LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Bemus
Point--Stow Ferry

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to commemorate the
long and distinguished histories of enduring modes of transportation in
this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 200th Anniversary of the Bemus Point Stow--Ferry; and
WHEREAS, In 1806, William Bemus purchased land at both sides of the
narrowest crossing of Chautauqua Lake between Bemus Point and Stow, New
York; the 968-foot expanse was traversed using rafts, canoes and
rowboats; and
WHEREAS, Neighbors relied on Thomas Bemus to ferry goods between the
shores; he applied for a license to operate a ferry business using a
flat bottomed raft in 1811; the license was granted as the first order
of business on the first day of operation of the Chautauqua County Court
of Common Pleas on June 25, 1811; and
WHEREAS, Oars and poles were first used to propel the ferry but were
replaced around 1820 with manila ropes stretched between the shores and
passed through rollers on the ferry vessel, then pulled by hand to move
the craft; a few years later, horses were used to operate a series of
ropes and pulleys on the shore in order to provide power to the ferry;
and
WHEREAS, Following the passing of Thomas Bemus in 1829, the ferry
changed hands several times; over the next several decades, owners tried
different methods of propulsion and types of crafts, most of which
failed; and
WHEREAS, Steamboat traffic on Chautauqua Lake plagued the business by
damaging the ferry's ropes as propellers and paddlewheels became entan-
gled; this problem was solved when steel cables were installed in 1887;
and
WHEREAS, At the rise of the 20th Century, Alton Ball took over opera-
tion of the ferry; he successfully petitioned the Navigation Commission
to require steamboats to blow whistles as they approached so ferry oper-
ators could avoid rope entanglements; in 1902, the first steam engine
was used to power the ferry; and
WHEREAS, In 1908, the ferry was powered by a single-cylinder gas
engine which was replaced by a four-cylinder gas engine in 1916;
improvements were ongoing with the construction of several different
boats and a steel cable drive system powered by an eight-cylinder gas
engine; at the time of Alton Ball's passing in 1942, the ferry was capa-
ble of transporting six automobiles at a time; and
WHEREAS, The Chautauqua County Highway Department purchased and
assumed operation of the Bemus Point--Stow Ferry in 1943, as part of the
County's highway system; the County made major improvements, increasing
the ferry's capacity to seven and then nine automobiles at a time by
1946; and
WHEREAS, A non-profit group, The Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels Co.,
devoted to preserving historic vessels on Chautauqua Lake, took owner-
ship of the ferry in 1983, and operated it until 2006, when the Sea Lion
Project Ltd. was organized and took over the ferry's operation; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize and honor milestones in the history of public transportation in the
State of New York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Bemus Point--Stow Ferry; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Bemus Point--Stow Ferry.