History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 12

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922

USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 12
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 12

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sumption $775,955.59

Value of free goods. 307,034.38

Value of corn 640,231.00

Value of goods imported in bond, duties

($173,647.49) paid in other districts .... 595,828.00

Total value of imports .. $2,318,048.97

EXPORTS.

Value of goods exported to Canada. $1,592,410.00

Value of coin exported to Canada .. 1,093,276.00

Total exports $2,685,686.00

ENTRANCES AND CLEARANCES OF VESSELS.

Entrances of vessels from foreign ports. 1133

Clearances of vessels for foreign ports. 1122

Coastwise entrances 62

Coastwise clearances. 924

Total number of entrances and clearances .. 3241

The following are the outstanding balances of enrolled and licensed vessels in the district June 30, 1879 :

# Employed during the season of navigation only.

SMUGGLING ON THE FRONTIER.

Tonnage.

27 sail vessels,

$1,809.37 882.53

10 steam vessels

512 canal-boats and barges.

40,208.31

1 vessel under 20 tons.

11.27

550 vessels.

42,911.48

The following are extracts from the old import-book at Plattsburgh :

The first entry of which there is any record extant is " Manifest No. 66," under date July 9, 1804, being the cargo of a canoc, consisting of one case sheet-iron, from Lower Canada, John Norburn, master. Duty, $1.68.

Manifest No. 86, under date of Oct. 24, 1804, consisted of five horses, valued at $55. Duty, $8.25.

Manifest No. 89, Nov. 12, 1804, was the cargo of a canoe, Pliny Moore, master. This cargo consisted of one bundle of goods, a pound of soap, and one joint of stove- pipe ! The total amount of entries for 1804, commencing January 1st and ending December 31st, was $398.69.

Under date of Aug. 19, 1805, the cargo of a Federal packet from St. John's, Walter Beckwith, master, consisted of one horse, valued at $33, an elephant, valued at $110, one bale of dry-goods, and 3456 pounds of salt ; the total duty on the entry being $44.15.

Under date of Oct. 15, 1805, Jaques Rouse brought over two small stoves valued at $8.80, and on the following day " a canoe, Silas Hubbell, master," belonging to Silas Hubbell, was entered, whose cargo consisted of one stove, valued at $23.

Manifest No. 23, under date Aug. 24, 1808, was a ba- teau from St. John's, owned by Pliny Moore, and its cargo was a piano-forte, valued at $176.00.

The cargo of the sloop " Franklin," Thomas Edwards, master, Aug. 1, 1809, consisted of two crates of crockery, one box, six pounds of soap, and 25 pewter plates.

The following entry is under date of October, 1815 : " Manifest No. 1, of the loading of a wagon, Mathew Standish, master, from Chazy, being same left by the British troops September 12th." This cargo consisted of three barrels of rum.

England's violation of neutral law in the searching of our vessels and the imprisonment of our seamen, early in this century, led to an act of Congress laying an embargo on all trade with the Canadas.

This was done in 1808, the intent being the restricting of all commercial relations with the inhabitants north of latitude 45°. The result was highly disastrous to the pcace of the frontier. Canada afforded a ready market for our lumber and potash, and was easy of access for all the necessaries of life requisite to the comfort of the border people, then dwelling in a sparsely populated and partially cultivated wilderness. A sharp contention arose between the frontier smugglers and the officers of the government, which in some few instances led to violence and bloodshed. As the waters of the lake afforded a thoroughfare for all operations of the smugglers and traders, some incidents of very exciting character took place. At the time we are writing of, Judge Hicks was still deputy at Champlain, General Ezra Thurbur held the sanic office at Rouse's Point, and Mr. Buel was stationed at Windmill Point, on the Vermont side, which place had been made the location of

the custom-house offices in 1803. Just previous to the embargo taking effect the collector at Plattsburgh visited the frontier, and gave the permission to the inhabitants to go into Canada and buy what salt they would be likely to use for some time.

On the passage of the odious law, the inhabitants of very many of the lake towns, conceiving their liberties to be wrongfully abridged, held indignation meetings in Bur- lington, St. Alban's, Champlain, etc., to memorialize Con- gress for the repeal of the law.

The President, in his message, gave the name of "in- surrection" to the violent resistance of the act, and the people only grew more exasperated. Desperate men caused sleepless vigilance to the officers of the customs, and the station on Windmill Point was the scene of constant mid- night watching and many a fierce encounter. On one oc- casion a thousand dollars' worth of goods, seized and con- demned, were secretly abstracted from the custody of Mr. Buel.

BATTLE OF THE RAFTS.

A great raft of timber, a quarter of a mile in length, had waited for some days opposite the shore of Isle la Motte, for a strong south wind to carry it past the point over the line. The inner one, Van Duysen had his heart on float- ing it down at whatever risk.

Capt. Pratt, of the Vermont militia, with a lieutenant, sergeant, and twelve men, was stationed on the Point to assist the collector. The old French windmill, built in 1744, was the quarters of the officers. As the raft came down opposite the place, she was boarded, seized, and taken ashore in the bay, on the east side of the Point. A guard was put on board, and Judge Hicks came over with his men to aid the Vermont officers in retaining the prize. In the darkness of the following night fifty banded men got on board, scized and bound the guard, pushed the immense structure around the Point, and got it under way down the shore. Capt. Pratt drew up his men, and ordered the raftsmen to come to or be fired upon. They stubbornly refused, and then the bullets sped after them. Barricades to shield them from the fire were thrown up, and with a yell of defiance and hotly-returned fire at the troops on shore, the victorious smugglers passed the timber down into Canada. A thousand shots were fired at the raftsmen, so it is said, and no soul was hurt, although Van Duysen, who was at the helm, had several shots put through his hat.

Old men say that the militia, in following down the shore in pursuit, on arriving at a place elcared of its trees, were driven by the hot fire from the raft into some potash-kettles, where they found shelter. From this circumstance arose the story, considerably altered and colored, that Judge Hicks, in affright, fled away in a potash-kettle, which canard was repeated to his disadvantage for years afterwards. The fact was, that knowing that the raftsmen had repeatedly threatened his life, and that if caught their ire would be poured upon his head, two of his men rowed him in a small boat towards the New York shore, where they halted until the raft and its determined crew passed down the channel. Out of this went the rumor that the doughty officer had at- tempted to escape by rowing across the lake in a potaslı- kettle.

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

On the night of June 25th, that year, the revenue cutter was stolen right under the eyes of the government officers, who were keeping guard at Windmill Point, and the perpe- trators of the bold theft were sought for in vain. Forty soldiers kept guard on the New York side. Men arrayed themselves in female garments, and in this disguise sought to evade the officials. The deputics were threatened with fire and death if they insisted on enforcing obedience to the hated non-intercourse law. Judge Hicks was waylaid by an armed man while in the performance of his duties, who, in a disguised dress and tone, bade him prepare to die. In the morning a coffin was found at lis door. Some of the officials left their posts and returned to Plattsburgh. Two pieces of brass cannon were planted on Windmill Point. A large bateau, to which had been given the name of the " Black-Snakc," with a crew of desperate men on board, annoyed the officials greatly. Samuel J. Mott, of Alburgh, commanded her, and seven sturdy smugglers composed his men.

Aug. 3, 1808, she was driven into the mouth of Onion (now Winooske) River, and captured by Lieut. Farrington and his militiamen, in the revenue cutter " Fly." While she was being conveyed down the river by her captors, suddenly the crew of the " Black-Snake" sprang from the ambush where they lay and attempted a rescuc. A deadly conflict ensued. One man on the " Fly," Elias Drake, was killed. On the captured bateau, of the men who had her in charge, Jonathan Ormsby and Asa Marsh were killed, and Lieut. Farrington wounded. A reward of one hundred dollars was offered for Samuel J. Mott, and fifty dollars for cach of the others. The entire company were afterwards arrested, tricd, and condemned. One of the eight men, Dean, was executed at Burlington, November 11th following. Mott was sentenced to stand one hour in the pillory, receive fifty stripes, and endure close confinement with hard labor for a term of ten years.

The death of Elias Drake was preceded by a very singu- lar presentiment. He was an oarsman on the cutter "Fly," and lived with the deputy, Samuel Thurhur, at Rouse's Point. A few nights previous to the sad occurrence nar- rated above, he dreamed that he was chased by a black- snake that pursued him furiously, winding itself about his body ; and he awoke in great fright, by reason of his terri- ble struggles to escape from its folds. The dream made a powerful impression upon his mind, and was strangely veri- ficd in his death, caused by the crew of the bateau " Black- Snake."

Amid all the border tumult, sometimes there came in a dash of wit and humor.

The home of Mr. Buel, on Windmill Point, was one night surrounded by men bent on the rescue of certain contraband custom goods therein stored ; and the deputy saved them only by an ingenious stratagem. A single boy was with him in the lonely dwelling. Fastening the doors and windows, he bade the lad, with a loud voice,-suffi- ciently loud for those who were skulking about out-doors to plainly hear him,-to ascend the stairs to the upper chamber of the dwelling, and quickly bring down the muskets there kept in readiness for defense. Then John, James, Tom, Dick, and Harry were called for, as though a

dozen men were by his side. He continued his loud orders until, in imagination, a half-score of loaded guns were ready and handled by stout hands, prepared to grcet the expected raiders. The lurking foe was really deceived, and, sup- posing Mr. Buel to have any quantity of men and fire- arms on hand, gave up their object and fled from the house.

The deceit practiced upon them was discovered to have been perfect, when subsequently it became known that the deputy collector on that night had with him but a half- witted boy, and was only armed with one single old musket.

In 1809 the excitement culminated. The warfare went on until the embargo was taken off and the obnoxious law repealed.

Three years later the smuggler Harrington, of St. Alban's Bay, was shot by the officers of custom. Being overtaken on the lake, opposite Point au Fer, in the act of conveying salt from Canada, he was ordered to halt and surrender, when refusing he was fired upon by John Walker, at the command of the deputy, Mr. Buel, and mortally wounded. Mr. Buel and his men gave themselves up for trial, at St. Alban's, and were acquitted ; the deed was pronounced jus- tified by the court. But Walker's life was threatened, and the fatal shot was a source of grief to him while life lasted. No events of this kind have taken place on these waters or frontiers for a period of nearly sixty years.

Smuggling at present is followed by many persons, not, however, for speculative purposes, but for private and per- sonal uses and ends.

CHAPTER XIII.

CLINTON PRISON-FORT BLUNDER-FORT MONTGOMERY.

THE movement which resulted in the establishment of Clinton Prison was commenced some time prior to 1842, by the mechanics throughout the State who were dissatisfied with the policy pursued by the State of bringing convict labor in direct competition with their own, and the Legis- lature of that year appointed a commissioner-Ransom Cook-to inquire into the cxpediency of employing convict labor in mining and smelting iron.

The commissioner reported that able-bodied convicts could be thus employed, and at the session of 1844 the committee on State-prisons reported a bill " for the estab- lishment of a State-prison north of Albany, for the purpose of mining and manufacturing iron."

The prison committee strongly recommended the passage of the bill, which, after a bitter opposition, finally passed both Assembly and Senate. One of the most able cham- pions of the bill was Hon. J. C. Hubbell, of Chazy, at that time member of the Assembly. Mr. Bartlett, chairman of the Senate joint committee, and Senators Clark, Law- rence, and Howe were also earnest supporters of the bill.

At the session of the Legislature in 1845 the committee made a report, and said that the site for the new prison had been chosen in Clinton County, less than fourteen miles in a direct line from Plattsburgh, and that it had been named Clinton Prison. In the following May amendments were

CLINTON PRISON.

added to the original aet of incorporation, and one hundred thousand dollars appropriated for the purposes contemplated by the aet. The first appropriation was thirty thousand dollars.

The first agent was Ransom Cook, evidently a thorough and energetie offieer, as he eommeneed the labor of stoekad- ing twelve aeres in snow five feet deep, and on the 1st of May it was completed. It was contemplated to employ eonviets in the ereetion of the prison building, and this stockade was built with that purpose in view. In the fol- lowing June fifty conviets were transferred from Sing-Sing to their wild mountain retreat, and soon after forty more were received from Auburn.

A temporary prison was soon completed, and during the summer of 1845 work on the permanent prison was pushed with great vigor, and in January, 1846, in addition to the above there had been erected a store-house, elerk's and physician's office, lime-house, machine-shop, earpenter-shop, foundry, and a dwelling for the elerk and agent, all wooden buildings. In the following spring work was continued with renewed energy ; a saw-mill was ereeted, a mine opened, and during the year the prison was completed.

For the first ten years after the opening of Clinton Prison no iron was manufactured. The ore raised by the convicts was sold at Saranae Hollow, Cadyville, and elsewhere. In 1853, E. & J. D. Kingsland & Co., of Keeseville, eon- traeted to build extensive iron-works for the State at Clin- ton Prison, ineluding the present forge, rolling-mill, and nail-factory, and an immense blast-furnace. The furnace, which must have eost nearly one hundred thousand dollars, was soon after destroyed by fire. After the works were completed, Messrs. Kingsland ran them for a number of years under the contraet system ; and it proved a disastrous adventure for them. They were very lavish in their expendi- tures at the outset, and probably advanced two hundred thousand dollars to the State in the construction of the works. They never realized the return from the State which they anticipated and elaimed. In 1862, J. D. Kingsland was superseded by A. Williams & Co., the firm consisting of Mr. Williams, J. M. Noyes, and O. A. Burton. The nail-machines, which belonged to J. D. Kingsland, were sold to Mr. Williams. In 1866 the State assumed the manage- ment of the iron-works, and purchased the nail-machines.

The ore was raised from the mine, conveyed to the forge, wrought into blooms, or such forms as was necessary, passed into the rolling-mill, rolled into plates, passed into the nail- factory, and eut into nails, and then put into kegs ready for the market, all within the prison-yard. The whole process was gone through within the short space of twenty-four hours. The number of nail-machines was forty-four, eapable of turning out two hundred and twenty-five kegs of nails a day.

The chief reliance for the important article of eoal was the large tract of woodland belonging to the State, on the opposite or west side of Johnson Mountain, in the neighbor- hood of Chazy Lake. The traet embraces about fifteen thousand aeres. At one time there were twenty-five kilns located on this land.

Iron was first taken from what was known as the Skinner Mine, which had been purchased by the State of Gen. St.

John B. L. Skinner. This, however, proved too lean to pay for working, and was finally abandoned. From this time until the iron manufacture was abandoned ore was taken from the Averill mine.

The manufacture was continued until within a few years ago, when an investigation was made by L. D. Pillsbury, superintendent of prisons, who reported that the business was being eondueted at a heavy loss to the State, whereupon the iron manufacture was abandoned. The manufacture of hats is at present the industry earried on at the prison. It is under the contraet system, the State receiving forty eents per day for each eonviet's labor. The manufacture is prin- eipally confined to ladies' fine felt hats, the present daily capacity being two hundred and forty dozen. The present number of eonviets is four hundred and seventy-five. There are five hundred and thirty-eight eells. An addition to the prison is now being ereeted, which comprises two wings, one three hundred and one feet in length, and the other two hundred and fifty feet in length, inereasing the number of cells to eleven hundred and ninety-four. The estimated eost is one hundred and forty-six thousand five hundred and fifty-five dollars and ninety-eight eents.

The following is a list of agents, physicians, and ehap- lains, from the incorporation of the prison to the present time :

First Agent, Ransom Cook, 1845 ; Chaplain, Rev. Abram Huff; Physician,

Second Agent, George Thorp, 1848; Chaplain, Rev. Ashbel Parmelee ; Physician, Dr. George A. Miller.

Third Agent, John L. Barnes, 1852; Chaplain, Rev. Roswell Pettibone ; Physician, Dr. A. F. Pattison.

Fourth Agent, Andrew Hull ; Chaplain, Rev. Roswell Pettibone ; Physician, Dr. Jabez Fiteh.

Fifth Agent, Horaee Beach ; Chaplain, Rev. Roswell Pettibone ; Physician, Dr. Jabez Fiteh,

Sixth Agent, James W. Crandall; Chaplain, Rev. Roswell Pettibone ; Physician, Dr. Jabez Fiteh.

Seventh Agent, Benjamin Squires ; Chaplain, Rev. Ros- well Pettibone; Physician, Dr. Jabez Fiteh.

Eighth Agent, John H. Parkhurst ; Chaplain, Rev. Ros- well Pettibone, succeeded by Rev. A. J. Canfield ; Physi- cian, Dr. Jabez Fitch, sueceeded by Dr. J. H. Smith.

Ninth Agent, W. C. Rhodes, sueceeded by John H. Parkhurst; Chaplain, Rev. Levi Smith ; Physician, Dr. A. S. Wolff.

Tenth Agent, S. Moffitt; Chaplain, Rev. C. Ransom ; Physician, Dr. E. D. Furgeson.

Eleventh Agent, E. S. Winslow ; Chaplain, J. W. Mc- Ilwaine; Physician, A. W. Furgeson.

Twelfth Agent, James C. Shaw ; Chaplain, J. W. Mell- waine; Physician, A. W. Furgeson.

Thirteenth Agent, Henry Scripture ; Chaplain, J. W. Mellwaine ; Physician, J. V. Lansing.

Fourteenth Agent, Isaiah Fuller; Chaplain, J. W. Me- Ilwaine; Physician, J. V. Lansing.

The present offieers (Oct. 4, 1879) are as follows : Isaiah Fuller, Agent and Warden; James Moon, Principal Keeper; Charles F. Towner, Clerk ; J. V. Lansing, Physician ; J. W. Mellwaine, Chaplain ; William Brennan, Kitchen Keeper; L. E. Oliver, C. B. Meader, M. Hagerty, J. P.

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

Nash, Wm. F. Haley, Charles S. Gay, C. D. Allen, Peter St. Louis, John Thompson, M. Toole, Wm. Coughlin, Thos. McFarland, John Tompkins, Jolin F. White, W. C. Clark, E. R. Campbell, J. B. Colc, Keepers ; John Myers, Sergeant of the Guard ; H. Landot, N. D. Warren, John Foley, T. C. Gilson, J. H. Clark, Seward Allen, W. E. Parkhurst, Henry Willie, Samuel Beckett, E. Rabarge, T. B. Mannix, J. F. McGowan, J. C. Russell, John Long, Patrick Cooney, E. D. McKillip, Richard Defoy, James Clancy, John Mars, R. D. Rice, Jr., F. H. Wells, R. L. Trumbull, Percy H. Jones, John Shine, Charles B. Mann, Guards ; F. H. Van Elten, Telegraph Operator.

The prison is at present under the charge of Hon. Isaiah Fuller, who was appointed agent and warden in 1879, and who has instituted many needed changes in the discipline and management of this institution. It is a singular fact that the first and present wardens are both residents of Saratoga Springs, N. Y. Mr. Cook, who was agent and warden in 1845, resides in the village at an advanced age.

FORT BLUNDER-FORT MONTGOMERY.

In the year 1816 fortifications were commenced at the outlet of Lake Champlain, near Rouse's Point, and Island Point, a small sand island between Rouse's Point and Province Point, was selected for its site. The shore on the south end of Rouse's Point was also fortified. As early as 1814 it was contemplated by officers of the army to place batteries on the shore for the purpose of commanding the adjacent waters, but it was never done.

The fort was erected under the supervision of Col. Jos. Totten, a United States engineer, who ranked deservedly high in his profession. But the work was far inferior to that now seen in military fortresses. It was an octagon, about thirty feet high, was ten-bastioned, and occupied about three-fourths of an acre in area. Instead of piles driven into the earth, pickets from the old battle-ground at Plattsburgh, with slabs, boards, timbers, rails, and hemlock logs and stumps, were thrown in promiscuously for a foun- dation. Three Scotchmen, named McMartin, McIntire, and Stewart, were the contractors for its erection. So poor was the foundation that the walls soon settled and cracked badly.

Work was continued on the fort during three summers ; proposals were made for three million of brick, to be used in its construction, and the whole estimated cost was two hundred thousand dollars.

In June, 1818, companies of the Sixth Regiment of reg- ular soldiers, then stationed at Plattsburgh, were detached to work on the fort, and arrived here on the 19th of that month. Being so near the line, desertions to Canada were rapid, and on the 15th of the following August they were ordered back to Plattsburgh and detailed to work on the " military turnpike."

In October, 1818, the astronomical agents of Great Britain and the United States commenced the survey of the line of latitude 45º N., which had been designated as the boundary-line between the United States and Canada, and in January of the following year, to the chagrin of our government, the fort was found to be on Canadian soil, nearly a mile north of the boundary-line. Orders were imme-

diately given to suspend all operations until the question of site could be definitely arranged and settled. It is said that the contractors sued the government for the amount of the contract and obtained full damages.

The fort was left in an unfinished state and went to ruin. The copper, iron, stone, and brick became common property. Some Canadian gentlemen came out to see it after work on it had ceascd, and suggested, derisively, that it had better be called " Fort Blunder," by which name it has since been known.

CANADA

EAST.

MONUMENTI

OF 1842

BOUNDARY.

LINE

U.S.

FURT

MONT- COMERN.

RICHELIEU

NEW YORK.

PARALLEL

OF 450

ROUSES POINT.

NORTREAN

VERMONT.

250 FT.

POINT

VILLAGE

ROUSES

CHAMPLAIN.

ROUSE'S POINT AND VICINITY.

The piling of Fort Montgomery was commenced in the spring of 1843 (the year after the Ashburton treaty), under charge of Capt. Brewerton, of the Engineer Corps, United States army, who continued in charge of the work until 1845, when he was relieved by Lieut. Mason. On the com- mencement of the Mexican war, work was suspended until the close of that struggle, when it was continued again, under Lieut. Mason. Mason continued only a short time, when he was succeeded by Capt. Meigs, who continucd in charge until the fall of 1854, when he was succeeded by (then) Lieut. C. E. Blount, who continued in charge until January, 1868 (except a few months in the winter of 1866-67, when Gen. Reese was in charge). Col. Barlow succeeded Blount in January, 1868. The present officer in charge is Capt. D. White.

CHAPTER XIV.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The Old State Road-Plank- Roads-The Old Military Turnpike- Steam Navigation on Lake Champlain-The Second Steamboat ever Built-The "Vermont"-The Champlain Transportation Com- pany.

AMONG the earliest roads opened on the west shore of Lake Champlain, and which subsequently became a prominent thoroughfare, was the old State road, which enters Clinton County at Kceseville and extends northward through Peru, South Plattsburgh, to Plattsburgh, thence through the eastern part of Beekmantown and Chazy to Champlain. This was opened in 1790, for the purpose of opening com- munication between Montreal and New York, and at once became a famous thoroughfare. Passengers from Montreal

RIVER.

N.Y. 2|CANADA. R. R.

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 12

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 922

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922