History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

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 15
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 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The project ripencd fast, and in 1850 Essex and Clinton Counties were ablaze with excitement; the aid of Robert Schuyler, the great railroad king of that day, was success- fully invoked; stock was subscribed freely ; two surveys were made by Mr. Green, one almost identical with that adopted by the New York and Canada road, and the other through Poke O'Moonshine and farther inland. Everything was going on swimmingly, contracts were let, or about to be let, when suddenly it was discovered that Schuyler had made an overissue of stock, had, in fact, been stealing at a wholesale rate from the New Haven road and others in which he was largely interested. Schuyler disappeared suddenly from the scene, the bottom of the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Rail- road suddenly fell out, and in 1852 the hopes of Plattsburgh with Clinton and Essex Counties were again extinguished.

This bad piece of luck killed the project of a railroad between Plattsburgh and Whitehall so effectually that it remained dormant until the winter of 1865-66, when there was a railroad meeting at Fouquet's Hotel, in Plattsburgh, which resulted in the organization of the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Railroad Company, under the general railroad law. The prominent actors in this movement were C. F. Norton, Andrew Williams, M. K. Platt, Messrs. J. & J. Rogers, Z. C. Platt, M. J. Mycrs, J. G. Witherbee, A. B. Waldo, H. G. Burleigh, N .. Lapham, Gen. Hammond, T. Hoyle, Smith M. Weed, and others. That same winter a bill was introduced in the Legislature by Mr. Weed, appro- priating five hundred thousand dollars for the construction of the road from Plattsburgh to Whitehall. The bill was strongly supported by Mr. Weed and others, and the neces- sity for the road so plainly shown that the bill passed both branches by a handsome majority, but was vetoed by Gov- ernor Fenton. This was a damper at the outset; but the men who were pushing the project now were not to be easily dis- couraged, and the following year, in the session of 1867, Mr. Weed, who was again the representative to the Assembly from Clinton County, presented another similar bill, but, at the request of Governor Fenton, making the appropriation two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, instead of five hun- dred thousand dollars, and providing for the bonding of towns along the line. The bill was passed and signed, be- coming a law, and during the following summer the towns of Plattsburgh, Peru, Ausable, Jay, Wilmington, Crown Point, Ticonderoga, Moriah, and perhaps some others, bonded themselves to aid in the construction of the road. Early the following summer contracts were let for building the road from Ticonderoga to Port Henry, seventeen miles, and from Plattsburgh to Point of Rocks, on the Ausable River, twenty miles, and during the same season both these branches were completed.

The following winter of 1868 another bill was passed ap- propriating two hundred and fifty thousand dollars more for aid in construction of the road. This bill was vetoed by

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Governor Fenton, notwithstanding a promise he had made to sign it. This put a stop to further operations that year, but the following winter a strong delegation, composed of the friends of the road, went to Albany and pushed the claims of the enterprise so strongly that another bill was passed, appropriating two hundred and fifty thousand dol- lars, which Governor Hoffman vetoed.

It was now evident that the prospeet for further State aid was but poor, and in the following summer of 1869 an ar- rangement was made by which the Ogdensburgh, Rutland and Burlington, and Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad Com- panies agreed to build the line between Port Henry and Point of Rocks over the inland route as surveyed by Mr. Green, in 1851, which passed near Elizabethtown.

This matter was all settled and the prospeet was very bright a short time for the completion of the road, when the old enemies of Clinton and Essex Counties, represented by the Vermont Central Railroad Company, got wind of what was going on, and true to their determination to pre- vent, if possible, any southern outlet for this section which would tend to divert trade from Boston, stepped in and leased the Ogdensburgh Road, and again the bottom fell out.

And now another plan was tried to get an outlet south from Port Henry, trusting the future for the missing link. In the session of the Legislature in 1870 a bill had been introduced and passed, becoming a law, authorizing the con- struction of a " Steam Railroad Ferry" aeross Lake Cham- plain at Crown Point or Port Henry. This was done with the view of connecting the seventeen miles of road already built between Ticonderoga and Port Henry with the Ver- mont shore, and thence with Whitehall by a branch which the Rensselaer and Saratoga Company was to build on the Vermont side, thus avoiding the marshes on the New York side near the south end of the lake. In the mean time the Rutland and Burlington Railroad Company had leased the Plattsburgh and Montreal road (with the " Oakes Ames," which had been arranged for transporting loaded freight- cars from Plattsburgh to Burlington), the road from Platts- burgh to Point of Roeks, and the road from Port Henry to Ticonderoga, and had obligated themselves to build the line from Point of Roeks to Port Henry, so that again there was a good prospect of an outlet to the south via the "Steam Railroad Ferry" to Whitehall and New York.

But at this point the old enemy, the Vermont Central Company, appeared once more and leased the Rutland and Burlington Railroad, together with all the roads on this side of the lake controlled by the Rutland and Burlington Companies, the " Oakes Ames" included ! As this included everything in the shape of a railroad west of Lake Cham- plain and north of Whitehall, it did not require any extra amount of sharpness to comprehend that at last the old enemy had got pretty complete possession of the field. This was a grand stroke of policy, and a serious check, but not a checkmate, nothing short of which ends the game.

This was in the summer of 1870. In the winter of 1870-71 the "Steam Railroad Ferry" bill was repealed, so as to prevent the Vermont Central from using that to the hurt of the interests of the New York side of the lake. An injunction was served on the Vermont Central Com- pany, but it was dissolved by Judge James, and in spite of

all law and precedent the bridge was completed, which to- day spans the lake at that point.

And now another complication arose. The Crown Point and Port Henry people had secured their railroad connee- tion south, the Addison branch having been built, and they wanted the bridge sustained, not earing much what became of the interests of those to the northward of them.

So the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Company were di- vided, and the southern wing being decidedly in the ascend- ency, the headquarters of the company were removed from Plattsburgh to Crown Point.

And now another element began to manifest itself. The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company began to loom up into view. Hitherto the Vermont Central Railroad, al- though bankrupt, or on the verge of bankruptcy, had easily vanquished all who opposed its plans, swallowing them up or pushing them aside.

But here was a company whose stock was not for sale at any priee, and whose promises to pay were worth one hun- dred cents to the dollar in any part of the world, and had been any time for the last half-century. The men who had struggled so long for a railroad had at last found an ally in the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which was strong enough to compete even with the Vermont Central Railroad Company and Eastern capitalists. The Whitehall and Plattsburgh Company were now divided into two fae- tions,-the Vermont Central faction, which was satisfied with things as they were, and the Delaware and Hudson faction, who were dissatisfied with things as they were, and who wanted a railroad from Plattsburgh and Whitehall, but did not want it to run through the State of Vermont. The Delaware and Hudson Company had proposed to build a new line complete, between Whitehall and Rouse's Point, in 1871, commencing that same season with that portion of the line lying between Rouse's Point and Plattsburgh, but on account of delays in getting rights of way, it was so late that it could not be completed that season, and so it was not commenced.

The ensuing winter, at the annual election of the White- hall and Plattsburgh Company at Crown Point, there was a fierce struggle between the two factions, but the Vermont Central party won by a small majority, and thereupon a long lease of the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Railroad was given to the Vermont Central Company. This virtually amounted to a sale, and the last vestige of the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Railroad was thus lost to view.

Then a compromise was proposed. There was seventy thousand dollars of State aid still unexpended, and it was proposed that this should be turned over to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, if they would go on and eon- plete the road.

An appointment was made at the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company's office in New York, but before the time came, Mr. Weed, who had been foremost in the struggle all through, received an intimation that the Vermont Central party would refuse, on some flimsy pretext, to agree to this compromise, and before going to New York he drew up articles of association for a new company, which was named the New York and Canada Railroad Company, and pro- cured the signatures of E. S. Winslow, Andrew Williams,

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

C. F. Norton, William P. Mooers, and M. K. Platt as sub- scribers to the stock of the new company, thus making pro- vision for an emergency which he foresaw might arisc. He went to New York at the time the compromise meeting was appointed, and, as he had anticipated, the Vermont party did not put in an appearance, but sent a message in- stead, announcing that they had been " enjoined" and could not come. It is understood that their pretext was some unpaid bills of a contractor who had failed. The pretext was a poor one, but it answered their purpose, and it was seen at once that nothing could be done with them.

Then the question arose what should be done. The meeting was in the office of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, 71 Broadway, New York. The company had become interested in the proposed road, and were anxious to push the project through in some manner.

Mr. Weed then made the proposition to organize a new company. The plan struck them favorably, there being present Thomas Dickson, George Talbot Olyphant, Le G. B. Cannon, George H. Cramer, and I. V. Baker, whereupon Mr. Weed drew forth the paper which he had carried with him from Plattsburgh, and it was duly executed and signed. An election of officers was held immediately, and a contract was entered into between the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company and the New York and Canada Railroad Company, by which the former agreed to build the road and take a perpetual lease, paying to the latter thirty per cent. of the gross earnings of the road as rental, providing that an act could be passed by the Legislature transferring the seventy thousand dollars State appropriation still unpaid to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company in case they built the road, and also provided the towns along the line would bond in certain named amounts.

This was in March, 1872. A bill was immediately drawn and sent to Hon. F. W. Tobey, member from Essex, the Legislature being then towards the close of the session. This bill, which was passed by unanimous consent, applied all the provisions as to bonding, etc., to the New York and Canada Railroad Company that had been in the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Railroad bill. Another bill was also passed the same session giving the seventy thousand dollars still unpaid of the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ap- propriation of 1867 to the New York and Canada Company upon completion from Whitehall to Ticonderoga; not, how- ever, to interfere with the Whitehall and Plattsburgh Com- pany if they built the road. Another bill was also passed giving power to the towns to bond. Then Mr. Weed came home, and it is well known how hard he worked for this last chance of a railroad on the west side of Lake Champlain. It was up-hill work. The people had been fooled so many times by railroad talk in the last forty years, and had been so recently sold out, that it was difficult to make them comprehend that there was anything short of a swindle at the bottom of any railroad project which might be broached. But a series of meetings were held, and finally the people made up their minds that at last they were dealing with a company who were not only honest but sound, and fully capable of carrying out whatever they undertook.

All the conditions asked for by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company were fulfilled, the towns were bonded for

aid, and the necessary legislative action secured. The same fall (1872) contracts for the construction of the road from Whitehall to Ticonderoga were let, and the next fall and winter from Port Henry to Mullen Brook, and from the Head of Willsboro' Bay to the Little Ausable early in 1873. The work on all these contracts progressed favorably, and in the spring of 1874 the contract for the remainder of the line was let,-from Plattsburgh to the Little Ausable.

When the Vermont Central Company saw that they had at last met their match, and a little more, in the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, and found that a track was being built right alongside of their own between Ticonder- oga and Port Henry, they proposed to sell out their long lease of that seventeen miles, together with the "Oakes Ames," the road from Plattsburgh to the Point of Rocks, and from Plattsburgh to Mooers Junction, whereupon the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company bought out all their interest in these roads early in 1873.

So it turns out that, after about forty years of patient waiting, Northeastern New York has secured to her a rail- road connection south. Many of the pioneers in the rail- road struggles which we have tried to sketch, however im- perfectly, waited long but died without the sight; while many others who were identified in the very first move- ments are still alive to rejoice in this final result. To Hon. Smith M. Weed too great credit cannot be bestowed, for in this latter struggle, in which he was constantly pushed to the front, he met and overcame difficulties which would have discouraged a man of less strength and less perseverance.

MALONE AND BELLMONT RAILROAD.

The Malone and Bellmont Railroad Company was or- ganized in Malone, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1879, as follows : President, Albert Andrus; Vice-President, L. C. Wead ; Treasurer, W. P. Cantwell ; Secretary, Eugene H. Ladd ; Executive Committee, G. H. Stevens, George W. Hale, and Hiram H. Porter. The capital stock is fixed at one hundred thousand dollars, with shares at fifty dollars each.

The object of the organization is, as its title indicates, to build a railroad to Bellmont, with the stipulation made with the Chateaugay Railroad Company that the Chateau- gay Railroad Company shall build a line from Bellmont to the present terminus of their own road at the Chateaugay Ore Bed, thus making a through line from Plattsburgh to Malone, with the strong probability in view of eventually continuing it to the St. Lawrence River. The distance from Malone to Bellmont is twelve miles; the probable route passing about half a mile north of the present high- way on the line of lots, and winding about the north base of Bunker Hill, about two miles from Bellmont. This route would locate the line entirely in the towns of Malone and Bellmont, although it is thought possible that a better route will be found through the corner of Burke. The distance from Malone to Bellmont is twelve miles; from Bellmont to the Ore Bed, twelve miles ; and about fourteen miles from Malone to Fort Covington, or eighteen or twenty miles to the best practicable point on the St. Law- rence River. The route from Malone to Bellmont will pass through a good farming region, and also the rich de- posit of iron known as the Hedding Ore Bed.

MILITARY HISTORY.

CHAPTER XVI. MILITARY HISTORY.

The Sixteenth Regiment.#

LEADERS of all ages, whether in time of peace or war, are objects of special interest. Warrior, statesman, poet, discoverer,-their history is surrounded with a peculiar charm. Every country is proud to claim a leader as a son of her soil. England boasts her Shakspeare, France her Napoleon, America a Washington and a Lincoln.

There is especial honor in being a member of the 6th Massachusetts or 7th New York Regiment, for, when civil war came upon our land like a whirlwind, tearing up all the old landmarks, shaking men from their firm foundations on which they had stood for years, sweeping away distinctions in partics, mingling old elements into new forms, and forcing men from their homes to the battle-field, these regiments were the first to respond to their country's call for aid.

In like manner the 16th New York is entitled to dis- tinction, for it was the first regiment formed in Northern New York in response to President Lincoln's call for vol- unteers, and the people of Clinton and Franklin Counties have just reason to be proud of the record of that regiment from the time of its organization, in 1861, until it was mus- tered out of service, in 1863.

The organization of the first company of men in Clinton County raised for the defense of our country in the late civil war, and the events which caused its formation, were as follows :

The secessionists fired on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861. Monday, April 15th, President Lincoln issued a call for sev- enty-five thousand men to sustain the laws of the country.

The news of the proclamation reached Plattsburgh, N. Y., on Tuesday, the 16th of April. A meeting was at once called for the evening of the 17th, to be held at the court- house, for the purpose of raising a company of men to assist in putting down the Rebellion. The mecting was held. The same intense excitement that was felt all over the country was manifested here. Many eloquent and patriotic speeches were made. A young gentleman arose and said, "The time for action had come.

"Give us action,-specch no longer ; Cheer no fellows to tho fray. Words aro well, but deeds are stronger ; Out yourselves and lead the way."

He proposed that signatures be taken of those who were willing to enlist. Immediately thirty-five signed. These adjourned to another room and proceeded to clect their officers. They chose Frank Palmer, Captain; Royal Cor- bin, Lieutenant ; Pliny Moore, Ensign.

It was quite a matter of course that these young men should be leaders in this movement. They inherited a love of country. They came from a line of patriots. Their fathers and grandfathers had been defenders of their coun- try in the war of 1812 and '14. .

In less than a week from the time of this meeting a

hundred men had enlisted. They were mustered into the State service on the 25th of April by Col. Putnam Law- rence, of the 32d New York State Militia, who had been appointed to do that duty. They left Plattsburgh for Albany on the 26th.

A letter from Albany, dated May 1, 1861, gives an ac- count of their journey to that city and their life there :

" We had a very pleasant time coming down, heing met hy crowds of people all along the line of the railroad from Whitehall, cheering and waving hanners, not for us alone, hut for the cause we intend to fight and die for if necessary. Old Clinton County is not behind in hrave hearts and hands to fight for our country, for our company is the first, except the ones from Ogdenshurgh, that arrived here from Northern New York. . . . Companies are reaching here almost every hour of the day, marching from depot to harracks, colors flying, drums heating, crowds of people shouting,-in fact, the whole city is turned into one great camp, and all the people are soldiers, in feeling if not in fact. The place we occupy is the old Adams IIotel, opposite the Delevan. There are five companies besides ours in the huilding. The place is not fit to drill in, hut we expect to be ordered out to the barracks to-morrow. The harracks are about a mile out of the city, and there I am in hope to drill the men thoroughly. I hardly think there is a boy among us who could be bought to return home."

The following extract from the Albany Times shows how the hearts of those at home throbbed in unison with those who had gone into active service ; that the daughters of the North were no less loyal than her sons :

"Yesterday afternoon, at the Garrison of the Industrial School, an elegant silk flag-one of the most beautiful and thoroughly-finished bauners which we have seen in this city-was presented hy a number of patriotic ladies and gentlemen to the Plattsburgh Volunteers. The presentation, on hehalf of the citizens of Plattsburgh, was made by D. B. McNeil, Jr., now of the Secretary of State's office, and formerly of Plattshurgh, and the response, on behalf of the volunteers, was made by Capt. Pahucr. The following note was forwarded to Mr. McNeil, together with the flag, to be presented hy him to Capt. Palmer :

"'FOQUET'S HOTEL, PLATTSBURGHI, May 3, 1861.

"' To CAPT. PALMER'S COMPANY, PLATTSBURGH VOLUNTEERS :

"' DEAR FRANK,-Please accept the accompanying banner, emblem of Strength, Purity, and Fidelity, as a tokeu of onr hearty approval in the cause in which you and your nohle company have undertaken, and may the sight of its glorious Stars and Stripes, as they float gracefully over your ranks, inspire each of you to fight manfully for the Constitution and the Uuion, which we helieve to be the richest legacy which the Fathers of our Country could have bestowed upon us; and may God bless and protect you aud lead you to houor and to victory is our most earnest prayer.

"' MRS. Z. B. STETSON, MR. M. SAWYER,

MRS. J. M. ROBERTSON, MR. M. SOWLES,

THE MISSES FOQUET, MR. P. MONASH,

MISS MARGARET WELDON, MR. CAMPBELL, MR. D. F. BELLINGER, MR. ADAMS,

JUDGE NOYES, MESSRS. FOQUET,

MR. JAMES HIGBY.'

" In presenting this noto aud flag, Mr. McNeil delivered the fol- lowing neat and pertinent address :

"'Capt. Palmer,-In behalf of tho inmates of Foqnet's Hotel, I am directed to present to you and tho company that you command this beautiful banner. In performing this duty I mny ho permitted to say that all who know you and the company under your command believe this banner will he nobly horno during the present crisis, and should the opportunity offer, that it will wave successfully over many a hard-fought battlo-field. During tho war of 1812 and 1814 your fathors nohly defended the flag of our conutry nt Plattsburgh,-our homo. You will do the same now in any portion of our common country. How appropriate to patriotie hearts like yours the words of one of the noblest of our poets :

By Mrs. Frank Palmer.

HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

""" Forever float that standard sheet ! Where breathes the foe but falls before us, With freedom's soil beneath our feet And freedom's banner streaming o'er us?"'

"Capt. Palmer responded as follows :

" ' Mr. McNeil,-In receiving at your hands the splendid banner which the citizens of Plattsburgh have presented us, and which with patriotic pride we will bear at the head of our columnn, permit me, in behalf of my company, to express to you, and through you to the la- dics and gentlemen of Plattsburgh (who have selected you to make this presentation), our warm and hearty thanks for the beautiful and appropriate gift, and the happy manner in which you have executed your trust.

"'You, sir, have alluded to the blood-stained fields of Plattsburgh, and appealed to us to stand by the flag under which our fathers took the field. Be assured we will never disgrace our country's flag. Should we in due time return to our homes, we will bring with us these colors ; though perhaps riddled with bullets, or begrimed with the dust of battle, we will nevertheless cherish them to our dying hours,-"not a single stripe erased, not a star polluted." Checred on by the approval of the ladies whose fair hands have fashioned this banner we can endure all the hardships and miseries of war, in the hope that peace and prosperity may soon be restored to our common country. Rest assured that we accept the banner with gratitude, and adopt as our motto,-

""" " A union of lakes and a union of lands, A union of States none can sever; A union of hearts and a union of hands, And the flag of our Union forever !"'

"Quite a numerous assemblage of the personal friends of the par- ties to this interesting presentation were present, and taken altogether it was one of the most interesting exhibitions of enthusiasm and patriotism which we have had the pleasure of witnessing. We doubt not, judging from the sturdy appearance of the Plattsburgh volun- teers, that they will never disgrace the flag which the fair hands of Plattsburgh have woven to float over them in the hour of battle."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

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