Our steamers were that year running from Geddes' (now the City) Dock, as we had again, for the fourth time, been turned out of Milloys. Mr. William Fletcher, the builder of the engines, had come up from New York and was in charge of the motive department. It was a Saturday afternoon. Chicora was occupying the face of the dock, so Chippewa had to come in on the west side. By some mischance she was not stopped soon enough and made her entry into Toronto by driving her nose some five or six feet into the wooden timber of the side of the Esplanade. The steamer seemed scarcely in motion, yet cut into the heavy timbers as though they had been matches. When backed out no damage was done excepting the loss of a little paint on the bow. The party landed, the Buffalo and New York visitors with Mr. Fletcher going off on Chicora amid hearty exchange of greetings.
The introduction of a third boat on the Main Line made an exceeding difference in the frequency of the services, and again was at first a good deal in excess of the demand, or of business offering.
A new trip was introduced by the Chicora leaving Toronto at 9 a.m., staying over at Lewiston and returning in the afternoon, making one round trip. The whole departure being five trips; 7.00 a.m., 9.00 a.m., 11.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 4.45 p.m. This 9.00 a.m. trip was not a success during its early years, but gradually gained in importance.
Chippewa (Capt. McGiffin), Cibola (Capt. W. H. Solmes), Chicora (Capt. Jas. Harbottle), closed the season of 1894, in which much more activity was produced, and good evidences given of growth to be expected in the future.
In effecting its growth the route continued to be exceedingly assisted by the energies and assistance of the connecting Railway Company's officers. Mr. D. M. Kendrick had succeeded Mr. Meeker, and he in turn, in 1887, followed by Mr. Henry Monett. A most notable advance was begun during this regime, an entirely new idea being evolved. The reputation of the New York Central Railway for the regularity and character of its trains and service had been well created, but up to that time the Erie Railway, by persistent advertising, had been established in the minds of the public as "the only scenic" route between Buffalo and New York. Mr. Monett instituted a series of descriptive and illustrative announcements developing the Mohawk Valley, through which the New York Central runs, as being "the really most beautiful" route, passing through the scenery of the romantic valley of the Mohawk and the mountain heights of the Hudson with all the advantages of "a water-level line" following the coursings of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, and so giving a perfect night's rest.
It was a novelty and an inducement which caught the public idea, and added attraction to efficient service.
Owing to the early death of Mr. Monett in 1888, Mr. E. J. Richards followed as Acting General Passenger Agent to 1889, with his intimate knowledge of the passenger requirements he gathered in and secured the business which Mr. Monett's methods had begun to attract. During his period Cibola was added to our line.
With the career of his successor Mr. George H. Daniels, (1889 to 1905) there was a still further expansion of the advertising method of attracting business to the great railway, whose train service was of the highest development. The celebrated pamphlets known as the "Four Track" series under Mr. Daniels led the way in railway advertising publications, introducing methods which since then have been so extensively followed and applied by all the principal railways. As an instance of widespread advertisement, no less than four millions of the one issue of the "Four Track" series which contained "The Message to Garcia" were distributed to the public, the demand for copies exhausting edition after edition. Chippewa and Corona were both added during Mr. Daniel's term.
During the later changes in the Head Offices the local passenger representation in the Buffalo and Western district had been held in succession by Mr. E. J. Weekes and Mr. H. Parry. No railway was ever better served, nor its patrons more firmly secured in friendship.
Equally successful assistance was given by Mr. A. W. Ruggles and Mr. Underwood of the Michigan Central Railway, which with its quickest route to Buffalo direct from Niagara-in-the-Lake was specially developed.