Accessory Transit Company: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Company transporting potential prospectors during the 1850s California Gold Rush}} |
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[[File:Accessory Transit Company 1855.jpg|thumb|Bond of the Accessory Transit Company (of Nicaragua), issued 30. November 1855, signed by [[Charles Morgan (businessman)|Charles Morgan]]]] |
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At the time, an overland journey across the US was an arduous undertaking and could last many weeks. The Accessory Transit Company instead took passengers by [[Steamboat|steamer]] from [[New York]] to [[San Juan del Norte]] on the [[Caribbean]] or [[Mosquito Coast]] of [[Nicaragua]]. From there, they travelled up the [[San Juan River (Nicaragua)|Rio San Juan]] to [[Lake Nicaragua]], crossing the lake to the town of [[Rivas]]. A [[stagecoach]] then crossed the narrow [[isthmus]] to [[San Juan del Sur]], where another steamer travelled to [[San Francisco]]. |
At the time, an overland journey across the US was an arduous undertaking and could last many weeks. The Accessory Transit Company instead took passengers by [[Steamboat|steamer]] from [[New York City|New York]] to [[San Juan del Norte]] on the [[Caribbean]] or the [[Mosquito Coast]] of [[Nicaragua]]. From there, they travelled up the [[San Juan River (Nicaragua)|Rio San Juan]] to [[Lake Nicaragua]], crossing the lake to the town of [[Rivas, Nicaragua|Rivas]]. A [[stagecoach]] then crossed the narrow [[isthmus]] to [[San Juan del Sur]], where another steamer travelled to [[San Francisco]]. |
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The ATC provided the cheapest route to California from the east coast, and was soon carrying 2,000 passengers a month at a fare of [[US Dollar|$]]300 each, later reduced to $150. The wealth generated by the route attracted efforts to take it over, and in 1854 the [[US Navy]] bombarded San Juan del Norte in response to demands from the town authorities that the company vacate their premises immediately. |
The ATC provided the cheapest route to California from the east coast, and was soon carrying 2,000 passengers a month at a fare of [[US Dollar|$]]300 each (equivalent to about ${{Inflation|index=US|value=300|start_year=1850|r=-2|fmt=c}} in modern money), later reduced to $150. The wealth generated by the route attracted efforts to take it over, and in 1854 the [[US Navy]] bombarded San Juan del Norte in response to demands from the town authorities that the company vacate their premises immediately. |
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In 1855, the [[Filibuster (military)|filibuster]] [[William Walker (filibuster)|William Walker]] installed himself as [[President of Nicaragua]], taking over the ATC's assets in the country in the process; he was ousted in 1857 by forces backed by Vanderbilt. Having regained control of the ATC, Vanderbilt approached the [[Pacific Mail Steamship Company]] and the [[United States Mail Steamship Company]] |
In 1855, the [[Filibuster (military)|filibuster]] [[William Walker (filibuster)|William Walker]] installed himself as [[President of Nicaragua]], taking over the ATC's assets in the country in the process; he was ousted in 1857 by forces backed by Vanderbilt. Having regained control of the ATC, Vanderbilt approached the [[Pacific Mail Steamship Company]] and the [[U.S. Mail Steamship Company|United States Mail Steamship Company]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Panama Rail Road & the US Mail |url=https://www.panamarailroad.org/mail.html |website=Panama Railroad}}</ref> which operated routes across [[Panama]], and offered to stop running the Nicaragua route in return for a $40,000 monthly stipend. The companies accepted this offer, and a year later increased the stipend to $56,000 when Vanderbilt threatened to reopen the Transit line, but the ATC did not run again. |
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Vanderbilt's original contract with the Nicaraguan government allowing him to operate the ATC also gave him exclusive rights to construct a [[Nicaragua Canal]] until 1861. In the event, political instabilities in Nicaragua as well as its frequent [[volcanic eruption]]s conspired to make Panama a more attractive location for a trans-[[Central America]]n canal. |
Vanderbilt's original contract with the Nicaraguan government allowing him to operate the ATC also gave him exclusive rights to construct a [[Nicaragua Canal]] until 1861. In the event, political instabilities in Nicaragua as well as its frequent [[volcanic eruption]]s conspired to make Panama a more attractive location for a trans-[[Central America]]n canal. |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==Further reading== |
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* {{cite book|last=Stiles|first=T.J.|authorlink=T.J. Stiles|title=[[The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt]]|year=2009|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|isbn=978-0-375-41542-5}}; National Book Award |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{Portal|Companies}} |
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{{Wikivoyage|ruta de transito <!--the route this company served-->}} |
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* http://www.trivia-library.com/b/richest-people-in-history-cornelius-vanderbilt.htm |
* http://www.trivia-library.com/b/richest-people-in-history-cornelius-vanderbilt.htm |
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* https://www.nytimes.com/1860/02/24/archives/the-accessory-transit-company.html |
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* http://www.costarica-net-guide.com/vanderbilt.html |
* http://www.costarica-net-guide.com/vanderbilt.html |
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* http://www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/classroom/arkansas_news/detail.asp?id=739&issue_id=38&page=5 |
* https://web.archive.org/web/20051024074051/http://www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/classroom/arkansas_news/detail.asp?id=739&issue_id=38&page=5 |
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* http://www.voteview.com/vanderb2.htm |
* http://www.voteview.com/vanderb2.htm |
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[[Category:Transportation companies of the United States]] |
[[Category:Transportation companies of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Transportation in |
[[Category:Transportation companies based in New York City]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Defunct companies based in New York (state)]] |
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[[Category:Economic history of Nicaragua]] |
[[Category:Economic history of Nicaragua]] |
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[[Category:Transport in Nicaragua]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:23, 27 October 2023
The Accessory Transit Company was a company set up by Cornelius Vanderbilt and others during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, to transport would-be prospectors from the east coast of the United States to the west coast.
At the time, an overland journey across the US was an arduous undertaking and could last many weeks. The Accessory Transit Company instead took passengers by steamer from New York to San Juan del Norte on the Caribbean or the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua. From there, they travelled up the Rio San Juan to Lake Nicaragua, crossing the lake to the town of Rivas. A stagecoach then crossed the narrow isthmus to San Juan del Sur, where another steamer travelled to San Francisco.
The ATC provided the cheapest route to California from the east coast, and was soon carrying 2,000 passengers a month at a fare of $300 each (equivalent to about $11,000 in modern money), later reduced to $150. The wealth generated by the route attracted efforts to take it over, and in 1854 the US Navy bombarded San Juan del Norte in response to demands from the town authorities that the company vacate their premises immediately.
In 1855, the filibuster William Walker installed himself as President of Nicaragua, taking over the ATC's assets in the country in the process; he was ousted in 1857 by forces backed by Vanderbilt. Having regained control of the ATC, Vanderbilt approached the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and the United States Mail Steamship Company,[1] which operated routes across Panama, and offered to stop running the Nicaragua route in return for a $40,000 monthly stipend. The companies accepted this offer, and a year later increased the stipend to $56,000 when Vanderbilt threatened to reopen the Transit line, but the ATC did not run again.
Vanderbilt's original contract with the Nicaraguan government allowing him to operate the ATC also gave him exclusive rights to construct a Nicaragua Canal until 1861. In the event, political instabilities in Nicaragua as well as its frequent volcanic eruptions conspired to make Panama a more attractive location for a trans-Central American canal.
References[edit]
- ^ "The Panama Rail Road & the US Mail". Panama Railroad.
Further reading[edit]
- Stiles, T.J. (2009). The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-375-41542-5.; National Book Award
External links[edit]
- http://www.trivia-library.com/b/richest-people-in-history-cornelius-vanderbilt.htm
- https://www.nytimes.com/1860/02/24/archives/the-accessory-transit-company.html
- http://www.costarica-net-guide.com/vanderbilt.html
- https://web.archive.org/web/20051024074051/http://www.oldstatehouse.com/educational_programs/classroom/arkansas_news/detail.asp?id=739&issue_id=38&page=5
- http://www.voteview.com/vanderb2.htm