The Navigation Companies from Inlet to Raquette Lake

Part Seven

Imagine the reaction of Charles Moshier when he received a message in December 1897 from Fred Kirch informing him that three steamers, three scows, a tally-ho coach, buckboards and other property were sold for $5000 cash to brother-in-law Frank Tiffany, especially when a recent inventory by Kirch tallied in excess of $5100.

Frank Tiffany’s plans will remain unknown and if they involved Kirch.

Pages are missing from the diary he kept for this period.

When no proceeds from Kirch’s sale were forthcoming for prorated distribution among the stockholders, Moshier had Kirch arrested in March 1898 and charged with grand larceny.

April 1898 would be newsworthy in more ways than one.

E. H. Myers and Charles O’Hara posted bail for Kirch.

In April, court testimony revealed that Kirch claimed the defect in corporation papers and that he was majority stockholder in what was really a partnership.

As general manager, he had authority to sell the property.  Continue reading →

Part four

Benjamin T. Gilbert, the top shareholder in both companies—the Fulton Chain and Raquette Lake Transportation Company, and the Fulton Chain and Raquette Lake Steamboat Company, both formed in 1896—was the son of Benjamin D. Gilbert.

Benjamin T. left Yale in 1894 to hunt in Colorado, then started for Italy and ended up hunting boar in Morocco, then studied literature at the Sorbonne in Paris and returned to get a B.A. at Columbia.  Continue reading →

The Navigation Companies from Inlet to Raquette Lake

Part three

Beaver Camp, at the foot of Eighth Lake, was located near where in 1896 Durant’s new road from Mohegan Lake crossed to connect with the Sucker Brook Bay Road to Eagle Bay.

The beaver dam mentioned was estimated in 1915 to have been built prior to the Revolution based on tree rings in cedar logs from the dam.

During 1896, Fred Kirch left Bennett’s company and became general manager in one, maybe two, new Inlet companies.

On May 18, 1896, Kirch and others would form the Fulton Chain and Raquette Lake Transportation Company for the purpose of “establishing, maintaining and operating a stage line or omnibus [horse-drawn streetcar] route or routes..” from Fourth Lake to Raquette Lake.

The company’s capital was $4000 and its directors (#shares) were Fred Kirch (15), Benjamin T. Gilbert (19), Ephraim Myers (4), Henry Myers (1), and Benjamin D. Gilbert (1).

On July 3, 1896, a second company was formed, the Fulton Chain and Raquette Lake Steamboat Company, for purposes of “building, purchasing, chartering, navigating or owning steam, sail or other boats, ships, vessels or other property to be used in business, trade, commerce or navigation for carriage, transportation or storage of lading, freight, mails, property or passengers.  Continue reading →

Part One

In a prior article, I wrote about a little known Inlet navigation company that operated stage and steamboat transportation for passengers and freight from the head of Fourth Lake (today’s Inlet) to Raquette Lake.

I am revisiting this topic after learning more about this route and about more companies that emerged for traveling it to reach Raquette and Blue Mountain Lakes.

Today, this route is part of the Annual 90 Mile Adirondack Canoe Classic.

In 1871, Dr. Thomas Durant’s Adirondack Railroad from Saratoga Springs to North Creek followed by an 8 hour stage ride, provided access to a once remote Blue Mountain Lake that soon developed into a major resort area with major hotels.  Continue reading →

Before there was Inlet II: James Galvin and the Fulton Chain Club…

PART FIVE

In May 1898, James Galvin sold land to Duane Norton who built the Seventh Lake House. But 1898 would present new problems for the association and for Ephraim Myers.

In January 1898, Carthage’s First National Bank’s bank examiners found a $20,000 defalcation by President Myers.

For public relations and friendship reasons, the directors, one who was Kilby, signed a note to repay the money based on their shares in the bank.

Myers would repay them from the proceeds of a mortgage he executed on all his properties.

On April 26, Myers absconded with $6700 from the bank and never returned.

Later it was found he adjusted the books so embezzlements would be hidden until depositors claimed funds.

A year later, son Henry absconded with Fulton Chain Lumber Company books, leaving Peter Rohr with mill operations he soon wanted to sell.

Directors Kilby, Spencer and the others faced severe criticism for their earlier $20,000 note and not immediately replacing Myers.  Continue reading →

Before there was Inlet II: James Galvin and the Fulton Chain Club

Before there was Inlet II: James Galvin and the Fulton Chain Club 

PART THREE

Theodore Basselin was an unusual choice for Forest Commissioner in 1885 as he was also a lumber baron.

Charles Goodwin Emery made his fortune from a cigarette rice paper patent (his company was among the first to advertise with baseball cards) and he held substantial Thousand Islands real estate, building Calumet Castle in 1893–1894.

Allen Kilby was a successful Carthage lawyer, served two years in the Assembly after which he continued practicing law.

Ephraim Myers learned banking at an early age, gained presidency of the First National Bank of Carthage, was connected with the new Carthage Savings Bank in the same building and served twice as Carthage’s village president.

From the outset, the association had a rocky start. Included in the tract was lot 55 (80 acres) in Herkimer County on which wealthy oil magnate Charles Pratt had a “private lodge.”

The lot was sold in 1856 for taxes but no deed had been issued.

On behalf of the association, Galvin sent Garmon to Albany to retrieve the deed.

But Basselin had instructed Garmon to return the 80 acre deed to him which Garmon (Basselin was his Forest Commission boss) did.

The members met with and tried to pay Garmon for his expenses but he refused payment and would not provide the deed.

The other members believed Basselin would procure the deed for himself and brought suit against Basselin.

The short story is that Basselin received the lot in February 1890.

In September, Basselin left the association and in return received 20 other acres in lot 55.

I could not determine if this was the same land that papers reported Pratt buying from the association in January 1890 that contained his camp.

Continue reading →