An article in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of November 8, 1902, carried
an account of the sale of the assets of the Boynton Bicycle railroad
at East Patchogue to John Roe Smith. This marked the end of the
colorful enterprise which about 10 years before had aroused great
enthusiasm throughout Long Island, and which had stockholders in
nearly every village on the Island.
The
scheme was a failure and the stockholders lost the money they
invested in it.
The
promoter of the bicycle railroad was Frederick W. Dunton of Jamaica,
a nephew of Austin Corbin, president of the Long Island Rail Road
for many years. Mr. Dunton became acquainted with Eben M. Boynton,
who had invented bicycle railroad systems, and the Jamaica man
thought he saw in this new means of transportation a new era of
safe, speedy and reliable travel between the villages of eastern
Long Island and the cities on the west.
With
his characteristic energy he soon had a two-mile stretch built
between Bellport and Patchogue and the location has since been
called Dunton. Power was from an electric powerhouse at the end of
the line.
This
railroad consisted of a heavy wooden framework with a single rail at
the top and bottom. The car rested on drivers running on the lower
track, and was held in an upright position by the overhead rail.
Surveys
were made all along the South Shore between Bellport and Jamaica, as
well as on the north side, and it was promised that in a few months
the cigar-shaped bicycle railroad cars, smartly painted and
luxuriously upholstered, would be running to and from the cities on
the west end.
According to a prospectus of the company in the possession of the
writer, it was organized under the laws of the state of New York as
the Kings, Queens and Suffolk company, with a capitalization of
$6000,000, in eight percent preferred stock, and $1,000,000 of
common stock.
The
first section of the railroad to be built was to have been 20 miles
in length and to cost about $500,000 ready to run. As an
investment, the first section of the road promised returns greater
than from any security on the market, and we quote the following:
“Every
mile of the road shown upon our map will pay handsomely from the
moment of its completion. The people are waiting with open arms to
welcome us and give us their business, and Long Island property is
waiting only to be touched by the influence of our railroad to
shower golden results upon its owners.”
“We
simply take the bicycle and enlarge it so that instead of carrying
one person it carries 40 to 70. We then place upon the wheels of
this bicycle our electric motor and place this bicycle within the
embrace of a structure so built that it will hold it, and so hold
electricity just as trolley cars do, we drive our light machine at a
speed and with safety elsewhere unknown in the world today. The
whole thing is simplicity itself and every boy who sees it
understands it.
“As a
rule investments do not go directly to the people, but we shall deal
directly with the people and afford them an opportunity to share in
the benefits to be derived by the operation. We know that the
investment in shares of the company will return great profit and
give great satisfaction.
“Because the unique conditions of Long Island demand and justify the
immediate building of the One Rail system we assert that for years
Long Island will be the only territory blessed with this great
medium for attracting home seekers and strangers, and will bound
forward in population and wealth as no other territory adjoining the
great cities can ever do under the influence of steam or other
surface roads which penetrate them.”
Public
meetings were held in every village along with illustrated lectures
explaining the great advantages of the new system of travel. The
people, including a large number of women, practically fell over
themselves in their rush to subscribe for shares in the new
enterprise. Not many made large investments, but there were a great
number of small investors.
In due
time the experimental car “Rocket” came through from New York and
attracted great attention, as it was drawn along the South Country
road by six yoke of powerful oxen. These beasts of burden were as
much a curiosity as the car itself. Many of those who watched the
car drawn along the road towards Bellport were so impressed with its
beauty and possibilities that they rushed off to secure some stock
in the company.
Among
those who subscribed to the stock of the company were many prominent
Long Island business men who were, with others, carried away with
the apparent possibilities of the new method of travel.
The
railroad was a complete failure and the first 20-mile section was
never built. The stockholders received no dividends and lost their
investments.