Description
The beachfront view as a recreational summer resort, with boats in the ocean, and with easy access from New York City by rail, was a typical theme for Long Island real estate development promotions in this period. In the first two decades of the 20th century numerous estates were purchased by developers of suburban and vacation homes. Advertising copy in the lower margin is along this theme, and with text as follows:
New York and Brooklyn Suburban Investment Company of New York (NYB) was a corporation organized prior to 1891, with Frederick W. Dunton as president and George E. Hagerman as secretary and treasurer, both of whom are listed on this broadside. After attending a demonstration of the Boynton Bicycle Railroad, so called because it consisted of a wooden framework with a single rail at the top and bottom, Dunton envisioned building a bicycle railroad connecting the South Shore with the Port Jefferson steamers to Connecticut on the North Shore, as well as a rail line carrying passengers from New York City to eastern Long Island. As president of the NYB, he focused on the the railroad project, while Hagerman handled the sale of lots in the area of Bellport and East Patchogue. Dunton soon ran afoul of his father-in-law, Austin Corbin, president of the Long Island Railroad, who issued the dismissive comment, “To extend this road from sound to ocean it will be necessary to cross the property of the Long Island Railroad. Every effort will be made to prevent such a crossing, without which Mr. Dunton’s pet scheme, so far as crossing Long Island is concerned, will not be realized.” The project was scaled back to a monorail between East Patchogue and Bellport, which opened to great fanfare in 1894. Meanwhile, the company purchased substantial parcels of land in the Town of Brookhaven, including title to over 400 acres from George E. Hagerman and his wife Martha in 1891. However, by 1897, the relationship between the two men had deteriorated to the point where Hagerman had accused Dunton of larceny of company funds, causing him to be arrested and post bail. The magistrate ruled Dunton not guilty, upon which Dunton sued Hagerman for malicious prosecution. The corporation failed, losing an estimated $1.6 million, and was dissolved by the Secretary of State of New York in 1924. All that remains are the former right of way of the railroad, now called South Dunton Avenue, and a small community known as Hagerman.
Oakley Hoopes (O.H.) Bailey (1843-1947) was, in the words of map historian John R. Hébert, an “outstanding panoramic map artist and publisher.” Born in Ohio, he graduated Mount Union College in Ohio after serving in the Civil War. In 1866, he left Ohio and started a business directory company with his brother, H.H. Bailey. In 1871, he embarked on a 55-year career of drawing and publishing bird’s-eye view panoramic maps of American cities. By 1874 had moved to Boston. From his offices there and in New York City, he published panoramas until the late 1920s. The Library of Congress has 127 of his views, and the Boston Public Library has 242 views that he drew or published between 1874 and 1891. The panoramas were issued under his own imprint, or in partnership with other panoramic artists, including another prolific panorama artist, Thaddeus Fowler. In 1932, he told an interviewer that making panoramas was a highly specialized skill that few could successfully accomplish, so he worked for decades with “practically without competition” until the advent of airplane cameras made the craft obsolete.
Condition: Generally very good recently professionally cleaned and deacidified. Formerly folded as issued, now professionally flattened and laid on Japanese tissue.
References:
“Dunton v. Hagerman, 18 App. Div. 146 (N.Y. App. Div. 1897) .” Casetext. https://casetext.com/case/dunton-v-hagerman (21 February 2018).
Hébert, John R., ed., rev. by Patrick E. Dempsey. Panoramic Maps of Cities in the United States and Canada. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1984. pp. 8-9.
McGowan, Jim. “East Patchogue Monorail.” Bellport.net. http://www.screanews.us/bellportnet/MonorailEastPatchogue.htm (21 February 2018).
“NY & Brooklyn Inv v. Leeds.” Leagle. 2017. https://www.leagle.com/decision/19791179100misc2d10791967 (21 February 2018).
