and Ohio Railroad Company, The Central Railroad Company of New Jersey, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company, Erie Railroad Company, Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company, New York, Ontario and Western Railroad Company, Pennsylvania Railroad Company, South Brooklyn Railway Company and West Shore Railroad Company. The Company is controlled by the Bush Terminal Company through the ownership of its capital stock. Construction and operation. According to a letter from the vicepresident of the Company to the Public Service Commission for the First District, dated August 31, 1907, the construction of the road was begun July, 1905, and completed in the fall of 1906. The Company is operating a railroad principally to transport freight to and from its several storehouses and to and from lighters in connection with interstate traffic. Operation was begun April 1, 1906. 118 The Bushwick Railroad Company Incorporation. March 20, 1867, under the General Railroad Law; corporate life, 100 years; capital stock, $500,000; route (about four miles) as follows: Beginning in the township of Newtown, in Queens County; thence along the Jamaica or Myrtle avenue plank road to Myrtle avenue, in the city of Brooklyn; thence along Myrtle avenue to Bushwick avenue; thence along Bushwick avenue and Debevoise street to Morrill street; thence along Morrill street to Meserole and Scholes streets; thence along Meserole and Scholes streets to South Fourth street; thence along South Third and South Fourth streets to Third and Fourth streets; thence along Third and Fourth streets to South Sixth, South Seventh and South Eighth streets; thence along South Sixth, South Seventh and South Eighth streets, to First street; thence along First street to Grand street, and along such other streets running parallel or adjacent thereto as the Company may be permitted to use by the common council of the city of Brooklyn. Certificate of extension. June 13, 1885, the Company filed in the office of the secretary of state a certificate of extension for a double track route, about 1.17 miles, as follows: On the surface of the soil in, through, upon and along that part of Flushing avenue from Bushwick avenue to Knickerbocker avenue, and along that part of Knickerbocker avenue from Flushing avenue to Myrtle avenue, all in said city of Brooklyn. Maps. The Company filed in the office of the register of Kings County the following maps: September 14, 1867, map of part of route on First street, Broadway, Fourth street, South Fourth street, Meserole avenue, Morrell street and Bushwick avenue; March 19, 1878, map of the different lines of the Company; March 23, 1881, map showing change of route. March 21, 1881, the Company filed in the office of the county clerk of Queens County a map of its route from Myrtle avenue and Palmetto street to Metropolitan avenue. Special franchises. J. Whittlesey & Son acquired from the common council of the city of Brooklyn the following franchise grants: March 26, 1860, and April 16, 1860, for horse track on the following route: Beginning at the junction of Bushwick avenue and the Myrtle avenue plank road; thence along Bushwick avenue to Morrell street, Meserole, South Fourth, First, South Seventh, Fourth, South Fourth, Meserole and Morrell streets, and Bushwick avenue. It was provided "that only a single track of railroad shall be placed on South Fourth and South Seventh streets." The grantee was required to commence construction within 30 days and to complete the road within six months, or forfeit the franchise. The grantee was also required to keep in repair the pavement between the tracks, and three feet on either side. The City reserved the right to grant similar privileges to other persons or corporations, and to grant the right to run cars on the tracks of the Company; upon payment of compensation to the Company by such person or corporation. The fare was limited to five cents, school children three cents, children under three years, free; the Company to exchange transfers with other roads crossing or connecting with its tracks. April 30, 1860, J. Whittlesey & Son, grantees of the above franchise, were authorized to change their route as follows: From a portion of Meserole and Morrell streets to Bushwick avenue, to run through Graham avenue from the corner of Meserole street to Cook street; Cook street to Smith street; Smith street to Debevoise street, and Debevoise street to Bushwick avenue. December 17, 1866, the common council of the city of Brooklyn adopted a resolution as follows: RESOLVED, That the grant, permission and consent of this common council heretofore given unto J. Whittlesey & Son, by resolution of March 26, and April 30, 1860, to construct and operate a horse railroad, commencing on First street, at Peck slip ferry, through First street to South Fourth street, through South Fourth street to Meserole street, through Meserole street to Morrell or Bushwick and Myrtle avenues to Debevoise street, through Debevoise street to Graham avenue, through Graham avenue to Meserole street, through Meserole street to South Fourth street, through South Fourth street to Fourth street, through Fourth street to South Eighth street, through South Eighth street to First street, along First street to Peck slip ferry, or any street running parallel or adjacent thereto, is hereby reconsidered and repealed so far as to that part of said resolution which relates to the time therein specified in which the said railroad should be begun and completed; and permission is hereby given and granted unto J. Whittlesey & Son to commence and build said railroad at any time within three years from and after this date. This resolution mentions Peck slip ferry and South Eighth street, although neither is mentioned in the grants of March 26 and April 30, 1860. The Peck slip ferry ran from Peck slip, New York city, to South Eighth street, Williamsburgh. The new resolution does not mention Smith and Cook streets, which were included in the former grant, but seems to suggest that the Company had authority to lay tracks on Debevoise street, from Smith street to Graham avenue, and on Graham avenue from Debevoise street to Cook street. This resolution seems also to imply that Whittlesey & Son had been given the right to use both the original route from the intersection of Graham avenue and Meserole street, through Meserole and Morrell streets to Debevoise street, and the altered route through Graham avenue and Debevoise street to Morrell street. The resolution as offered, was amended to require the company to complete the construction within one year instead of three years from the date of the grant. May 27, 1867, the common council adopted a resolution extending the time for the completion of the road to July 1, 1868. This resolution recited that Whittlesey & Son had assigned their rights to The Bushwick Railroad Company, and confirmed the assignment. September 23, 1867, the common council adopted a resolution granting the Company the right to construct its road with double tracks. This resolution amends a former resolution, referred to as "found upon pages 520 and 526 of the printed minutes for the year 1866," and probably means the resolution of December 17, 1866, above described. The Company obtained from the Brooklyn common council additional franchise grants as follows: March 30, 1868, for an extension, From the corner of Fourth street and Broadway, through and along Broadway to Sixth street; through and along Sixth street to Division avenue; through and along Division avenue to Harrison avenue; through and along Harrison avenue to Tompkins avenue; through and along Tompkins avenue to Fulton avenue; through and along Fulton avenue to Hudson avenue; through and along Hudson avenue to East Warren street; through and along East Warren street to the entrance of Prospect park at Washington avenue. It was provided that the fare to be charged within the city limits should not exceed the fare now charged and authorized and determined upon by this common council for The Brooklyn City Rail Road Company. The Company was required to keep in repaid the pavements between the tracks and three feet on either side. December 19, 1870, for an extension for double track horse railroad, From Bushwick avenue through and along Jefferson street to Broadway; through and along Broadway to Reid avenue; through and along Reid avenue to Fulton avenue; through and along Fulton avenue to Utica avenue; through and along Utica avenue to city line; and from Myrtle avenue through and along Bushwick avenue to the city line. Also from the terminus of Tompkins avenue, through and along Fulton avenue to Hudson avenue, and through and along Hudson avenue to the city line. The company was required to comply with the same conditions as are imposed upon The Brooklyn City Rail Road Company in relation to keeping the pavements between their tracks in proper repair. April 8, 1872, for an extension, From the corner of First and Grand streets, down Grand street to Little Water street, and thence along Little Water street, southerly to First street. November 7, 1873, extension for double track, From Meserole street, through and along Graham avenue to VanCott avenue; through and along VanCott avenue to Union avenue, to Greenpoint avenue, and through and along Greenpoint avenue to the East river, with necessary switches and turnouts. November 10, 1873, double track extension, with necessary switches and turnouts, From Meserole street through and along Graham to VanCott avenue, through and along VanCott avenue to Union avenue, through and along Union avenue to Greenpoint avenue, and through and along Greenpoint avenue to the East river. By chapter 582, laws of 1874, passed May 25, the Company was authorized to extend its tracks as follows: From their present terminus on Myrtle avenue, in the city of Brooklyn, through and along said Myrtle avenue to the village of Glendale, in the county of Queens, with the necessary switches, sidings and turnouts, and to operate their cars upon the same. The Company also obtained from the common council of the city of Brooklyn the following franchises: July 6, 1875, extension, with single or double track, and necessary turnouts and switches, Commencing at the junction of Graham avenue and Meserole street, extending thence through and along Graham avenue to Broadway; thence through and along Broadway to Flushing avenue; thence through and along Flushing avenue to Tompkins avenue in said city of Brooklyn. October 18, 1875, extension, with necessary turnouts and switches, Commencing at the intersection of Broadway and Yates avenue, in said city, and extending thence through and along Yates and Troy avenues to the city line. March 13, 1876, single track extension, with necessary switches and turnouts, From their road on Bushwick avenue, along and through Montrose avenue so as to reach the depot of the South Side Railroad Company. October 2, 1876, the common council of the city of Brooklyn adopted the following resolution: WHEREAS, for the further accommodation of the public travel on Broadway, it is desirable that there should be but two tracks in the center of said street, and in order to effect the same it will be necessary to lay down side tracks and turnouts; therefore, RESOLVED, that the Broadway and Bushwick Railroad Company be and are hereby authorized, in consideration of the removal of the extra tracks owned by them on Broadway, west of Fifth street, to put or lay down a side track on the north side of Broadway, west of Dunham place, not less than one foot from the curb, with the necessary switches and turnouts for the accommodation of the |
