The chapel previously referred to was erected near Rockville through the liberality of Robert A. Harrat and his neighbors in the immediate vicinity, and is used for Sunday-schools and special church services by clergymen from any denomination who desire to preach within its walls.
RAILROADS.
Wallkill has excellent railroad facilities. The Erie runs through from Howells Depot, passing out at its southern border. The Ontario & Western comes in at the northwesterly end of the town, running thence in a general southeasterly direction to the city of Middletown, thence easterly through the town of Wallkill, passing out into the town of Hamptonburgh near Stony Ford. The Middletown & Crawford branch diverges from the Ontario & Western Railroad about two miles north of Middletown, passes through the town in a northeasterly direction to the town of Crawford near Bullville and runs thence to Pine Bush. The Susquehanna & Western Railroad passes into the town from the southerly border of the city of Middletown and runs in a southwesterly direction in the town of Wawayanda. In addition to the above, the Erie & Jersey Railroad Company is now building a low-grade road which enters the town near Howells and runs in a general easterly direction through the town, passing about one mile north of the city of Middletown, thence leaving the town and passing into the town of Hamptonburgh in the vicinity of Stony Ford.
There is also a trolley line owned by the Wallkill Transit Company, which is operated in the city of Middletown and extends from the city, through the town of Wallkill, to the town of Goshen, and thence to the village of Goshen.
An example of the enterprise of the town of Wallkill was manifested when the question of raising money for the construction of the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad came up in 1867. Its citizens, under the wise leadership and guided by the excellent judgment of Senator Henry R. Low, Captain James N. Pronk, Elisha P. Wheeler, William J. Groo, and others, was induced to bond the town for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars and subscribe to the stock of the new road for that amount. The bonds were issued for a period of twenty years, with interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually, with a provision that after ten years an annual sinking fund of five per cent, of the total issue of bonds should be raised. Within a few years the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad Company went into the hands of a receiver, and its stock became comparatively worthless. The three-hundred thousand dollars of stock owned by the town was sold for $15,000. When the bonds matured in 1888, William B. Royce, the sole railroad commissioner, had accumulated from the sinking fund, sale of stock, interest and other sources, the sum of $180,000, with which bonds to that amount were paid. To provide for the payment of the balance of said bonds, amounting to $120,000, the railroad commissioner issued, under authority of law, bonds to that amount, payable in installments, the last of said bonds maturing on April 1, 1907, with interest payable semi-annually, at the rate of three and one-half per cent, per annum. As provided by the bonds, the last installment of principal and interest was paid April 1, 1907, the town and city of Middletown having paid the whole of said principal sum by direct tax, excepting the $15,000 for which the stock was sold. The New York, Ontario & Western Railway Company was organized and took over the property of the old New York & Oswego Midland Railroad Company. As a result of the construction of this road, to which the town of Wallkill and city of Middletown have contributed so largely, the railroad shops were located at Middletown, which brought a very large influx to the population of the town and city, and added largely to their taxable value. It also resulted in building the road from Middletown to Cornwall, and the extension of what was known as the Middletown, Unionville and Water Gap Railroad through to New York under the original name of the New Jersey Midland Railroad, which subsequently became the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad, thus giving Middletown three direct lines of railroad to New York City, and making northern and western communications, which largely added to its transportation facilities.
HIGHWAYS.
The highways of the town of Wallkill are in fair condition, and are maintained under the money system. The town has a portion of three State roads; one branching off from the Middletown-Bloomingburg plank road, about three miles north of Middletown, and running in a general northerly direction to the town line of Crawford and thence to the village of Pine Bush. Another road starts from the southern corporate limits of the city of Middletown and runs in a southerly direction to the town line of Wawayanda, and thence to the village of Goshen. This road branches off in a southwesterly direction in the town of Wawayanda and extends to Unionville, and by another branch is being extended to Port Jervis. Another State road, known as the Middletown-Cuddebackville road, starts from the northwesterly line of the city of Middletown and runs through the town to the line of the town of Mount Hope, thence through Mount Hope and Deer Park to Cuddebackville. Under existing laws the State roads are in the first instance maintained under direction of and at the expense of the State.
SCHOOLS.