on the local ferry as hav- 1844 and perhaps well before havinfy framLi a device which a pence; a bushel of salt or grain, mg been built of two hollowed- that. No record of her date of rentu7v latrr vvas uscd one penny; a hundredweight of out buttonball logs, with planks building or dimensions has been t0 fleece jnCom- iron, ninepence; a single pas- bolted between them and with a found, but contemporary ac- Amer- senger, one shilling. mast, a sail and a bank of oars, counts indicate that she vvas a He tbe Knickerbocker The last fare is worthy of com- By 1827 the operators of the diminutive side-wheeler of slight had a twelve horsepower engine, ment.

Although through the east and west ferry were, respec- power. could make five miles an hour years it was occasionally cut. it tively, James Elmendorf and She had not been in service favorine wind and had to was always raised again to one Peter W. Radcliff. These men long in 1845 when, on May 7, be Jaid in favor of a yawj lf a bill to bv framed which she oxjlodod her steam pipe and the river was at all rou-h.

The ferry service long and Persisted in the converted would relieve them from the old scalded her engineer Peter Keif- s( fare to Kingston poin, was enough the opposition would 1835Uwhen that fer, severely, but not dan- 25c the fprry fare either I give and submit to anything rio irJTnc- a VT' maintained on the She was unfortunate (one shilling) or 25c if one 1 that would improve the situ- icl he lenn? again in 1846. for on the night of crossed after 8 p. nf when the ation. bv New xww required, but it would rate could be doubled under the, xhe opposition was made of heeVml have to be either a steamboat or June shc caught provisions of the letters patent. sternor stu(r.

Sentiment was TheHant irw a borseboat. Tire latter was a wheel-houses, engine room and the cost of going from fanned in Kingston and on Octo- gianung oi the letters with paddle wheels, which deck were considerably damaged Rondout to the railroad "in plain 13 1851, a protest meeting might be either or was bejd at court house. The 50c. participants maintained that if The amount of time consumed Russells were right in land- 96 feet and states that her side wheels were turned by a vertical beam engine having a cylinder 32 Certain citizens of Kingston inches in diameter and six feet were strongly opposed to chang- jn stroke. A vertical beam engine ing either the ferry terminus or incidentally, vvas that type of the railroad station to marine engine which generally Dock.

They had investments at had its walking beam rising con- Kingston Point and feared that such a move 'might lead at the same time to the abandonment of Kingston Point in favor of Rondout as the west terminus. Apparently the Russells felt that if they could persist in furnish- in going from Rondout to the railroad station was so great that the editor advised leaving at least two hours before the train was due. Even with this ing railroad passengers at the Long Dock, then the railroad should move its station to that location. Otherwise, the ferry should connect with the trains spicuously above the upper deck of the steamer which it motivated. Used primarily in side- wheelers, it was favored on the Hudson River, where it survived for well over a century.

Cornell Named Manager Prior to the advent of the Rhine, Thomas Cornell had joined forces with the Russells and was made manager of the ferry line. Cornell, a leading citizen of Rondout and a steamboat operator who built up what later became the Cornell Steamboat was naturally interested in of the road to Kingston Point. The changes made in the years that foHowed were slight. The Rondout terminus in 1852 was a very short distance up the creek from where it now is, but was relocated to the present site in the following summer of 1853. In those days, too, the landing the rule liberally, for she waited until 10 Still the express had not arrived.

By that time the patience of the teamsters and the other passengers had come to an end. They demanded that the sailing be made. And so the Rhine set forth for Rondout. As it happened, the express train did arrive afterwards. Amongst the number on it who were bound for either Rondout or Kingston was Marius Schoonmaker.

It will be recalled that at Dock was on the he had been a member of the north side. In 1877 another slip committee appointed in Kingston vvas built on the south side and; two years before to fight the it has been said that both slips efforts of the Russells to move were maintained for a time, with the ferry to Dock, the slip to be used depending on Also present were others ho the tide. Eventually the old north were friendly to the old Kings- slip was abandoned. ton Point cause. It was undcr- The first weeks of the winter standably unpleasant to be of 1852-1853 were fairly and stranded on New Eve al- the Rhine had no trouble.

Then, most in sight of home, and it on Sunday, January 16, 1853, the weather turned suddenly cold. On Monday morning she was damaged in trying to get through was doubly unpleasant to find that there were fewr accommodations for the night available at Rhinebeck landing. In such a margin, there vvas no guarantee at tbe slate Dock. The meeting that you would get your train. to inform the managers First of all, the Knickerbocker 0f rajiroad of this opinion might be the opposite side of so fbc managers eould clear the river when you got to Kings- themselves of the ascription that ton Point.

If you were lucky and 1 they were conniving with the got aboard promptly, then the Russells. After agreeing that the captain, who evidently still op- Knickerbocker was a poor excuse erated under the majority rule, for a ferryboat and failed to be might well land you at the Lxmg a convenience to the public as required by the letters patent, the participants appointed J. C. Forsyth, John Van Buren, William Masten, Marius Schoonmaker and James W. Baldwin as a committee.

These gentle- Dock instead of the Slate dock, where the Rhinebeck station was located. In that case, you had to walk a third of a mile down the track or a considerably longer distance if you chose the more comfortable method of walking men were to act with the citi- around by road. All in all, in- zcns pf Rhinebeck to obtain stead of riding merrily off on the from tbe legislature a charter train, you just as likely to run a proper ferry from a fair rear view of the Kingston Point to the Slate cars you would like to be aboard Dock, and to confer with the at- of leaving you behind at the rate general of the state to of 30 miles an hour. determine the procedure for in- The editor summed up his case validating the charter of the ex- with five points; the Knicker-' isting ferry line, bocker was insufficient for the The citizens of Rhinebeck were The Kingston in the Rondout Creek route; there was no regular schedule and no attempt to connect with the trains; the em- opposed to the move to Shat- Dock on the grounds that it would move the railroad sta- The Transport, the grand old veteran, which plied between Kingston and Rhinecliff for over half a century..