USA > New York > Clinton County > Plattsburgh > History of Plattsurgh, New York from its first settlement to January 1, 1876 > Part 5
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On Monday night, March, 28, 1870, a fire was dis- covered in the rear of Shiff's meat market, in the stone row on Margaret Street, opposite the post office, which caused considerable damage to the building and its con- tents.
A fire, on Thursday night, March 23, 1871, caught in the garret of the Park House, corner of Park and River Streets, occupied by Joseph W. Daller, as a saloon and dwelling, consuming a portion of the roof and upper rooms. On Wednesday morning, March 29, about 5 o'clock, an-
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other fire broke out in the same building, burning out the entire inside of the building.
On Thursday afternoon, August 22, 1871, at half-past one o'clock, a fire caught in Baker Brothers' lumber yard, on Jay Street, destroying the entire stock of lumber and the lumber sheds. The Gas Works, Frank Palmer's barn, and also five small dwelling-houses, between old and new Bridge Streets, east of Fouquet's barn. Loss about $20,000, principally in lumber. Insurance $15,450.
About I o'clock Friday morning, Aug. 25, 1871, an attempt was made to fire Morrill's Billiard Room, on Bridge Street, next east of Hornick's furniture store. It was fortunately discovered before any damage had been done. If successful, probably a number of buildings would have been consumed.
On the evening of Friday, Nov. 10, 1871, the Academy was destroyed by fire. The fire is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.
On the 15th October, 1872, the saw mill on the north side of the river, at the upper dam was burned. The cov- ered bridge was also burned at this time, and was replaced the next year by an iron bridge.
On the 15th of April, 1818, an act was passed, grant- ing to John Mallory and his assignees, "the sole and ex- clusive right" to furnish the inhabitants of the village of Plattsburgh with water, " by means of conduits or aque- ducts." The legislature were careful that Mr. Mallory should never, under this grant to furnish water, go into liquidation as a banker, for the last section of the act ex- pressly provided, " that nothing in this act contained,
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shall be so construed as to grant any banking powers.or privileges whatsoever." Under this act, water was fur- nished to the inhabitants residing on the west side of the river, in limited and uncertain quantities until the fall of the year 1871.
On the 31st of January, 1868, a public meeting of the citizens of the village was held at the Court House, to take into consideration the subject of supplying the village with pure and wholesome water. At this meeting, a committee was appointed to draft a law, to be submitted to an adjourned meeting of the citizens. This committee reported at the appointed time, and the terms of an act to be submitted to the Legislature was adopted. The act was passed by the Legislature on the 17th of April, 1868. [Laws 1868, p. 502.]
By this act, the trustees of the village were author- ized to appoint a Board of Commissioners, consisting of three persons, whose duty it was made to prepare a plan, to be submitted to the taxable electors of the village, who were to express, by vote, their assent or refusal to the prosecution of the work. If a majority of the electors, voting, should be in favor of the plan submitted, the trus- tees were authorized to ratify such conditional contracts as the commissioners may have made for the purchase of land and the purchase of the old water works, and to raise upon the bonds of the village, a sum necessary to complete the works according to the plan adopted, but not to exceed five thousand dollars over the estimated cost as reported by the commissioners. The act vested in the commissioners the sole and exclusive control of
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the construction of the works, and they were to hold office until the works were so far completed as to be in opera- tion, when the control and management were to be trans- ferred to a superintendent, to be appointed by the Board of Trustees.
On the 15th of June, 1868, James H. Totman, Silas W. Gregory, and Benjamin M. Beckwith, were appointed Water Commissioners. They reported a plan, on the 1 1th day of August, which was adopted by a vote of the electors of the village, and the commissioners were di- rected to enter into contracts for the construction of the works.
The commissioners estimated the probable cost of the work at $94,965.56, as follows :
Scribner pond and water right, $2,500 00
Bulkhead at dam, with stop gate, 200 00
Pipe from pond to reservoir, 16,000 00
Reservoir and site, 6,500 00
44,732 feet cement pipe, 40,633 31
64,529 feet trenching and backfilling, 16,132 25
40 hydrants, freight and setting,
2,200 00
Stop gates, 1,400 00
Freight on pipe,
2,000 00
Purchase of old water works,
6,400 00
Engineering,
1,000 00
$94,965 56
As the work progressed, it was found that many items of expense had been omitted in the estimate, and that some of the estimates were below the necessary cost of
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the work required. It was also deemed advisable to change the details of the plan in several particulars. A double reservoir was built on the Hammond hill, instead of a single one, as at first contemplated. The size of some of the mains were increased, and mains laid in streets, not at first intended to be supplied. Distributing pipe had also to be laid from the mains to the line of lots, and a well house and waste drain constructed at the reservoir, for which no estimate had been made. The number of hydrants was increased from 40 to 60, in order to afford more complete fire protection throughout the village.
These changes and additions were made by the Con- missioners, after consulting with the Board of Trustees, and were considered necessary in order to carrying out the original intention of the citizens to provide for the whole village an abundant and unfailing supply of water for domestic use and for protection from fires. To meet the increased expense, the Trustees were authorized to is- sue additional bonds to the amount of $80,000. [Chap- ter 326, laws of 1870, and chapter 60, laws of 1871.]
The mains having been completed, the office of Water Commissioner was abolished, on the 27th day of Decem- ber, 1870, and Silas W. Gregory was appointed Superin- tendent of Water Works.
. In the construction of the works there was laid 62.404 lineal feet of cement pipe, and 11,702 lineal feet of tile pipe-in all fourteen miles and one hundred and eighty-six feet. Of the cement pipe,
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5,344 feet is 2 inches in diameter.
23,096
5,453
6 IO 4
12,822 8
5,574
10,115
12
Forty-nine stop gates of different sizes, and 60 fire hydrants have been set. The cost of the iron pipe, socket joint, used for conducting the water across the river was $1,440.07 and there has been expended in conducting the water from the mains to the lots of consumers, the sum of $11, 118.70.
The bonds issued to defray the expense of construction, are payable as follows :
July 1, 1878, $7,850
1879,
- 18,550
1881, 22,950
1883, 1 3,000
1884,
15,000
1885,
4,000
1888,
30,000
Jan'y 1, 1889,
37,150
July 1, 1890, 1891,
4,000
27,500
The number of consumers in 1872 was about 675. 200 buildings pay a fire protection. The revenue for the year I871, was $11,290.95, as follows: First quarter, $2,632.38; second quarter, $2,843.89; third quarter, $2,938.09 ; fourth quarter, $2,876.64.
Although the cost of the water works has been heavy, our citizens will never have any real cause to complain
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of the outlay. It will be returned by a decreased expense of insurance, the additional protection from fires, and the great convenience and comfort to be derived from an abundant supply of water at all times for domestic use. .
The two distributing Reservoirs are located at Ham- mond's, about two and one-half miles west from the Court House, and 214 feet above the surface of Margaret Street. The north Reservoir is 156 feet by 160 feet at the top, and 104 feet by Io8 feet at the bottom, and is 13 feet deep. Its capacity, when filled to a point two fect from the top, is 1,391,1 30 standard gallons. The south Reser- voir is 160 feet by 162 feet at the top, and 108 feet by lio feet at the bottom, and is also 13 feet deep. With II feet of water it holds 1,487,906 gallons. When filled to the top the united capacity of both is 3,596,000 gal- lons. The outside embankments have a slope of 2 to I both inside and outside, and are 13 feet wide at the top.
The supply of water must for years be equal to all the wants of the inhabitants of the village. With three mil- lions of gallons of water held in deposit at Hammond's, and ready to be poured out at any part of the village under a pressure of ninety-five pounds to the square inch, the Fire King will not again hold a saturnalia in our streets, as he did in 1849 and 1867.
CHURCHES.
Presbyterian .- On the 10th day of November, 1792, a public meeting was held at the Block House, for the purpose of " choosing trustees to take in charge the tem- poralities of the congregation of the town, and to form a
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corporation by the name and style of the Trustees of the. Presbyterian Church or Congregation, of the town of . Plattsburgh, and to call a minister." At this meeting, John Addams, Charles Platt, Nathaniel Platt, Melancton L. Woolsey, John Ransom, and Nathan Averill, were chosen trustees. [Record of Deeds, Liber A., p. 285.] Nothing further was done at this time, but two years afterwards, the Rev. Frederick Halsey, then a licenciate of the Presbytery of Long Island, visited this place, and for a short time preached from house to house. He set- tled here permanently in the fall of that year (1794), was installed as pastor in February, 1796, and in the month of October, following, organized the first church in this section of the country. The church then consisted of eighteen persons, to whom the Lord's Supper was for the first time administered on the ist day of October, 1797. The names of these eighteen, who formed the pioncer church of Northern New York, were, Ezekiel Hubbard, John Stratton, Abner Pomroy, William and Mrs. Badlam, Moses Corbin, Elizabeth Addams, Catherine Hageman, Catherine Marsh, Lucretia Miller, Phebe Platt, Esther Stratton, Mary Addams, Stephen and Mrs. Mix, Martha Coe, William Pitt Platt, and John Culver. [Do- bie's Discourses.]
A public meeting was again held in October, 1803, at the Court House, "where the Rev. Mr. Halsey's congregation statedly met. for public worship," and the society was there reorganized under the statute. At this meeting, Deacons Ezekiel Hubbard and William Pitt Platt, presided. The trustees elected were John Addams,
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Melancton L. Woolsey, Benjamin Mooers, John Howe, Thomas Miller, and Benjamin Barber. [Record of Deeds, Liber B., 518.] Owing to some informality in the pro- ceedings, a third organization of the society was effected on the 19th day of March, 1810, when Melancton Smith, John G. Freleigh, Elias Woodruff, Sebe Thompson, Jon- athan Griffin, William Pitt Platt, and Benjamin Mooers, · were elected trustees. [Record of Deeds, D., 99.] In this year the Rev. Mr. Halsey resigned his charge over the church, which had now increased to eighty-five mem- bers. The church remained without a pastor until Feb- ruary 6th, IS12, when the Rev. William R. Weeks was installed. [Dobie, 200.] It was about this time that ef- forts were first made for the erection of a church building.
In June, 1812, Abraham Brinkerhoff, Jr., conveyed to the society a lot of land fronting on Brinkerhoff street [Record of Deeds, D., 386], and the work upon the foun- dation of the building was immediately commenced. Owing, however, to the interruptions occasioned by the military operations on this frontier during that and the two succeeding years, the building was not completed un- til the fall of ISI6. Its total cost was about $10,000. [Plattsburgh Republican, Dec., 1816.] It is said that the success of the undertaking was owing to the unwearied labors and self-denial of Elder William Pitt Platt. [Dobic, 206.] The pews were sold on the 19th of December, 1816, under the supervision of Benjamin Movers, Mclancton L. Woolsey, and Levi Platt, a committee ap- pointed for that purpose, and brought at auction about $12,000. On the 25th of the same month, the church
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was dedicated; the Rev. Nathaniel Hewitt, who, in July, 1815, had succeeded Mr. Weeks, preaching the sermon, and the Rev. Dr. Austin, President of the University of Vermont, offering the dedicatory prayer. [Dobie, 206. Plattsburgh Republican, Dec. 14 and 28, 1816.]
At the time of the completion of this building, there was no other church edifice in this county, and none in the counties of Essex, Franklin or St. Lawrence. It was the mother of churches in Northern New York, and stood a witness to the liberality and christian faith of our forefathers, until destroyed by fire, on the morning of the 2Ist of August, 1867.'
Mr. Hewitt was dismissed in October, 1817, and the Rev. S. W. Whelpley installed in his place, on the 11th day of March, 1818, dismissed in July, 1822, and re-in- stalled in February, 1823. Mr. Whelpley was succeeded by the Rev. Moses Chase, who was ordained and in- stalled on the zed day of February, 1826. He continued as pastor over this church until May, 1835, his place being supplied during an absence of about one year, in 1833-34, by the Rev. Abraham D. Brinkerhoff. The Rev. B. B. Newton was installed in July, 1836, and remained three years. He was succeeded by the Rev. L. Reed, who was installed in February, 1810, and deposed in November, 1843.
On the 28th day of February, 1844, the Rev. David Dobie became pastor of this church, and remained in 1 Other religious societies had however, been organized within this terri- tory. The First Presbyterian Church of Champlain was organized on the Sth of September, 1804 i Record of Deeds, Liber C .. p. 271; that of Chazy. on the zed March, 1805 (Liber C., St); and that of Mooers on the Ist of August, 1807 (Liber C. 257). The first Baptist Society of Plattsburgh, was organized on the 23d day of October, ISII.
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PLATTSBURGH -- VILLAGE.
charge until compelled, by reason of ill health, to ask for his dismissal, in October, 1855. Mr. Dobie was succeeded by the Rev. Edward B. Chamberlin, who remained until June 16, 1858. On the 23d day of February, 1859, the Rev. John B. Young was installed and was dismissed, in January, 1863. He was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Edwin A. Bulkley, who was installed November 15, 1864. Dur- ing a portion of the year 1863 and 1864, the pulpit was temporarily supplied by the Rev. Francis B. Hall. In the autumn of 1864, a new society, composed of a portion of the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church, was organized, under the name of the Peristrome Church of Plattsburgh, over which the Rev. Mr. Hall was in- stalled as pastor.
In the summer of 1865 the interior of the church building was remoddled throughout at a cost of nearly $10,000. The building was totally destroyed by fire in August, 1867. Preparations were immediately made to rebuild, and on the 17th June, 1868, the corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies and the building was completed and dedicated on the Sth of July, 1873. The entire cost of the building and its furniture, including bell and organ, was about $56,000. The chapel rooms in the basement had been completed in October, 1869, and were immediately used for public worship, the con- gregation having until that time worshipped in the old Academy. The building is constructed of blue and grey limestone, extreme length 120feet, extreme width 66 feet, height of tower and spire soo feet above street grade.
Methodist .- The first Methodist preacher known to
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PLATTSBURGH -- VILLAGE.
have visited the country 'bordering on the west side of Lake Champlain, was the Rev. Richard Jacobs, who was in Clinton County in 1796, where he remained several weeks, preaching to the few inhabitants scattered along the borders of the lake. I cannot ascertain whether he came as far north as Plattsburgh. He was drowned while attempting to ford the Schroon river, on his return to his home at Clifton Park. [Park's Troy Conference miscellany, 35.]
In 1779, a circuit was formed, called the " Plattsburgh Circuit," which was placed under the sole charge of the Rev. Alexander McLane as "itinerant." It included the whole territory west of the lake. The next year the Rev. Elijah Hedding was licensed to preach, and was sent to this circuit. He remained on the circuit, at this time, about six weeks, and is said to have preached his first sermon in a cabin on the west side of Cumberland Head. [Ib., 43.]
Mr. Hedding returned in Iso1, and with the Rev. Elijah Chichester, remained one year, "travelling 300 miles every month, from Ticonderoga into Canada, and preaching every day." They were succeeded the next year by the Rev. Daniel Brumley and the Rev. Laben Clark, and the circuit was afterwards supplied, from year to year, by others. In ISII, this district was under the charge of the Rev. Jacob Beeman and the Rev. Heman Garlick. It was in this year that Bishop Ashbury preached in this village, while on his tour through Ver- mont and Northern New York. [Park's miscellany, 59.] In the spring of the year 1813, a Methodist Episcopal
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PLATTSBURGH-VILLAGE.
Church was organized in the town of Peru, of which Ed- mund Clark, John Morehouse, Nathan Ferris, Solomon Clark, Joel Clark and John Sheppard, were the trustees. [Record of Deed, Liber D., 490.] A Methodist society was organized in Chazy, in Oct., 1818, with Alexander Scott, Thomas Cooper, William Churchill, Solomon Fisk, David Hatch, Willard Hyde, Stillman Buckman, Thomas Dickinson and James Boudett, as trustees. [Ib., Liber. F., 165.] But it was not until about the year 1816 or 1817, that any efforts were made to form a society in this village. About this time, Shelden Durkee, Ann Durkee, Mary Bacon, Maria Haynes, Polly Averill, Patience Mil- ler, John Wells and Michael McDermott, joined the church, but no class was organized until November 19, 1819, when David Brock was appointed leader. At this time the society had been increased, by the addition to its members of John Addams and his wife, David Brock, Philena Brock, Phebe Edgerton, Ann Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph I. Green. [Manuscript notes of Rev. Stephen D. Brown.] Still no regular station was organ- ized in the village until the year 1826, when the Rev. James Quinlan was located here. He remained two years and was succeeded by the Rev. Orrin Pier, who was followed, in 1829, by the Rev. Bartholomew Creagh, and by the Rev. Truman Seymour in 1831. Until I831, the public services of the church had been held in the Court House, but during the charge of Mr. Seymour, the society removed to the church building, on Court street. [This building was destroyed by fire in January, 1846, and was rebuilt the next season.] Mr. Seymour remained here until 1833.
. .. ...
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. PLATTSBURGH -- VILLAGE.
Since that time the following clergymen have been stationed in this village: Ephraim Goss, 1833-4; Ben- jamin Marvin, 1834-6; James Caughey, 1836-7 ; Spen- cer Mattison, 1837-8; Lyman Prindle, 1838-40; Hiram Meeker, 1840-42; Andrew Witherspoon, 1842-4 and 1858-60; Stephen Parks, 1844-6; Stephen D. Brown, 1846-8; Ensign Stover, 1848-50 ; S. P. Williams, 1850- 52 ; John E. Bowen, 1852-4 and 1864-5 ; R. H. Robin- son, 1854-6; Halsey W. Ransom, 1856-8; Joseph K. Cheeseman, 1860-62 and 1868-9; Elisha Watson, 1862-4; Frederick Widmer, 1865-7; David P. Hurl- burd, 1867 ; S. R. Bailey, 1870 and '71. S. W. Merrill suc- ceeded Mr. Widmer, but was suspended after being here a few weeks. C. R. Hawley, 1872 and '73, M. B. Mead, 1874 and '75 ; and A. J. Ingalls, the present incumbent, in 1876.
Episcopal .- An Episcopal Society was informally or- ganized in this village on the goth September, ISar, but there were no regular continued services of the Church until March, 1822, when the Rev. Joel Clapp was called to the rectorship of the parish. Mr. Clapp was succeeded by the Rev. William Shelton, in August, 1823, who was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Davis, in December, 1826, who remained a short time. The Church was without a Rector for several years after Mr. Davis left, and during this time the members usually attended the services of the Methodist Church. . A church building was erected in the year, 1830 and on the 6th day of September, of of the same year, Trinity church was incorporated, with ames Bailey and Frederick L. C. Sailly as wardens, and
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PLATTSBURGH ---- VILLAGE.
St. John B. L. Skinner, Samuel Beaumont, William F. Haile, William F. Halsey, Samuel Emery, George Marsh, John Palmer and John Lynde as vestrymen. [Record of Deeds, Liber 2, 227.]
In May, 1831, the Rev. Anson Hard was called to the rectorship. The church was consecrated on the 27th day of July of that year. Prior to their removal to this build- ing the Society had met for worship at the Academy or at the Court House. Mr. Hard was succeeded in the spring of 1832 by the Rev. J. Howland Coit, who re- mained in charge of the parish until August, 1844, when he removed to Harrisburg, Penn. After the departure of Dr. Coit the pulpit was not permanently supplied until November, 1845, when the Rev. Thomas Mallaby accept- ed the rectorship. He remained here until December, 1849, and in March following was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Ransom, who continued in charge of the parish until the first day of January, 1852. ' In April, of that year, Dr. Coit returned from Pennsylvania and renewed his connection with the parish, over which he remained until his death, on the ist day of October, 1866. For more than twenty-six years he watched faithfully over his people in this vicinage. The Rev. William M. Ogden, who had officiated as assistant minister since the spring of that year, was called to the rectorate on the 27th of Octo- ber, 1866. He resigned his charge over the parish in May, 1869, and was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Mc- Clory, who resigned in December, 1870. The pulpit was temporarily supplied by the Rev. Charles Fay, of Grand Isle, Vermont, until the Rev. John H. Hopkins, S.T.D., the present incumbent, was called to the rectorate.
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PLATTSBURGH-VILLAGE.
Roman Catholic Church .- This Church was first organized in this village about the year 1827, when the Rev. Patrick McGilligan was placed in charge ; but prior to that time occasional services had been held here by Rev. Father Mignault, of Chambly, and by Fathers Don- gan and O'Callaghan. The first Mass is said to have been celebrated at the private residence of Hugh McGuire, who then resided on Broad street.
Father McGilligan died in November, 1828. During his residence here, and until St. John's church was com- pleted, the congregation met for public worship in the "red store," on Cumberland avenue, which had been fit- ted up as a chapel. Father McGilligan was succeeded by the Rev. Father Mannigan, who remained a few months only, and was succeeded by the Rev. Father Rogers, who was here in the winter of 1834-5. After him came Father Rafterry, who was here a short time, when the Rev. Father Rafferty was placed in charge of the parish. He was succeeded . by the Rev. Father Burns, who died in April, 1836.
In April, 1834, the congregation purchased of Judge John Palmer a lot on the corner of Cornelia and River streets, on which to erect a church building. The convey- ance was made to Hugh McMurray and Edward Kelley. On the ist of May, 1836, a meeting of the congregation was held at the regular place of public worship, at which time the church was incorporated under the name of the " First Roman Catholic Church of the town of Plattsburgh," and Patrick Foy, William Eagan, Richard Cullen, Michael Kearney, James Trowlan, John Hogan, Barney McWil-
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PLATTSBURGHI ---- VILLAGE.
liams, Michael Ryan and Christopher Sherlock elected as trustees. On the next day McMurray and Kelley con- veyed to the trustees the lot purchased of Judge Palmer, and the erection of St. John's church was soon after com- menced.
The Rev. George Drummond was in charge of the parish at this time. He died in Canada in the fall of the year 1839, while on a tour among the parishes collecting funds for the building. Father Drummond was succeed- ed by the Rev. Father Rooney, who remained here until the fall of 1854. The church building was completed under his administration, and was dedicated by the Right Rev. Bishop Hughes, on Sunday, September 25th, 1842. Father Rooney was much beloved, not only by his own parishioners, but by the citizens of the village of the other religious denominations. Under his care the Church in- creased rapidly. The records show the number of bap- tisms between October, 1839, and June, 1847, to have been 1,013.
Father Rooney was succeeded by the Rev. Father Kinney, who remained here until the fall of 1856, when the Rev. Father Cahill was placed in charge. He was succeeded on the 25th of May, 1860, by the Rev. Richard J. Maloney, the present incumbent.
On the 27th day of May, 1869, the Church was re-in- corporated under the act of 1863 [Chapter 45], by the name of " St. John the Baptist's Church of Plattsburgh," with the Right Rev. John J. Conroy, Bishop of the Dio- cese of Albany, the Very Reverend Edgar P. Wad- hams, Vicar General of the Diocese, and Richard J.
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PLATTSBURGH -- VILLAGE,
Maloney, Pastor of the Church, and two laymen, as trus- tees. The laymen first appointed as trustees were Ber- nard Mckeever and Patrick K. Delaney.
In the spring of 1867, several village lots, fronting on Margaret, Broad and Oak streets, were conveyed to Bishop Conroy, and by him conveyed to the new cor- poration in May, 1870. Upon these lots the corporation commenced the erection of a new church building, the corner stone of which was laid with appropriate ceremo- nies by the Bishop of Albany, on the first day of July, 1868. This building was occupied by the Congregation during the winter of 1874-5, and was dedicated August 17th, 1875, by Bishop Wadhams of the Diocese of Ogdensburgh, assisted by Bishop Grosbriand of the Dio- cese of Vermont, Bishop Wadhams preaching in the morning and Bishop Grosbriand in the evening.
The slating of the roof was put on in the fall of 1871. The building is cruciform ; length, 201 feet ; the transept, 84 feet; height inside, go feet. The tower and spire will be 250 feet in height, built of masonry and surmounted by a stone cross. The work has been prosecuted from the beginning under the watchful eye of Father Maloney, to whose untiring energy and devotion we shall, in a great measure, be indebted for the largest and most imposing church edifice in Northern New York.
In 1853 the French Canadians, who until this time hadattended the services at the St. John's Church, were formed into a separate congregation, under the immedi- atte charge of the Oblate Fathers, the Rev. John P. Ber- naid and Claude F. M. Sallaz, and soon after commenced
S2
PLATTSBURGH -- VILLAGE.
the erection of a church building on Cornelia street. This Church was incorporated under the name of " St. Peter's Church, of Plattsburgh," on the 16th day of De- cember, 1855, with Joseph Fountain, Isaac Jourdarmais, Damien LaForce, Lewis Chaurain and Lewis St. Michell as trustees. On Sunday, November 19th, 1865, the church was dedicated by Bishop Conroy, assisted by seventeen priests, Father G. Thibault of Longaeil, C. E., having preached the dedicatory sermon. Father Bernard was succeeded by the Rev. Father Garin, and soon afterwards Father Sallaz was appointed the sole presiding priest of the church and parish, and retained that position until the summer of 1870, when he was transferred to Buffalo. He was succeeded by the Rev. Father Charles Bourni- galle, who, in October, 1873, was succeeded by Father Trudeau, the present incumbent. On the 17th of October, 1 869, the Church was re-organized, under the act of 1863, with Peier St. Louis and Damien LaForce as the lay trustees. In November, 186;, the trustees of the old corporation conveyed the church property held by them to the trustees of the new corporation. St Peter's church is a large and imposing edifice. To the west and ad- joining it is the Mission House belonging to the " Oblate Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception," a corpora- tion created in April, 1871 [Laws, Chap. 418], having for its . object the religious instruction of the people, the formation and direction of parishes, the education of clergyman, the work of missions in this State, and the moral and religious education of poor and orphan chil- dren. In this mission house the Presiding Priest of the
PLATTSBURGHI-VILLAGE. S3
parish and his assistants reside. Upon the opposite side of St. Peter's church, is the Convent D'Youville belong. ing to the sisterhood of the Grey Nuns. " The Sister- hood of Grey Nuns" was incorporated April 6, 1871. The members of the Society devote themselves to the educa- tion of the young, visiting and alleviating the wants of the poor and sick, and general missionary and benevolent work. One of the expressed objects of their charter is the foundation of an industrial school for girls out of em- ployment.
Jewish Synagogue .- On the first day of September, 1861, a society was incorporated under the name of the "Jewish Congregation of Plattsburgh," with William Cane as President; Levi Gold, Vice President ; A. Pey- ser, Secretary ; Solomon Monash, Treasurer, and Hyman Monash, Cæsar Peck and Seleg Levi, trustees. Regular services were first hell by Rabbi Jacob Ehrich, who came here in September, 1862, and who was succeeded by Rabbi Julius Weil in September, 1864. Mr. Weil was succeeded by Rabbi S. Bernheim, in May, 1867, who re- mained here one year, when Rabbi Jacob L. Mycr; the present incumbent, was placed in charge of the congrega- tion.
On the 4th April, 1866, the Society purchased of the trustees of the First Universalist Church, their lot and church building on Oak street, and fitted it up as a place for public worship.
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