USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. I > Part 40
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" The tobacco is pressed and brought to the knife of the cutting ma- chine on a plan entirely new, without manual labor. All these works, together with a kiln for preparing the mustard seed, are on the first and second floors. Any part may be set in motion or stopped without af- fecting the others. On the third floor is a kiln for tobacco. Both kilns are on a new and improved construction. Here are a number of hands constantly employed in packing snuff and tobacco. The house for dry- ing and curing tobacco adjoins the mill on the west, and is 70 feet in front. The fire·places are constructed with such improvements as not to require one·fourth the wood commonly consumed for the like pur- poses. The upper part is occupied as a store-room for tobacco. The house on the west contains the tobacco manufactory ; on the lower floor of which are nine complete presses, and a room where the tobacco is formed into rolls, in a manner never before discovered, without either pins or thorns-of which invention the merit is solely due to the manu- facturer. On the second floor the spinning is done, where 24 hands are constantly employed in the various parts of the business. There is a machine by which one boy can turn for five or six tables, and can stop either, when occasion requires, without interrupting the rest. This last improvement has been often attempted in Europe and America, but has never before been brought to the perfection it is here.
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A Tobacco Establishment of 1790.
" The water is conveyed to the mills by a french, and from thence passes off by a subterraneous conduit, over which is the main road ; and the water- wheel is so sheltered that neither can be perceived from the inside or outside of the mill. Besides these buildings, there is an ele- gant and commodious dwelling. house and several out-houses belonging to the manufactory, all disposed in such a manner as to make a beauti- ful appearance. They are situated about one mile from the centre of the city, and 400 yards west from the mansion house of Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq., at the entrance of the delightful valley, through which a never failing stream passes, that turns a number of other mills within sight of each other.
" Mr. Christopher Batterman,* a young man, a native of Boston, is the architect, to whose ingenuity the plan of the works, and the various improvements in the execution are to be ascribed-as he was solely en- trusted by Mr. Caldwell with the construction of them, He intends to make Albany his residence. The snuff mill is in such high perfection, that by going only nine months in the year, more snuff can be produced, it is said, than is consumed annually in the northern part of America. We may add, without prejudice or vanity, that these works are supe- rior to any thing of the kind in America ; and give evidence of an emu- lation which will in a few years, in all probability, place Albany on a footing with the first cities on the continent."
July 12, 1794 .- " The extensive and beautiful works, belonging to Mr. Caldwell. situated about a mile north of this city, were entirely consumed by fire, together with between five and six thousand pounds worth of stock. The whole loss is estimated at upwards of £13,000. The fire broke out between the hours of one and two in the morning of Saturday, in the chocolate mill, but by what means il caught, no one is able to determine. Nothing was saved of all that range, but one small kitchen."
These works were soon rebuilt.
* He is believed to have been the ancestor of the Battermans residing in Guilder- land; having removed to the glass-works after this establishment was completed, where he resided during his life, and left a large and valuable estate.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
ANNALS OF ALBANY FOR THE YEAR 1849.
JANUARY.
1. Newyear; weather pleasant, and sleighing good. ...... Hon. Ha- milton Fish and George W. Patterson, Governor and Lieut Governor elect, inaugurated at the Capitol. ...... Michael Mckown died of a wound inflicted by William Maxsted, Dec. 9th. ...... Total commit- wents to the penitentiary for the year ending December last, 363 ; to the jail, 1961.
2. Cold day ; mercury 2º above zero. An alarm of fire in the evening : an unfinished building slightly damaged ....... The Governor's message, by means of the magnetic telegraph, was promulgated at the western and southern extremities of the state simultaneously with its being read in the Capitol.
4. A convention of civil engineers met at the common council room in the City Hall, to discuss a proposition for forming themselves into a society ....... The refectory of Adams & Welch entered by burglars.
5. Dr. Wing gave notice in the Assembly of a bill for the removal of the Hallenbeck burial ground, corner of S. Pearl and Hamilton streets. . Benedict Lewis died, aged 66. John Paterson died, aged 76.
6. Peter Courtright died, aged 34 ... .... Mercury in the thermometer sinking rapidly.
7. Warner Daniels junior, formerly of this city, died in New York, aged 31. Mrs. Euphemia, wife of William Chambers, died, aged 31. Mrs. Philo D. Lyon died ....... Rev. Orville Dewey, D.D., having ac- cepted an invitation to preach for the Unitarian Society one year, entered upon the duties of his office .. ..... Weather very cold, the mercury little above zero Fahrenheit's scale.
8. Ice on the river one foot in thickness: By means of a temporary bridge on to it at the foot of State street, an uninterrupted and safe communication is formed with East Albany.
9. Willian Bradley Cole, a printer, from Albany, died at Nassau, Bahama Islands, aged 27 ....... Nineteen paintings and sixteen Allston and Stewart medals, prizes allotted to the Albany members of the American Art Union, arrived, and were exhibited at Little & Co.'s Bookstore ....... Alderman Jenkins reported the following schedule of the state of the City Railroad Sinking Fund, viz : Amount of sinking fund, Jan. 1, 1849, $231,597.38. Loaned on bonds and mortgages on property in the city, $209,617.00; city stock, $20,000.00; cash in bank, $1980.38.
10. The corporation directed application to be made to the legislature for a law to designate the place of landing and departure of steamboats. .. Dr. Fay, the almshouse physician, reported, that during the last three months, 183 inmates required medical treatment, 122 of whom were cured, 15 died, and 46 are still under treatment .... . Receipts of the Albany & Boston Railroad Company over those of last year. $6000.
11. Aggregate valuation of the real estate in the city, $8,209,957.00 ; personal, $2,729,881.00; total, $10,939,838.00. Amount of taxes as.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
sessed for city purposes, $172,079.34; for county purposes, $71,463.10 ; total, $243,542.44. Incorporated companies pay taxes on $2,004,634.86 ; private individuals, $725,246.98 ; total, $2,729,881.84 ....... Meeting of the Society for the relief of the poor, held in the Middle Dutch Church. .. Amount of profits received at St. Vincent's Orphan Fair, held by .
the Sisters of Charity, $3144.64. The coldest day yet ; mercury ranging from 8 to 12º below zero. Dorothea, wife of Capt. James Wilson, died, aged 35.
12. Amos Pilsbury reappointed superintendent of the Penitentiary for three years; and William W. Forsyth and Samuel Pruyn of the city, and Gilbert J. Van Zandt of Watervliet, chosen directors for the same term. . The death of Rev. Noah Levings, D.D., former pastor of the M. E. C. in Division street, was announced by telegraph. ...... The store of H. D. Hawkins in Exchange street, and Griffin's eating house in Green street, were entered by burglars.
13. Louisa, wife of W. W. Van Zandt, and daughter of W. Dowd, died, aged 27 .. .. .... The Albany California Company left New York in the ship Tarolinta ....... Telegraph not in operation ....... The gun- smith shop of W. I. & R. H. Scott, in Beaver street, was partially injured by fire.
14. Sarah E. Ford died, aged 25 .. . . Change of weather, resulting in a January thaw ....... William Hill, a newsboy, fell through the ice, but was rescued alive.
15. Hon. D. D. Barnard delivered an address in the court room at the City Hall, on the Life and Character of the late Chief Justice Ambrose Spencer. . 'The weather moist throughout the day, and rain at in- tervals.
16. The streets and sidewalks covered by a thick coating of ice.
17. Cynthia, wife of Brunson A. Baldwin, died, aged 25,. ..... Prof. Emmons delivered an address on Agricultural Science, in the assembly chamber, before the State Agricultural Society. . . John B. Gough lectured before the State Temperance Convention .. . Patrick Coyle, Michael Flood and Peter Halpen were killed by gas escaping from a pipe which they were repairing. Coyle was injured by the rope with which he was lowering himself with intent to relieve the other two.
18. Fire among the wooden tenements on Quay, between Steuben and Columbia streets; several of them burned ....... Richard Mochrie, an old inhabitant of the city, found dead in his bed ....... Concert for the benefit of the Mission Sabbath School, held in Dr. Campbell's Church, Pearl street.
19. Nathaniel R. Packard died, aged 64 ... ... A fire broke out in the block known as the Lumbermen's Exchange, at the Little Basin, and consumed a part of it.
20. James McGrath junior died, aged 28.
21. Trinity Church, in Broad street, opened for divine service.
22. Christian Mary St. John died, aged 33 ....... Alarm of fire caused by the burning of a small frame building near Troy Iron works.
23. Frederick Fink, a well known artist of this city, died at his fa- ther's residence at Littlefalls. Lewis Farnham died, aged 23. ...... Commencement of the Albany Medical College held : number of students about 100, of whom 20 graduated, receiving the degree of M. D. Va. ledictory address by Dr. Armsby.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
24. James McCulloch died. Lawrence Courtright died, aged 38. .... Six large buildings on the south side of Washington street, occupied as dwellings and storehouses, were burnt.
25. Hardware store of Daniel Fry entered by burglars, who obtained about one dollar in silver for their labor ....... Rev. Dr. Halley, of Troy, delivered a lecture on the " Probability of the planetary and stellar orbs being inhabited," before the Young Men's Association, in the First Presbyterian Church .. ... Mrs. Elizabeth Blake died, aged 24. George Mckenzie died, aged 62 ....... Passengers by the Housatonic route, who left New York at 8 A. M., arrived in the city at 5 P. M.
26. Weather quite mild for the season ....... Mrs. Barbara Hamburgh died, aged 45. Elizabeth McHarg, sister of the late John P. McHarg, died at Bethlehem, aged 76. John C. Ostrander, formerly of Albany, died at Boonville, Missouri, aged 45.
27. William Osborn arrested on a charge of setting fire to a building in Washington street : subsequently convicted.
28. Wells S. Hammond, esquire, of Cherry Valley, son of Hon. Jabez D. Hammond, died suddenly at Stanwix Hall in this city.
30. An alarm of fire occasioned by the bursting of a camphene lamp, corner of South Pearl and Nucella streets.
31. Catherine O'Connor died. Child of Mrs. David Groesbeck died in consequence of falling into hot water.
FEBRUARY, 1849.
1. Catharine, wife of Conrad Van Alen, died ....... Caucus was held in the assembly chamber at the Capitol : nominated Hon. William H- Seward for U. S. senator, in the place of Hon. John A. Dix.
2. James Sayles's porter-house. in William street, was entered by burglars .. ..... William Rennie drowned.
4. Jason Rudes died, aged 74. Prudence, wife of James Kelly, died.
5. Cornelius Lynch died, aged 35.
6. Ship Robert Bowne sailed from New York for California, with twenty miners from Albany on board ....... The New York State Medi- cal Society met in the Capitol. A. H. Stevens, M. D., of N. York, was reelected president ; and nearly all the other officers, also, were re- Elected ....... Christopher Keeler died, aged 83.
7. Sale of the medical library of the late Dr. Eights.
8. Election of officers of the Young Men's Association for the ensuing year.
9. Isaac Ward, father of J. C. Ward, died.
10. The store of Philip Dunn, in State street, was robbed of about $140 : the robbers escaped.
12. Amos S. Fassett, late of this city, died at Vienna, Oneida county. The house of Henry Switzer, 87 Herkimer street, was entered ind robbed of several articles of ladies' wearing apparel, &c.
13. The Governor announced to the Legislature the donation of the ate Pope Gregory to the State Library, through M. Vattemare and Bishop Hughes, in return for a copy of the Natural History of the State ransmitted to him. The donation includes engravings, &c., executed y the best masters.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
14. At the suggestion of the Secretary of State, the Legislature took some incipient steps for the publication of the documents illustrative of the early history of the State, collected in England, France and Holland, in 1839. , .. ... The winter exhibition of the Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural Society was held at the State Agricultural Rooms, State street.
15. Francis Fiske died ....... A pair of oxen from Wyoming county, weighing nearly 5000 pounds, were exhibited and purchased by Mr. D. D. Shaw.
16. Thermometer, at 51 A. M., at 11º below zero .... . Mrs. Frances Maria, wife of Mr. James R. Whyte, died, aged 53.
18. John Topp died, aged 49. William Kane died, aged 75.
19. Mrs. Sally White died, aged 58. . .. Mr. C. Leach, of Eaton, Madison county, sold, at Warford's cattle exchange, three oxen for Brighton market, weighing over 2200 lbs. each, at $9 per hundred ..... Dry goods store of Henry T. Mesick, 68 Washington street, was broken open, and goods to the value of $300 stolen.
20. Jellis Winne junior, cashier of the Bank of Albany, resigned his office on account of ill health.
21. Nathaniel Tarbell, aged about 37, was killed on the Troy road, near the city, by the upsetting of the stage coach of which he was driver.
22. Washington's birthday celebrated. Members of the Legislature, and several Albanians, partook of an annual dinner at Troy .. ..... Mrs. Ann Lydiott died.
23. Mrs. James Teelin of 37 Washington street, with two others, was assaulted in the street, and robbed of a purse containing a small sum of money.
24. Four inches of snow fell during the night ... . Mr. Jennings, in Green street, exhibited a hog weighing 949 lbs. dressed.
25. The house near the Railroad Depot, known as Duff's Broadway House, was totally destroyed by fire, the inmates barely escaping. A neighboring house or two was injured.
27. Streets covered with ice and remnants of snow heaps : walking bad ....... House of Mr. Traver, in Lodge street, robbed of a large quantity of wearing apparel and some silver plate. . ..... Thomas Lig- gins, confined for grand larceny, made an unsuccessful attempt to break jail.
28. The ladies of the Universalist Society held a tea party, for the benefit of the funds of their church.
MARCH, 1849.
1. Dr. Pierce, of Brookline, Mass., the oldest graduate of Harvard College, delivered a discourse in the First Presbyterian Church, on the life and character of John Quincy Adams. ...... David Schwartz died, aged 73.
2. A valnable silver watch, with 15 or $20 in money, was stolen from the house 67 Van Woert street.
3. C. P. Williams & Co's lumber office, a large quanty of lumber, and several valuable houses adjoining, were destroyed by fire. ...... Mrs. Leslie, corner of Lumber and Water streets, was safely delivered of four children, since dead.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
4. Betsey, wife of Samuel Steele, died, aged 60. Mrs. Catharine Hart died, aged 37. Catherine, wife of Adam Stewart, died, aged 30.
5. Inaugural address of President Taylor received by telegraph. .... The directors of the Albany Savings Bank reported $707,595.62 as the amount of its deposits. most of which is in sums less than $100 ..
Ann Alida, wife of Col. De Russy, died at Fortress Munroe, after a short illness, aged about 40. This lovely woman, says a correspondent of the Evening Post, was the daughter of Isaac Denniston, esquire, of Albany, and as amiable as she was lovely. No one acquainted with the society of that city about twenty years since, can have forgotten how much this lady was admired ; nor how, with two other ladies, connections of her family, equally beautiful, though of differing styles of beauty, she was a grace that attracted universal homage. It was not often that so much personal elegance could be found in such close affinity. With a refined taste, a love of letters, and a more than ordinary talent, this lady was the " cynosure of every eye." And now that she has passed away from the friends who loved her, and the circle she adorned, we call to mind, with the deepest emotion, those virtues, talents and attractions, which made the morning of life so brilliant ; which drew around her in after years the most devoted friends, and now enshrine her memory in hearts where her living image was ever present.
7. Ice in the river said to be yet nearly three feet in thickness .. . . A. J. Winters, a grocer from Albany, was killed in attempting to get into the cars at Rome, Oneida county.
9. Jacob Featherly died, aged 25. Hannah, wife of Stephen Parsons, died at New-Baltimore, agel 90.
11. James H. Crane died.
12. Christina, wife of Oliver H. Perry, died, aged 28. George H. Scrafford died, aged 37. Thomas Dutson died, aged 63. . ... A canal was cut through the ice to East Albany, for the use of the Boston and Albany ferry boat.
13. Mrs. Sylvester Topping died .. ..... Weather quite spring-like ... À baker's sleigh, with two men and other loading, fell through the ice : recovered.
14. Mrs. N. S. Washburn died. Mrs. Margaret Rankin, wife of John Ogden Dey, formerly from Albany, died at Oakwood farm near Cayuga Bridge, aged 47. A canal cut through the ice, for the use of the Bath ferry boat.
16. Curtis Ware, aged 37, died.
17. Steamer Columbia, Capt. Hulse, arrived about 11 P. M., making her way through the ice ; the first boat since the closing of the river in December ....... High Mass said in St. Mary's Church, in honor of St. Patrick's anniversary. ... Mrs. Mary Ann McGarvey died, aged 45. 19. Steamer Columbia left, heavily laden with passengers and freight . Peter McKenna died, aged 80.
20. James Branion died of consumption, aged 17. Mrs. Ann Groot died in her 60th year.
21. The ice from the Mohawk floated past the city. ... .. Steamer Oregon came to the new landing place ; her first trip since the closing of navigation ....... Sloop Miriam of Albany, Capt. Johnson (a colored man), arrived from New York in 17 hours. ...... Miss N. C. Brainard died. Grace, wife of William Kennedy, died.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
22. Steamer Baltic, of Schuyler & Co.'s line, with the Trojan, be- longing to Durant, Lathrop & Co., each with several boats in tow, left for New York. .. .. Steamer Isaac Newton arrived, the second boat through ....... The Evening Journal entered its twentieth year ....... Washington Hunt inaugurated as Comptroller.
23. Martin Van Alstyne, for many years a successful hardware mer- chant in the city, died, aged 65 ....... At the meeting held at the City Hall, to take into consideration the frauds of the Canal Bank, Teunis Van Vechten was chairman.
24. John I. Burton, aged 24, died. Michael Daley was found dead in the street, having, in a fit of delirium, sprung from the second story window of his house.
25. A wall in Liberty street, standing since the late fire, was blown down, damaging several adjoining buildings. .. . Deborah, wife of John Burton, died, aged 66.
26. A bill to establish a hospital in Albany passed the lower house : question still pending in the Senate ....... At the request of the super- visors, the Legislature has recently abolished ward assessors, and sub- stituted a board of three individuals. ...... Mr. John Hermans died in the 29th year of his age. John Van Ness junior died.
27. Mary Bard, wife of R. S. Warren, died, aged 32. Mr. Saxton lectured on California in the Assembly Chamber.
28. Jonathan Kidney, a soldier of the revolution, and one of the oldest inhabitants of the city, died. ...... The boats from New York were greatly impeded by a severe wind storm.
29. Rev. Stephen Bush and wife, from this city, as missionaries to Siam, arrived at Batavia, Island of Java, in 98 days.
31. A machine for sewing and stitching was exhibited at the Mansion House. ...... The finance committee of the Common Council reported that the city debt, on the first of May last, was $877,896 00.
APRIL, 1849.
2. James Masters, of Rochester, had his pocket picked at the Western Railroad Depot ....... A barn and stable in Orange street, belonging to. Mr. H. Simons, were burned.
3. Hannah Beekman, widow of Peter Douw Beekman, died, aged 83. . The Canal Board announced a reduction in the rate of tolls on corn, bloom iron, &c ....... A destructive fire occurred, which burned about ten houses on Water and Colonie streets.
4. Henry Williams died, aged 69 ....... The Common Council appro- priated $100 for an alarm bell at the Little Basin ....... Mr. Bokee, of the Senate, reported favorably on the bill for the removal of the Hallen- beck burial ground ... ... The Legislature passed an act in relation to the basin expenses.
5. Mary Ann, wife of Andrew D. Kirk, died ... . About 25 houses in North Lansing and Montgomery streets were destroyed by fire ...... The grand jury came into court with twenty indictments, four sealed ... A prisoner (Bill Barry) made an unsuccessful attempt to break jail .... The ladies of the boatmen who worship at the Bethel presented their pastor, Rev. John Miles, with a rich bedquilt.
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
6. Mary Ann, wife of Alexander Thompson, died, aged 19. . ... Easterbrook, from Albany, attempted to shoot his wife, and after- wards himself, at the Howard- street Hotel, New York ....... An attempt was made to fire the carpenter shop in Montgomery street, opposite the Bethel ....... A woman, name not ascertained, was found dead near the Delaware turnpike : verdict of the jury, intemperance.
7. The city gave the members of the Legislature a complimentary dinner at Congress Hall ...... Samuel Gould, a colored firemnan on board the Iolas, was killed while repairing the waterwheel.
8. The South Baptist Church, corner of Franklin & Herkimer streets, formerly owned by the Trinity Church, was opened for divine service under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr. Wines. .. ... The scholars under the care of Miss Brainard, at Bethel Jacob, the Jewish synagogue in Fulton street, held an exhibition ....... George W. Stanton, president of the Exchange Bank, died, aged 69. Rensselaer Van Schelluyne died, leaving an elder brother the last male descendant of an ancient and wealthy family.
9. The public charity of the city treasury for coal, &c., delivered to the poor, was $3102.87 ; less by $1816.42 than last year ....... Warren Low, at the machine shop of C. Van Benthuysen, was carried up to the ceiling by the belt, and much injured.
10. Edward M. Teall died. Adelaide M., wife of Jason Collier, died. City election, resulting in the choice of the whig candidate for mayor, Friend Humphrey.
12. John R. Black died, aged 78. Eleanor A., wife of Reuben Wil- son, died, aged 21 ....... Several counterfeiters arrested by officer Co- well. Postmaster Wasson, and an agent of the General Post-office identified a young man in Waterford as the robber of the northern mail, who was committed to jail. .... .. House No. 91 Hamilton street was robbed of some wearing apparel .. .. An alarm of fire, caused by a large conflagration at Troy ....... Two horses before a brick wagon near the South Ferry backed off the dock, and were drowned : the driver nearly shared the same fate. ... .. The committee of the Assembly, having in charge the case of Judge Harris with the Canal Bank, exo- nerated him of any blame.
13. Rachel, widow of the late David P. Winne, died. ...... A span of horses, belonging to John McEvoy, were killed at Cherry Hill by the caving in of the bank which was being excavated.
15. The carpenter shop of Nathaniel Merrill, in Eagle street, with the house adjoining, was burned down supposed by an incendiary ..... Alfred Dorr died, aged 43 Mrs. Rachel Douw Van Schelluyne died.
16. Law establishing a court of special sessions went into operation.
17. The new Common Council met : the mayor was sworn in, and the appointments made nearly as last year. ...... Catherine, wife of William Francis, found dead in her bed.
18. Uriah St. John died, aged 21. Catherine, wife of James Riley, died, aged 34. Catherine Nichols died.
19. Barent Haynn died, aged 68 ....... A female infant, wrapped in warm flannels, was found at the door of one of the legal gentlemen, Capitol Park.
20. S. S. Randall, formerly deputy state superintendent, of common schools, returned to the city from Virginia. ...... A meeting was held
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Annals of Albany, 1849.
to organize the Albany and Schoharie Plank Road Company, Teunis Van Vechten in the chair .. . . . .. - Hannegan died.
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