THE   SPANISH   AMERICAN   WAR
and
THE   LONG   ISLAND   RAIL   ROAD

CAMP   WIKOFF

REVISED   SEPTEMBER   1,   2008

A SOLDIER'S (OFFICER'S?) CALLING CARD

DURING THE SUMMER OF 1898 THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD RAN 1207 REGULAR DAILY TRAINS AND AN AVERAGE OF 139 EXTRA TRAINS.   THE FACILITIES AT MONTAUK WERE LIMITED TO A SMALL STATION,   ONE SIDE TRACK HOLDING TEN CARS AND A WYE.   THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CAMP WIKOFF AND THE EXTRA TRAFFIC INVOLVED IN SERVING THIS CAMP RESULTED IN THE LEASING BY THE LONG ISLAND OF TEN CENTRAL RAILROAD OF NEW JERSEY LOCOMOTIVES AND THEIR CREWS.   FOUR AND A HALF MILES OF NEW TRACK WERE LAID AT MONTAUK AND 28 SWITCHES WERE INSTALLED.   5200 CUBIC YARDS OF FILL WERE REQUIRED.   WORK ON THE YARD BEGAN ON THURSDAY AUGUST FOURTH WITH 162 MEN.   THE YARD WAS READY FOR USE ON SUNDAY THE SEVENTH.   FOR THE FIRST FIVE DAYS THE MEN WERE FED SANDWICHES AND COFFEE THREE TIMES A DAY.   IN SEVEN DAYS TIME 105 MEN BUILT A COAL BIN AND TWO PLATFORMS FOR UNLOADING ANIMALS AND WAGONS,   A DORMITORY,   30 TENTS AND A COOK HOUSE,   AN EATING ROOM FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC,   A WAITING ROOM,   TWO LARGE BUILDINGS FOR THE EXPRESS COMPANY,   A FREIGHT HOUSE AND A 20,000 GALLON WATER TANK.   A PIPE WAS LAID FROM A WELL ON HIGH GROUND 1300 FEET AWAY AND A PUMP AND BOILER WERE SET UP.   FOR THE GOVERNMENT TWO LARGE STOREHOUSES,   A HOSPITAL AND A DETENTION CAMP WERE BUILT.   AT THIS TIME THERE WERE TWO LINES ENTERING EASTPORT BUT FROM THERE TO MONTAUK LAY 45 MILES OF SINGLE TRACK.   DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AN AVERAGE OF 46 TRAINS RAN DAILY - THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF TRAINS FOR A 24 HOUR PERIOD WAS 50.   THE RAILROAD HIRED 218 EXTRA MEN AND STRUNG SEVEN ADDITIONAL TELEGRAPH WIRES AND INSTALLED TELEPHONE LINES.   AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM IN EFFECT EXCEPT ON THE WEST END.   TRAINS RAN BY TIMETABLE AND TRAIN ORDERS. TOTALS CARRIED: TO MONTAUK   3350 OFFICERS AND MEN IN 310 COACHES. FROM MONTAUK   13,031 OFFICERS AND MEN IN 731 COACHES. (MANY HAD ARRIVED FROM CUBA BY SHIP.) APPROXIMATELY 13,000 OFFICERS AND MEN WERE CARRIED ON REGULAR TRAINS REQUIRING 341 COACHES. 4018 CARS CARRIED BAGGAGE AND FREIGHT,   INCLUDING 7750 HORSES AND ABOUT 1000 MULES. THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF TROOP TRAINS IN ONE DAY WAS EIGHTEEN.   REGULAR TRAINS WERE KEPT ON TIME!

THIS IS C.R.R.N.J. ENGINE NUMBER 110 "AMAZON", THE SAME TYPE AND
CONSTRUCTION DATE AS NUMBER 107 "VESUVIUS" WHICH RAN HERE.


C.R.R.N.J. NUMBER 249 WHICH RAN HERE.


THIS IS C.R.R.N.J. NUMBER 295, IDENTICAL TO NUMBER 300.


C.R.R.N.J. 1890 BALDWIN 4-4-0 NUMBER 371 WHICH RAN HERE IN 1898.


MANY THANKS TO NORTH EAST RAILS FOR THEIR HELP WITH IDENTIFYING
THE C.R.R.N.J. LOCOMOTIVES AND FOR PHOTOS OF NUMBERS 11O AND 249.

CLICK HERE FOR THEIR WEBSITE



1898 MILITARY EXCURSION TICKET -
MONTAUK TO LONG ISLAND CITY PORTION MISSING (USED?)


TWO 1898 VIEWS OF A VERY BUSY MONTAUK




AND A CLOSE-UP


Discontinued Post Office - Aug. 8, 1898 to May 31, 1899, Military Station, Spanish American War


COMMEMORATIVE ENVELOPE COURTESY OF DAVE MORRISON - THANKS DAVE!


CONTINUED ON ----> MONTAUK   STATION

go to ----> 1927 MONTAUK STATION

go to ----> MONTAUK POINT

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