Page:Vincent F. Seyfried - The Long Island Rail Road A Comprehensive History - Vol. 1 (1961).pdf/63

48 the money coming in that ground was broken for the new branch on January 22, 1870 despite the frost and ice of winter.

In March the backers of the new project appear to have gone far beyond the idea of building a mere branch line to Valley Stream, for they incorporated themselves at Albany under the pretentious title of the New York & Hempstead Plains R.R. and mapped a route from Hempstead through Valley Stream, thence south of Jamaica through Flatbush and New Utrecht to a point on the East River at Sixty-fifth Street, Bay Ridge. It was hoped to complete the road to Valley Stream over the summer of 1870 and the remainder the following year. Grading for the line began on March 21, 1870.

In April 1870 the contract for building the new railroad was again awarded to Vandewater Smith, who made arrangements with Robert White to do theactual physical work. On April 26 ground was broken and the target date was again set for July 1. The Hempstead Brass Band turned out and put on a grand street concert on the evening that the contract was signed. All during July the work moved on briskly and in August "two new and beautiful coaches" were secured and one tank saddle engine from the Grant Locomotive works, named the William L. Wood. Both were stored in the South Side Railroad's engine house at Jamaica.

By September 1, 1870 the grading and the laying of the rails through what is now Malverne and Lakeview was progressing satisfactorily. On August 31, 1870 a special excursion train, consisting of friends and guests of the road, ran over the finished portion of the railroad. The grading had been completed the entire distance and the track was laid to within a mile and a quarter of Hempstead. Everyone was well pleased and complimented Mr. Smith on his work. On September 12, 1870 the first train ran all the way through to Hempstead village and for two weeks thereafter occasional trains operated back and forth. On September 28, 1870 the road was publicly opened and trains ran on a regular schedule for the first time.

Operation was entrusted to the South Side RR Co. who were to operate the line as their Hempstead Branch pending the completion of the rest of the road to Bay Ridge. The fare was set at a trip to Brooklyn or New York or $75 a year. The new road left the South Side Valley Stream station at Fifth Street and