[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] building of the Harlem and the Hudson Biver Rail-roads, and the adoption of quicker methods of river travel, were a death blow to the traffic of these sloops. The early days on the river, when it furnished al-most the only avenue of commerce, were full of life and bustle. Cornelius Vanderbilt for some years run a boat between Peekskill and New York, and had quite a struggle for the mastery of the route. In 1832 he began operations with the steamboat " Westches-ter," having, as he avers in a card to the public some time later, no interest in any other boat in the North River. He met with a rival in the " Water-Witch," a steamboat which was owned by an association of the people all along the river, and farmers back in the country, and which was designed to enable them to resist the extravagant charges of steamboat-owners. The rivalry between the " Water-Witch " and the Commodore's craft waxed so hot, that the former fin-ally began to charge only one shilling (twelve and a half cents) for passage from New York to Peekskill. The losses occasioned by the cutting of rates resulted in some of the stockholders in the "Water-Witch" losing courage, and the wily Commodore was enabled to buy a controlling interest in her. After that the rivalry ceased. The "Water-Witch" was but one of several boats owned at different times by similar associations, all of which brought loss to the stock-holders.