The losses occasioned by the cutting of rates resulted in some of the stockholders in the " Water-Witch " losing courage, and the wily Commodore was enabled to buy a controlling interest in her. After that the rivalry ceased. The " Water-Witch " was but one of several boats owned at different times by similar associations, all of which brought loss to the stockholders. June 6, 1831, the " General Jackson," plying between Peekskill and New York, exploded on her down trip off Grassy Point, and all the front portion of the cabin was torn away. Three persons were killed outright, -- the fireman, a little girl of twelve years of age, who had just tripped on board laughing and talking gayly, and William Mitchell, a resident of Peekskill. Beverly Rathbone, of Peekskill, was injured so severely that he died some time after the accident. Jacob Vanderbilt, brother of Cornelius, was captain of the boat, and escaped without injury.

Many other interesting particulars of the Hudson River traffic before the era of railways might bo added. Peekskill had no monopoly of sloop proprietorship. Prom various points all the way down to i W,

J. Gumming,

ii., 406.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

Yonkers vessels, largely or wholly owned by the farmers and prominent citizens, were sailed to and from New York. The present wellknown Ben Franklin Transportation Line of Yonkers took its name from a sloop of fifty-seven tons, launched July 4, 1831, which was for the exclusive service of the people of Yonkers and vicinity; and even the original " Ben Franklin " had several predecessors devoted to the local interests of Yonkers. The organic law of the State of New York, as established by the constitution of 1777, underwent two radical alterations during the period of sixty years now under consideration.