Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 69

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

charge of the expenditures of said sum, for the objects aforesaid."

An act was passed April 1, 1814, appoint- ing William Smith, George Brayton and Benjamin Wright to lay out a road from Salina to Smith's Mills (Adams), to intersect at that place the State road from Rome, through Redfield and Lorraine, to Brownville, The road was completed to Adams, and was long known as the "Salt Point Road." In 1816 a State road was directed to be laid out from Lowville to Henderson Harbor, which was surveyed, but the whole of it was not opened. road from French Creek to Watertown was, by an act of April 1, 1824. directed to be made under the supervision of Amos Stebbins, Azariah Doane and Henry H. Coffeen. By an act of April 18, 1834, Loren Bailey, Azariah Walton and E. G. Merick were appointed to lay out a road along the St. Lawrence, from near the line of Lyme and Clayton, to Chippewa Bay in Hammond. The cost, not exceeding $100 per mile. to be taxed to adjacent lands; and 1836, 1838 and 1839, the act was amended and extended. April 4, 1841, a State road was authorized to be laid out from Carthage to Lake Cham- plain, which was subsequently surveyed and opened the whole distance.

The enterprise of individual proprietors led, at an early day, to the opening of ex- tended lines of roads, among which were the Morris and Hammond road, the Alexan- dria road, etc. The tour of President Monroe in 1817, probably led to the project of uniting the two prominent military stations of Plattsburg and Sackets Harbor by a mili- tary road, which was soon after begun. A. report of John C. Calhoun, then Secretary of War, dated January 7, 1819. mentions this among other national works then in progress. The labor was done by relief parties of soldiers from these garrisons, who received an extra allowance of 15 cents and a gill of whisky daily. The western extremity, from Sackets Harbor, through Brownville, Pamelia Four Corners and Redwood, to Hammond, and from Plattsburgh to the east line of Franklin county, only were completed. The care of the general government ended with the opening of these roads. and the portion in this county has been maintained as a town road.

TURNPIKES. - The Oneida and Jefferson Turnpike Company was incorporated April 8, 1808, for the purpose of making a road from Rome via Redfield and Malta (Lorraine) to Putnam's ferry, on the St Lawrence. The persons named in the act were Nathan Sage, Peter Colt, Augustus Sacket, Jacob Brown, David Smith, and Eliphalet Edmunds; capi- tal, 4,700 shares of $25 each. A company with the same name and a capital of $20,000 was chartered May 3, 1834, but never got into efficient operation. The commissioners named were Elisha Camp, Thomas C. Chitten- den, Clark Allen, Ira Seymour, Nelson Dar- ley and Alanson Bennet.

The St. Lawrence Turnpike Company, formed April 5, 1810, of 29 leading landhold-

ers of Northern New York, headed by J. D. LeRay, built in 1812-13, a turnpike from a point 512 miles north of Carthage to Bangor, Franklin county. They were, in 1813, re- leased from completing the termini, which had originally intended to be the Long Falls and Malone. The road was opened under the supervision of Russell Attwater, and built from the proceeds of lands subscribed for its construction along the route. During the war it was a source of great profit, but after- wards fell into disuse, and the company was, by an act of April, 1826, allowed to abandon it to the public.

The Ogdensburg Turnpike Company, formed June 8, 1812, capital $50,000, and mainly sustained by David Parish, soon after built a turnpike from Carthage to Ogdens- burg, by way of Antwerp, Rossie and Morris- town. This was also, by act of April, 1826, surrendered to the public. By an act passed March 30, 1811, the Governor was to appoint commissioners to lay out two turnpikes. One of these was to pass from Lowville, by way of Munger's Mills, to Sackets Harbor.

On February 13, 1812, James D. LeRay asked permission of the Legislature to make a turnpike road from Chaumont, in the town of Brownville, to Cape Vincent, and from the Black river, opposite the village of Water- town, to intersect the St. Lawrence turnpike road at or near where the same crossed the Indian river, in the town of LeRay. The war which soon ensued diverted attention for a time from this improvement; but in March, 1815, an act was passed empowering LeRay to build the Cape Vincent turnpike from that place to Perch River. On April 12, 1816, he was allowed to extend the road to Brownville village. By an act of April 21, 1831, this .road was surrendered to the public, and with it ended the era of turnpikes in the county.

PLANK ROADS .- The first plank road in the county was completed in 1848, and extended from Watertown to Sackets Harbor. The Lowville and Carthage plank road was in- spected November 13, 1849. The Sterling Bush and North Wilna plank road, connect- ing the last road with the village of Louis- burg, or Sterlingbush, in Lewis county, was finished about 1854. The Gouverneur, Somerville and Antwerp plank road was in- spected November 14, 1849. A continuous line of plank roads connected this with Ogdensburg, Canton, and the depots of Can- ton and Madrid on the Northern Railroad, and one mile from Antwerp village with the Hammond, Rossie and Antwerp plank road, inspected October 24, 1850, 20 miles in length, passing through Rossie village, and connect- ing with the village of Morristown. At the village of Ox Bow it connected with the Evans Mills and Ox Bow plank road, 17 miles long, completed in June, 1852. The Pamelia and Evans Mills plank road, con- tinuing this route to Watertown, was com- pleted in June, 1850. Antwerp and Water- town were connected by the Antwerp, Sterlingville and Great Bend plank road, com- pleted in August, 1849, and the Watertown

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

and Great Bend plank road, completed late in the same year. The latter passed through the villages of Black River and Felt's Mills. At the village of Great Bend, this and the former road connected with the Great Bend and Copenhagen plank road, completed in November, 1849. This road passed through Champion village, and connected with the Rutland and Champion plank road, which ex- tended from Copenhagen to within three and a half miles of Watertown village, and was completed in August, 1849. This line was continued to Watertown village by the Watertown plank and turnpike road, which was completed in September, 1849.

The Watertown Central plank road, two miles long, completed in August, 1849, was at first designed to connect with other roads, forming a line of plank roads to Syracuse, but the building of the railroad necessitated the abandonment of the plan. The Adams and Ellisburgh plank road was completed in June, 1849, and connected with roads to Syracuse, Oswego, etc. The Dexter, Brown- ville and Pamelia plank road, connecting Pamelia village with Dexter, was completed in October. 1850. It was continued by the Dexter and Limerick plank road to the town line of Lyme, towards Cape Vincent, com- pleted in May, 1850. It was also connected with the Dexter and Houndsfield plank road, which ran from Dexter to the Watertown and Sackets Harbor road, near the latter place. A line of roads from Alexandria Bay to Watertown was projected, and mostly finished, consisting of the Theresa and Alex- andria Bay plank road, 12 miles long, com- pleted in December, 1849, and the Theresa plank road, towards Evans Mills, of which about four miles were completed in July, 1852. The Theresa and Clayton plank road, between these places, was completed in June, 1850. This road passed through Lafargeville.

These roads generally contributed much to the prosperity of the country for a timc, until the railroad was completed, when the system was abandoned, and the lines transformed into graveled or ordinary turnpikes. Nothing now remains to remind the traveller of their existence.

RAILROADS .- The Watertown and Rome Railroad was incorporated April 17, 1832. The company was empowered to build a rail- road from Rome to Watertown, and thence to the St. Lawrence River or Lake Ontario, or both, with a capital of $1,000,000, in shares of $100. The charter, which was repeatedly revived and amended, was never allowed to expire and after years of patient and persever- ing effort, the road was opened. Work was commenced at Rome in November, 1848, and soon after at other important points, and the road was so far completed as to allow the passage of trains to Camden in the fall of 1849. May 28, 1851, the road was completed to Pierrepont Manor, and a large party from Watertown, Rome and other sections, assem- bled to celebrate the era of of the entrance of the first railroad train into Jefferson county. The first engine reached Watertown, Septem-

ber 5, at 11 o'clock at night, and on the 24th of the same month. Its completion to that place was again celebrated with festivities. On November 20 it was finished to Chaumont, and in April, 1852, to Cape Vincent. The first officers were Orville Hungerford, Presi- dent; Clark Rice, Secretary, and Orville V. Brainerd, Treasurer. Mr. Hungerford died before the road was completed, and on April 10, 1851, Hon. William C. Pierrepont was elected president. The total length of the line was 9712 miles, and its total cost $1,957,992.

In January, 1852, a company was organ- ized to construct a road from Watertown to Potsdam Junction, a point on the Vermont Central Railroad, which latter extends from Ogdensburg to Rouse's Point, at the foot of Lake Champlain. The Potsdam branch, 76 miles in length, was completed in 1854, and up to 1860 was called the Potsdam and Watertown Railroad, when it came into the possession of the Watertown and Rome Rail- road Company. In 1861-62, the latter com- pany put down a track from De Kalb Junc- tion, a point on the Potsdam and Watertown road, to Ogdensburg, a distance of 19 miles, and the roads were consolidated and the names changed by the Legislature, to the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad Company.

In 1866 the Oswego and Rome Railroad, ex- tending from Oswego 29 miles to Richland, was put in operation and leased to the R., W. & O. The Syracuse Northern Railroad, ex- tending from Syracuse to Sandy Creek Junc- tion, on the R., W. & O. R. R., was com- pleted in 1870, and in 1875 was consolidated with the latter. The Lake Ontario Shore Railroad, running from Oswego west to Charlotte (Rochester's port of entry), and to its western terminus at Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge, on the Niagara River, 150 miles, was also merged in the R., W. & O., in January, 1875.

The Utica and Black River Railway was opened from Utica to Boonville, Oneida county, a distance of 35 miles, in 1855. In 1868 the line was put in operation to Low- ville, Lewis county, a further distance of 24 miles. In 1872 it reached Carthage, 16 miles farther. The original plan to construct a line to Clayton, Morristown and Ogdensburg, on the St. Lawrence River, was not immedi- ately carried out. While the division be- tween Lowville was in course of construction a company was organized in Watertown, under the title of Carthage, Watertown and Sackets Harbor Railroad Company, and a road constructed, in 1872, from Watertown to Carthage, 18 miles, which was completed about the time the Utica and Black River Company reached the same point. Upon the completion of the road from Watertown to Carthage, it was leased to the Utica and Black River Company.

In 1873 the Clayton and Theresa Railroad was completed, and in 1885 was consolidated with the Utica and Black River system. In 1874 the Carthage, Watertown and Sackets

ROME WATERTOWN AND OGDENSBURG RAILROAD.

EASTERN DIVISION OF THE ROME, WATERTOWN & OGDENSBURG RAILROAD.

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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Harbor Company completed a road from Watertown to Sackets Harbor, which was the same year leased to the Utica and Black River line.

The Black River and Morristown Railway filed articles of incorporation with the Secre- tary of State, March 22, 1870. The capital stock was fixed at $600,000, and Philadelphia, in Jefferson county, and Morristown, in St. Lawrence county, were made the termini of the road. The length of the proposed line was 37 miles. The railroad was opened from Philadelphia to Theresa, a distance of eight miles, in December, 1872, and by October, 1873, the work was nearly completed. On October 29, 1873, the company contracted with the Utica and Black River Railway Com- pany to complete the road, giving that com- pany the use of the road for eight years, and transferring to them the unexpended balance of $500,000 in bonds issued by the Black River and Morristown Company. Under this contract the road was completed and opened to Redwood in November, 1874, and to Morristown in November, 1875. Connec- tion was soon after made to Ogdensburg. It remained under the control of the U. & B. R. R. R. until the latter was leased to the R., W. &0.

On April 15, 1886, the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad leased the lines of the Utica and Black River Railroad, and since that time the lines have been under one management, the system being known as the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad Company.

In 1892 still another change in ownership was made, the New York Central becoming lessee and manager of all the railroad systems that traverse Jefferson county in any direction. But the organization in this county, and its connections to Utica and Rome on the south, and Ogdensburg and Potsdam Junction on the north, and Oswego and Rochester on the west, are still recognized as the Rome, Water- town and Ogdensburg system, with head- quarters at Watertown, and operated by the following named officials:

Theo. Butterfield, General Passenger Agent; E. G. Russell, Superintendent; W. J. Wilgus, Engineer; J. D. Shultz, Roadmaster; P. E. Crowley, Trainmaster; F. L. Wilson, Assist- ant General Freight Agent; J. C. Webb, Supervisor of Bridges and Buildings; B. F. Batchelder, Locomotive Foreman.

THE CARTHAGE AND ADIRONDACK R. R.

This road now forms a part of the R., W. & O. system, owned and operated by the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Co. Trains began run- ning to Benson Mines under their direct pub- lic management, May 1, 1893.

The inception of this enterprise was un- questionably due to the active mind of Mr. George Gilbert, for many years, up to the time of his death, a prominent lawyer of the village of Carthage. Mr. Gilbert was second- ed and greatly aided by Hon. Joseph Pahud, an esteemed citizen of Harrisville, Lewis

county. Indeed, but for Mr. Pahud's efforts, it is doubtful whether the road would have been completed. In the fall of 1866 pre- liminary surveys were made between Car- thage and Harrisville, Lewis county, N. Y., 22 miles distant, and a report showing the feasibility of the route and resources of the country was made and published. The Legislature of that year had authorized the formation of a company to construct the con- templated road, but actual work was not commenced until April 29, 1869.

The plan at that time was to build a road from the Black river at Carthage to intersect in the town of Russell, St. Lawrence county, with another road then under construction by the Clifton Mining Company, extending from their property in the town of Clifton, St. Lawrence county, to De Kalb Junction.

The length of the proposed line was to be 38 miles. The capital stock was fixed at $380,000, and the association was to be known as the Black River and St. Lawrence Rail- way Company. The necessary 10 per cent. for incorporation under the general law was paid in about the last of June, 1868, and a company of directors to serve the first year, duly chosen.

The town of Wilna issued bonds and sub- scribed for stock to the amount of $50,000, as also did the town of Diana, in Lewis county. Both of these towns paid their subscriptions in full; the town of Edwards, St. Lawrence county, subscribed $35,000, but did not fol- low to any great extent the example of Wilna and Diana, in the matter of payments. Numerous private subscriptions, ranging from $100 to $500, were also made to the capital stock. None of these subscribers, so far as the author could ascertain, has since considered this act as ranking at all con- spicuously among their master strokes of finance.

The title chosen by the originators of the enterprise was doubtless euphoneous and at- tractive, but the popular will has decreed that history shall know it as the " Wooden Railroad."

A firm of contractors from Brockville, Canada, commenced in April, 1869, the work of construction, which they effected by driving piles in the numerous marshy places, and in the ordinary method when the ground permitted, and upon this they laid rails sawed out of maple trees

The road was thus completed as far as Natural Bridge, and operated for a part of one year, when the funds having become ex- hausted, the entire scheme was practically abandoned, and so remained until the forma- tion of the Carthage & Adirondack Railway Company in the spring of 1883.

The property and franchises of the Black River and St. Lawrence Railway Company were transferred to the new organization, and in 1886 the present durable road was com- pleted to Jayville, a distance of 30 miles, the extension of the road to Benson Mines, 13 miles, being completed in the summer of 1889.

322

THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

HON. JOSEPH PAHUD.

This road opens up an extensive lumber region, and also furnishes an outlet for the products of the enormously valuable and in- exhaustible magnetic iron-ore beds, which are now developed, principally at Benson Mines. The thriving villages of Oswegatchie, Harris- ville and Natural Bridge are also situated upon the line of this road. The length of the line from Carthage to Benson Mines is 43 miles.

In a previous paragraph allusion has been made to Hon. Joseph Pahud, of Harrisville, as one who greatly aided in pushing through the C. & A. R. R. That gentleman is a most agreeable companion, has been a member of the Legislature from Lewis county, and is an unique and highly interesting character. His integrity as a member of the Legislature is unchallenged. He is a native of Switzerland, came to America over 45 years ago, was con- temporaneous with LeRay and LaFarge, and is a large land owner in the town of Diana. The celebrated Bonaparte lake is upon his possessions. He is also proprietor of a neat hotel upon the eastern shore of the lake.

Mr. Pahud is one of the most modest men the writer has ever encountered. He is unjust to himself in not permitting a more complete sketch to be published, for his honorable life and consistent course could be used with good effect as an example for the young.

SPRATT AND MINK'S BATTERY.

THIS well known battery won so many laurels in the field that it demands a place in this history. Its commander was Col. Joseph Spratt, who had been at West Point, and had a passable military education previous to 1861. Joe Spratt Post, G. A. R., at Water- town, was named for him. Naturally of a modest and retiring disposition, he was better adapted to plan than to make a dashing leader; but he was inspired with a lofty patriotism and loved the Union. He was cheated out of the command of the first company he enlisted, but Col. Guilford Bailey requested him to return to Watertown and enlist another company. Notwithstand- ing that recruiting was distasteful to him, be- cause he would not promise more than he could perform, he consented, and recruited another company, with which he joined the regiment in the latter part of September or early in October, 1861, at Elmira, N. Y. At the same time Charles E. Mink, who was the engineer on the steamer L. R. Lyon, running between Lyon's Falls and Carthage, on Black river, recruited a company in Lewis county, and joined the 1st N. Y. Light Artillery regiment at Elmira, in the latter part of Sep- tember, 1861. Mink was a native of Albany, N. Y., and was a well-drilled soldier in the militia, an earnest lover of the Union, and anxious to render assistance in its maintenance.

By the advice and recommendation of Lieutenant Colonel Henry E. Turner, these two companies were consolidated, forming company H of the First New York Light

Artillery, Joseph Spratt being commissioned captain, and C. E. Mink first lieutenant. These two officers became firm friends, and worked together with zeal and earnestness, determined that in drill and efficiency no organization should surpass theirs. In the autumn of 1861, at Washington, D. C., the company received the guns and horses neces- sary for the equipment of a light battery. The winter of 1861-62 was very trying, owing to the fact that the men had no protection from the rain except a tent, and the long con- tinued wet weather of the latter part of that winter caused much sickness and suffering. And when the battery entered the field in General Silas Casey's division of the fourth corps, at the opening of the Peninsula cam- paign, in the spring of 1862, the deficiency in numbers caused by sickness was supplied by 28 men from battery C, of the same regiment. May 20th, 1862, the battery shelled the enemy at Bottom's Bridge, on the Chickahominy river, to enable our infantry to cross, and on the 24th of May were warmly engaged, re- pulsing with heavy loss an infantry force of the enemy, which attacked a reconnoisance in force made by our troops under command of General Nagle's brigade, (the 100th N. Y .. the 56th N. Y., the 11th Maine, and 104th Penn- sylvania,) held the advanced line on Casey's division, and inflicted terrible loss upon the enemy, who attacked with reckless impetu- ousity. This, for the forces engaged, was one of the most fiercely contested battles of the war. The attack commenced about noon,

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

and General Casey's division, about 5,000 strong, held a vastly superior force at bay for about four hours, when having lost over half of the division in killed and wounded, and each flank being overlapped by overwhelm- ing numbers, the division fell back to a new line. The enemy's loss was terrible, and the next day our troops were victorious, the enemy falling back on Richmond. In this battle Col. D. Bailey and Maj. Van Valken- burg were killed; Adjt. William Rumsey, wounded; Capt. Joseph Spratt and Lieut. John H. Howell, of Battery H, severely wounded. Capt. Spratt had his shoulder shattered early in the battle, and the com- mand devolved on Lieut. Mink, who com- manded it from that day to the end of the war. Capt. Spratt, after partially recovering from his serious wound, was assigned to duty on the staff of General Wadsworth, when he commanded at Washington, D. C .; was pro- moted to major and afterwards to lieutenant colonel of the 10th N. Y. Artillery, and died at his home in Watertown from the effect of his wound, on the day that Richmond was captured by our troops. He was a brave soldier, a true patriot and an honest man. Through the seven days' battles before Rich- mond, the work of the battery was severe, being constantly in harness and often in position. And when the army of the Potomac left Harrison's Landing it was sent to garri- son Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, Va. Here the battery spent the winter of 1862-63, and here, under the command of Capt. Mink, it became famous for its efficientcy in drill. Capt. James McKnight, chief of artillery of the 4th corps, paid it the very high compliment " that its drill could not be surpassed by any regular battery in the United States service." After several minor engagements the battery was sent to Frederick City, Md., to rejoin the army of the Potomac, but was retained in Washington through the rest of the summer of 1863, where, because of its superiority in drill, it was frequently called upon by General Barry, inspector of artillery, to drill before visiting artillery officers from England, France and Germany. Of this record Jeffer- son and Lewis counties may well be proud, for the drill of Battery H, 1st N. Y. Artillery could not be surpassed.

Later on the battery joined the Army of the Potomac in time to participate in the hard- ships of the Mine Run campaign, where the accuracy of its practice proved the battery worthy to become one of the artillery brigade of the old First corps. From the wilderness to Appomatox, throughout the terrible year of 1864, the battery faithfully performed every duty required of it. At Spottsylvainia Court House the guns were kept hot for days in succession. In this battle Captain Mink was wounded in the right ankle by a shrapnell ball, but remained on duty, having to be assisted in mounting his horse until his wound healed. At North Anna river, May 23rd, the advanced brigade of General Cutler's division was driven out of the woods by the enemy suddenly striking them on the head of

column and on both flanks. Battery H came into battery on the gallop, reserved its fire until its front was cleared of our broken troops, and received the enemy's charge with three cannisters from each piece, and with Hoffman's brigade, which formed on the left flank of the battery. drove the enemy from the field. During the investment of Petersburg, Va., the battery held frequent positions where the fire of the enemy's sharp-shooters were so deadly that in order to save the gun- ners, blocks of thick timber with fine slots sawed in them vertically for the gunners to sight through, were strapped over. the trunn- ions of the guns. In the battle on the Weldon Railroad, August 21st, the battery being en, echelon, received the fire of the enemy's artillery from three different direc- tions, but maintained its position, and with the other batteries of the 5th corps received from General G. K. Warren the praise that that battle was an artillery victory. In this battle the battery lost many horses killed and many men wounded. Lieutenant Thomas Bates was shot through the neck and shoulder, and private David Ferguson was cut in two by a solid shot. The enemy were determined to retake this road and fought desperately for it, but were worsted at all points. In the last charge many prisoners fell into our hands. At Peeble's Farm, September 30th, the enemy suddenly burst out of the woods at the junc- tion of the right flank of General Griffin's division and the 9th corps, with such impetu- ousity as to threaten the breaking of the line. General Griffin sent for the battery, and it came forward at the gallop. General Griffin pointed to the hard-pressed point where the fire of the enemy was most deadly, saying, "Major, I won't order you; but will you take your battery there, on the front line, and crush the enemy if you can?" "Yes, General," and the old battery went in on a run, wheeled into battery and cleared the field. In this en- gagement Sergeant Edmund Nugent, of Orleans Four Corners, particularly dis- tinguished himself, serving his gun almost alone after his detachment were nearly all wounded. Poor Jonathan A. Bray had his right wrist shattered by a ball, walked up beside his captain's horse, waved

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 69

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823- Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094