USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie County, New York : with illusustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 12
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" Alpany Chanuary du Segond 18 tousant,
100, 4 & 44
" Veller Shitizens
De yahr has coom rount acain, and you haf meet in gounsel in dis capital of de lant of de coot olt Derrick Knickerbacker, for to settle de pisiness of de unifarce. Op dish auspicious og- gasion I dake mit bleasure du jance for shpeak in your eairs mine gint wishes for your gesoudeit and your fokes, and to wish you all habby new years and blenty of oley cookies.
" I shall pye and pye shake hants mit you all ofera thousant ells of leverworcht, and a bot ash Kettle full of hot schnapps, py the site of zwei hay stags of prown pretzels. We have vrighten all man kint into beace mit us, du zeason hasd pe very vruitful, die hucleperries hash brotuce by tousants, and die Krout wash nefer more apuntant. Gommerse hash vlourish poundival- ly, maar it ish mit pidder crief dat I lament dat your honoraple poty tit not bass de dariff pill, vor de prodegtion of the many Dutche mens engaged in dee manufacture of worsht, roelstjes and Sour Krout, ash I recgommentet in mine lasht animal messitch op your honoraple poty lasht winder. Maar it ish no wonter, if, ash I have, mine Sour Krout messicht was only red in der firsd house. I regomment thot a special choint gommittee be appointed py bote pranges of die shtate lechislature, to inguire into des tirdy pisness, mit bower to side bersons and ba- bers, ant teal out blixen to der gilty. Your axacutif pardly in liees lumper waccon, ant
68
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
pardly up his pedder half, du olt gray horse, has fisid mouch of der state der bast zeason, ant many goundies haf pe well recoort vor de tim- mygradic dicket * * * * *
" I woot fudder regoinment dat in orter to brefent anoder sech scrabe, dere pe none but Deutschen officers appint py der shtate brisons, ant none freed Deutschers electit brisoners, so dat dey can one anoder vershty when dey talks Deutsch, oder Yankee. Your axacutif has pecure for to mofe in dis madder, py abbinting one vrint to an office of Sing Sing, wat put hees name on a ferry coot deutsch electioneering ledder a yahr aco lasht vall. * * *
"We pe in beace mit all mangint. We receife bromishes of coot will and brotection vrom all de ground hets in de worlt. We haf hope of a fisit from fader Mattew and dat vine old chendle- man der bope of Room. * * * *
" Veller shitizens, I vas elactit pegaus I vas ein Deutschman. Ise pe shtill ein Deutschman. Dish ish ein strong glaim of die tear peebles, Ein Deutscher moost, py coorse, make a coot cooferner.
"Maar ash dat, I wash elactet pegause I was auch ien varmer. An I pe shoost zo mooch ein varmer now ash I usht to was. I haf blow, und trag und sow, and mow choost so mooch since I haf pin coofener ash pefore, and choost so mooch winder ash zummer, (pedween you ant me ant die old woman on top of Shtate house,) Dish ish anoder shtrong glaime of dee beeples. Oh, dee beeples ! dee tear beeples ! der coot, wise und safferin beeples.
"More ash all dish, I was elactit pegause I tit nefer shteal any of der beeble's money .* It ish drue, die sazzy wicks tid tenie all dis. Maar, we zoon vount out a way to zilence de minority, dey goud nelting brofe, ant any mon ish always innozend dill broof Gildy. I pe so clat tat I pe noch innozend, vor 1 dere py shtant a nople
jance for a re-election ter next vall. Dish glaime pe choost so coot est efer, and of dis crount any one of you dat out lifs me and mine poys, gans run for cofernor, if he nefer shtole any of der beeples money.
* *
* *
"I haf long aco, mein Schoharie vrients, bromish dat iv elactet, I would to sometings vor die rail roat, so vor at leasht as de Vly Zummit, ant py way of vulvilling dat bromish, I woult here zay dat next to vurnishing blendy of offishes vor mein vamnily, nothing lie so near mein pelly to, ash der Vly Zummit."
* *
Amid the political excitement of 1840 to 1845, the sheriff of the County was frequently resisted in collecting executions that were ob- tained by due process of law, for rents upon lands owned in the southern part of the County by the Livingstons.
Large tracts were owned by those heirs, which were divided into small farms and leased for a stated term of years or an uncertain period, during the life of one or more of the family of the lessee at a yearly rental. Those yearly rentals the tenants refused to pay for their supposed illegality, and wherever leased land existed, more particularly in Greene and Delaware counties, a resistance was made to the officials in their attempts to collect, and every neighborhood was thrown into the great- est excitement over the prospect of an anti- rent war.
Greene, Delaware, Rensselaer, Albany, Mont- gomery and Schoharie counties were the seats of expected hostilities, but such extremes were not resorted to, only in Delaware, Albany and Schoharie. Osmer N. Steele, a deputy sheriff of Delaware, while acting in his official capacity, was killed, and the brightest prospects of blood- shed existed in Schoharie. John S. Brown was sheriff, and being so stubbornly resisted in the enforcement of the law and duty ; threatened with death, tar and feathers, and every con- ceivable and inconceivable torture, he called upon the State for arms and ammunition and enlisted one hundred men to enforce order and obedience to law. The force was raised in the month of March, 1845, and was marched through Middleburgh, Fulton, Blenheim and
* The author says, " This claim was never seriously disputed. Il was only a decided claim for a negative virtue. And it is no insignificant commentary on the subsequent progress of political morality, to ask which of the actors on the public stage since, can claim as much ? Let the authentic history of the past few years answer the question. It is but too often true, that the outs are impatiently laboring to oust the ins, that they may retrench and reform after the pattern of Reho- boam. See II Chron. x, 10."
69.
THE ANTI-RENT TROUBLES.
Broome to Gilboa, making, no doubt, the very hills tremble by their martial tread, and the Anti's quail before the glittering bayonets. Judg- ments in the hands of the sheriff were collected, and peace began to loom up over the ragged precipice of despair, while the tax-payers' grum- bling disturbed the political waters and threat- ened to upset the seemingly safe causes in which many were sailing up the strcam of distinction and healthy emoluments. While the force lay at Gilboa with "victory" depicted upon each countenance, the sheriff and his deputy, Tobias Bouck, started from Schoharie to join them. While stopping at "Fink's Tavern" in North Blenheim, they were surprised to find them- selves surrounded by nearly three hundred anti- renters, many of theni in full costumes of Indian warriors, and one of modern experience may imagine army contractors, sutlers and carpet- baggers. The belligerents were armed, and like Knickerbocker's company of Dutch, were "brimful of wrath and cabbage." An escape was impossible, and after much parleying and threatening the officials were taken to "Bald- win Heights " for the purpose of being present- ed with a respectable coat of tar and feathers.
-
The fact of their capturing the officials spread throughout the neighborhood, and a few living at some distance mounted horses and hastened to witness the "presentation." There was a heavy crust upon the snow, and as the horses made considerable noise, especially in galloping over a bridge not far distant, the Anti's not being able to discern the cause of it by "occu- lar demonstration," listened to the whisperings of cautious imagination and fled precipitately, with the belief that the sheriff's posse of one hundred men was upon their heels.
Brown and Bouck stood "alone in their glory," "sole monarchs of all they surveyed," without receiving the belligerents' testimonials of their contempt. Soon the dark clouds of war passed away, quiet was restored and the posse disbanded. with the happy thought " nobody hurt."
Over three thousand dollars were expended to collect in the neighborhood of three hundred. Brown was censured by many, for taking the steps he did but he was an official, and was resist- ed in the cxecution of his duties. If force is used
to resist, force must be used to obey. The law must be obeyed regardless of the expenditure to enforce it ; that should be secondary if con- sidered at all. It was believed by those who were acquainted with the state of affairs at that time, that if the sheriff had not taken the steps he did in the beginning of the troubles, the affair would have proved serious. Those that were implicated in the matter, now living, look back upon the " Anti-Rent war " with a smile, as upon amusing incidents of younger days, with "malice towards none" as true patriots will do after an exciting campaign.
During the political and rental excitements that agitated the people, which we have noticed, progressive minds were active in bring- ing the County up to the height of improve- ments that characterized a few of the adjoining counties. The Catskill & Canajoharie Railroad Company was chartered on the 19th of April, 1830, the capital stock was subscribed, and the road, as will be seen by Governor Bouck's message, built within a few miles of the Scho- harie creek. The business men of Albany city saw the project would be detrimental to their interest, purchased the stock and let the enter- prise fail.
Another railroad was contemplated, and an act passed on the 9th of May, 1836, to incor- porate the same as the Unadilla & Schoharie Railroad Company. The road was to be con- structed from a "point in the county of Otsego, near the mouth of the Unadilla river, and thence extending up the valleys of the Susque- hanna river and the Schenevus creek and down the Cobleskill valley to a point near the Scho- harie creek, with leave also to extend the said railroad from the southern termination above mentioned to the New York & Erie Railroad." John P. Bellinger, Isaac Hayes, Thaddeus R. Austin, Wm. Angle, Peter Collier, Jesse Rose, Schuyler Crippen, Arvine Clark and Peter W. Snyder were commissioned to "open books to receive subscriptions to the capital stock."
The project was abandoned and the parties that were interested living in the County be- came attached to the Catskill road, and bent their encrgies to a speedy completion of it. An act also was passed on the 25th of April, 1832, to incorporate the Schoharie & Otsego Rail-
70
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
road Company. Peter Collier, Eliakim R. Ford, Jesse Rose, Leonard Caryl, Thomas B. Van Alstyne, John Westover, Peter W. Snyder, Abraham L. Lawyer, Peter Shafer, Jr., and Philip Mann, were the "body corporate and politic." The capital stock was $300,000, divided into shares of $50 each. The sub- scription committee were Eben E. Morehouse, Peter Collier, Jared Goodyear, Jr., Harvey W. Babcock, Schuyler Crippen, Jesse Rose, Thomas Lawyer, John P. Bellinger, Henry Hamilton, Wm. Mann and Freeman Stanton. This enter- prise also was dropped.
Sharon made several attempts to connect the Spa with the New York Central Railroad but all proved failures. The first was in 1838 when the Canajoharie & Catskill R. R. was being built. An act was passed by the Legislature on the 18th of April of that year "To provide for the construction of the Sharon & Root Railroad."
It was to connect with the Catskill Road at some point in the town of Root, Montgomery county. The capital stock was fifty thousand dollars with the privilege of increasing the same to a sum not to exceed seventy thousand, which should be divided into shares of fifty dollars each. John Hyney, John Beakly, Adam Empie, George F. Fox, Aaron Malick, John Crounse, Jun., A. Smith Knight and Joseph H. Ramsey were the subscription committee.
The next object that absorbed the public mind throughout the County, as in other sec- tions of the State, was the building of plank roads. It was not supposed possible to connect Schoharie with the outside world by "iron ties" after so many efforts had proved failures, and the next best improvement was plank roads, in which large amounts of hard earned dollars were invested, to be trampled upon and slivered up without returning very flattering dividends.
One was built from Middleburgh, through Schoharie and Gallupville, to intersect the Western Turnpike nine miles from Albany, and one also from Schoharie to Richmondville, through 'Mineral Springs and Warnerville, also from Richmondville to Summit and Charlotte- ville. The road leading from Central Bridge to Schoharie was planked to intersect the Albany road at Fox's Creek. These roads were of the
best when newly laid, but upon becoming worn were rough and uneven, making it wearisome for teams.
Not being very durable, replacing the plank and other natural expenditures made a continual expense, which the low tolls were insufficient to meet and which caused their abandonment in a few years. Covering the worn planks with pounded stone and gravel made excellent roads until the frost raised the planks to the surface, but the expense of keeping them in order satis- fied capitalists of their inability to obtain paying dividends.
About the same time (1850 and after) that plank roads excited capitalists, another financial enterprise loomed up, in which many engaged to the detriment of their monetary prosperity, and which we can only style as the Seminary Mania.
The first was built at Charlotteville, costing about thirty thousand dollars. By careful finan- ciering on imaginary results the enterprise fig- ured a large dividend, which was so exhorbitant that the envy of capitalists was excited and other institutions of the kind were organized at different places with increased facilities and ex- pense. The citizens of the pleasant Cobleskill valley formed a stock company and built the Richmondville Collegiate Seminary in the sum- mer of 1852, at an expense of thirty-two thous- and dollars, having accommodations for three hundred pupils. The school opened with very flattering success, which was keenly watched by the ambition of people of other sections, and before its existence proved either a success or failure, a company consisting principally of far- mers, organized and built the Carlisle Seminary at Carlisle village. The fall of 1853 found the building, at a cost of thirty-three thousand dol- lars, ready to accommodate three hundred scholars.
Scarcely was the school commenced before the deluded farmers of Warnerville were at- tacked with the mania to such an extent that twenty-five thousand of their hard earned dollars were exhausted in a similar structure called the Warnerville Collegiate Institute. It is the only building left standing and has been unoccupied for many years. Incendiary fires and the im- practicable method adopted in their management
71
SEMINARIES-RAILROADS.
made serious failures, as they proved ruinous to those of moderate means, who were induced to invest, and many happy homes were sacrificed by the losses which were incurred. 'These schools were for the education of both male and female, with all the necessary conveniences for board- ing within the buildings, together with the teach- ers and required help. They gave a thorough course in all branches.
The rates of tuition were low, also board, which made it an object for those seeking an education, with limited means. Good board, including furnished rooms, washing and iron- ing, three meals each day, with all the privileges accorded to a member of a well regulated fam- ily, were obtained for the low price of three dollars per week, which any one of practical ob- servance will plainly see, was far less than could be afforded.
For several years an idea was entertained by enterprising business men of Albany City, Cobleskill, Schenevus and Susquehanna valleys, of building a railroad to connect the Hudson at Albany, with the Erie road at Binghamton, but did not receive any direct action until the year 1854. A company was formed, and Civil En- gineer Chas. W. Wentz was employed to sur- vey the route, which was found practicable, and renewed efforts were made by issuing stock cer- tificates and obtaining the right of way along the line, besides inviting towns through which it passed, to issue bonds to aid in its construction. Passing through the County from east to west, and opening a rapid transit to the best markets in the world, to those who were from thirty to sixty miles distant, the people took a lively in- terest in the enterprise, regardless of their losses in foriner projects. Joseph H. Ramsey, of Law- yersville, turned his energies in behalf of the road, and was sent to the Assembly in the year 1855, for the purpose of advocating " State aid."
In all of the improvements made in other sections of the State, in which State aid was granted, Schoharie County had borne her share of the burden of taxation, and had not received any aid for herself, and had been but little, if any, benefitted by such projects. In fact, nearly the whole territory through which the road passed, had been exempt from receiving any as- sistance in internal improvements.
Mr. Ramsey was sent to the Senate the two following years, but was unsuccessful.
A bill was passed in 1858, giving aid to the road, in the sum of one million dollars, after the road was completed to Schoharie creek. Ed- win D. Morgan was then governor, and upon soine technicality he withheld his signature. Again, the bill obtained by Mr. Ramsey, in the Senate, of 1860, was placed before that official after his second election, but it received his second veto. The year 1862 placed Horatio Seymour in the Gubernatorial chair, and found Mr. Ramsey in the Senate, and Wm. C. La- mont in the Assembly. Strenuous efforts were made by those gentlemen for the passage of the third bill. It began to roll through, breaking down every barrier, and at last culminated in its passage and received the signature of the gov- ernor. Renewed efforts were made in the build- ing of the road and in the year 1863 it was completed to the Schoharie creek, and in 1865, the cars passed through the County. On the 24th of February, 1870, the road was leased for the term of ninety-nine years, to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. Like all other successful enterprises, this one gave birth and vigor to others.
The Schoharie Valley Railroad was built in 1867, at a cost of one hundred thousand dol- lars, to connect with the Susquehanna, east of Central Bridge station. Middleburgh also, desir- ing to be connected with the rest of the world by "iron ties," built a road from the ancient " dorf," to intersect the Schoharie Valley Road, at the village of Schoharie, in the year 1868, at a cost of one hundred and five thousand dollars. The two roads make a continuous line of 10.13 miles and are managed by two separate boards of directors. [See Schoharie and Middleburgh.]
For years the business portion of Cherry Valley, and especially Sharon Spa, felt the need of a railroad, as they were respectively twelve and ten miles from the New York Cen- tral. Sharon, being a summer resort, was forced to struggle against other watering places, under the disadvantage of being distant from public thoroughfares, since the greatest number resort to such places for pleasure instead of the effects of the medicinal properties found in the water.
72
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
When the Susquehanna road was completed a project was started to connect the two places with it at Cobleskill. Mr. Bates, of Cherry Valley, was at the head of the enterprise and induced the towns along the line to issue bonds for its construction. The road was opened on the 16th of June, 1870, at a total cost of six hundred thousand dollars, being 20.91 miles in length. The "Delaware & Hudson Canal Company," in the year 1871, leased the Sus- quehanna road and this branch for the term of ninety-nine years.
The transaction was a wise one, as the lessor company is a heavy coal mining association, possessing inexhaustible mines and will make these roads the arteries through which their products will flow with a certainty for the term of their lease, at least.
Upon the building of the railroad through Cob- leskill another enterprise received its birth, at Howe's Cave, which each returning season proves to be of more marked proportions. The road runs nearly one hundred feet from the bed of the creek at this point, upon the side of the lime rock hill, in which Nature has placed treasures which the genius of man requires to aid in the construction of his enterprises, as well as to in- struct that ambitious spirit of the wisdom and power of the divine Godhead. From the sur- face of this hill is obtained limestone which produces lime of a superior quality, to the depth of forty feet, beneath which lies a strata of cement to the depth of ten feet, which proves equal to any, as is testified by railroad, canal and public building officials. The cement strata lies upon a limestone of a harder forma- tion which is used for building and is capable of receiving a very fine polish equal to any black marble. The "marble " stratum is about twenty feet in thickness and is underlaid by one of gypsum to the depth of ten feet, The whole lies upon a very hard blue limestone similar to the stratum between the cement and gypsum. Two companies were formed upon the comple- tion of the railroad at this place for the purpose of manufacturing lime, cement and plaster, which are now in progress, and considering the dullness of the times for the last few years, have increased their facilities and business be- yond expectations.
Howe's Cave Association is a stock company, and under the management of the treasurcr Joseph H. Ramsey. During the stagnant busi- ness year of 1878 the sales of cement were over 13,000 barrels, and that of lime 19,000 bushels, besides a large quantity of plaster, building, rough and dressed stone, the amount of which we are unable to give. This company has one draw kiln for lime, and three pits for the burning of cement, with a mill, driven by steam for the grinding of the same.
Another firm company, of which Hon. John Westover, of Richmondville, is president, under the name of Howe's Cave Lime & Cement Co., with a capital of $100,000, possesses nearly the same facilities for the production of stone pro- ducts. The business of the company is con- ducted by Eli Rose, its treasurer, and the sales for the same year (1878) were 10,000 barrels of cement, 20,000 bushels of prime lime and several thousand of a second class article, beside a large quantity of rough and dressed stone. It is a few feet above the cement stratum, in that of the lime rock proper, that the world-famed Howe's Cave is found, of which particular mention is made in Chapter X of this work.
The quarries of the County are the finest of the State for building purposes, monuments, bases, curbs and every other purpose for which solid and easily wrought stone is used.
A gray sandstone is found near Warnerville, that bids fair to be of great value in the build- ing of monuments and fronting residences, owing to its beauty of color and solidity. The stone works of Middleburgh are producing su- perior flagging, which is being shipped to all parts of the country. It is a fact that the quar- ries of the County are inexhaustible, and in them lies untold wealth, waiting for the strong arm of capital and labor to develop them.
Throughout the lime rock sections mineral springs issue from the fissures of the rock, which are justly celebrated for their curative properties in rheumatic and cutaneous discases, of which Sharon Springs is the chief, and where many thousand resort for relief and pleasure. A sulphur spring issues from a rocky bank, of such strength as to impregnate the atmosphere at some distance with sulphuretted hydrogen and
73
MINERAL SPRINGS.
incrustate the bed of the brook in which it flows. A short distance from the sulphur is the attrac- tive water, and called the Magnesia Spring as it contains a greater amount of magnesium and lime and but little sulphur, which makes it more palatable than the former. The analysis of this water may be found in the chapter on Sharon, together with a history of the village. A chalybeate vein appears a short distance above but during dry seasons it fails to perform its office to supply, and but little dependence can be placed upon it.
Ncarly five miles east of Sharon, at Moak's Hollow, other sulphurous waters flow from the side of a hill, which many, that have expe- rience in their effects, think excels Sharon, but which are little known, as efforts have never been taken to bring them to the notice of the public.
Upon the south side of the Cobleskill creek at a small hamlet known for many years as France's Corners and Cobleskill Centre, a sul- phurous spring rises from the rocks that is nearly of the composition of the Moak's Hollow spring. Efforts were made from time to time to bring the attention of the public to their curative properties, but were met with but little encouragement. Several other mineral springs, chiefly sulphur, appear in different sections of the County, of less virtue, to which it is un- necessary to refer.
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