Unfortunately there are times when a tragedy has to occur before a dangerous situation is improved. One such tragedy in 1930 likely played a role in speeding up the process of building a bridge over the D&H Railroad tracks at the Pony Farm crossing, a bridge that is now closed, but due to re-open at some point in the future.
Back in 1930 there were three at-grade crossings at the busy tracks along what was then called the Otego Road, near today's state Route 7. The crossings were known as Pony Farm, Crandall and Glen Bridge (also referred to as West Oneonta). There had been discussions for about five or six years of eliminating these crossings with one bridge over the tracks and a new state road.
At about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 1930, five Oneonta youngsters had boarded a roadster to go roller-skating in Sidney. The car struck a D&H engine headed for Binghamton at the Crandall crossing. Lillian Hoffman, 16, was instantly killed. Her sister, Mildred Hoffman, 17, died later at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital from her injuries. Also injured were Margaret Sager, 17, Leona Hotaling, 17, and John Castagnoli, 21, the driver.
The party had headed west along River Street from the Sixth Ward and turned onto the state highway, which was then found on the south side of the railroad tracks.
The impact of the crash demolished the body of the car, strewing wreckage along the tracks for 20 to 30 feet. Castagnoli had tried to stop the vehicle, but ice on the road kept the vehicle in motion. Police, in discussing the crash, stated that it was "one of the worst tragedies that had happened in Oneonta." This was only the latest in a series of fatal accidents on these three crossings in the previous 20 years.
The accident was brought up three days later during testimony at a meeting at City Hall, then at 242 Main St., by members of the state Public Service Commission, state Highway Department, the D&H Railroad and property owners in that area. It was concluded that a new highway should be built on the north side of the tracks and graded to accommodate what we know today as the Pony Farm bridge, eliminating the three dangerous crossings.
The official word was given by the state in late September 1930 that the project would be carried forward. It was reported in The Oneonta Daily Star of Wednesday, Oct. 1, that work had begun that week. Stento and Sarafini of Binghamton were the contractors hired to do the grading, paving and bridge building.
The project apparently hit some snags, as it was reported on Dec. 1, 1932, that the bid of $146,570, submitted by the Moore Construction Co. of Buffalo had been accepted for the work. By Dec. 15 about 500 feet of grading had been completed on the two-mile road project, as well as some preliminary work on the 85-foot bridge over the D&H tracks.
By late July 1933 work was "progressing rapidly." The Lackawanna Steel Corp. had a group of men on site, unloading steel for the bridge. About 50 other men were on site with the Moore company.
It was reported in the Nov. 30 Oneonta Herald that the new road and bridge were opened to the public the previous weekend, Nov. 25 and 26.
At the time, the completion of the project meant that there was not an at-grade crossing of the D&H tracks on state Route 7 between Cobleskill and Binghamton.
There were 12 families left on the old road after the Pony Farm crossing was completed. The Herald noted, "Those principally inconvenienced by the change will be the children who must now walk three miles to the Plains school." That school was once found where today's West Gate shopping plaza is, at the corner of Chestnut Street and Winney Hill Road.
On Monday: Oneonta opens a youth center.
City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/marksimonson.
