USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 21
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These early but abortive efforts in this di- rection, having been mostly made in Saratoga county, so far as the northern company was concerned, are of peculiar interest to its people.
III. - RAILROADS.
THE SARATOGA & SCHENECTADY RAILROAD COMPANY was incorporated February 16, 1831 ; Henry Walton, John Clarke, William A. Lang- worthy, John H. Steele, Miles Beach, Gideon W. Davidson and Rockwell Putnam, "with such other persons as shall associate with them for that purpose," being constituted a body politic and corporate, with power to con- struct a single or double railroad or way be- twixt the village of Saratoga Springs and the city of Schenectady, passing through the vil- lage of Ballston as near the center thereof as is practicable, were vested with sole and ex- clusive right and privilege of constructing and using such railroad, and were to have succes- sion for fifty years.
Samuel Young, Henry Walton, Thomas Pal- mer, and seven others were the commissioners for receiving subscriptions to the capital stock, which was to be one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
While it terminated at Saratoga Springs, this road had little business except during the summer months, and was not a financial success until the opening of the Rensselaer & Sara- toga railroad and Saratoga & Washington railroad made it a part of the continuous line between the navigable waters of the Hudson river and Lake Champlain. It was afterward durably leased to the Rensselaer and Saratoga railroad company, and has since been oper- ated by that company, and now by its lessee, the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company.
THE RENSSELAER & SARATOGA RAILROAD COMPANY was incorporated April 14, 1832, the act providing that "Stephen Warren, of Troy. and such other persons as shall hereafter be- come stockholders," should constitute a body politic under that name, and the capital stock was to be three hundred thousand dollars. The road was to be constructed "from some proper point in the city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer, passing through the village of Waterford, in the county of Saratoga, to the
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village of Ballston Spa, in said county, for the term of fifty years from the passage of this act." John Knickerbacker and seven others were appointed commissioners to open books. of subscription.
The road was built and operated with vary- ing success, but finally went into the hands of its creditors. It was purchased by a new or- ganization, who raised the capital stock, first to six hundred thousand dollars, and after- ward, as its business increased, to eight hun- dred thousand dollars.
In 1868 it consolidated with the Saratoga & Whitehall railroad and the Troy, Salem & Rutland railroad from Rutland to Eagle Bridge, when the consolidated capital stock was raised to two million five hundred thous- and dollars. In 1871 the capital stock was further increased to six million dollars, when the whole property was durably leased to the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, by which company it has since been operated.
The Rensselaer & Saratoga railroad also, in 1860, took a perpetual lease of the Albany & Vermont company's property, from Albany to the junction above Waterford, and in 1867 leased the Glens Falls railroad, from Fort Edward to Glens Falls. This latter road has been extended to Caldwell, at the head of Lake George, by the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company.
The Rensselaer & Saratoga railroad was the third road built in the State-the Albany & Schenectady and the Saratoga & Schenectady having been constructed but a brief time be- fore. For many years a single car, drawn by a horse, was used for the local business be- tween Troy and Waterford, and "Old Fisk's Hearse" may still be remembered by the oldest citizens of the two places, and it is well remembered how the competent general super- intendent of those days, the late Leonard R. Sargeant, promised Mr. Fisk that if he over- took him again on the route, he would "pitch his old hearse down the bank," and how he literally fulfilled his promise. And the writer
was informed by General Blanchard, of Sara- toga Springs, that while a passenger in early days on the trains from Saratoga to Schenec- tady, he often got off the train and gathered sticks and rails from the fences to fire up the locomotive in order to make a more speedy passage.
It is difficult now, in the days of powerful locomotives, steel rails and drawing-room cars, to realize the humble beginnings of the railway enterprises of this country.
The Delaware & Hudson Canal Company has within a few years taken a durable lease of the Adirondack Railroad Company, and now operates it between Saratoga Springs and North Creek, Warren county, a distance of sixty-two miles.
THE MOUNT MACGREGOR RAILROAD COM- PANY was incorporated about the year 1883, and was built principally through the exer- tions of W. J. Arkell. It is about ten miles in length, of narrow guage, and connects the village of Saratoga Springs with Mt. Mac- Gregor, which is a spur of the Palmertown range of the Adirondacks, which has an ele- vation of about eleven hundred feet above tide water. On the top of Mt. MacGregor is the Hotel Balmoral, which has become a famous summer resort. In 1885 the mountain was visited by General Grant, who died there in the Drexel cottage.
This road is operated only during the sum- mer season, and a trip to Mt. MacGregor has already become one of the principal attrac- tions of the great watering place.
THE FITCHBURG RAILROAD COMPANY oper- ates what was known as the Troy & Boston Railroad Company - Hoosic tunnel route- with branches in Saratoga county, extending from Mechanicville to Saratoga Springs, from Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville, and from Mechanicville westward to Rotterdam, connecting with the West Shore in the Mo- hawk valley. This is a favorite route in the summer season for tourists between Saratoga Springs and Boston,
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OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
A street railway from Mechanicville to Stillwater runs in connection with the Dela- ware & Hudson Canal Company and Fitchburg railroad trains. An electric railway is also operated on the trolley system from Saratoga Springs to Saratoga lake, a distance of four miles, with a branch to Guyserville, a distance of two miles.
The Troy & Lansingburg electric railway also has a branch in operation from Water- ford to Cohoes.
IV. -- OTHER RAILROADS.
The following list of railroads and of railroad projects formerly authorized, including those abandoned and those merged into others, is derived from official sources, and is nearly complete from the first, in 1826, to 1877. Those now in existence, so far as can be ascer- tained, and either done or in actual and in advanced stages of construction, have their titles printed in small capitals. Such histor- ical and statistical data and dates as our re- stricted limits allowed have been given in connection with the more important. The constant changes going on have, however, ren- dered this list necessarily somewhat imperfect, even at the time of going to the press, and it must become more so every day. It will, however, afford useful, and, for the most part reliable, facts so far as it goes concerning the railroad interests of the county.
ADIRONDACK COMPANY .- Articles filed Octo- ber 24, 1863, and formed under chapter 236, law of 1863, succeeded the "Adirondack Es- tate and Railroad company." Allowed by act of March 31, 1865, to extend its road to Lake Ontario or the St. Lawrence and to increase its capital to five million dollars ; finished sixty- two miles, from Saratoga Springs to North Creek, in Warren county. It is proposed to extend a branch of this road to Ogdensburg.
The articles were amended July 10, 1870, and the capital increased, with the design of this extension; and an appropriation was granted by the legislature in 1871, but failed
to receive the governor's sanction. Distan- ces-Saratoga to Greenfield, six miles; Kings, four ; Hadley's, five; Quarry, five; Stoney .Creek, three; Thurman, six ; and The Glen, eight. Beside the railroad, this company is engaged in mining and other business enter- prises.
ADIRONDAC ESTATE AND RAILROAD .- Incor- porated April, 1839; did not attempt construc- tion of road.
ALBANY AND VERMONT RAILROAD. - Articles filed October 6, 1859 ; formerly the Albany, Vermont and Canada railroad. Leased June 12, 1860, to the Rensselaer and Saratoga rail- road, and has (until recently) been operated by them. Length, twelve miles. A "Y" branch to near the ferry, in West Troy, was con- structed, but was discontinued several years since. This branch is now under the control of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company.
DELAWARE & HUDSON CANAL COMPANY .- This company, on the 9th of May, 1871, be- came the lessee of the Albany and Susque- hanna railroad for the term of its charter. It is also the lessee of the Rensselaer and Sar- atoga (May 18, 1871), and of the Utica, Clin- ton and Binghamton railroad, and is building a road from Nineveh to Lanesboro. See Al- bany and Susquehanna railroad, etc.
SACKET'S HARBOR & SARATOGA RAILROAD .- Incorporated April 10th, 1848, organized Jan- uary 10th, 1852. Length about one hundred and sixty miles. The work has begun and a large amount of money expended, but nothing furnished under this name. Changed to Lake Ontario & Hudson River railroad.
SARATOGA & FORT EDWARD RAILROAD .- Incorporated April 17th, 1833. Seventeen miles. Not completed. Its surveys, maps, etc., were allowed by act of May 2d, 1834, to be sold to the Saratoga & Washington Rail- road Company.
SARATOGA & HUDSON RIVER RAILROAD .- Articles filed April 16th, 1864. Not built.
SARATOGA & MONTGOMERY RAILROAD .- In- corporated May 6th, 1836. Not constructed.
10
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Saratoga &'Schuylerville Railroad .- Incor- porated April 26th, 1833. Nine miles. Not built.
Saratoga & Washington Railroad .- Char- tered May 2d, 1834. Capital, $600,000. Com- pany organized April 20th, 1835, and work begun, but stopped in 1836. Finally opened to Whitehall, from Saratoga Springs, Decem- ber Ioth, 1848, and to Lake Station, April 9th, 1851. Sold February 27th, 1855, on fore- closure of a mortgage, and the Saratoga & Whitehall railroad took its place.
Saratoga & Whitehall Railroad .- Organized June 8th, 1855, as successor of the Saratoga & Washington railroad. Capital, $500,000. Leased and ran the Rutland & Whitehall rail- road to Castleton, Vermont, many years. Leased in perpetuity, and transferred under chapter 254, laws of 1867, to the Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad Company, and the arti- cles filed October 22d, 1868. Now operated under the Delaware & Hudson Canal Com- pany.
SARATOGA, SCHUYLERVILLE & HOOSIC TUN- NEL RAILROAD .- Articles filed in 1870. From Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville, about eighteen miles. Capital, $300,000. Not built.
Saratoga Springs & Schuylerville Rail- road .- Incorporated April 26th, 1832. Not constructed.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE PRESS OF SARATOGA COUNTY- THE PRESS OF BALLSTON SPA-THE PRESS OF SARATOGA SPRINGS THE PRESS OF OTHER VILLAGES.
I .- THE BALLSTON JOURNAL.
The first newspaper printed in Saratoga county was established in the year 1798 at Court House Hill, in the town of Ballston, one mile and a half southwesterly of the vil- lage of Ballston Spa.
Upon June 14th of that year was issued the first number of the Saratoga Register or Farm-
ers' Journal, which after undergoing many changes of name and proprietorship during the ninety-five intervening years is still issued weekly at Ballston Spa as the Ballston Jour- nal, by H. L. Grose.
The size of the page was II inches by 18 inches, with four columns to a page. This made a sheet about one-half the size of the Ballston Journal. Under the title were these words, "Ballston, Saratoga County ; printed every Wednesday morning by Increase and William Child, over the store of Messrs. Robert Leonard & Co., nearly opposite the Court House."
The Register supported the administration of John Adams, then the head of what was called the Federal party, and was opposed by the party then called the Republican, whose leader was Thomas Jefferson.
Soon after the press of the Childs was set up they got out the first book ever printed in the county, with this title page :--
" A Plain Account of the Ordinance of Bap- tism, &c. First Ballston Edition, London. Printed: Ballston. Reprinted by I. & W. Child, nearly opposite the Court House, 1798."
In April, 1800, the firm of Increase & Wil- liam Child was dissolved, Increase retiring and William taking sole charge.
In that year William Child issued the second book in the county, which was entitled " A plea for the Non-Conformists, by Thomas Delaune, with a preface by the Rev. Elias Lee, pastor of the Baptist church at Ballston Spa."
It was published by subscription, and the names of the subscribers, numbering over one thousand, are printed at the end of the vol- ume.
Mr. Child continued the paper under its original name until September 27, 1808, on which day it was issued under the name of The Independent American. Its politics were unchanged.
In the year 1815 Mr. Child sold out to
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James Comstock, and the name was changed to The People's Watch- Tower.
In 1820 Horatio Gates Spafford, LL.D., became proprietor and changed the name to the Saratoga Farmer. In 1821 he changed the name to the Ballston Spa Gazette and Sara- toga Farmer.
Mr. Spafford was a learned and intelligent man. He compiled and published the first complete Gazetteer of the State of New York in 1813, and in 1824 republished it with large additions embodying a vast amount of useful information.
Mr. Spafford removed to Albany in 1822, disposing of his paper to Mr. Comstock, its former proprietor, who shortened its name to the Ballston Spa Gazette, under which it was continued till 1847.
In 1822 Mr. Comstock issued from his press the third book printed in Ballston, and titled " The Friend of Peace," a volume of three hundred and eight pages, designed to show the evils of war and the blessings of peace.
In April, 1847, the establishment was sold to J. O. Nodyne, who changed the name to The Ballston Democratic Whig Journal.
In January, 1848, Albert A. Moor became joint proprietor with Mr. Nodyne, the latter continuing as editor, the name being shorten- ed to that which it now bears -- The Ballston Journal.
January 25th of that year Mr. Moor became one of the editors, and on December 5th the sole editor, which position he occupied about twelve years.
In April, 1860, the Journal passed into the hands of H. L. Grose, who enlarged its size and otherwise improved its appearance.
In 1864 it was again enlarged, increasing its size beyond that of most country papers. It still remains under his control.
During most of this time Mr. Grose's four sons have been associated with him in office work, business management and editorial charge. We are mainly indebted to Mr. Grose for the foregoing particulars.
II. - THE BALLSTON DEMOCRAT.
In the year 1845, at Ballston Spa, Newell Hine started the Ballston Democrat, one of the weekly journals still published at the county seat. It gave its best support to James K. Polk for president, and as its name indi- cates, has always since been democratic in politics.
In 1848, Thomas G. Young, son of Hon. Samuel Young, of Ballston, became its pro- proprietor and editor, and so continued till 1853, when he sold it to Seymour Chase.
Mr. Chase had established the Northern Mirror, which he first called the Gem of the North, in 1850. This paper he consolidated with the Democrat, changing the title to the Ballston Democrat and Mirror.
In November, 1856, Mr. Chase purchased the Ballston Spa American, an organ of the American, or Know Nothing party, which was first issued in 1855 by Joseph S. Brown. Upon this consolidation the name was changed to the Ballston Atlas. In politics it followed the Albany Atlas, which was the organ of the free-soil wing of the Democratic party, under the lead of Martin Van Buren. In 1860 it supported the nomination of Stephen A. Doug- las for the presidency, and afterward was ranked among the organs of the Democratic party.
In January, 1861, Abram A. Keyser became its proprietor, and in April following sold it to Ephraim W. Reynolds.
In 1864 Mr. Reynolds sold to Daniel Shep- ard, who moved the office to Saratoga Springs, and continued the weekly issue under the name of the Saratoga County Democrat for a few months, when its publication was tempo- rarily suspended.
In September, 1865, it was revived by San- ford H. Curtis and Enos R. Mann, of Ballston Spa, at which place it was again issued under its original name, the Ballston Democrat.
In 1866 John M. Waterbury became proprie- tor, and changed its name to the Ballston
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Register. He sold it, in 1868, to his brother, William S. Waterbury, who restored its orig- inal name, the Ballston Democrat, under which he still continues its publication. It was en- larged in 1877 to an eight-column page. It has supported the administrations of Polk, Pierce, Buchanan, and Cleveland, and opposed those of Taylor, Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, and Harrison. For this historical sketch credit should be given to Mr. E. R. Mann. About the year 1889 the Democrat was transfered to M. P. Morse, who is its present publisher and editor.
BALLSTON SPA DAILY NEWS, a daily news- paper published at Ballston Spa by M. P. Morse, was started about the year 1889, and is now in its fifth volume. It is published at the office of the Ballston Democrat, and is democratic in its politics.
III .- OTHER BALLSTON JOURNALS.
I. In 1804, at Court House Hill, David C. Miller began the publication of the Saratoga Advertiser; size of page, thirteen by eighteen inches.
In the year 1806, a man named Riggs was taken into partnership. He was bought out by Samuel R. Brown, and the name was changed to Aurora Borealis and Saratoga Ad- vertiser.
In 1808 Mr. Brown retired, and Mr. Miller restored the original name. It was discon- tinued in 181 1, and the office merged into that of the Independent American. Mr. Miller moved to Batavia, Genesee county, where he established a newspaper and became famous about the year 1827 in connection with the various anti- masonic publications of the Morgan contro- versy.
2. In the first week of January, 1813, the Saratoga Journal was published in the village of Ballston Spa, by Isaiah Bunce; size of page, fourteen by eighteen inches. In politics it was democratic-republican, the party then op- posed to the Federal party. The Democratic party was then largely in the ascendency in
the county, and following the lead of the State politics, was split into two factions. One was called the "Old Line," and embraced such men as John W. Taylor, David Rogers, George Palmer, Thomas Palmer, Seth C. Baldwin, L. B. Langworthy, A. W. Odell, Esek Cowen, and others.
The "New Liners" included such men as Judge James Thompson, Col. Samuel Young, Joel Lee, Judge Salmon Child, William Still- well, Col. Isaac Gere, and others. The Jour- nal was bitter in its opposition to the "New Liners," and in consequence thereof they es- tablished an organ of their own, whose history follows below.
3. The Saratogo Courier was established as the organ of the " New Liners," and was issued at Ballston, in 1816, with Ulysses F. Double- day as editor. But there was not sufficient patronage in the county to support both or- gans, and after about three years of fighting, both papers suspended indefinitely. Mr. Dou- bleday went to Auburn, where he engaged in jouanalism, was elected to Congress in 1831 and 1835, and was conspicuous among the public men of his time.
4. The Saratoga Recorder and Anti-Masonic Democrat was established at Ballston Spa in 1831 by Thomas Jefferson Southerland. As its title indicates, it advocated the doctrines of the Anti-Masonic party. At the end of the year it was discontinued.
5. The New York Palladium was started in 1831 by Ansel Warren, and supported the ad- ministration of General Jackson. In 1832 it was bought by Israel Sackett, who changed its name to Schenectady and Saratoga Standard. In 1833 Elias G. Palmer bought the estab- lishment, and gave it the name of the Ballston Spa Republican. It supported the administra- tions of Jackson and Van Buren, and was dis- continued in the year 1839.
IV .- THE PRESS OF SARATOGA SPRINGS.
Newspapers were not established so early at Saratoga Springs by several years as they
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OF SARATOGA COUNTY.
were at Ballston Spa. It is a matter of tra- dition rather than of record that Mathew 'Lyon established a weekly paper at Saratoga Springs in 1802, which after a short time was discontinued.
In 1809, as appears in the account of the Ballston Press, Samuel R. Brown came from Ballston to Saratoga Springs and established the Saratoga Patriot. In April, 1812, Mr. Brown moved his establishment to Albany, and gave his paper the name of the Albany Republican. There was then an interval of seven years during which it seems there was no paper published at Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SENTINEL.
In 1819 Gideon Mason Davidson, at Sara- toga Springs, first issued the Saratoga Senti- nel. He continued its publication, assisted in later years by his sons, until 1842, in which year Wilber & Palmer bought the paper. Af- ter a few years Wilber & Palmer sold out to Castle & Paul, and they were bought out by Cowen & Butler. Finally it was merged in the Saratoga Republican, a paper which had been started by John A. Corey, in 1844.
In 1853 Thomas G. Young bought the Sara- toga Republican, and Allen Cory continued the publication of the Sentinel. In 1859 the Republican and the Sentinel were again united, taking the joint title of Republican and Senti- nel. In a short time the old title of the Sara- toga Sentinel was again adopted, and so con- tinued by Mr. Young.
In February, 1872, the firm of Huling and company became the proprietors, Edmond J. Huling becoming the editor and business manager.
Under the control of Mr. Davidson the Sentinel was demcocratic in politics, support- ing the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren from 1824 to 1840. In 1848 it supported Martin Van Buren as the Free Soil candidate for president.
In after years it again supported the regu- lar democratic candidates for president.
OTHER JOURNALS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS.
The Saratoga Whig was started in 1839 by Huling and Watts. In 1840 it passed into the hands of G. W. Spooner, and afterwards took in E. G. Huling, who, in 1851, changed its name to the Saratoga County Press. A daily edition, started in 1844, was published until 1855, as the Saratoga Daily News, by Huling and Morehouse.
The Old Letter was issued at Saratoga Springs in 1849 by A. H. Allen.
The Adview Review and Sabbath Helper was published semi-monthly, in 1850, by James White.
V. - THE SARATOGIAN.
The Temperance Helper, a journal estab- lished by the Carson league, a county temper- ance organization, was issued in January, 1853, by a committee of publication, at Ballston Spa, with Prof. J. McCoy, of the Ballston Law school, as editor. It was printed at the office of the Ballston Journal about one year, after which time the publishing committee opened a new printing office, in which was set up the first cylinder press ever used in the county. The establishment was bought by Potter & Judson, and they removed it the same year to Saratoga Springs.
In 1858, on the 3d day of January, they made it a political paper, calling it the Sara- togian, the name it still bears.
With the change of name, the name of M. E. Willing appears as editor.
At that time the prohibitory law was the uppermost theme in State politics. Both the Helper and the Saratogian ardently sustained the law and opposed its repeal. The leading article in the first number of the Saratogian, referring to the possible repeal of this law, concludes with these words: " Let no rude hand tear from the statute-book this great charter of protection to a bruised and bleeding community."
In a few months Mr. Willing retired, and the name of Waldo M. Potter appears as edi-
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tor. Mr. Potter was at this time studying law, which pursuit he relinquished to become the business partner of Mr. Judson, and the editor of the paper for many years.
On the 24th day of April, 1856, the name of George W. Demers, then about eighteen years of age, appears as the editor, although the forcible pen of Waldo M. Potter contributed many of the able political articles.
During the eventful campaign of that year the Saratogian ardently and ably sustained the republican ticket, with John C. Fremont at its head. Its columns were filled with powerful arguments in defense of the infant Republican party, the words of Fremont, declaring his equal opposition to either the extension of, or the interference with slavery, standing at the head of its editorial columns throughout the campaign.
In the issue of May 14th, 1857, Mr. Potter's name first appears as the responsible editor. In this number is a vigorous reply, two col- umns in length, to the assaults of Mr. Ben- nett, of the New York Herald, on the hotels of Saratoga Springs and on the village gen- erally.
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