[This letter is the text of an old newspaper that was kindly sent to us by a reader named James Ayers. It recounts the displacement of people during the building of the reservoirs. It ran in the Catskill Mountain News on February 3, 1950.]

Old-Time Stage Driver Dies in Yonkers Hospital

Alexander Miller, 83, born in Delhi, a stagecoach driver between Delhi and Kingston in his early years, died Tuesday at Gracelands hospital in Yonkers.

The New York Herald-Tribune says he drove the stagecoach from 1881 until it was discontinued in 1895. He often said his most eventual trip was during the blizzard of 1888. He made the trip but not on the scheduled time.

After the end of the stagecoach line, he was until 1926 a railroad maintenance man for the Delaware & Hudson railroad. He Joined the Otis Elevator company in 1926 and was retired in 1942. Since then, he has been a familiar figure in Yonkers, driving ancient but well-polished Chevrolet each week which was available--along with its driver – to carry car-less persons to and from hospitals.

Surviving are a son, William R. Miller, two daughters, Mrs. Jean Bonney and Mrs. Thomas J. Battle.

John D. Monroe’s history of the Delaware county says that Stewart Chase drove the last four- horse coach from Kingston to Delhi on May 28, 1870. The late John Bretz of Andes was a passenger on this last coach from Kingston to Andes. He came over from Germany. Mr. Monroe says the stage drivers were paid $12 per month.

James Ayers

Kerhonkson