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Cooperstown and Susquehanna Valley Railroad - Bond (Uncanceled) - Baseball Hall of Fame

Inv# RB5318   Bond
Cooperstown and Susquehanna Valley Railroad - Bond (Uncanceled) - Baseball Hall of Fame
State(s): New York
Years: 1888

$100 5% Uncanceled Bond. Printer-Homer Lee Bank Note Co.- NY. Great Title!

The Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad Company (reporting mark CACV) is a heritage railroad in New York operated by the Leatherstocking Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) since 1996.

In 1865 the Articles of Association for the Cooperstown and Susquehanna Valley R.R. Company (C&SVRR) were filed. The stated purpose was to construct a railroad "from a point at or near the Village of Cooperstown to a point at or near Colliersville forming a junction with the Albany and Susquehanna Rail Road". In February 1868 work was started on the line. However, the first train was not run until July 14, 1869. The road was broad gauge (6 ft (1,829 mm)) to be compatible with the Albany & Susquehanna. On May 28, 1876, the entire 16 miles (26 km) was "narrowed up", "the work being completed by 4 p.m."

On June 6, 1880, the enginehouse of the C&SVRR burned, damaging the road's two engines and destroying a baggage car. The names of the engines were "The Otsego" and "Middlefield".

Two extensions of the C&SVRR were authorized by the State. The first was in 1869 from Cooperstown to Richfield Springs. The second was in 1885 for an extension from its "southern terminus ... to or near the 'Hemlocks' on the Charlotte creek in the town of Davenport."

In 1888 Articles of Association were filed for the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley R.R. Co. (C&CVRR) The C&CVRR was likewise authorized to build from the "Hemlocks", but only as far as the lands of Matthew Ward in the town of Davenport.

In February 1891 the West Davenport R. R. was chartered. It was authorized to build from the West Davenport depot of the C&CVRR to the lands of "the McLaury sisters a short distance east of the Kort Right Brook". On April 13, 1891, the C&CVRR and the West Davenport R.R. were consolidated. Two days later the C&CVRR leased the C&SVRR.

The line was formed by "men in Cooperstown" in 1888 because Thomas Cornell was "procrastinating" in extending the Ulster & Delaware west from Bloomville to Oneonta. The plan was to extend the existing line from Cooperstown to Cooperstown Junction east. The intended route was "along the Charlotte Valley through Davenport Center, Harpersfield, thence to Cooksburg, onetime terminal of the Canajorie & Catskill, and down Catskill Creek to a connection with the West Shore Railroad".

Work on this railroad started after the blizzard of 1888. By 1889, "the track of the new C&CV progressed eastward for only 6 miles to West Davenport, though graders built culverts, fills and rock cuttings up the valley of Charlotte Creek beyond Davenport, well into Harpersfield Township, before the winter of 1889-90 set in."

"Early in February 1890, the C&CV tracklayers reached Davenport Center, while the graders resumed work east of Harpersfield."

Cornell died March 30, 1890, and his nephew Edwin Young became his executor. The Young family's "influence in Cooperstown was undoubtedly what stopped all further work on the C&CV. The track of the latter ended at Davenport Center and there it remained for many a year."

For several years there was a "Tally Ho" stage between Bloomville and Davenport Center for those who wished to travel from Kingston to Cooperstown.

In March 1899, the U&D began work west of Bloomville. When they reached Davenport Center, "no connection with the C&CV tracks was made, the new line traversing Charlotte Creek on a steel bridge, then following the north bank of the creek to West Davenport where a connection was made with the C&CV, the two roads using a joint station".

Passenger service from Cooperstown Junction ceased in 1903.

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A bond is a document of title for a loan. Bonds are issued, not only by businesses, but also by national, state or city governments, or other public bodies, or sometimes by individuals. Bonds are a loan to the company or other body. They are normally repayable within a stated period of time. Bonds earn interest at a fixed rate, which must usually be paid by the undertaking regardless of its financial results. A bondholder is a creditor of the undertaking.

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Price: $165.00