USA > New York > Albany County > Landmarks of Albany County, New York > Part 33
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135
311
which have already been alluded to in detail. Between 1840 and 1850 railroad traffic became an important factor in the general pros- perity of Albany, bringing hither from the West the immense grain product for reshipment to New York, and successfully contending for a large share of the passenger traffic. A great lumber interest had been created, the receipts of which in the year 1840 reached 124,173,383 feet of boards, and 784,310 feet of timber. By 1850 these figures were increased to 425,095,436 feet of boards, and 3,039,- 588 feet of timber. In the year 1840 there were eighty-four saw mills running in Albany county, though these were only a small factor in the local lumber business. The iron industry had become large and the manufacture of stoves, begun in 1808, reached enormous propor- tions. In 1833 the quantity of iron castings, a large part of which consisted of stove plates, is given as follows: Howard, Nott & Co. (manufacturers of the famous Nott stove), 1,000 tons; Bartlett, Bent & Co., 350 tons; I. & J. Townsend, 300 tons; Rathbone & Silliman, 200 tons; Maney & Ward, 450 tons; a total of 2,300 tons. Besides this in that year Heermans, Rathbone & Co. sold 750 tons of stove plates brought from Philadelphia, and nearly as many more were sold by other firms. The manufacture of brick, begun here in 1708, was large and at one time reached about 20,000,000 a year. A large brew- ing interest had grown up which has continued to the present time. The manufacture of pianos, begun at Albany by James A. Gray in 1825, was successfully continued by himself and with William G. Boardman, and many other departments of industry were successfully developed.
The insurance business was begun in Albany in 1811 by the organiza- tion of the Albany Insurance Company with the following directors: Elisha Jenkins, Philip S. Van Rensselaer, Isaiah Townsend, Dudley Walsh, Henry Guest, jr., Charles Z. Platt, Simeon De Witt, Stephen Lush, Charles D. Cooper, Thomas Gould, John Woodworth, Peter Gansevoort, and Christian Miller. The capital stock was $500,000, and the first president was Isaiah Townsend, an able business man and good citizen. This old company has continued in successful operation ever since. The Merchants' Insurance Company was organized in 1824, with a capital stock of $250,000, and having Charles E. Dudley for its president. The Clinton Insurance Company was organized in 1829, with capital stock of $300,000. The Firemen's Insurance Com- pany was incorporated in April, 1831, with capital stock of $150,000,
-
312
and with James Stevenson as the first president, while the Mutual In- surance Company was organized in 1836 and is still in business.
Banking facilities were also extended to meet the demands of increas- ing business. The Commercial Bank was incorporated in 1823; the Canal Bank, which failed in 1848, in 1829; the Albany City Bank in 1837; the Albany Exchange Bank in 1838. Besides these two savings institutions were founded, the Albany Savings Bank in 1820 and the Albany City Savings Institution in 1850.
As the capital of the State and an active business center, Albany has always attracted a large number of strangers, and is also the tempo- rary residence for the members of the State government. This fact will in a measure account for the number and high character of the hotels of the city, the names of some of which have become familiar throughout a wide extent of territory. The old American Hotel was opened in 1838 and for some years had a large patronage. The Delavan began its long and popular career in 1845 and is still open to the public, though reduced in its accommodations by fire; the Stanwix was opened in 1844 and continues to care for hosts of guests, while the Kenmore is the latest addition.
The principal public improvements and most important proceedings of the city government during the past forty five years may now be briefly summarized. Illuminating gas was first introduced into the city in 1845 and is now supplied by the Municipal Gaslight Company, which came into existence by the consolidation of the Albany Gaslight Com- pany (incorporated in 1841), and the People's Gaslight Company (incor- porated in 1872). The Fire Department was wholly reorganized in 1848, as described in detail further on, and measures were adopted to- wards the early development of the sewer system begun in 1854.
The city chamberlain's report for 1860 shows the following figures :
Balance on hand November 1, 1859. $ 24,210 31
Receipts for current year 448,418 58
$472,628 89
Disbursements $423,276 93
On hand November 1, 1860 49,351 96
$472,628 89
Similar statements at the close of each year up to 1870 since the above date, and for 1880 and 1890, will give the reader a fair knowledge of the gradually changing financial condition of the city. They are as follows:
313
Balance on hand November 1, 1861
$ 40,906 40
Receipts for current year 525,749 14
$566,652 54
Disbursements
$463,528 19
On hand November 1, 1862
103,124 35
$566,652 54
Balance on hand November 1, 1862. $103,124 35
Receipts for current year
608,422 86
Disbursements
$607,946 69
On hand November 1, 1863
103,600 52
Balance on hand November 1, 1863
$103,600 22
Receipts for current year
756,936 82
Disbursements
$796,981 34
On hand November 1, 1864
€6,555 70
Balance on hand November 1, 1864
$66,555 70
Receipts for current year
905,457 60
$972,013 30
Disbursements
$883,210 77
On hand November 1, 1865
88,802 53
Balance on hand November 1, 1865
$88,802 53
Receipts for current year
961,026 75
Disbursements
$978,037 71
On hand November 1, 1866 71,791 57
$1,049,829 28
Balance on hand November 1, 1867
$78,632 47
Receipts for current year
890,307 19
Disbursements.
$871,155 63
On hand November 1, 1868
97,784 03
Balance on hand November 1, 1868 $97,784 03
Receipts for current year
$1,367,647 01
$1,465,431 04
Disbursements
$1,338,109 52
On hand November 1, 1869
127,321 52
Balance on hand November 1, 1869 $127,321 52
Receipts for current year
$1,510,538 37
$1,637,859 89
Disbursements
$1,448,487 36 187,372 53
On hand November 1, 1870
$1,637,859 89
Balance on hand November 1, 1871
$366,989 14
Receipts for current year
1,080,323 18
Disbursements
$1,266,410 28
On hand November 1, 1872
180,902 04
$1,447,312 32
$711,547 21
$711,547 21
$863,737 04
$863,737 04
$972,013 30
$1,049,829 28
$968,939 66
$968,939 66
$1,465,431 04
$1,447,312 32
40
314
Balance on hand November 1, 1879
$84,493 01 $1,306,457 41
Receipts for current year
$1,390,950 42
Disbursements
$1,296,665 60
On hand November 1, 1880
94,288 82
$1,390,950 42
Balance on hand November 1, 1889 $665,110 29
Receipts for current year
$1,889,106 50
$2,554,216 79
Disbursements $2,029,942 26
On hand November 1, 1890 524,274 53
82,554,216 79
Balance on hand November 1, 1894.
$685,907 96
Receipts for current year.
$1,983,496 21
$2,669,404 17
Disbursements
$2,001,602 46
On hand November 1, 1895
667,801 71
$2,669,404 17
For the year closing November 1, 1895, the chamberlain's report shows that the expense of maintaining the almshouse was $30, 715.67. There was paid on Washington and Beaver parks, $64,313.88. The board of health cost $9,524.35; the city hall and city building about $10,000; the city poor, $12,481.46; the fire department, $111,065. 15; hospitals, $22,490.79 ; police department, $149,272.85 ; street cleaning, $13,000. . 27; and street improvements, $42,503.90.
Horse cars were introduced into Albany in 1863, the first car being run on June 22, of that year. This improvement was the work of the Watervliet Turnpike and Railroad Company, which was incorporated April 16, 1862, with a capital stock of $240,000. In 1864 the line was continued to the Albany Cemetery and in 1865 to Green Island. The Albany Railway Company was incorporated September 14. 1863, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its first line of track was finished in Feb- ruary, 1864, extending through State, Washington and Central avenue to Knox street. This line was extended to West Albany in the follow- ing year, and other lines were added until the present complete system was established.
For a number of years the subject of establishing a large public park in Albany attracted attention and caused much discussion in the public press and among the people, and in June, 1863, an able paper on the subject was read before the Common Council. Nothing, however, was definitely accomplished until 1869, when a law was passed creating a Board of Park Commissioners for the city and setting apart what was
315
then known as the burial ground property, the old Washington Parade Ground, the penitentiary ground and the almshouse farm. The Board of Commissioners comprised John Bridgford, Arthur Bott, George Dawson, Dudley Olcott, William Cassidy, John Fair, Rufus W. Peck- ham, jr., Samuel H. Ransom, and John H. Van Antwerp. Plans were made for improvements on a part of this territory and work began in 1870, under supervision of R. H. Bingham, chief engineer. In the fol- lowing year the old burial ground was divested of its dead, laid out and opened to the public as part of the park. Further improvements con- tinued every year. In 1880 and 1882 additional land was purchased, including the Knox street property of nine acres, and a tract lying on Madison and Lake avenues. Washington Park now contains about eighty-two acres and is one of the most beautiful of its area in the country.
By an act of the Legislature passed March 16, 1870, the city charter was largely amended. There had, of course, been many minor changes in the charter since the city was founded in 1686, but none of very radi- cal character, and the corporation still retained its original title of The Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of Albany. By the act referred to this title was abridged to that of the City of Albany. For the other important amendments the reader is referred to the original and the present charters, which are accessible in many places in the city. Still further amendments were made in April, 1883, some of which were of importance.
As indicated in succeeding pages under separate headings, the history of Albany during the last half century is a record of continuous ad- vancement. In the extension and improvement of streets; in beauti- fying the public parks; in largely adding to the number of its Christian and benevolent institutions; in building up the public school system until it is excelled nowhere in the country; in all the departments of public works that better the condition of the community at large, and in the extent and variety of its manufactures, it has more than kept abreast of its growth in population.
The city of Albany celebrated the two hundredth anniversary of its existence as a chartered city in 1886. For some time prior to that the subject of appropriately observing the day had been considered and discussed among leading citizens. The matter was definitely brought up by a resolution offered in the Common Council November 16, 1885,
1
316
by Alderman James B. Lyon, that the celebration of the bi-centennial be referred to the Committee on Public Celebrations and Entertain- ments of the council. The city budget of 1886 contained an item of $10,000 "for celebrating the bi-centennial of Albany." On December 18, the bi-centennial proclamation was issued by the mayor, A. Bleecker Banks, and the committee before mentioned, which consisted of Galen R. Hitt, Patrick McCann, Jeremiah Kieley, James Thornton, and August Whitman. In response to a call in the proclamation a meeting of citizens whs held in the council chamber January 6, 1886, where many local organizations were represented. The proceedings adopted for the celebration of the centennial in 1786, described on an earlier page, were read, and a committee of twenty-five citizens was appoint- ed, with the mayor as chairman, to act in conjunction with the council committee in carrying out the plans for the celebration. This commit- tee were A. Bleecker Banks, chairman, Robert Lenox Banks, Lewis Boss, Anthony N. Brady, Walter Dickson, Franklin M. Danaher, Douw H. Fonda, Charles E. Jones, Rufus H. King, J. Townsend Lansing, James H. Manning, Archibald McClure, Edward J. Meegan, John C. Nott, Michael N. Nolan, Amasa J. Parker, jr., Robert C. Pruyn, John H. Quinby, Simon W. Rosendale, Samuel B. Towner, William B. Van Rensselaer, John L. Van Valkenburgh, Daniel W. Wemple, William M. Whitney, Robert D. Williams, Horace G. Young, John Zimmerman. Aldermen-Galen R. Hitt, Patrick McCann, Jeremiah Kieley, James Thornton, August Whitman, John J. Greagan, David J. Norton, George L. Thomas, James O. Woodward. Robert D. Williams was chosen recording secretary, and James H. Manning, corresponding secretary of the committee.
The full account of the proceedings of this committee and of the celebration itself has been published in a handsome volume of 461 pages, which is in the hands of many citizens of the city and is acces- sible to all. This fact renders it unnecessary, as it is also entirely im- practicable, to give more than a very brief outline of the event in these pages.
The committee above named appointed sub-committees, including the executive, finance, reception, historical pageant, regatta, military parade, civic parade, educational day, trades' parade, all nations' day, fireworks, decorations and monumenting, music, bi-centennial flag and medal, printing and press committees, with a loan commission, a bureau of information and accommodation, an auditing board and an advisory
317
committee of 147 members to aid all the others. These committees met frequently and labored with energy to carry out the elaborate plans. On March 4, 1886, the executive committee reported that the celebration should begin on Sunday, July 18, and end on July 23. Sunday was named as a day of general religious observance, with his- torical and memorial sermons in the churches; Monday, educational day, on which the school children were assembled in a public place for exercises, singing, recitations and addresses, and historic spots were monumented, with addresses appropriate to the occasion delivered at each place marked. Tuesday was the day of all nations, devoted to national sports, exercises and observances, under direction of the Ger- man, Irish, English, Scotch, French, Italian, Holland and other national societies; in the afternoon a regatta, amateur and professional, was held over the Island course, and a yacht race in front of the city; in the evening a river parade of illuminated and decorated steamboats, with music and fireworks. Wednesday was civic day, and was ushered in by a national salute of thirty-eight guns; a grand parade of civic bodies at 10 A. M., with a firemen's tournament; in the afternoon there was a continuation of the regatta, and a canoeing tournament in front of the city; in the evening a grand historical pageant under colored fires and electric lights, showing the contrast between past and present; the growth of two centuries, and placing before the people in living tableaux the historical events and great men in Albany's history. This pageant massed, after the parade, in State street at 12 o'clock midnight, and there amid a blaze of fireworks, ringing of church bells, sounding of whistles and singing of the national anthem, ushered in the anni- versary day. Thursday, bi-centennial day, a salute of 200 guns was given at sunrise, fifty guns being fired in four separate places; a grand military procession in the morning as escort to orator, poet, guests, etc., to place of exercises, these exercises consisting of music, invoca- tion, singing, poems, orations, addresses, etc .; in the evening, fire- works and municipal reception, Friday, trades and manufactures; a parade of all trades' unions, assemblies and Knights of Labor, manu- facturing and business interests, represented by floats bearing work- men carrying on their various trades; in the afternoon, grand open air concert; in the evening singing by Albany societies in the Capitol Park, with fireworks as a finale.
It can be stated in a general manner that this programme was, in the main features, carried out in a most successful manner. The vari-
-
318
ous committees arranged plans for the different features of each day's , proceedings and reported frequently to the general committee; thus the entire work of preparation moved along harmoniously to its con- summation. On April 1 it was resolved that the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen be invited to hold their regetta in Albany during bi-centennial week, and $1,850 was appropriated to cover the expenses ; this was a substitute for the first proposed regatta.
About the middle of April the committee on the historical pageant made an elaborate report, which was adopted, and the sum of $10,000 appropriated to carry out its provisions. On April 22 an estimate of the entire expenses of the celebration placed it at between $35,000 and $40,000. On the 29th of April, Gov. David B. Hill was appointed ora- tor, and William H. McElroy, poet of the occasion. . On May 6 Mayor Banks was succeeded in that office by John Boyd Thacher, and resigned his chairmanship of the bi-centennial committee; Mr. Thacher was elected in his place and Mr. Banks was chosen vice-chairman.
During the month of May the work of collecting funds progressed satisfactorily and a committee of five was appointed to meet with the committee on celebrations of the Common Council, to appropriate and distribute the $10,000 given by the city. The sum of $3,000 was ap- propriated for fireworks; $2,500 for monumenting and decorating; $1,900 for expenses of the reception committee, and $500 for prelimi- nary expenses of the loan exhibition.
On June 10 Walter Dickson, of the committee on monuments and decoration reported, advising the placing of the following bronze tab- lets, with appropriate inscriptions, which were given in the report and which now appear on the tablets in various parts of the city :
No. 1, located 50 feet east of the bend in Broadway, at Steamboat Square. No. 2. inserted in the exterior surface of the Eagle street wall of the city hall. No. 3, on the government building fronting State street. No. 4, the first Patroon, placed in the city hall. No. 5, the Old Dutch church, in the government building adjoining No. 3. No. 6, Lutheran church, on the South Pearl street face of the city building. No. 7, First English church, in the wall near the curb, northwest corner of Chapel and State streets. No. 8, Old St. Mary's, in the wall of the present St. Mary's. No. 9, First Presbyterian church, in the wall of building northeast corner of Grand and Hudson streets. No. 10, Schuyler Mansion, in front of wall inclosing grounds on Catherine street. No. 11, Fort Frederick, in sidewalk at the head of State street on lower edge of Capitol Park. No. 12, Philip Livingston, in Tweddle Building wall. No. 13, Anneke Janse Bogardus, on front door pier of State street side of Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank. No. 14, the old Lansing House, in granite block in front of the present house, corner of Pearl and Columbia streets. No. 15, oldest
319
building in Albany, southeast corner of State and North Pearl street (this building has since been removed). No. 16, old Elm Tree Corner, on granite block northwest corner of State and North Pearl streets. No. 17, Vanderheyden Place, in front wall of Perry Building. No. 18, Lydius Corner, in Pearl street wall on northeast corner of State and North Pearl streets. No. 19, Washington's Visit, in Beaver street wall northwest corner of Beaver and Green streets. No. 20, First Theater, in front wall of the original building, the Green street theater. No. 21, First English School- master, on the High School building. No. 22, Foxenkill, in southern wall of build- ing northwest corner of Canal and North Pearl streets. No. 23, Beaverkill, in granite block corner of South Pearl and Arch streets. No. 24, City Gate, in face of north wall of American Express building, Broadway and Steuben street. No. 25, Manor House, in granite near the Van Rensselaer business office on Broadway. No. 26, Johannes Van Rensselaer, in the wall of the original mansion on the Greenbush banks. No. 27, Joel Munsell, in gable building 58 and 60 State street. No. 28, Northwest Gate, in building on North Pearl street, occupied by Johnson & Reilly. No. 29, Northeast Gate, in granite block in walk in front of the Van Benthuysen printing office, Broadway. No. 30, First Methodist church, in wall of building cor- ner of North Pearl and Orange streets. No. 31, Academy Park, in granite block in the park. No. 32, Washington Avenue, on corner of Capitol Building. No. 33, Hamilton Street, on corner building at Hamilton and Pearl streets. No. 34, Dean Street, in Government Building corner of State and Dean streets. No. 35, State Street, on old Museum corner. No. 36, James Street, on Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank. No. 37, Eagle Street, on corner building State and Eagle streets. No. 38, Exchange Street, on north side of government building. No. 39, Norton street, north side of Beaver Block. No. 40, Franklin Street, corner of Franklin and Mad- ison avenue. No. 41, Clinton Avenue, corner of North Pearl street. No. 42, Mon- roe street, south side of Dutch Reformed Church.
The placing of these historical tablets was one of the most important and useful features of the celebration.
In June it was determined to eliminate Friday from the programme of the parade. and the Trades' Parade was transferred to Monday, the 19th of July. June 17 was reported the acceptance of Rev. William Crosswell Doane, Bishop of Albany, as chaplain of Bi-Centennial Day. On the 24th of June the committee on bi-centennial flag presented a design, which is described and illustrated in the volume before alluded to. The committee on medals also presented the design that had been adopted; the scene represents Governor Dongan seated at his desk with Livingston and Schuyler on his either side, commemorative of the statement that these two men went to New York to receive the charter from Dongan. On the reverse is the inscription, "In memory of the two hundredth anniversary of the cityof Albany, N. Y., 1886."
On July 1 the sum of $2,000 was appropriated for expenses of the military committee; it was also resolved that all persons subscribing $1
320
or more to the All-Nations' Day fund should be entitled to a bi-centen- nial flag; subscribers of $20 two flags; $50, three flags, and $100, four flags.
On July 13, Amasa J. Parker, jr., presented a resolution which had been adopted in a joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly, to the effect that the senators and members of the then present Legislature and all previous Legislatures be cordially invited to meet the legis- lative committee at the Delavan House July 22, to make such arrange- ments as seemed desirable. The Senate committee were Amasa J. Parker, jr., J. Sloat Fassett, John Raines, James F. Pierce, and Ed- mund L. Pitts. The Assembly committee were James W. Huested. George S. Batcheller, George L. Erwin, Henry D. Hotchkiss, George W. Lyon, William F. Sheehan, Michael F. Collins, Thomas McCarthy. George W. Green, and Edward D. Cutler.
A grand stand was erected, a short time before the opening of the celebration, on the Capitol grounds opposite the City Hall, with a seat- ing capacity of 2,500.
The celebration opened auspiciously. The elaborate programme as carried out cannot be followed here, but the principal events were the opening of the Loan Exhibition July 5, and the reading of a poem on that day by William D. Morange, and an oration by Leonard Kip; the reception of the Caughnawaga Indians on July 17; the services appro- priate to the event in most of the churches on Sunday, the 18th; the parade of industrial interests and the children's exercises on the 19th: the parade of the nations on the 20th, and their review at the Capitol by high State officials; the very interesting exercises of Civic Day on the 21st; the grand military display and the reading of the poem by William H. McElroy; the legislative reunion, and the delivery of the oration on Bi-Centennial Day, the 22d.
This hasty glance at this great celebration, perhaps the grandest ever held for a similar purpose in this country, must suffice for these pages. It was in every way a fitting culmination of the two hundred years of the city's history.
Mayors of Albany .- The first mayor of Albany is named in the Don- gan charter of July 22, 1686. That charter provided for the annual appointment of a mayor "upon the feast day of St. Michael, the Arch- angel." By virtue of his office the mayor was also commander of the militia of the county, and possessed the authority of a justice of the
EDWARD DE L. PALMER.
321
peace, coroner, commissioner of excise, and clerk of the market. Twenty-six mayors were thus appointed under the Colonial govern- ment, down to the English accession; among them were five members of the Schuyler family, three of the Bleecker family, and three of the Cuyler family. Following the Declaration of Independence the may- ors of Albany were for a period appointed by the governor; later and down to and including 1839 they were chosen by the Common Council. In 1840 and since they have been elected by the people.
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.