USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. II. Second Edition > Part 29
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15. The Mohawk ice passed down the river this morn- ing ...... The rains and warm weather caused the snow in the surrounding country to melt so rapidly, that the river, which had been very low, was again over the docks in cer- tain places.
16. The snow which fell through the whole of. the pre- ceding day, melting as it reached the earth, congealed dur- ing the night, producing just ice and snow enough on the sidewalks to enable the boys who were out early to have their last ride down hill ...... The steam boats Hendrik Hudson and Manhattan reduced the fare to New York to 50cts., and the Buffalo to 25cts., in opposition to the rail road line ...... Mrs. Mary M. Hubbard, wife of H. L. Hub- bard, died ...... Richard Barhydt died, aged 61 ...... The rear wall of Messrs. Durant & Lathrop's grain store, corner of Steuben street and the dock, fell during the night, casting 1000 bushels of oats into the yard.
20. Considerable ice formed in the river during the night, which was a very cold one, and large quantities of ice floated past the city during the day ...... A meeting of the city capitalists to receive a delegation from Vermont at the Capitol to deliberate upon measures for the construction of a rail road communication from Albany to Bennington ...... Foot race at the Bull's Head between Steeprock, Sharp Shooter and Doctor. Steeprock won the race: one mile in 5m. 312s.
21. Horace Randall died, aged 56.
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22. Ann Eliza Fitzpatrick died, aged 17 ...... A new bell, weighing 2058 pounds, was hoisted into the steeple of the old brick church, corner of South Pearl and Beaver streets, recently vacated by the First Presbyterian society, and now undergoing repairs for a society of Congregationalists.
23. Snowed all day.
24. Sophia, wife of George C. Gaynor, died.
25. Calvin Pepper died, aged 67.
26. Selleck Whitney, formerly of Albany, died in New York, aged 70.
30. Patrick Grady died, aged 35."
31. Helen, wife of Amos Dodge, died, aged 45. John C. Wait died, aged 32 ...... During this month 126 persons had required medical aid at the almshouse, of whom 13 had died and 20 remained under treatment.
APRIL 2. The convention of democrats nominated Eli Perry for mayor.
3. Eliza Osborn died, aged 21.
4. Convention of whigs nominated Franklin Townsend for mayor.
5. Great freshet ; the water overflowed the dock and pier.
8. Snow upon all the surrounding hills, rendering the at- mosphere cold and piercing ...... Charter election : Franklin · Townsend elected mayor ...... Mrs. Catherine, widow of the late Isaac A. Quackenboss, and daughter of the late Gerrit Bancker, of Normanskill, died at Erie, Pa., aged 96.
9. Hester, widow of Benjamin Van Zandt, died, aged 73. Rebecca Jane, wife of Jacob Messenger, died.
11. Mrs. Ann Patton died, aged 69. Mrs. Prudence Halsted died, aged 70. Sidney Wells died in California.
12. Caroline, wife of Wm. H. Rice, died, aged 33. D. E. Hawley died, aged 40.
13. Snow during great part of the day ...... An attempt was made to fire the old Payn tavern in Broadway. ... David Redden died, aged 60.
14. William S. Relay died, aged 49. Lydia Ann, wife of L. D. Ayery, and daughter of the late Jacob I. Cuyler, of Albany, died at Aurora, N.Y., aged 48.
16. Sarah Matilda Carson, daughter of the late Isaac Mc- Murdy, died in New York, aged 25.
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19. Mary, wife of Oscar C. Betson, died, aged 32.
21. Jubal T. Russell died, aged 40.
22. The O'Reilly telegraph posts were erected throughout the city. surmounted by gilded eagles ...... Opening of the canal.
23. Mrs. M. Catherine, wife of H. E. McAllister, died, aged 23.
24. John Humphrey died, aged 62.
25. The Albany, Bennington and Rutland Rail Road Company was organized under the general rail road law, and the first meeting of the stockholders held. The follow- ing were elected directors ; Erastus Corning, James Edwards, William W. Forsyth, John Tayler Cooper, Marcus T. Reynolds, Samuel Pruyn, James A. Wilson, John B. James, Franklin Townsend, Charles Van Benthuysen, Wm V. Many, John L. Schoolcraft, James Kidd ...... Barent van Everen died, aged 80.
26. Michael Keaty engaged with two others in digging a drain in Lumber street, was killed by the caving of the earth ...... Mrs. Sarah Peters Munn, wife of Stephen B. Munn, died, aged 72.
28. Rev. M. Van Waggoner preached his valedictory at the Universalist church ...... Lydia, wife of Eli Perry, died.
29. The water over the pier and still rising ; day rainy, with lightning ; cleared off cool in the evening ...... Fire in Blunt's Building ; damage small.
30. Water still rising in the river; a great quantity of logs and lumber floated past the city ....... Meeting of the directors of the Albany and Rutland Rail Road Company ; Marcus T. Reynolds, president ; James Edwards, treasurer ; Albert D. Robinson, secretary ... ... Mrs. Maria Miller, widow of the late Christian Miller, died, aged 87.
31. Ann Schuyler, relict of the late Matthew Goslee, formerly of Albany, died, aged 86.
MAY 1. Meeting of water commissioners, who appointed William J. McAlpine to examine the various projects for sup- plying the city with water and to superintend the con- struction of the work ........ Jane M. Keogh died, aged 19.
3. Mrs. Catherine Fryer, widow of the late Isaac Fryer, died, aged 85.
Annals, ii.
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Chronicle of Events in Albany. [1850.
6. Meeting at the Capitol to discuss the practice of flogging in the navy at which Dr. B. P. Staats presided. . A line of omnibusses commenced running from the north to the south ferry, through Broadway-an experiment that had been made before and abandoned .. ..... The following per- sons were elected managers of the Orphan Asylum for the ensuing year ; William James, John Q. Wilson, Marcus T. Reynolds, James D. Wasson, Lawson Annesley, James Dex- ter, Eli Perry, Ichabod L. Judson, William Thorburn, John F. Rathbone, Daniel Campbell.
7. John Lawyer, a cab driver, drowned in attempting to board the South America on her arrival. .The first boat through from Buffalo arrived with 660 barrels of flour. . The docks submerged by another freshet.
8. Annual election of the Schoharie and Albany Plank Road Association; the following persons were chosen direc- tors for the ensuing year : James Kidd, S. S. Peck, Rich- ard J. Grant, Albany ; Jacob Vrooman, Samuel B. Ste- phens, Ralph Brewster, Schoharie; Benjamin Lee, Knox ; Jonathan D. Wood Wright; George C. Batterman, Guil- derland. James A. Tremere, Albany ; Henry Slack, Guil- derland; and H. Warner, Wright, inspectors- of election. James Kidd was reelected president, Ralph Brewster, secretary, and John G. Gebhard, jr., treasurer.
10. Barent W. Esmay died.
11. William Radley died, aged 50.
12. At 5 o'clock, P. M., the ceremonies of laying the corner-stone of the new German Catholic Church, to be erected on the corner of Hamilton and Philip streets, were performed in the presence of a crowd of upwards of 3,000 persons. The stone was laid by the Rt. Rev. Bishop M.cClosky, of the Roman Catholic diocese of Western New York, and the usual ceremonies of the church per- formed by him, aided by six priests, and the same number of attendant pages, clothed in white surtouts. The bishop wore a magnificent dress, his splendid mitre, and a gold cross set in diamonds, and delivered a short discourse. He was followed by the pastor of the German Catholics in this city, in a brief address or sermon. That portion of the com- munity is fast increasing in Albany, and the old church in which they worshiped, was ill adapted to their wants. The
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new one is to be a handsome, substantial edifice and an or- nament to the city .- Knickerbocker ...... Sarah McDonald of Albany, died at Aiken, S. C.
14. Samuel S. Fowler died, aged 51. Mr. Fowler was long a resident of this city, where in early life, by his in- dustry and integrity, he acquired a competent estate ; and- although his residence for several years past has been on the other side of the river, his business relations with the city have been unchanged, and he remained up to the time of his decease an active director and the vice presi- dent of the Mechanics and Farmers' Bank.
15. Peter J. Martin died, aged 19.
17. Cyrus S. McCammon died, aged 27.
19. Sarah K., wife of William Wendell, died.
20. The weather continued cold and wet ; fires being still necessary, and snow upon the hills north and east.
21. At a meeting of the Whig General Committee, the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year : S. H. H. Parsons, chairman ; Joseph Davis, 1st vice, and Geo. M. Sayles, 2d vice chairman; James Kidd, treasurer ; L. D. Holstein and George C. Lee, secretaries ..... .Mary Ann Walker died in Brooklyn.
22. The Albany City Savings Institution, chartered by the last legislature, was open daily to receive deposits, and on Wednesday evenings for females ; the following are the officers of the institution : Erastus Corning, president ; John Taylor, 1st vice president ; James Maher, 2d vice president ; Watts Sherman, John T. Norton,. John Knower, Henry H. Martin, Lansing Pruyn, James Goold, Samuel White, J. V. L. Pruyn, Ellis Baker, C. W. Bender, William Humphrey, James Kidd, Thomas Noonan, John McKnight, trustees ; Watts Sherman, treasurer ...... The old Albany Savings Bank was also open daily for depositors, under the following officers : John Townsend, president ; Teunis Van Vechten, 1st vice president ; Samuel Stevens, 2d vice president ; William Newton, William McHarg, James Taylor, Rufus H. King, Jacob H. Ten Eyck, Gerrit Y. Lansing, Frederick I. Bar- nard, Benjamin Tibbitts, James Stevenson, William E. Bleecker, Robert H. Pruyn, Harmon Pumpelly, James D. Wasson, Friend Humphrey, trustees; James Taylor, trea- surer ; Robert H. Pruyn, secretary.
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27. The body of John L. Lawyer, drowned two weeks pre- viously, was found below the city .... .Lawrence Dempsey died, aged 52.
29. Joseph Dibble died, aged 55.
30. Maria J. Hoyt died, aged 87.
31. Twenty-two days of rain during the month.
JUNE 1. Rain. At a meeting of the journeymen printers of the city at Clinton Hotel, the following were elected offi- cers of the Printers' Union for the six months next ensuing ; Giles. K. Winne, president ; John S. Nafew, vice president ; A. F. Chatfield, rec. sec. ; R. F. Johnstone, cor. sec .; D. Farling, treasurer ...... There had occurred in the eighth ward 158 deaths within the year ending this day, according to the census report.
2. Rain ...... Anthony Charbonnon died, aged 36.
3. Rain.
5. Dinner given by the printers to the Hon. Edward Gil- bert, of California, who was a journeyman printer in Albany before the Mexican war.
6. The Caledonian Fusileers arrived from New York as the guests of the Albany Emmet Guards, by whom they were escorted to their quarters at Stanwix Hall ...... Julius R. Ames died, aged 49.
12. The steam boat Kosciusko left the pier for New York, fare 64 cents.
15. The following were elected directors of the Water- vliet Turnpike Company : John Townsend, John Knicker- backer, James D. Wasson, Nathan Dauchy, Edward Learned, Charles B. Lansing, Thomas Hillhouse, Stephen Van Rens- selaer and D. T. Vail.
16. James B. Tyler died, aged 37.
17. John B. Robinson died, aged 21. Maria Louisa, wife of Dr. David Springstead, died.
18. Robert Atkins died, aged 52.
21. Caroline Matilda, wife of Egbert W. Barnum, and daughter of Lewis Benedict, died. Isaac Turner died, aged 50.
22. The amount of down freight on the Albany and Sche- nectady Rail Road from the 1st June to 22d, 1849, was 1,045,554 lbs ; same time 1850, was 3,350,219 lbs ; Excess in June, 1850, 2,304,665 lbs; equal to about 225 per cent.
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One-half of the above increase is owing to the great number of cattle passing over the road toward Boston. This is a new and valuable feature in the business of the roads, and has been the result of the repeal of the tolls on live stock passing over the roads parallel to the canal. The first class passengers for the last few days, exceed those of the same time last June by 2,500.
23. John Capron died, aged 59.
24. William Champlin, of Albany, was drowned in Scho- harie creek, while bathing.
25. O'Reilly line of telegraph connected with New York.
26. The Horticultural exhibition at the Geological rooms was a rare display of the products of the season, among which were more than fifty varieties of stawberries.
28. Jane Ellen D. Mckown, wife of John C. Campbell, died.
29. The Albany and Schenectady Rail Road negotiated to-day their seven per cent convertible ten year bonds at par to an amount sufficient to fund the entire amount of their floating debt. The takers of these bonds were the leading stockholders of this road in Albany and New York, and they were taken for permanent investment. The road had now none but a funded debt, and the entire net earnings of the road were thereafter to be divided among the stock- holders after reserving a sinking fund of not less than one per cent or $10,000 a year. The prospects of this road were now more favorable than at any time since it was built. The track and equipage were in first rate order, and the in- ventory larger than at any previous time. The receipts for June exhibited a large excess over June of last year. Mrs Margaret McIntosh died, aged 74. Owen Mead, aged 35, was drowned while bathing in the Island creek. Mary Bruce, daughter of Thomas Hillson, died, aged 47.
JULY 1. Mrs Susan Foster died, aged 88. Mrs Mary Curran died, aged 63.
3. Mrs. Phobe Beardsley died, aged 77. William S. McGowan died, aged 52.
4. INDEPENDENCE ; celebrated by the usual processions and ceremonies ; oration by William Barnes ; reading De- claration of Independence by Walter R. Bush. The Young
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Men's Association held their usual celebration in the after- noon ; the Declaration was read by John N. Cutler ; an ori- . ginal poem was read by H. S. McCall; and an oration by Isaac Edwards ..... . James Meads died, aged 29.
5. The city was visited at night, by a storm of thunder, lightning and rain, the like of which had not been witnessed in this city for thirty years; and which, in this latitude, is a rare phenomenon. It had all the characteristics of a tropical storm, or rather, succession of storms, for it was pro- longed from seven o'clock in the evening until after midnight. The city seemed to be the centre of some extraordinary perturbation of the elements ; and the whole dome of the sky was kept illuminated with the sheet lightning with but momentary intermissions of darkness, between the flashes. Thunder and violent rain accompanied the manifestation. The electricity seemed to pervade the whole atmosphere, and to surround every object. After about two hours, a new storm from the west was attracted hither, to intermingle in the elemental strife, and sharp, forked lightning, rattling thunder, and bolts that appeared to strike, added additional grandeur and terror to the scene. From time to time, a new phase in the storm showed that its wasting energies were recruited by new arrivals of clouds, attracted to the vortex which the atmospheric commotion and the altered temperature produced. The rain fell in torrents and the streets in all parts of the city werc inundated, and in many places the pavements torn up and much damage done to cel- lars. A house or barn on the opposite side of the river was struck and fired, and the blaze could be seen from the city. The schooner Rockaway, lying at the pier at the foot of Columbia street, loading with lumber, was struck by the lightning, which descended the forward mast, winding around it in its descent, shivering it to pieces, tearing the sails, &c. The crew were in the cabin and escaped unin- jured. The sloop J. K. Polk, lying in the upper part of the basin, and one or two other vessels were also struck, but no material injury was done. The day had been extremely warm and close. Much injury was done to the Rural Cemetery, the roads being broken, and the embaukments destroyed, and large trees torn down by the storm .- Express.
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6. High water in the river caused by the heavy rains of the preceding night.
7. A rail road train left for the west at night, with two days mails, there having been no communication with the west since Friday night, on account of the damage by the storm.
8. The corner-stone of Grace Church, a new house of worship to be erected on the corner of Washington and Lark streets, was laid by Bishop Whittingham, assisted by Rev. Drs. Potter and Kip of this city, and Rev. Mr. Bostwick of Fort Edward.
10. Splendid exhibition of the Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural Society at the Geological Rooms ..... .. Intelli- gence of the death of General Taylor, president of the United States, reached Albany ........ James Noonan died, aged 19. Mrs. Mary Reynolds died, aged 60.
11. Edward B. Colburn died, aged 48.
12. Francis N. Selkirk died, aged 44.
14. Business suspended in the morning and the stores hung in mourning in honor of the funeral of President Taylor at Washington.
15. Margaret C., wife of John B. Stonehouse, died, aged 32. Henry Salisbury died, aged 68.
16. Jacob Griffin, Jr., aged 30, was drowned by the up- setting of a sail boat.
17. Funeral procession in honor of the late President of the United States, Zachary Taylor. It was one of the most imposing that had ever been witnessed in the city. George Benton drowned, aged 18.
18. Francis Kant was drowned.
19. Great rain storm A man drowned at the Co- lumbia street bridge.
20. High water for sixth time this season ; the pier and docks submerged ...... Mrs. Elizabeth Russell died, aged 65. Timothy Spiers died, aged 62.
21. The flood which had begun to inundate the docks on Friday, reached its greatest height about 9 o'clock in the morning, when it was higher than had been known for several years, and the current of the river running at the rate of seven miles an hour. The docks were submerged several feet, and the gardens on the island below the city
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were from three to five feet below the surface of the water, and the crops totally destroyed .. Richard Merrifield died, aged 67. Mrs. Skerrett died.
22. Mrs. Margaret E. Dempsey, daughter of John C. Feltman, died, aged 27.
23. The children of the Orphan Asylum had an excur- sion to Kinderhook.
26. Exhibition and procession of the District School children of the city, who turned out with their teachers to the number of about 2,500, and held their exercises in the Capitol park ...... Margaret Ann Thornton, of New Hamp- shire, was found dead in her bed at the Delavan House, from the use of chloroform.
28. John Griffin died, aged 64.
30. Mrs. Fanny Hand died, aged 50.
31. Michael Kennedy drowned, aged 23.
AUGUST 2. A barge laden with 12,000 bushels of corn sunk in the river a short distance below the city ...... Alicia Maria, wife of Thomas J. Tuite, and daughter of John Cos- tigan, died at Cincinnati, aged 26.
3. John Clark died, aged 74.
4. Peter Hughes was drowned at the Steam boat landing. Thomas Van Heynigen died, aged 24.
5. The Republican Artillery left the city in two barges with excellent music and other arrangements for a pleasure excursion to Hudson ...... The Burgesses Corps took the Rip Van Winkle in the evening for New York, on their annual excursion ...... Election of officers of Mechanics' Benefit Society ; William A. Carr, president ; John Vos- burg, Ist vice president; Oliver Houle, 2d vice president ; James A. Buckbee, treasurer ; R. S. Cushman, secretary ; S. L. Hodgkins, assistant secretary ; J. W. Hinkley, physi- cian. Stewards : 1st ward, H. F. Near; 2d ward, Michael Delehanty ; 3d ward, John Byrnes ; 4th ward, Paul Cush- man ; 5th ward, William A. Rice ; 6th ward, Daniel Boyle ; 7th ward, J. W. Parsons; 8th ward, Alexander Sickles; 9th ward, E .. C. Batcheldor ; 10th ward, J. H. Waggoner.
6. By the books of the deputy marshal, the census of the eighth ward just completed, was 6126, being an increase of
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1300 in five years. There were 1155 families in the ward, and 718 houses ...... Mrs. Edward Pacy died, aged 54.
. 7. Excursion of the. Universalist Church sabbath school by steam boat to Beeren island. The steam boat American Eagle and two barges were freighted with a greater number of people than were ever before known to embark upon a similar expedition from this city.
8. Francis McLelland, owner and master of a canal boat, drowned by an accidental fall into the river ...... Frederick Platto, formerly of Albany, died at Sullivan, Madison county, aged 55.
9. Mrs. Margaret Bergen died.
10. The Burgesses corps returned from their excursion to New York, Providence and Boston, and partook of a sup- per at the refectory of John McCardel, in Beaver street, by his invitation ...... George W. Burk, formerly of Albany, died at Sandusky city, Ohio ...... A frost in the vicinity, which touched lightly some of the city gardens.
11. John F. Stadtler died, aged 33. Volkert Austin died, aged 78.
13. William Hotaling, formerly of Albany, died in West- chester county, aged 40.
14. Mrs. Margaret Finch died, aged 33.
· . 15. The volunteer night watch succeeded in arresting one of the burglars which had infested the city for several weeks, and who were engaged in opening the store of Mr. William Mitchell, in Broadway. The burglar captured was Hugh Johnson. The watchman, James Wilson, was shot in the face. These depredations had been made every night for a month ...... An Englishman named Nichols committed sui- cide by shooting himself through the head with a double barrelled fowling piece ...... Mrs. Ann McHench died.
16. Another of the burglars disturbed the night previous was taken during the day. It was John Finnegan, the one who shot Wilson.
19. Mrs. Margaret M. Helme died, aged 52.
20. William Stevens died, aged 33. Elizabeth Dubois died, aged 82.
22. Mrs. Agnes Johnson died, aged 29.
23. John Hawthorn drowned in the Basin, and the body of a man found, which had the appearance of being several
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days in the water ..... The water commissioners, on behalf of the common council, purchased the Patroon's creek, with I and sufficient for all the purposes contemplated, for $150,- 000. The water leases, which paid an annual rent of about $8,000, but only ran for from three to seven years, were included in the purchase.
24. Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Van Valkenburgh, formerly of Albany, died at Utica.
25. Lucia Marvin, wife of Thomas Olcott, died, aged 25.
27. Upwards of 70,000 baskets of peaches arrived in market from New Jersey, sold at from 12} to 37} cts. James Wilson and Thomas Mead, who were instrumental in arresting the burglar Johnson. on the night of the 15th Aug., received from the citizens a donation of $1,125.
28. Daniel Fry died, aged 42. Abraham Phillips died at Ithaca, aged 23, formerly of Albany.
29. John D. Fisher died.
30. Robert Wallace died, aged 40. John Hodge died, aged 55.
SEPTEMBER . 2. A drenching rain, the like whereof was not remembered ...... The common council determined to light the city with spirit gas, instead of oil as heretofore.
2. The church of the Holy Innocents was consecrated by ' -the Rt. Rev. Bishop Whittingham, according to the ritual of the Episcopal church. Among the officiating clergymen pre- sent, were the Rev. Mr. Reed, rector, Rev. Dr. Potter and Rev. Mr. Davenport, and several others from abroad. The bishop administered the rite of confirmation to some 20 persons ...... Frederika Bremer, the Swedish authoress, ar- rived in the city ...... The river much swollen by the rain of the previous day. At nine o'clock in the evening the water was over the docks, but soon after began to fall.
4. State fair opened at Bull's Head on the Troy road. Abigail Mott of Albany, died at Battle Creek, Mich.
5. The second day of the fair, on which occasion the city was visited by the greatest multitude of strangers it had ever witnessed. The New World brought up 1200 passen- gers. The avenue to the fair grounds was thronged all day with an interminable mass of people moving up and down, enveloped in a cloud of dust so dense as to render it impos-
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sible to discern objects across the road. At seven o'clock a rain storm came up which continued until morning. The number of tickets sold, 40,000. It was estimated that over 6000 vehicles were in attendance upon the fair. ... Hon. D. D. Barnard appointed minister to Berlin.
6. Francis Schadelle died, aged 33.
7. The State fair closed. The net income was $10,465.10, being double that of any two previous fairs of the so- ciety ...... George George died, aged 59.
9. Jane Roessle killed by an accident on the rail road.
10. Joseph R. Pitcher died, aged 23.
12. Fires were required in many houses by reason of the coldness of the weather ...... Catharine E., wife of Isaac Rose, died, aged 24. Sanders Van Rensselaer died, aged 35.
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