WATER NAVIGATION IN NEW YORK STATE
BEFORE THE CANALS
By Richard Palmer
Long before the advent of the Erie Canal system and its successor,
the Barge Canal, in New York State, there was an intricate system of
natural waterways connecting the Hudson River and the Great Lakes
which, according to local histories, was utilized by a variety of
craft including rafts, batteaux and Durham boats. These early trade
routes date back more than 300 years.
In 1603 the French settled Montreal and soon after established
trading posts throughout the Great Lakes. During the succeeding two
centuries Oswego continued to be a trading and military post. During
the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars a considerable trade was
carried on between this point and Schenectady, from whence
merchandise, baggage, etc., were forwarded in boats for different
points on Lake Ontario by way of Mohawk River, Wood Creek, Oneida
Lake, and the Oneida and Oswego Rivers.
The navigation of this route was difficult and hampered by a number
of portages, where freight had to be landed and transported over
land. The route between Oswego and Schenectady came under the control
of "The Western Inland Lock & Navigation Co." which was incorporated
in 1792. This company constructed a canal from the Mohawk River near
Rome, to Wood Creek which empties into Oneida Lake. They also locked
Wood Creek and built locks on the Mohawk at German Flats (Little
Falls). These improvements were completed in 1799 so that the water
communication was made passable for the boats used in those days.
The Western freight was drawn by teams from Albany to Schenectady and
considerable quantities of furs, which constituted the staple
articles of down freight, were drawn in like manner from Schenectady
to Albany. At about this period the forwarding business at Oswego was
conducted by Archibald Fairfield who owned and ran two small vessels
on the lake, and by Messrs. Sharpe and Vaughn who owned one vessel of
about 50 tons burden called "The Jane of Genesee," where she was built.
Onondaga salt formed was an important item in the commercial business
of Oswego, this being its only outlet to market. Large quantities of
salt manufactured near Syracuse was shipped through Oswego during
this period. At about this period Messrs. E and D. Alvord of Salina
contracted for the delivery of 1,000 barrels per year, for several
years to a company at Meadville, Pa., at three dollars a barrel.
The salt was forwarded by Oswego to Queenston and thence by teams
around Niagara Falls to Chippewa, or Street's store house two miles
above, and then shipped to Erie, Pa. From there it was transported by
land 14 miles to Waterford where it waited the swelling of streams
from the spring run off and fall rains, where it was carried by arks
to Meadville and Pittsburgh. In 1803 some 16,000 bushels of salt was
manufactured at the Salina works, and 10,000 bushels in 1804. Nearly
all this salt went to market through Oswego. The center and western
parts of New York State at that time was a region of dense wilderness
without markets, roads or means of conveyance.
In April 1802 Matthew McNair came to Oswego and engaged in the
forwarding business the following year. By the late 1840s he was the
oldest forwarder and one of the oldest residents of Oswego, and took
pleasure in recounting the community's colorful past. On commencing
the storage and forwarding business in 1803, McNair bought the
schooner "Jane of Genesee," her name later being changed to "Peggy."
At this time the forwarding business in Oswego received a
considerable impetus from the completion of the improvements of the
Western Inland Lock & Navigation Co. Considerable quantities of
merchandise came through from Schenectady in boats which navigated
the Lake Ontario and carried their cargoes to Kingston, Niagara and
Sackets Harbor, which had just begun to be settled. Some of the
Schenectady boats traded up the Bay of Quinte, where settlements were
made by people (the U.S. called "Tories," who had fled from the U.S.
during the Revolutionary War.
A portion of the merchandise arrived at Oswego and was shipped by
British vessels owned at Kingston, and by the North Western Fur
Company, (later a branch of the Hudson's Bay Company, which date
owned a fleet of schooners on Lake Ontario). Kingston, York (now
Toronto), Niagara and Queenston developed as flourishing Canadian
settlements, while Oswego had but six or seven families; and Genesee
(also called Hanford's Landing) and Lewiston only had a few log cabins.
There was a portage at Oswego Falls (now of Fulton) and most of the
merchandise was landed and carried one mile. The boats were also
drawn around the falls. Sometimes the Schenectady boats were run over
the falls with their cargoes intact. The sail boats were of a larger
class and were always unloaded at the upper landing at Fulton, and
returned to Salt Point (near Liverpool), while the salt was carted
around the falls and transferred to a different class of boats at the
lower landing, which ran between Oswego and Oswego Falls. Matthew
McNair recalled that in 1803, some 5,000 barrels of salt was shipped
from Oswego to Queenston, which was then the port to which all
merchandise going around Niagara Falls was shipped. After this period
there was a rapid increase in the manufacture of salt at Salina and
in the forwarding business at Oswego.
In 1804, a government contractor, known only as "Mr. Wilson," a built
the 90-ton schooner, "Fair American." In the fall and winter of the
same year, McNair built another of 50 tons, called the "Linda" and
immediately after the house with which he was connected purchased a
number of Canadian vessels.
Commerce was then unregulated. There were no customs regulations, and
unincumbered free trade existed. No license was then required and no
papers had to be certified by oath. The sharp pointed and keen
scented Custom House officer had not yet appeared on the shores of
the Great Lakes.
McNair built three more schooners in Oswego in 1809 and 1810. Also,
the forwarding house of Bronson & Company built one, as did Porter,
Barton & Company built one. These were vessels of from 80 to 100 tons
burden. In 1806 Porter, Barton & Co. built a portage road round
Niagara Falls (called Portage Road to this day) on the American side
from Lewiston to Schlosser, thus diverting trade from the Queenston
route till it was stopped by the non intercourse and embargo laws of
1808.
(1) First-hand evidence of this is early east-west trade route was
found in local newspapers. The Canada Constellation, published in
Niagara Falls, Ontario, reported on December 7, 1799:
"On Thursday night last a boat arrived here from Schenectady, which
place she left the 22nd ult. She passed the York sticking on a rock
off the Devil's Nose - no prospect of getting her off. A small deck
boat lately sprang a leak twelve miles distant from Oswego; the
people on board, many of whom were passengers, were taken off by a
vessel passing, when she instantly sank, cargo and all lost.
"A vessel supposed to be the 'Genesee' schooner, has been two days
endeavoring to come in. It is a singular misfortune, that this vessel
sailed more than a month ago from Oswego, laden for this place, has
been several times in fight, and driven back by heavy winds."
Further evidence of the all-water, pre-canal days is found in the
Pittsburgh Statesman of Nov. 12, 1822, which illustrates how
adventurous the pioneers were:
"There is now lying at the mouth of Wayne-street, in this city, a
shallop rigged Keel Boat, thirty-five feet long, with several
families on board, who embarked in this boat at the mouth of Wood
creek, head of the Oneida Lake, state of New-York.
"The course pursued to reach Pittsburgh, was by passing down the
Oneida Lake and through the Oswego river into Lake Ontario, thence up
to the Niagara to within five miles of the Falls. The vessel was then
carried round the Falls on wheels, and placed in the river two miles
above the Falls; then pursued her course to Portland, on Lake Erie,
and was again placed on wheels, and carried seven miles along a good
road to the Chatauqua Lake and creek into Conewaga creek-entered the
Alleghany river at Warren, Erie county, Pa. and arrived safe at
Pittsburgh.
"Facts like these are worth preserving and their diffusion may be of
ultimate utility. It is also a practical evidence, that a water
communication between Pittsburgh and New York can be opened without
difficulty."
Another early trade route was via the north-south Genesee River. Long
before the Genesee Valley Canal was built, it was navigated by
shallow draft vessels between Rochester and the Allegany River, or
between 80 and 90 miles. At what is now the hamlet of Portageville,
Durham boats and/or batteaux were carried around the formidable
Genesee Falls. But the Genesee River was only one of many natural
streams used. Only the most artificial improvements such as crude
dams were built to create what was called "slack water navigation."
There was considerable forwarding of flour by long, shallow draft
Durham boats. The primitive land and water systems of the day were
slow, rough going, dangerous and expensive, especially in the low
water times of summer. Products shipped over this route included
potash, flour, lumber and bricks.
(2) In most cases rivers and tributaries in upstate New York were
only navigable during periods of high water resulting from spring run
off. Other rivers besides the ancient Oneida/Oswego trade route
included the Canisteo, Cohocton, Delaware, Genesee, Mohawk, Seneca,
Susquehanna, Tioughnioga, and various tributaries.
There are also many references to batteaux and similar small boats
(later, steamboats) being employed on the Finger Lakes. Later, there
were efforts to improve the natural waterways, but with few tangible
results. As the country became thickly settled, dams and fish weirs
were built which destroyed the use of rivers and streams as water
highways. In some cases, however, sluiceways were built to allow the
passage of boats.
