USA > New York > Orange County > Newburgh > Newburgh; her institutions, industries and leading citizens, historical, descriptive and biographical > Part 10
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Fifth Separate Company, of Newburgh, 60 men. Moscow's Newburgh City Band, 16 pieces. Fife and Drum Corps, 12 pieces. Captain J. T. Chase, commanding.
Co. H, Seventy-first Regt., N. G. S. N. Y., of New York City, 60 men. Band. Captain F. H. Jordan, commanding.
Fifteenth Separate Company, of Poughkeepsie, 40 men. Drum Corps. Captain Berthold Meyers, commanding.
Eleventh Separate Company, of Mount Vernon, 40 men. Mount Vernon Band, 15 pieces. Captain J. M. Jarvis, commanding.
Fourth Separate Company, of Yonkers, 40 men. Captain Isaiah Frazier, commanding.
Twenty-third Separate Company, of Hudson, 60 men. Drum Corps, 18 men. Captain E. R. Elting, commanding.
G. A. R. BRIGADE.
Assistant Marshal, W. H. Mickle. Staff-D. L. Kidd, George Barber, W. T. Talmadge, Egbert Lewis.
Ellis Post, No. 52, of Newburgh, 80 men. Tottenville Band, 19 pieces. W. H. Mills, commanding. Uniformed Delegates, 120 men.
Rankin Post, No. 10, of Brooklyn, 150 men. 14th Regiment Band, 20 pieces. J. H. Walker, commanding. Delegates from other Posts, 100 men.
Harry Lee Post, No. 21, Brooklyn, 60 men. Drum Corps, 35 pieces. J. R. McNaughton, commanding. Delegates from other Posts, 40 men.
Howland Post, No 48, of Fishkill, 24 men. Stephen Price, commanding. Carroll Post, No. 279, of Port Jervis, 75 men. Emmett's Band of 18 pieces. Sol. Van Etten, commanding.
Pratt Post, No. 127, of Kingston, 150 men. Post Drum Corps. R. W. Anderson, commanding. George G. Meade Post, No. - , of Brooklyn, N. Y., 100 men.
Abram Vosburgh Post, No. 95, of Peekskill, 75 men. Band. W. A Sipperly, commanding.
Waldron Post, No. 82, of Nyack, 60 men. Band.
Louis L. Robbins, commanding. Accompanied by Commander W. H. Myers and 20 men from Silliman Post, No. 172.
John Hancock Post, No. 253, of Nyack, 40 men. Band.
George F. Morse, commanding.
J. H. Ketcham Post, No. 88, of Wappingers Falls, 40 men. Band. James Fenton, commanding.
First Company, Washington Continental Guards, N. Y. City, 24 men Drum Corps, 12 pieces. Independent Veteran Volunteers, of Poughkeepsie, 20 men. Captain W. Platto, commanding. Veterans of the 124th N. Y. S. Volunteers.
FOURTH DIVISION.
Marshal, John R. Post. Chief of staff, E. R. Hasbrouck. Aids: G. W. Townsend. Ward Belknap. West Point Band, 30 pieces. Knights Templar Battalion. Hudson River Commandery No. 35, K. T., of Newburgh. Commander, Eminent Sir Knight J. Searle; 100 men.
Poughkeepsie Commandery, No. 43, K. T., of Poughkeepsie. Commander, Eminent Sir Knight A. F. Lindley; 50 men.
Knights of Pythias Battalion. Albany Uniformed Division, No. 2, of Albany. Commander, Sir Knight M. J. Severence ; 60 men. Iona Uniformed Division, of Haverstraw. Commander, Sir Knight Alonzo Bedell; 51 men. Odd Fellows Battalion. Brooklyn Uniformed Degree, Camp No. 2. Commander Sidney S. Rowland; 65 men.
Washington Uniformed Degree, No. 10, of New York City, Commander Lewis Nolte; 40 men. Highland Falls Lodge, No. 429, of Highland Falls. John F. Tucker, N. G .; 40 men. Cornwall Lodge, No. 340, of Cornwall. Henry Reveley, N. G .; 25 men.
Miscellaneous Societies. German Mannerchor of Newburgh. Theo. Ramstedt, President; 40 men.
Juvenile Temperance Association of Newburgh; 80 strong George W. Bradley, President.
FIFTH DIVISION.
Marshal, Chief Engineer Nicholas Powell. Staff: Assistant Engineers of Newburgh Fire Department. Visiting Companies.
Sixth Battery Band, of Binghamton. Alert Hose Company, No. 2, of Binghamton. J. W. Butler, Foreman; 50 men. Erie Cornet Band, of Port Jervis. Delaware Hose Company, No. 2, of Port Jervis. E. B. Wilkinson, Foreman; 40 men. Y. M. C. A. Band of Yonkers. Lady Washington Hose Company, No. 2, of Yonkers. James Mc Vicar, Foreman; 75 men. Yonkers Brass Band; 15 pieces. Hudson Hose Company, No. 4, of Yonkers. Benjamin Cline, Foreman; 40 men. Peekskill Cornet Band, Courtland Hook and Ladder Company, No. I, of Peekskill, Charles R. Swain, Foreman; 45 men. North Tarrytown Fire Patrol. of North Tarrytown.
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Tarrytown Cornet Band; 17 pieces.
Pocantico Hook and Ladder Company, No. - , of Tarrytown John P. Kelly, Foreman; 40 men. Rhinebeck Brass Band, 14 pieces.
O. H. Booth Hose Company, No 2, of Poughkeepsie, E. O. Caldwell Foreman ; 60 men. Hurley Brass Band, of Kingston. Kingston Hose Company, No. 2, of Kingston. H. A. Burgan, Foreman.
Goeller's Band, 14 pieces. Weber Hose Company, No. 3, of Rondout. R. P. Carter, Foreman; 27 men.
Band. Protection Hose Company, No. 1, of Catskill, Spencer C. Phillips, Foreman; 30 men.
Washington Hose Company, No 3, of Newburgh, Henry Scott, Foreman,
NEWBURGH FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Montgomery Band, of Montgomery, N. Y. Brewster Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, of Newburgh, Wm. W. Boyd, Foreman.
7Ist Regiment Band, of New York. Ringgold Hose Company No. I, of Newburgh, John Ernest, Jr., Foreman,
2Ist Regiment Band, of Poughkeepsie.
C. M. Leonard Steamer Company, No. 2, of Newburgh, C. S. McKissock, Foreman. Piano's Band, of Fishkill,
Columbian Hose Company, No. 2, of Newburgh. J. H. R. Strachan, Foreman. Millerton Band, of Millerton.
Highland Steamer Company, No. 3, of Newburgh, H. C. Mellor, Foreman.
Eastman's College Band, of Poughkeepsie. Chapman Hose Company, No. 4, of Newburgh, Thomas H. Burke, Foreman.
Collins' Band, of Newburgh. Washington Steamer Company, No. 4, of Newburgh, Alex. J. Blitt, Foreman.
Cline's Albany City Band, of Albany. Lawson Hose Company, No. 5, of Newburgh, D. C. Cameron Foreman.
Grand-stands were placed at intervals along the route. The reviewing stand was in front of the Court House, in Grand Street, and when the procession arrived there the distinguished guests left their carriages and entered the stand, all the bodies saluting when they passed.
After the parade exercises were held at the Headquarters.
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
I Introductory Overture-" William Tell " .... Cappa's 7th Regt. Band.
2. Assemblage called to order by Hon. Peter Ward, Mayor.
3. Prayer. .Rev. S. Irenæns Prime, D. D.
4. Te Deum, "We Praise Thee, O God," by Dudley Buck. Grand Cho- rus by 500 Voices and Band.
3. Introduction by United States Senator Thomas F. Bayard, President of the afternoon.
6. " Hail Columbia " .Chorus and Band.
7. Reading of a Poem (original) "The Long Drama from '76 to '83." Wallace Bruce.
8. (a) Music by Cappa's Band.
(b) Chorus, "No King but God."
9. Oration Hon. William M. Evarts.
Io. Benediction. Rev. Dr. John Forsyth, of Newburgh. . Cappa's Band.
IT. March
At night occurred a magnificent fireworks display from floats in the river. Many additional excursion boats had arrived early in the evening, and the bay was filled with craft. The men-of-war and the yachts were brilliantly decorated with colored lights, and besides set off a great number of fireworks, thus supplementing the prescribed exhibition. A large portion of the population viewed the spectacle from the balconies and windows of their homes, while others congre- gated on the nouse-tops down town and on the steamboats. The chorus of steamboat whistles on this occasion will long be remembered by those who heard it.
The celebration was in charge of a committee of five - Mayor Ward, ex-Mayor J. J. S. McCroskery, Hon. Joel T. Headley, Hon.
John C. Adams and Hon. M. H. Hirschberg, with Dr. R. V. K. Montfort as clerk ; and under their directions were several sub-com- mittees. Congress appropriated $25,000, the Legislature $15,000, the Common Council about $7,500, and citizens subscribed about $5,000. Thirty-five thousand dollars was reserved for a monument at Wash- ington's Headquaters.
The press of the whole country, with one accord, complimented Newburgh for " the most successful and the finest of all the centennial celebrations." We quote a few of their expressions:
New York Observer-" The Committee of Arrangements had been hard at work for many months in making preparations, and their energy, wisdom and patriotism were fully rewarded by a magnificent celebration, and a perfect success, not an accident having occurred, and no failure in anything having marked the admirably arranged program."
New York Sun-" The procession was a very remarkable one in its length, order and beauty. The oldest New Yorkers never saw anything that they think excelled it. General Hawley, of Hartford, said he never saw any- thing like it."
New York Com- mercial Advertis- er-" The fire pa- rade was the finest ever seen in this section."
The New York Herald-" It was a glorious day, and the little city on the Hudson had as fine a military turnout in its streets as has been seen any- where in the coun- try this great while. * * Though perfected slowly, the arrangement of the procession was skillfully car- ried out, and after the start was once made there was not the slightest hitch."
New York Mail and Express- "The Newburgh Centennial was a perfect and mag- nificent success. The day was glor-
BOOT OF ONE OF RIEDESEL'S DRAGOONS-(HESSIANS) At Washington's Headquarters.
The man was taken prisoner at Saratoga in 1777. He traveled on foot with other prisoners on their way to Easton, Pa., wearing boots of which this is one, as far as Middlehope (North Newburgh), where he ex- changed them for a lighter pair.
ions; the attendance was immense; the parade was splendid; the ar- rangements were judicious and well carried out; the pageant was a worthy culmination of a long series of centennials, and the oration, by Mr. Evarts, was a great effort, both as a historical review of a most interesting and touching episode in the history of Washington and of the country, and as a grand oratorical display."
New York Star-" The account of the celebration given elsewhere tells with what spirit and zeal the people of Newburgh worked up and carried out one of the most interesting and successful of our centennial celebrations."
Hudson Register-" Newburgh has been drawn upon to its utmost limits, and has proved equal to the emergency. The narrow streets and narrower pavements are packed with a moving, surging throng of human beings, but the utmost order prevails, and there is little
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work for the large police force brought into requisition as a precau- tionary measure."
Brooklyn Eagle-" Yesterday's celebration at Newburgh trans- cended the expectations of the most sanguine in almost every respect.
and those at Fishkill. This design, however, was subsequently changed to a single monument at Newburgh which should commem- orate the whole, and with this conclusion the matter was placed in the hands of a committee of Congress and the Secretary of War, who approved plans submitted by Mr. Maurice J. Power, of New York, drawn by Mr. John H. Duncan, architect. Some changes were made in these plans resulting in the structure as it appears. The dimen- sions or ground lines of the monument are 37 by 32 feet, with a total height of 53 feet. The four large archways open into an atrium and stairways leading into a belve- dere. In the centre of the atrium is a bronze statue of Washington, copied from Houdon's celebrated model by Mr. William Rudolph O'Donovan, and is presumed to be life-size as well as a true ideal of Wash- ington's person.
Resting in niches on the walls are four bronze figures representing the four arms of the service in the army of the Revolution -the Dragoon, the Artilleryman, the Rifleman and the Line Officer-which are claimed to be dressed in exact cos- tumes of the times. Four large bronze gates bearing seals and coats-of-arms of the thirteen original States guard the approach to the atrium, and are raised and lowered by portcullis. A bronze tab- let is set on the exterior east wall with a figure of Peace in relief. It bears this inscription: "This monument was erected under the authority of the Congress of the United States, and of the State of New York, in commemoration of the dis- bandment, under proclamation of the Continental Congress of October 18, 1783, of the armies by whose patriotic and mili- tary virtue our National Independence and sovereignty were established." The total cost of the monument was $67,000.
THE TOWER OF VICTORY.
The crowd that attended the ceremonies immensely overtaxed the capacity of the little town; the best of order prevailed ; there was only one accident worth mentioning ; the pageant was imposing, citi- zens, soldiery and ships of war contributing all they could to the gen- eral effect ; and lastly, the orations were excellent. The weather favored the celebrants generously, and the main regret the thousands who participated in it could feel was that all their friends could not share with them the pleasure they felt. It is worth noticing that the preparations made by the people of Newburgh, and the State and General Governments, were singularly quiet and unostentatious, and that the fact greatly exceeded the promise."
Kingston Freeman-" The celebration at Newburgh on Thursday was in no sense a local or even a State affair, but it can fitly be termed a national demonstration and a glorious commemoration of the cen- tennial of the Revolutionary War. It was more than a great day for the city set on a hill, and well may its citizens feel proud of the cele- bration down to the smallest detail. The most captious critic could not possibly find even a point to harp on. * * * All honor to the Committee of five! All honor to Newburgh's citizens, public and private ! They undertook an immense undertaking, and how grandly it was carried out will be a story that will be told again and again, both by young and old who were there. That the marshals did their work well, with precision and good judgment, was conceded by all."
The memorial monument, or "Tower of Victory," standing on the northeast corner of the Headquarters' ground at Newburgh, is the result of a movement which was originated in the years 1880-81, the primal design of which was to mark by a fitting monument not only that spot, but also the encampment grounds at New Windsor
GOV. GEORGE CLINTON. From a Portrait at Washington's Headquarters.
LOCATION AND SURROUNDINGS.
Advantages of Newburgh's Situation-Highland Terrace-Contributing
District and Neighboring Villages-Beautiful Drives-Nature's
Handiwork-Historical Associations and Legends.
EWBURGH is situated on the margin of the Hudson, on the face of its western bank-which rises from the water in wide terraces-and on the plain to which the terraces ascend. It presents a beautiful appearance from the water, or opposite shore, especially when lighted up by the morning sun, or by countless lamps at night. The natural scenery about Newburgh has an aspect of mingled grandeur and beauty, peculiar and unrivaled. Before the city is the lofty range of the Fishkill Mountains, on which signal fires were lighted during the Revolution, and the group of the Highlands through which the river flows. These are re- flected in the broad and beautiful bay, broken by one soli- tary rock island, and at all times animated by water craft.
The city is sixty miles from the mouth of the Hudson, and one hundred from the head of navigation. Its harbor is the best on the river, which is here a mile and a quarter wide, with a deep and clear channel from shore to shore. The whole length of the river front is lined with docks.
GRAND AVENUE.
The largest ships that enter New York Harbor may have an unobstructed and unchanging channel up the Hudson to New- burgh Bay. Along the western bank, from Kingston south, a dis- tance of ninety miles, the Palisades, the Highlands, and the precipitous nature of the shore elsewhere, afford no advantageous sites for large towns, except at Newburgh; and the flats, character- istic of the east shore, and the unfavorable nature of the bank, are obstructions to the building of large commercial towns on that side.
Newburgh is the chief city of Orange County-a district famed for its butter and milk, horses and cattle-and the largest commercial and manufacturing city between New York and Albany. A dozen
main turnpikes, from all parts of Orange and the adjoining counties concentrate here, and are interlaced with innumerable subordinate highways. Two score of villages are within contributing distance, and a thickly settled farming country. Directly across the river are two important manufacturing villages, Fishkill and Matteawan; southward on the river are Cornwall, Cold Spring, West Point and Highland Falls; and northward, also on or very near the river, are Carthage Landing, New Hamburgh, Marlborough, Milton and Wappingers Falls - all within twelve miles of Newburgh. Numerous steamboats connect us with every other city, and with almost every village, on the river, some of the craft being engaged exclusively in the Newburgh trade.
Besides being located on tide- water, Newburgh is an import- ant railroad center, having the advantages derived from five great inter-State routes, and the lesser benefits of two or three smaller roads.
The city is very compactly built, with few breaks in the blocks of buildings in the main portion. The houses are mainly constructed of brick. The place has a solid, substantial and en- terprising appearance.
In the immediate suburbs, just outside of the legal boundary lines, which, though outgrown, have not been extended since the incorporation of the village in 1800, is a large and wealthy popu- lation, inhabiting charming country-seats, with ample grounds prettily ornamented. Beyond is a great farming country, where the deep, warm soil is highly cultivated and pro- ductive. Near the river fruit-growing is the principal business of the farmers ; elsewhere dairying receives the most attention.
The mountain formations south and west of us have been likened to Nature's arm thrown lovingly around us. Willis said they ap- peared to him "like a waving arm-like a gesture from Nature, and an invitation to come in and look around you." It is the section mainly within the curve of this bent arm, a ten-mile plain that was years ago named " Highland Terrace," which we will attempt to de- scribe in this chapter The terrace we speak of has an average elevation of one hundred and twenty feet above the Hudson. Except
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where villages dot its broad expanse, it is divided into well-ordered farms, with walls and fences in good repair, roads hard and smooth, the orchards full, neat capacions houses, and ample barns, and the whole section quite rid of angularity, and having the graceful- ness of a long-settled country. The drives are varied and beautiful, and a curious as well as a picturesque feature of the landscape,
HATHAWAY GLEN.
is the multiplicity of deep glens. They are formed by the many streams that cross the platean-and the river into which they empty being far below the level of the country, they have grad- nally worn beds much deeper than the ordinary stream. At every mile or so you will come to a sudden descent into a richly-wooded vale, having visions of beauty every-where, a winding brook at the bottom, and romantic recesses, with a glimpse of-
"The river that moves so grandly along, Yet stops on the shore to ripple a song."
From every little rise of the road, you must remember, the broad bosom of the Hudson is seen, with the mountains in the background. Any lover of nature will understand to what degree sunsets and sunrises and moonlights are embellished by such surroundings. Along the river, with land highly priced for ornamental residences, are some of the smoothest as well as the most romantically beautiful of drives. It is a tempting trip along any of them when the hills throw their afternoon shade.
For our first excursion let us drive directly northward, where we have the choice of two lovely suburban roads, which, running through the city only two hundred feet apart, touch each other at the city line, then again two miles further on at the Balmville Tree, and finally unite, after running parallel for five miles, on the farther side of Cedar Hill. Both are wide and smooth, and lined all the way with country-seats, with their green lawns and commanding river vistas. Let us enter one of these Newburgh homes. The open gate admits us to the smooth avenue. We have glimpses of an arbor vitæ hedge, a small and exquisite lawn-rare and flowering trees, and bushes beyond-a Instrous and odorons thicket, a gleam of the
river below-" a feeling" of the mountains across the river. The grounds, though comprised of but five acres, are laid out in a large style, that greatly enhances their apparent extent. A portion of the city lies at the bottom of the hill, between the garden and the river, and there is a road at the foot of the garden. But so skilfully are the trees arranged that all suspicions of town and road are removed. The enchanted visitor sees only the garden ending in the thicket, which is so dextrously trimmed as to reveal the loveliest glimpses of the river, each a picture in its frame of foliage, but which is not low enough to betray the presence of road or town. An extensive walk exhibits a complete botanical circuit of plants arranged in a scientific manner-a rock-work for Alpine plants, a hot-house for superb tropi- cal plants, and a pond for an aquarium, in which the water lilies and a number of the aquatic plants are thriving. The house is externally simple, but extremely elegant ; indeed its chief impression is that of elegance. It is an Elizabethan style, designed to prove that a bean- tiful, durable and convenient mansion could be built as cheaply as a poor and tasteless temple. The house and its grounds are in con- formity with the surrounding landscape, and in obedience to the truest taste.
Continuing on our way, we pass the site of Weigand's old log house, where General Wayne had his headquarters ; and farther on Hathaway Glen-where a brook tumbles down successive rocks through a magnificent gorge-and other little vales where rippling waters flow. Two miles north of the city is the Balm of Gilead, which is certainly the oldest inhabitant. It is the largest tree in all the country round, being nearly twenty-five feet in circumference. There is a tradition that the old monarch was once only a drover's gad, which, being stuck in the ground, took root. It is soft wood, of the kind that grows from the slip. One day an old Middlehope preacher came along, and seeing the slender rod growing there,
THE BALM OF GILEAD TREE.
thought it would make a good gad. So he stopped his horse, and cut off the entire stock, and used it to enliven the movements of his nag. The old tree is a hub where several roads concentrate. One comes in from the northwest, from New Paltz, Plattekill, Modena, and
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NEWBURGH.
Fostertown, bordered all the way by fine farms, mainly growing fruit. Another goes northward through Middlehope, past Cedar Hill Cemetery, and through the thriving villages of Marlborough and Milton, This is the principal highway through one of the best fruit districts in the land. It is a prosperous section where many varie- ties of fruit originated with men foremost in pomology. It is remarkable to see the long trains of wagons laden with fruit going down to the wharves to meet the evening boats, just as in other sec- tions hundreds of loads of milk go down to the railroad stations and wharves.
Another road from the Balmville hub runs over the hill past the Convent of the Sacred Heart, situated on a commanding eminence. Our drive goes along the river-shore on the edge of the Terrace, be- tween rows of green hedges and pretty country places. After a long but gradual descent to the margin of the river, we come to Roseton, where several large brickyards have almost destroyed the natural at- tractions of a once pretty cove. That green point a bit beyond, jut- ting into the river like a shapely index finger, is the Danskammer, which marks the northern extent of Newburgh Bay. Its wild
attractiveness is somewhat marred by the railroads, but otherwise it is as Nature made it. Here the native Indians for many generations before the white man came met together to supplicate the Great Spirit. Its name signifies the devil's dance chamber. Before start- ing on expeditions the painted savages met here, built a fire, and danced about, shonting and making strange con- tortions. To the early settlers they seemed like hideous devils. They worshipped here in this rude way for near- ly a hundred years after the discovery of the Hudson.
Not far away in a field on the hill, years ago, a farmer came to sow, and found a female form beautiful in death; her silken hair damp with the dew of the May morning, her white hands clasped over her brow, her pretty neck marked with the prints of ruthless fingers. In the plowed ground were the marks of footsteps, and by the fence the track of a wagon's turning. Among all the country folks none had seen that face before, nor could they find a trace of him who left in their peaceful community the speech- less evidence of a crime.
Southward from Newburgh extend several other broad highways which split into feeders every few miles. One of these, after passing through a manufacturing district, crosses Qnassaick Creek at its month. This creek is the southern boundary of the city, and has a dozen mills and factories on its banks from Orange Lake to the river. Near its month it flows through a deep valley called the Vale of Avoca. From a small glen a mile west of the river the chasm widens and deepens as you follow the course of the stream. The south bank sweeps off into a semi-circle, but again crowds against the creek just before its union with the Hudson. The banks on either side are over a hundred feet high and precipitous. To one passing the mouth of the stream in a boat the sides of the chasm once presented a gloomy pass, just wide enough for the water. Now railroad tracks run along its sides and cross the creek; but even these changes cannot wholly deface its olden charms.
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