USA > New York > Saratoga County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York > Part 21
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This road finally went into the hands of its creditors; was purchased by a new organization, who raised the capital stock to $600,000, and later on to $800,000. In June, 1860, it leased the Saratoga and Sche- nectady and the Albany and Vermont railroads. In 1865 it leased the Saratoga and Whitehall and the Rutland and Washington railroads. In 1868 it leased and became owner of all the capital stock of the Glens Falls railroad. In February, 1870, it leased the Rutland and Whitehall
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road. May 1, 1871, the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad company leased all its roads and leased lines to the Delaware and Hudson Canal company, which since that time has operated the entire system.
The Saratoga and Washington Railroad company, (now a part of the Delaware and Hudson system) was chartered May 2, 1834, with a cap- ital stock of $600,000, but the company was not fully organized until April 20, 1835. The work of construction was begun at once and over $60,000 expended, when it was stopped in 1836. The time was ex- tended April 13, 1840; May 6, 1844, and April 4, 1850, and the capital stock was increased to $350,000 April 7, 1847. March 7, 1848, the company was granted permission to extend the road east to Vermont. Upon resuming work a route was in part adopted, and the work of laying rails was begun April 10, 1848. August 15 of that year the road was opened from Saratoga Springs to Gansevoort; December 10, 1848, it was opened to Whitehall, and April 9, 1851, to Lake Station, a mile and three-quarters beyond Whitehall junction. The road was sold February 27, 1855, on foreclosure of second mortgage, when the name was changed to Saratoga and Whitehall Railroad. The new company was organized June 8, 1855, with a capital stock of $500,000, and its complete road runs from Saratoga Springs to Castleton, Vt., a distance of fifty-two and one-half miles, sixteen miles of which lie in Saratoga county. This road was the successor to the Saratoga and Fort Edward railroad, which was incorporated April 17, 1832, with a capital of $200, - 000, to construct a road from Saratoga Springs to Fort Edward, a dis- tance of seventeen miles. By the act of May 2, 1834, nothing having been done in the mean time toward the building of the road, its sur- veys, maps, etc., were allowed to be sold to the Saratoga and Washing- ton Railroad company.
The history of the old Albany, Vermont and Canada railroad, com- monly know as the Albany Northern, part of which has been aban- doned many years, is interesting. This railroad was originally projected by the Albany, Bennington and Rutland Railroad company, which was organized April 23, 1850, with a capital stock of $400,000. This enter- prise was soon afterward merged in the Albany Northern Railroad company, which was organized February 12, 1851, with a capital stock of $335,000. This company built a railroad, single-track, from Albany to Eagle Bridge, thirty-three miles, passing through West Troy, Cohoes, Waterford, Schaghticoke, Pittstown, Johnsonville and Bus- kirks, to Eagle Bridge, The road crossed the Hudson river about
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three miles above Waterford, and the old roadbed east of the tracks of the Rensselaer and Saratoga branch of the Delaware & Hudson Canal company's road, above Waterford Junction, may still be seen. The road was opened for traffic about July 1, 1853. But it became financially involved, and was sold under foreclosure of mortgage October 16, 1856, assuming the name of Albany, Vermont and Canada railroad November 7, 1856. October 6, 1859, the company filed articles of in- corporation as the Albany and Vermont Railroad company, and June 12, 1860, it leased its line to the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad company.
The Adirondack railroad is the tangible outcome of several unsuc- cessful attempts to construct a road from the valley of the Hudson at or near Albany, through the southern part of the Adirondack wilder- ness to the east end of Lake Ontario, or the headwaters of the St. Lawrence river. The first attempt to establish such a road was made in April, 1839, when the first Adirondack Railroad company was in- corporated. It did not attempt to build the projected road, however. The next project was the Sackett's Harbor and Saratoga railroad, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $2,000,000 April 10, 1848. This company began the work of grading for the contemplated road, but finally abandoned the effort. April 6, 1857, this company was reorganized as the Lake Ontario and Hudson River Railroad com- pany, but still did nothing toward building any portion of the road. Then, on August 11, 1860, the Adirondack Estate and Railroad com- pany was incorporated; but nothing was done until it had been merged in the Adirondack company, which filed articles of incorporation October 24, 1863, and soon after began the work of building its single- track railroad from Saratoga Springs northward. March 31, 1865, the Legislature gave it permission to extend its road to Lake Ontario or the St. Lawrence, also to increase its capital stock to $5,000,000. The road was constructed from Saratoga Springs to North Creek, Warren county, a distance of sixty-two miles, passing through Greenfield, King's Station, South Corinth, Jessup's Landing and Hadley in Sara- toga county. July 10, 1870, the charter was amended and the capital stock increased to the limit allowed by the law of 1865.
The Adirondack Railway company was incorporated as a reorganiza- tion of a corporation known as "The Adirondack company," under a plan or agreement filed in the office of the secretary of state July 7, 1882. The Adirondack company was incorporated October 24, 1863,
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and empowered " to construct and operate a railroad from some point in the county of Saratoga, up and along the valley of the Upper Hud- son in the wilderness in the northern part of the State, to purchase, take and hold lands to the amount of one million of acres in the said wilderness, in addition to the lands it was authorized to take under the general railroad law, to convert and prepare for market the natural products of the forest; to mine and prepare for market the iron and other ores and minerals upon its lands, and to transport, sell and dis- pose of the same." The Adirondack Railway company, by virtue of its incorporation and under such reorganization was vested with all the rights, privileges and franchises, and possessed of all the lands, property and immunities possessed by the original Adirondack company as cov - ered by its mortgage and sold under the proceedings to enforce the same.
Several other early railroads which were projected were abandoned. The Saratoga Springs and Schuylerville railroad was incorporated April 6, 1832, with a capital stock of $100,000, to build a line from Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville. The Saratoga and Montgomery railroad was incorporated May 6, 1836, with a capital stock of $150,000, to build a road from Ballston Spa to the west branch of the North river. The Albany and Saratoga Springs railroad was organized September 20, 1852, with capital stock of $200,000, to build a line connecting Saratoga Springs with the Albany Northern railroad. The Saratoga and Hud- son River railroad was organized April 16, 1864. The Saratoga, Schuy- lerville and Hoosac Tunnel railroad filed articles April 14, 1870, with a capital stock of $300,000, intending to build a road from Saratoga Springs to Schuylerville. But none of these railroads existed except on paper.
The Schenectady & Mechanicville railroad, chartered May 9, 1867, was built and is owned by the Delaware & Hudson Canal company. It was opened in January, 1882, and extends from Schenectady to Me- chanicville.
The Mount McGregor Railroad company was chartered February 27, 1882, and the road, a narrow-gauge line extending from Saratoga Springs to the summit of Mount McGregor, in the town of Moreau, was constructed soon afterward. March 6, 1893, the road was sold at foreclosure by John Person, referee, and the deed given to Douglass W. Mabee of Ballston Spa as trustee. June 10, 1896, the Saratoga and Mount McGregor Railroad company was incorporated for the purpose
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of operating the road, which on that date was leased to this company by Douglass W. Mabee as trustee. January 29, 1897, an agreement was made between said trustee and Edmund A. Manice for the sale of the road upon the performance of certain conditions on or before July 1, 1898. In 1898 the Mount McGregor Railroad company was merged into the Saratoga Northern Railroad company, and it is the intention of the latter company to extend the tracks to Glens Falls and operate an electric railway. May 28, 1898, the Mount McGregor Railroad company was peremptorily ordered to vacate and surrender to the Del- aware & Hudson Canal company premises in Saratoga which the latter company had leased to the Mount McGregor company. The land is seven feet in width and 3,693 feet in length, and runs parallel to the tracks of the Delaware & Hudson road. The original lease was for one year only. The Mount McGregor railroad is operated during the sum- mer months only.
The Troy, Saratoga and Northern Railroad company was chartered September 2, 1886, and subsequently was leased to the Fitchburg Rail- road company. Its tracks extend from Saratoga Springs and Schuyler- ville to Stillwater, where they meet the main line of the Fitchburg road.
The Fitchburg railroad extends through Saratoga county from its bridge at Stillwater, through Mechanicville, to Rotterdam Junction. It was chartered March 3, 1892, it originally having been known as the Troy & Boston railroad.
The Saratoga & St. Lawrence Railroad company was chartered August 17, 1885, and leased to the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad company June 1, 1889. None of the road completed lies in Saratoga county.
The Hudson River & Washington County Midland Railroad com- pany was chartered September 6, 1895. It was the original intention to build .in the spring of 1896. The right of way has been secured, the engineering work mostly completed, stone for bridges laid down at points where it is to be used, and grading has been commenced, but the road has not yet been constructed.
Besides these steam railroads there are several electric railroads in Saratoga county. The Saratoga Street railway was incorporated in 1897, the Saratoga Electric railway in 1889, the Saratoga Rapid Tran- sit railway and the Union Electric railway of Saratoga in 1890, the Saratoga Traction Co. and the Saratoga Lake railway in 1897. The Saratoga Traction Co. owns all the original property of these com-
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panies, to wit: a road to The Geysers two miles in length, and a road to Saratoga lake a little over five miles in length. The former branch will shortly be extended to Ballston Spa, and possibly to Mechanicville. The officers of the Saratoga Traction company are: President, Theo- dore F. Hamilton of Saratoga Springs; treasurer, P. S. Storrs of New York; secretary, R. Smith of New York. R. E. Dunston is general manager of the road.
The Ballston Terminal railway, the operation of which was begun in the summer of 1898, was chartered March 11, 1896. The work of con- struction was begun June 2, 1896. The first officers of the road were: President, John Noblit; vice-president, Frank Jones; treasurer, C. E. Lent; secretary, A. B. Paine. The following description of this unique road is taken from the Electrical World of April 30, 1898:
A novelty in electric railways is now under construction in the northern part of New York State, its peculiarity being that the road, although situated in the open country and designed mainly for freight service, is to be driven electrically. The road is called the Ballston Terminal Railway and runs from Ballston Spa, where it connects with the Delaware & Hudson system, 1212 miles along the Kayaderosseras creek to Middle Grove, passing on the way many large paper and pulp mills, which it is intended to serve. The road is single track, built mainly on private right of way, and is constructed on regular steam railroad lines, with 70 pound steel T rails, standard ties and gravel ballast. The trestles and bridge work are all of standard railway construction, the latter being of steel on masonry foundations. The reasons for adopting electric power were the desire to run the road in places beside the high- way where steam locomotives are objectionable, the reduced fire risk in and about the paper mills and their wood yards, and the increased passenger traffic which it is expected can be obtained with the more frequent service possible with the lower train mile charges of the electric system. The electric cars can also overcome better the grades and curves, the reduction of which to steam railroad standards would have been quite expensive on this line. The maximum grade is 212 per cent. and the sharpest curve has a radius of 150 feet.
The Stillwater and Mechanicville Street Railway company received its charter November 13, 1882. Work upon the road was completed the year following and cars began running June 1, 1883. In 1884 the line was extended to the Delaware & Hudson depot in Mechanicville. In 1895 the motive power was changed from horses to electricity, and the electric cars began running December 25 of the latter year. May 5, 1898, the State Railroad commission approved an increase in the capital stock from $60,000 to $250,000, the additional capital to be used by the company in the construction of a new line to run from Mechanic- ville to Waterford, where it is to connect with the Troy City railway.
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With the construction of this line and the projected southerly extension of the line of the Saratoga Traction company, the public will be afforded means of transportation by electric railway from Troy and Albany to Saratoga Springs. The projected extension of the Mount McGregor railroad north ward to Glens Falls and the changing of its motive power from steam to electricity will give electric railway communication in an almost direct line from Troy and Albany to Glens Falls, Sandy Hill and Fort Edward.
Sunday, August 15, 1898, a branch of the Stillwater and Mechanic- ville electric railway was opened from Mechanicville to Waterford.
The Waterford & Cohoes Street Railway company was chartered Feb- ruary 8, 1883, for the purpose of operating a street railroad between Waterford and Cohoes. The road was built in 1884 and August 19 of that year was leased to the Troy and Lansingburgh Railroad company.
The Schuylerville & Greenwich Electric Railway company received a charter in 1896 granting the right to construct an electric railway line from Schuylerville, in Saratoga county, to Greenwich, in Washington county. The road has not yet been built.
CHAPTER XI.
Second Period of the Century, 1831 to the War of the Rebellion-Days of Great Prosperity at Saratoga Springs-Reconstruction of the Early Hotels and the Build- ing of Many Handsome New Ones-Dr. Clark's Waterworks System-Banks, Churches and Schools-Foundation of Temple Grove Seminary-Societies Organ- ized-The Numerous and Important Manufactures of Ballston Spa Established During This Period -- The Ballston Spa National Bank-Religious and Secret So- cieties-Academies, Schools and Churches Established Throughout the County -- The Development of the Water Power of the Hudson and the Kayaderosseras.
In following the career of Saratoga county through the period be- ginning with the commercial revolution wrought by reason of the con- struction of the first railroads in the county and ending with the memorable struggle known as the Civil war, or war of the Rebellion, in which the lives of many gallant sons of the county were sacrificed, one is impressed by the fact that the peaceful development of the in- dustry and commerce of the county, coupled with the establishment of
-
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numerous fine schools and academies and religious societies, was not marred by any of the unpleasantnesses which characterized so many other communities during the same period. In the principal villages of the county-Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Mechanicville, Waterford, Stillwater and Schuylerville-this growth naturally was more marked than elsewhere in the county. In the rural districts little else trans- pired excepting the increased cultivation of the soil.
In the village of Saratoga Springs the most important changes and improvements were to be seen in the erection of a large number of splendid hotels for the accommodation of the rapidly increasing num- ber of summer visitors, and the laying out of the beautiful Congress park, which for many years has been such an attraction at this world- famed resort.
The most important of these magnificent hotels are the United States, the Grand Union and Congress hall. There are several others noted for their sumptuous entertainment of guests, though not so com- modious.
The Grand Union is the oldest of the Saratoga hotels. The story of the erection of the original hotel by Gideon Putnam has been told in a preceding chapter. It was first locally known as Putnam's tavern, and above its entrance was a quaint sign intended to represent the entrance of Israel Putnam into the wolf's den. After the death of Gideon Put- nam in 1812, his widow conducted the establishment for several years. In 1836, Rockwell and Washington Putnam, two of her sons, purchased the interests of the remainder of the family, named the hotel Union hall, and continued the management until January, 1849. In that ยท year Henry H. Hathorn succeeded to the ownership of Rockwell Put- nam's interest. The next spring, before the opening of the house under the new management, Washington Putnam died, and his widow and Mr. Hathorn conducted the establishment as Putnam & Hathorn until January, 1853, when Mrs. Putnam disposed of her interest to Seymour Ainsworth. After one season's management by Hathorn & Ainsworth, Mr. Hathorn, in January, 1854, sold his interest to George R. Putnam, son of Rockwell Putnam, and Putnam & Ainsworth were the pro- prietors for two seasons. In January, 1856, Charles H. Payn purchased Mr. Ainsworth's interest, and Putnam & Payn managed the hotel until May, 1864, when the entire property was sold to Warren Leland. During these years many improvements were made to the property. In 1842, for instance, the building had a frontage of one hundred and
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fifty-four feet on Broadway, the south wing extended one hundred and twenty-two feet on Congress street, the north wing extended westward eighty-seven feet, and was joined to a structure containing lodging rooms, called the " garden house." This was eighty-five feet long and thirty feet wide. The sale in 1849 was made on a basis of a valuation of $40,000. In 1854 the valuation was above $80,000, while ten years later, so great had been the improvements and the general increase in values, that the figures had risen to $200,000. The year after Warren Leland purchased the property he bought the Ainsworth property adjoining and added it to the hotel. He also took into partnership with him his brother, Charles Leland, and the firm of Leland Brothers continued to make great improvements and additions to their property. Several pieces of adjoining property were purchased, an opera house was constructed on the grounds, many thousands of dollars were ex- pended in new furnishings and luxuries such as Saratoga never before had seen, the old front was superseded by a new one, and the Grand Union of old was no more. But these extraordinary expenses quickly exhausted the resources of the Lelands, who were too progressive for the times, and in the spring of 1872 their rapidly increasing troubles culminated when the entire real and personal property was sold at auction, by order of the United States District Court. It was pur- chased by Alexander T. Stewart, the merchant prince of New York, for $532,000, and he announced his intention of making it the largest and most complete summer hotel in the world.
With this expectation Mr. Stewart bought about a dozen pieces of property adjoining the hotel, for which he paid $100,000. But the owners of two lots desired by him refusing to sell, he was compelled to abandon his original project. Determined to do all he could to im- prove his new possession, he removed the Ainsworth building on the north of his property and erected a front there to correspond with the front of the south half of the building, which had been erected by Leland Brothers. He also completed numerous other improvements begun by his predecessors before their failure. The hotel to-day is substantially the same as when Mr. Stewart had effected the changes therein which are here described-one of the most elegant and com- modious summer hotels in the country, its only superiors being those which, in later years, have been erected in various parts of the country on more modern principles of architecture.
The early career of Congress hall, the erection of which was begun
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in 1811 by Gideon Putnam, the builder of the Grand Union, has been described in a preceding chapter. Samuel Drake, who managed the hotel for several years for Guert Van Schoonhoven, the owner, his uncle, retired in 1828, when it was leased by Joseph and James R. Westcot. It was enlarged in 1831 by the erection of an additional story to the south wing. Stephen S. Seaman and Calvin Munger became propietors in 1836 or 1837. Soon after Seaman died, and Mr. Munger managed it until his death in 1846. In that year Joshua Collins opened it as a temperance house. Various persons conducted it until 1854, when it was purchased by Henry H. Hathorn. He formed a partner- ship with H. P. Hale, and they made many improvements, including the erection of an additional story on the north wing and a ball room. This hotel was burned in 1866, after which the present handsome edifice was constructed. Like the Grand Union and the United States, it has since ranked as one of the best summer hotels in the country.
The establishment of the magnificent United States hotel by Elias Benedict in 1824 has already been noted. Numerous additions and im- provements were made up to 1865, when, while it was in the height of its early glory, it was destroyed by fire. John Ford, the first proprietor, was succeeded in 1830 by James M. Marvin. For one year after that date Ford & Marvin were the proprietors. In 1831 Samuel Drake, an early proprietor of Congress hall, was associated with Mr. Marvin in its management, but in 1832 the latter was sole proprietor. The fol- lowing year it was managed by Joseph and James R. Westcot and John C. Dillon. In 1834 Mr. Marvin again took possession, and from 1835 to 1837 he was assisted by Stephen S. Seaman. In 1838 the latter was succeeded by John Thomas of Albany, and for four years Thomas & Marvin were the proprietors. In 1842 Judge Thomas J. Marvin pur- chased the interests of Mr. Thomas, and the Marvin brothers main- tained the house until the death of Judge Marvin in 1852. From that time until the burning of the United States, June 18, 1865, it was managed by James M. Marvin.
As to the ownership of the hotel during this time, Judge Marvin bought the property of Mr. Benedict, his uncle, in 1832, the year fol- lowing selling a half interest to Lewis Benedict of Albany. These owners then allowed Elias Benedict to come back into the firm by pay- ing one-third of the expense of the improvements made. Elias Bene- dict's heirs dying, James M. Marvin secured their interests, thus leaving the house owned in equal shares by Thomas J. Marvin, James M. Marvin and Lewis Benedict.
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It is a noteworthy fact that it was just one century after John Arnold of Rhode Island had built his rude log tavern at the Springs when the new United States hotel was opened for guests, to take the place of the one destroyed by fire. Built of brick, after the Norman style of arch- itecture, the hotel at that time undoubtedly was without a superior, in point of elegance and comfort, in the world. It covers and incloses over seven acres of ground, and even to-day, after a life of a quarter of a century, it still ranks as one of the most attractive and commodious summer hotels in the country.
The Marvin house was started in 1832 as the Railroad house, and its first proprietor was Mr. Caldwell. In 1853 it was purchased by Philip Snyder, who built a new hotel, called the Marvin house, on the site. June 18, 1865, it was burned, but Adam and Daniel Snyder, the pro- prietors, at once rebuilt it at a cost of $100,000. It was opened to the public July 23, 1866.
The American hotel was built about 1840 by George W. Wilcox, who, with his son-in-law, E. Darwin Pitkin, conducted it for many years. William Bennett subsequently succeeded to the management.
The Clarendon hotel was built in 1860 by Mrs. Mary I. Jones, and opened that year by Alexander Putnam. Charles E. Leland purchased it in 1873, after having managed it as lessee for eight years.
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