USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 1 > Part 28
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The opening of the Erie Canal to traffie October 8, 1823, was made the occasion of quite a demonstration in Troy. A canal boat named the Trojan Trader left the city carrying the first load of merchandise sent west from the Hudson river by way of the Erie canal. The en- terprise of the citizens of Troy in bringing this about was the cause of more or less bitter adverse eriticism from a few cities and villages which were envious of the wideawake and progressive spirit manifested by Trojans in this great event, but in other quarters the stroke of enter- prise was commended liberally, so that in the end Troy secured a great deal of advertising, which its business men richly deserved.
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JOHN T. NORTON.
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TROY AS A CITY.
An interesting incident, a fact not generally known, is that the well known Christmas poem so dear to the heart of every child, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," written by Clement Clarke Moore, LL. D., then professor of Oriental and Greek literature in the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal church in New York, was pub- lished for the first time in the Troy Sentinel December 23, 1823.
The year after the opening of the great Erie canal another memora- ble event occurred in Troy-the reception tendered the great French patriot, Marquis de La Fayette, September 18, 1824. The committee in whose charge his entertainment was left comprised Colonel Albert Pawling, Colonel Derick Lane, Ephraim Morgan, Benjamin Smith, Stephen Warren, Gurdon Corning, James Mallory, George Tibbits, John D. Dickinson, Joseph Russell and John P. Cushman. The Mar- quis arrived at Gibbonsville ( West Troy) on the packet boat Schenec- tady in the company of the Albany entertainment committee and mili . tary escort. The packet was towed from that point to the foot of Ferry street, where he was welcomed to the city by the Hon. George Tibbits in behalf of the populace. In his reply to the greeting he received the gallant Frenchman marvelled at the great changes which had taken place in Troy since his previous visit to the village forty years before. The speech making was followed by a grand parade in which the Al- bany and Troy military companies, a Masonic delegation and other representatives of the city participated. In the parlors of the Troy house Recorder Thomas Clowes, in the absence of the Mayor, formally welcomed the Marquis, after which the party proceeded to St. John's hall, the Masonic headquarters, where the distinguished guest of the city was once more welcomed by the llon. David Buel, jr. After din- ner the party visited Mrs. Emma Willard at the Troy Female Seminary, and soon afterward the Marquis left the city amid the most enthusiastic plaudits of thousands of persons who had gathered upon the banks of the river.
To Stephen Van Rensselaer, the last but one of the patroons, Troy owes its most celebrated educational institution, the Rensselaer Poly- technic Institute, originally called the Rensselaer school. This institu- tion was founded November 5, 1824, the donor fitting out at his own personal expense the Farmers' bank building on the northwest corner of River and Middleburgh streets. The first trustees appointed by the founder, were: The Rev. Samuel Blatchford, pastor of the First Pres- byterian church of Lansingburgh; Elias Parmelee of Lansingburgh,
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John Cramer and Guert Van Schoonhoven of Waterford, Samuel De Witt and T. Romeyn Beck of Albany, and John D. Diekinson and Jedediah Tracy of Troy. He named the Rev. Samuel Blatchford as president, Amos Eaton of Troy as senior professor and Lewis C. Beck of Albany as junior professor. The school was formally opened January 3, 1825, the courses prescribed being chemistry, experimental philosophy and nat- ural history, with their application to agriculture, domestic economy and the arts. Land surveying, in which the school soon gained a world-wide reputation, was also taught. The school was incorporated March 21, 1826, and the first class was graduated in the same year. The name of the school was changed to Rensselaer Institute April 26, 1832. A more extended account of this noble institution appears in another chapter.
March 2, 1824, Chief Justice Marshall of the United States Supreme Court handed down a decision declaring unconstitutional the law grant- ing the North River Steamboat company the exclusive right to navi- gate the waters of the Hudson, and almost immediately the capitalists of Troy, who had been anxiously awaiting such a termination of the case, formed a stock company under the name of " The Troy Steam- boat company " and made a contract for the construction of a large steamboat suitable for navigation on the river. August 21 of that year the vessel, named "Chief Justice Marshall" in honor of the judge whose decision had made its construction possible, was launched at New York. The company was incorporated March 31, 1825, with a capital stock of $200,000, and the first passage of the boat from New York to Troy was made March 12, the boat being in charge of Captain R. W. Sherman. Trips were made regularly thereatter down the river one night and back the next. The next spring the steamboats Consti- tution and Constellation began making regular trips, and in the sum - mer the steamboat New London was purchased and added to the fleet.
The industrial progress made by the flourishing city of Troy up to this time, 1825, was a little short of marvelous Her population in that year was 7,859, an increase of nearly fifty per cent in five years. The numerous manufactories included six grist mills, three saw mills, an oil mill, a fulling mill, a cotton factory, a distillery, a shovel and spade factory, two iron furnaces, three breweries, a large machine shop, four tanneries, two shoe factories, a paper mill, a rope manufac. tory, three carriage factories, a gun factory, two bleaching and calen- dering concerns and two chair factories, besides many less important manufacturing establishments.
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TROY AS A CITY.
The first steam ferry boat began making regular trips across the river at the Upper Ferry in July, 1826, being owned by John G. Van- derheyden, proprietor of the ferry. It did a thriving business and added in no small measure to the general prosperity of the city.
Early in 1826 the vestry of St. Paul's Episcopal church, upon the re- quest of the growing congregation, decided to secure a more commo- dions site and build a new church edifice. The two lots on the north- east corner of State and Third streets were therefore purchased and $24,000 having been subscribed for the purpose contracts were made for the building, work upon which was begum in the spring of the following year. The corner-stone was laid April 24, 1827, by the Rev. David Butler and the building was consecrated by Bishop John Il. Hobart Angust 16, 1828. Its total cost was $10, 368. 66.
Soon after the erection of the new St. Paul's was decided upon the members of the First Presbyterian church determined, February 1, 1826, to purchase a site and erect a building. May 22 the trustees pur- chased two lots on the southeast corner of Grand Division and Sixth streets. The building was begun the next month, the corner stone being laid July 12, and March 10, 1897, a call was extended to the Rev. Mark Tucker of Northampton, Mass., to become pastor. The church was dedicated July 18 and the Rev. Mr. Tucker was installed pastor October 31.
The congregation of St. Peter's Roman Catholic church, which had been organized in 1825, and which had held its first services in a school honse at the corner of Second and Ferry streets, soon feeling the need of better and more commodious quarters, in the summer of 1826 con- cluded to erect a home of their own if possible. In response to an appeal from the members of the church a sufficient sum of money was soon subscribed and in the latter part of October in that year the lot on the northeast corner of Hutton and North Second streets was deeded to the society by John D. Diekinson and others in consideration of the payment of six cents The work of constructing a small frame build- ing was begun soon after and February 19, 1827, " the trustees of St. Peter's church " were incorporated. The building was consecrated in 1830 by Bishop John Du Bois of New York.
The years 1827 and 1828 were marked by wonderful prosperity in all lines of trade and industry in Troy. In the former year the city grew as it had never grown before, no less than 330 buildings of all kinds being constructed. The business of the city was the greatest that
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year it had ever known. Money was plentiful and everybody was happy, from the greatest capitalist to the poorest mechanic or laborer. Travel to the city had increased so that it was found necessary to make considerable additions to the principal hotel, the Troy house, and to build another hotel, the Mansion house, which was begun in the latter year by Nathan Warren. In the following year, 1829, the work of pav- ing River street with cobblestones was begun, the houses on the prin- cipal streets were numbered and the proud growing city began to take on metropolitan airs at a rapid rate. The local census of 1828 showed the population to be 10,840, an increase of more than 3,000 souls in three years -- phenomenal development even for those days. A year later it was deemed advisable to organize another bank, which was in- corporated April 29, 1829, under the name of the Merchants' and Me- ehanies' Bank of Troy. It opened its doors for business February 12, 1830, with a capital stock of $300,000. The bank was at first located in the Mansion house, with George Vail as president and Alanson Douglas as cashier. Its brick building at No. 16 First street was occu- pied for the first in 1830.
May 1, 1830, the Daily Troy Sentinel, the first daily newspaper issued in Troy, was published for the first time by Tuttle & Gregory. Its office was at No. 225 River street and it was edited by O. L. Holley. It was well patronized, both by subseribers and advertisers, and the mer- chants and manufacturers looked upon it as a valuable addition to the industries of Troy. It was issued every afternoon except Sundays.
A number of the members of St. Paul's church having determined to form a separate congregation and erect another church, independ- ent religious services were held by them, in charge of a layman, in the Presbyterian session house at No. 41 Fourth street. November 22, 1830, officers were elected and the new church was named St. John's church. January 13 of the next year the old St. Paul's church on State street was purchased and the Rev. John A. Hicks of Easton, Pa., was called to the pastorate, assuming his duties the following May.
April 18, 1831, an act was passed by the Legislature incorporating the Troy Turnpike and Railroad company, the stockholders of which were Lewis Burtis, Stephen Ross, David Gleason, Stephen Eldridge, Anson Arnold, Abraham Van Tuyl, John Burtis, jr., Alsop Weed and Robert D. Silliman. The charter authorized them to construct a turn- pike road from the west end of the Troy and Bennington road in Hoo- sick street in Troy, to the town of Bennington or the town of Pownal,
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WILLIAM E. HAGAN.
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TROY AS A CITY.
Vt. It also gave them power to build a single or double railroad from Troy to either or both of the Vermont towns. The capital stock was limited to $100,000. Work upon the turnpike was begun at once and for many years it was an important highway and stage route.
The " burying ground on the hill," as it was generally known, hav- ing become about filled with graves, January 1, 1832, the city authori- ties purchased 12/3 acres of land on the south side of the Poesten kill and east of the road to Albia, which they named Mount Ida Cemetery. Three years afterward, February 5, 1835, a portion of it was sold to St. Peter's Catholic church, and was used as a burying ground by that denomination.
When the Asiatic cholera was expected in Troy in 1832, on its awful journey throughout the country, the militia were ordered out to keep from the city several canal boats loaded with emigrants and reported as having cholera victims aboard. These boats came down the Cham- plain canal from Canada. In describing the ravages of cholera in Troy William E. Hagan, esq., writing in the Troy Press June 19, 1890, said :
Some of the proceedings which the excitement at that time stimulated were ridic- ulous in the extreme, and particularly the conduct of one Col. Dillon Beebe, who commanded the militia here that Sunday afternoon, when he, in full uniform and with a great array of rooster feathers in his cocked hat, strode up through the aisle of the First Presbyterian church (Dr. Beman's), and without ceremony broke inupon the doctor's discourse in a loud stentorian voice ordering all the members of the militia there present to immediately appear armed and equipped as the law directed at Washington square. Some of the women present fainted, others laughed at the ridiculousness of the performance, but at all events it broke up the meeting. But it was found that the beats contained a colony of Swedes bound for the West, and that there was not a sick person amongst them
But the cholera did visit Troy with a fortnight after the departure of the Swed- ish emigrants. .. . The first person to die of the cholera in 1832 was James E. Prescott, The next death was that of one Henry O'Neal, and after the latter occurred there were many others. Amongst the old residents Asa Anthony was the first to pass away, lle was the father of Prof. Charles 11. Anthony, for many years the principal of the Troy academy, and long since dead. Capt. Snow, a prominent North River captain who lived at No. 13 Third street, was also one of the victims.
The most remarkable death occasioned was that of Archie Weaver, a blacksmith whose shop stood on the southwest corner of Congress and Third streets. He was a man of large size and of great strength. He was boasting in the morning of how he would conquer the disease should it attack him. He was taken ill about three o'clock in the afternoon and died at nine o'clock in the evening, and was buried the same night. The cholera victims of the epidemic of 1832 were in the main buried in the Mount Ida cemetery, where a long row of the graves may still be seen.
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Since 1832 the cholera has twice visited Troy, in 1849 and in 1853. During the latter year it was more fatal in its effects than before. Fortunately for the people of the present day, Dr. William P. Seymour was health officer during the prevalence of the cholera in 1853, and he was by education and personal ability well fitted to tabulate all the phenomenal statistics which attended its visitation.
A new era was opened in the history of Troy with the construction of the first line of railroad having the city for a terminus. In 1826 a railroad was projected, to run from Troy to Schenectady, but the people were enthusiastic supporters of the Erie and the Champlain canals and few friends for the railroad proposed could be found. Such an enter- prise was not deemed necessary and few believed that it would provide superior transportation facilities to those of the canals or that it would pay its builders. Nevertheless the people of Albany thought otherwise and plans were soon made for and work begun upon the Mohawk & Iludson railroad, extending from Albany to Schenectady. This road was completed in 1832. At this time the trade of Northern New York, especially of Saratoga and Washington counties, was assuming consid- erable proportions. In order to draw this trade from Troy, to which it most naturally would flow, the people of Albany attempted to divert it from that channel by the construction of a branch line from Sehen- ectady to Saratoga Springs. Undaunted, the business men of Troy at once set to work to secure a charter for a new road from Troy to Ballston Spa, a distance of nearly twenty-six miles. This franchise was granted them April 14, 1832, the articles of incorporation naming as the first directors George Griswold, John Cramer, Elisha Tibbits, John Kniekerbacker, Richard P. Hart, Townsend McCoun, Nathan Warren, Stephen Warten, Le Grand Cannon, George Vail, Moses Williams, John P. Cushman and John Paine. Work upon the road, which was called the Rensselaer & Saratoga railroad, was begun the next year and October 6, 1835, the first passenger train crossed the bridge between Troy and Green Island. The northern terminus of the road was in the south end of the village of Ballston Spa, and the southern terminus was at No. 10 First street, Troy, the present site of the Athenaeum build- ing. From the bridge the cars were drawn by horses down River street, turning into First in front of the Troy house, the engine leaving the train at the bridge. While the Rensselaer & Saratoga road ex- tended only as far north as Ballston Spa, the Schenectady branch of the Mohawk & Hudson road had been built as far north as Saratoga Springs, the latter road thereby securing a monopoly of the traffic be-
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tween Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. As soon as the Rensselaer & Saratoga road had been completed an endeavor was made to enter into an agreement with the other road whereby the passenger and freight traffic of the Rensselaer & Saratoga might be carried on north of Ballston Spa over the tracks of the Schenectady & Saratoga road. The project was selfishly opposed, however, by the management of the latter road, comprised almost wholly of inhabitants of Albany, who were jealous of Troy's commercial success, and doubtless would have come to naught had it not been for the fact that the directors of the Rensse- laer & Saratoga road had an unexpected opportunity to purchase of a New York broker a sufficient number of shares of stock of the other road to give them its control. This settled the question and the two roads thereafter worked in harmony. Direct communication between the village of Troy and the village of Saratoga Springs was at once established, giving additional prestige to Troy as a commercial centre and securing for its merchants and manufacturers that of which the rival eity of Albany had tried to deprive them.
The first cars used on the Rensselaer & Saratoga railroad were made by Gilbert, Veazie & Eaton, then famous Troy car builders. The passenger cars were looked upon as marvels of beauty, crude as they were, and were twenty-four in number. They were twenty-four feet long, eight feet wide and a little over six feet high inside, and each was divided into three apartments. The seats were "cushioned and backed with crimson morocco, trimmed with coach lace; each apartment is sur- rounded by movable panels, thus affording the comforts and facilities of either a close or open carriage to suit the convenience of the passen- gers."
The existing improved system of waterworks in Troy had its incep- tion in 1833 and 1834. The old Conduit company, to which reference has been made in preceding pages, supplied the residents of Troy with water until 1833, when a new reservoir was constructed for the purpose of increasing the supply and the storage capacity. April 18, 1829, the Troy Water Works company had been incorporated, with a capital stock of $250,000. Surveys having been made and an abundance of excellent water having been found, the old corporation surrendered its rights to the city and its property was soon afterward purchased for a small sum. The necessary land and the water privileges of the Piscawen kill were soon obtained, and in the spring of 1833 the con- struction of a dam and reservoir was begnn. These were completed
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the next year and showed a total capacity of about 450,000 gallons. The streets were piped for the distribution of the water, and soon two more reservoirs, holding 1,000,000 gallons were constructed. Other reservoirs were construeted on the Piseawen kill in 1843 and again in 1853 as the demand for water grew, and thus the system developed gradually to its present proportions.
April 5, 1831, the Troy Insurance company was incorporated, re- maining in business ten years. Its predecessor, the Rensselaer & Sar- atoga Insurance company, passed out of existence in 1840 after doing business 26 years. May 14, 1836, the Mechanics' Mutual Insurance company of the City of Troy received a charter, which it retained until 1856, when it wound up its affairs and discontinued business.
One of the most important industries established in Troy about this time was the Troy India Rubber company, which was granted a char- ter by the Legislature May 4, 1836, with a capital stock of a quarter of a million dollars. The company's factory, a big one for those days, was a brick structure located on the west side of the Greenbush road a short distance south of the Poesten kill. The factory with its contents was destroyed by fire the same year, but new buildings were at once erected and 120 people were employed.
An exciting event of the year 1836 in Troy was the mobbing of The- odore D. Weld, a distinguished philanthropist, in the Bethel, a mission church founded for the spiritual benefit of boatmen, located on the northwest corner of Fifth and Elbow streets, the present site of the Fifth Avenue hotel. At that time the majority of the inhabitants of Troy were opposed to the then increasing movement for the abolition of slavery, and many bitter controversies had arisen between the abolitionists and those who advocated non interference with the South. Mr. Weld had delivered several lectures on the subject of slavery and had attracted large audiences to the Bethel. Soon after he had arrived in Troy there appeared in one of the city papers an incendiary com- munication regarding him and his teachings which stirred the pro- slavery people up to a high state of excitement. On the afternoon of June 2 Mr. Weld was delivering a lecture in the church before a large audience, when a mob entered and attacked hin, attempting to drag. hini from the pulpit. A struggle between members of the congrega- tion and the mob ensued, in which the former were victorious, after which the leeturer was conducted from the church to a place of safety by Henry Z. Hayner, a prominent lawyer who had held the leader of
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RICHARD H. VAN ALSTYNE.
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the mob at bay. The incident created intense excitement throughout the city and doubtless strengthened the ranks of the local abolitionists.
A memorable event in the history of Troy was a eatastrophe which occurred early in the evening of Sunday, January i, 1837, when an immense quantity of clay, which had been loosened through the com- bined influences of frosts and thaws, slid down the west side of Ida hill, or Mount Ida, burying three dwelling houses, in which were seven per- sons, and two stables, containing twenty two horses. The avalanche came with such terrific force as to carry everything before it for a dis- tance of four or five hundred feet westward on the level, covering several acres of land. John Grace and his wife were instantly killed and two young sons of Mrs. Leavenworth were erushed in a shocking manner. Sixteen of the twenty-two horses were killed. The accident created the wildest sensation for a time.
The St. Patrick's Day mob in Troy, March 17, 1837, was another sensational ineident in which several persons were badly injured and considerable property ruined or damaged, all on account of the antics of a lot of young boys. Early in the morning effigies were suspended from trees and buildings in different sections of the city for the evi- dent purpose of bringing the holiday into disrepute. During the morning one Irish resident, incensed at the sight, attempted to pull down one of the figures which was suspended at the foot of Ferry street but was prevented from doing so by a crowd of men and boys. Soon afterwards he returned to the scene with a crowd of his fellow countrymen and an incipient riot at onee followed. Missiles were thrown through the air, injuring several persons, some quite severely. Among these were John 1. Cole, whose wounds were of a very serious nature, and another man who was knocked down and beaten by the enraged Irishmen. Several buildings were attacked, the store of Theo- dorus Valleau being badly damaged. Mayor Richard P. Hart, at- tended by other city officials, commanded the rioters to disperse, which they did temporarily, but they soon returned to renew their depreda- tions. Finding they could not be controlled by peaceable means the Citizens Corps was ordered out under arms at noon, but even this sum- mary proceeding was not effectual, as the rioting continued at intervals the rest of the day and during the evening, when the mob went so far as to fire guns into the crowd, seriously injuring several persons. The rioters finally dispersed, being overawed by the militia. As a result of the trouble about twenty of the ringleaders were sentenced to jail.
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