▁the ▁Hudson ▁River . ▁ ▁The ▁D & H ▁was ▁char tered ▁by ▁separate ▁laws ▁in ▁the ▁states ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 3 ▁and ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁respectively , ▁allowing ▁William ▁W ur ts ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁Maurice ▁to ▁construct ▁the ▁Del aware ▁and ▁Hudson ▁Canal ▁and ▁the ▁gravity ▁rail road ▁which ▁served ▁it . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 2 5 , ▁following ▁a ▁demonstr ation ▁of ▁anth rac ite ▁he ating ▁in ▁a ▁Wall ▁Street ▁coffee house , ▁the ▁D & H ' s ▁public ▁stock ▁offering ▁raised ▁a ▁million ▁dollars . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁Le high ▁Canal ▁had ▁established ▁a ▁reliable ▁flow ▁of ▁increasing ▁annual ▁t onn ages , ▁and ▁the ▁industrial ▁and ▁he ating ▁uses ▁of ▁' rock ▁coal ' ▁were ▁well ▁established . ▁ ▁Gr ound ▁was ▁broken ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 2 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁canal ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁navigation ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 2 8 . ▁It ▁began ▁at ▁R ond out ▁Creek ▁at ▁the ▁location ▁known ▁as ▁Creek lock s , ▁between ▁King ston ▁( where ▁the ▁cre ek ▁fed ▁into ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River ) ▁and ▁Ros end ale . ▁From ▁there ▁it ▁proceeded ▁south west ▁alongside ▁R ond out ▁Creek ▁to ▁Ellen ville , ▁continu ing ▁through ▁the ▁valley ▁of ▁Sand burg ▁Creek , ▁Hom ow ack ▁Kill , ▁B asha ▁Kill ▁and ▁Ne vers ink ▁River ▁to ▁Port ▁Jer vis ▁on ▁the ▁Del aware ▁River