▁avoid ▁situations ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁company ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁rely ▁on ▁other ▁rail ro ads ▁to ▁reach ▁its ▁mark ets . ▁The ▁effort ▁was ▁helped ▁by ▁a ▁report ▁that ▁estimated ▁necessary ▁up gr ades ▁to ▁the ▁canal ▁would ▁cost ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁an ▁exp end iture ▁that ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁needed ▁if ▁rail ▁routes ▁could ▁be ▁purchased ▁or ▁le ased . ▁ ▁The ▁canal ▁was ▁last ▁used ▁on ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁and ▁the ▁gravity ▁rail road ▁closed ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁the ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁the ▁Del aware ▁and ▁Hudson ▁Company ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁a ▁canal , ▁which ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁June ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁Between ▁Port ▁Jackson ▁and ▁Ellen ville , ▁the ▁right - of - way ▁for ▁the ▁canal ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Ellen ville ▁and ▁King ston ▁Rail road , ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York , ▁Ontario ▁and ▁Western ▁Railway , ▁char tered ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁and ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁the ▁D & H ▁organized ▁the ▁Ch ate aug ay ▁and ▁Lake ▁P lac id ▁Railway ▁as ▁a ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ate aug ay ▁Rail road , ▁Ch ate aug ay ▁Railway ▁and ▁Sar an ac ▁and ▁Lake ▁P lac id ▁Railway . ▁In ▁conj