The Mohawk and Hudson Rail Road. 269 



to prevent the city from going to decay through the rivalry 

 of Troy ! And as if that danger was really felt to he immi- 

 nent, we find that in November of that year it was an- 

 nounced agreeably to statute, that an application would be 

 made to the next legislature for an act to incorporate a 

 company to construct a rail road from Schenectady to the 

 Hudson river at Albany or Troy, as should be deemed 

 most advisable. 



The project was brought before the legislature early in 

 the session of 1826, and a bill to incorporate the Mohawk 

 and Hudson rail road company introduced. On the 10th 

 of March the bill was discussed in the assembly. It is 

 amusing to note the tenor of the arguments advanced by 

 some of the legislators on that occasion. 



Mr. Lush, the Albany member, moved to strike out that 

 part of the bill which gave the company permission to locate 

 the termination of their road at any point of the river lying 

 within the distance of three miles above or below the city 

 of Albany. He hoped the house would not consent to a 

 measure which might have a tendency to divert trade from 

 this city, and carry it to a place below, where speculat- 

 ors might purchase land and build up a town which might 

 rival and seriously affect the interests of Albany. The 

 Albany and Schenectady turnpike company had spent 

 much money, he said, in improving a road between the two 

 cities, and had never realized more than two per cent on 

 their investment. 



Mr. Hoffman had yet to learn that the interests of Albany 

 were to be looked to as paramount to those of the state. 

 If the company found it advantageous to terminate the 

 road here, they would no doubt do it; but if it should be 

 inconvenient from the nature of the ground to do so, they 

 should certainly have elbow room enough to terminate it 

 at any other place. 



Mr. Sill did not know as it was important that the pro- 

 posed road should come out just where the old Dutch 



