USA > New York > Orange County > The history of Orange County, New York > Part 37
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There is also a trolley line owned by the Wallkill Transit Company, which is operated in the city of Middletown and extends from the city. through the town of Wallkill, to the town of Goshen, and thence to the village of Goshen.
An example of the enterprise of the town of Wallkill was manifested when the question of raising money for the construction of the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad came up in 1867. Its citizens, under the wise leadership and guided by the excellent judgment of Senator Henry R. Low, Captain James N. Pronk, Elisha P. Wheeler, William J. Groo, and others, was induced to bond the town for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars and subscribe to the stock of the new road for that amount. The bonds were issued for a period of twenty years, with interest at the rate of seven per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually with a provision that after ten years an annual sinking fund of five per cent. of the total issue of bonds should be raised. Within a few years the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad Company went into the hands of a receiver, and its stock became comparatively worthless. The three- hundred thousand dollars of stock owned by the town was sold for $15,000. When the bonds matured in 1888, William B. Royce. the sole railroad commissioner, had accumulated from the sinking fund, sale of stock, interest and other sources, the sum of $180,000, with which bonds to that amount were paid. To provide for the payment of the balance of
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE
said bonds, amounting to $120,000, the railroad commissioner issued, under authority of law, bonds to that amount, payable in installments, the last of said bonds maturing on April 1, 1907, with interest payable semi-annually, at the rate of three and one-half per cent. per annum. As provided by the bonds, the last installment of principal and interest was paid April 1, 1907, the town and city of Middletown having paid the whole of said principal sum by direct tax, excepting the $15,000 for which the stock was sold. The New York, Ontario & Western Railway Com- pany was organized and took over the property of the old New York & Oswego Midland Railroad Company. As a result of the construction of this road, to which the town of Wallkill and city of Middletown have con- tributed so largely, the railroad shops were located at Middletown, which brought a very large influx to the population of the town and city, and added largely to their taxable value. It also resulted in building the road from Middletown to Cornwall, and the extension of what was known as the Middletown, Unionville and Water Gap Railroad through to New York under the original name of the New Jersey Midland Railroad, which subsequently became the New York. Susquehanna & Western Railroad, thus giving Middletown three direct lines of railroad to New York City, and making northern and western communications, which largely added to its transportation facilities.
HIGHWAYS.
The highways of the town of Wallkill are in fair condition, and are maintained under the money system. The town has a portion of three State roads; one branching off from the Middletown-Bloomingburg plank road, about three miles north of Middletown, and running in a general northerly direction to the town line of Crawford and thence to the village of Pine Bush. Another road starts from the southern corporate limits of the city of Middletown and runs in a southerly direction to the town line of Wawayanda, and thence to the village of Goshen. This road branches off in a southwesterly direction in the town of Wawavanda and extends to Unionville, and by another branch is being extended to Port Jervis. Another State road, known as the Middletown-Cuddebackville road, starts from the northwesterly line of the city of Middletown and runs through the town to the line of the town of Mount Hope, thence
As mills
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through Mount Hope and Deer Park to Cuddebackville. Under existing laws the State roads are in the first instance maintained under direction of and at the expense of the State.
SCHOOLS.
The town of Wallkill has seventeen school districts, in which are main- tained the usual form of district schools under the State law. These are being gradually improved under the efficient system of State supervision, but are not yet at the standard to which they should be raised.
MIDDLETOWN.
The precise time when the first settlement was made in this village is uncertain, though it is believed to have been shortly after the erection of the town. John Green purchased some land of Delancey, a patentee under the crown of Great Britain, and that purchase included land in the southern part of the village and the ground where the First Congre- gational church now stands. Mr. Green donated the iot for the purpose of having a house of worship erected. When the citizens assembled to put up the frame of the old Congregational church, it was concluded that the locality should have a name. "What shall it be? There is Dolsontown on the south, Goshen on the east, Scotchtown on the north, and a locality not defined. on the west, called Shawangunk. We will call it Middle- town, it being the center." In 1829, the name of the village was changed to South Middletown to prevent confusion in the transmission of mai! matter, there being another place styled "Middletown" north of New - burgh, but in 1849 the prefix of "South" was left off.
The Minisink road which passes through the city of Middletown is mentioned by a Mr. Clinton, a surveyor employed by the owner of lot No. 35 of the Minisink Angle. as early as 1742, and the second store in Middletown was started by Isaiah Vail at a place called Monhagen. opposite the white oak bridge on the old Minisink road, near the westerly limits of the present city of Middletown. The first store in Middletown was kept by Abel Woodhull, previous to the place being called Middle- town.
The western portion of Middletown was included in lot No. 36 in the Minisink Angle, owned by Delancey, and as he espoused the Royalist cause his land, except what was sold to Mr. Green before the Revolu-
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
tion, was confiscated by the State of New York. Three appraisers were appointed by the State to put a value on the land, two of whom were Israel Wickham and Henry Wisner. It is stated that an earnest debate occurred on the subject of valuation, whether to call it six shillings or a dollar per acre. Mr. Wickham insisted that it would never be worth a dollar, so it was put down at six shillings an acre. The land confiscated takes in the western portion of the village and present city, and includes the real estate formerly owned by John B. Hanford, Henry Little and George Houston. Part of this land could not now be bought for $10,000 an acre.
The New York & Erie Railroad seems to have been built on the install- ment plan in the county of Orange ; first to Monroe, then to Chester, then to Goshen, and finally by large contributions from the people of Middle- town, it was extended to that place. The building of this road seemed to give an impetus to the business of the village and induced manufacturers to locate there, which soon made it one of the most flourishing villages in southern New York.
The actual incorporation of the village did not occur until April 7, 1848, when the preliminary proceedings in regard to the incorporation were approved by Judge D. W. Bates. The first president of the village was Stacey Beakes, and associated with him as trustees were Coe Dill, Will- iam Hoyt, Israel Hoyt, Israel O. Beattie and Daniel C. Dusenberry. John B. Friend was clerk. Of the above named trustees, Daniel C. Dusenberry is still living ( 1908).
The growth of Middletown has always been gradual, and it has never been what might be called a "boom town." In 1807 the population was forty-five; in 1838 it had increased to 433; in 1848, at the time of its incorporation, it had increased to 1,360; and in 1857, to 2,190. At the time of its incorporation as a city, in 1888, its population had increased to II,977, and at the close of 1907 it was about 16,000.
The post-office in the village of Middletown was first established on the 22nd of October, 1816. Stacey Beakes was appointed the first post- master and held the office for about ten years. The first quarter's re- ceipts in 1817, as rendered by the postmaster, were $0.69; in 1826, the receipts had risen to $16.12 a quarter; and in 1854, to $257.79. The annual receipts of the Middletown post-office are now upwards of $50,000.
Charles H. Smith.
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
The citizens of Middletown were always ambitious for its growth, and in all that was done, the future as well as the present, interests of the village were carefully looked after. Manufacturers were induced to lo- cate there, and the village, and afterward the city, has always been recog- nized as a manufacturing center for this part of the State. Some of the largest manufactories in the old village of Middletown were the Mon- hagen Saw Works, Eagle File Works. Matthews Brothers' Carpet Bag Factory, Draper's Hat Factory, Babcock's Hat Works, and a large tan- nery, which was afterward merged in the leather manufactory of Howell- Hinchman Company. As before mentioned, the New York. Ontario & Western Railway Company located its shops here, and from that time, the village and city have had a steady growth.
CIIURCHIES.
Middletown as a village and city has always been well supplied with churches.
The first, the Congregational Church, was organized June 10. 1785, and incorporated August 12, 1786, and so far as organization and incorpora- tion are concerned, it is the oldest church in Middletown.
The First Presbyterian Church of Middletown, as such, was organized March 31, 1828.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Middletown effected a legal or- ganization on July 11, 1838.
Grace Episcopal Church was incorporated on February 18. 1845.
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The First Baptist Church filed its certificate of incorporation October 28, 1849.
The Second Presbyterian Church ( now Westminster church ) was in- corporated December 5, 1854.
The Primitive Baptist Church of Middletown was incorporated May 29. 1871.
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was incorporated No- vember 20, 1861.
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church was established in 1866.
Calvary Baptist Church was incorporated in 1902.
North Congregational Church was incorporated in 1890.
Christ Church (Universalist ) was incorporate I in 1897.
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (German) was incorporated in 1897.
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated in 1875. Faith Mission was incorporated in 1889.
The Christian Science Church was incorporated in 1903.
It will be seen from the above that the churches of Middletown average one to every 1,000 people of the present population.
SCHOOLS.
The school system of Middletown was originated by the holding of a meeting April 6, 1813, to take steps to comply with the statute of 1812, for the organization of the common school system of the State. The first commissioners elected were William Hurtin, Jacob Dunning and Benjamin Woodward. In 1844 a system of supervision by town super- intendents was inaugurated. Previous to that several citizens were se- lected who decided upon the qualifications of the teacher. John G. Wilkin, afterward county judge of Orange County, was the first town superin- tendent of Wallkill, which included the village of Middletown. About the year 1856 a law was passed providing for the election of superintendents for assembly districts, thus doing away with the town system, and this system has ever since been continued.
On the 30th of January, 1841, a meeting was held to initiate the work of founding Wallkill Academy. It was started as a private enterprise. Stock to the amount of $3,656.75 was subscribed by 115 stockholders, the shares being $5.00 each. Application was made to the Legislature for an act of incorporation, which was passed in May, 1841. The building was completed in October, 1842, and soon thereafter school sessions were opened, the first teacher being Rev. Phineas Robinson, who remained in charge for two years. For a number of years Wallkill Academy was continued under the plan of its first incorporation, but subsequently passed over to the village of Middletown as a part of its school system. The school system of the village of Middletown was always well man- · aged and excellent results were attained. This system was afterward merged in the city school system upon the incorporation of the city of Middletown in 1888.
The management is now under a board of education consisting of nine
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
members, with superintendent of schools. There are now eight schools in the educational system of Middletown. The high school was erected on the site formerly occupied by the Wallkill Academy, and is a very impos- ing building with all modern facilities and conveniences. It employ- thirteen teachers in the academic department, and eight in the grammar grades. The seven primary schools are located in various parts of the city, so as to accommodate the pupils, but upon graduation in the primary grades all of the pupils are promoted to the high school in its various grades.
The free public library of Middletown, known as the Thrall Library Building, is architecturally an ornament to the city, and is fitted up in the most modern style for library purposes. The lot was formerly used as a location for the village school. Mrs. S. Maretta Thrall left a legacy of $30.000 to the city, with which the library was built. Mrs. Thrall, by her liberality, provided Middletown with a library of which its citizens are justly proud, and erected for herself a monument in our city and in the hearts of its people which will be as enduring as time. The library at present contains 10.500 volumes. The legacy bequeathed by Mrs. Thrall was to be used exclusively for the building, and was so used.
CHARITABLE AND BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS.
In the year 1880, the matter of establishing a Children's Home for Orange County was brought up in the board of super- visors. A committee, consisting of the Hon. William H. Clark. Selah E. Strong and William B. Royce, was appointed to take the matter under consideration and report. After a careful investigation and examination of a large number of properties, the committee reported that in its judg- ment the property known as the Israel O. Beattie property in the village of Middletown was better adapted for the purpose than any other prop- erty that had been brought to the notice of the committee. The property. at the time, was owned by the Mutual Life Insurance Company of the city of New York, and after negotiations. a price was fixe I by the com- pany at $8,000. The price was approved by the board and the committee was ordered to purchase the property, which was subsequently done. The sum of $2,000 was appropriated for the use of the committee in making such necessary repairs and change- a- might be deemed necessary to fit
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the property for immediate use. The committee, having completed its duties, reported to the board on the 21st of November, 1881, that its work was completed and that there had been expended $9,910.05, leaving a balance of $89.95 in the hands of the committee.
Previous to the making of this report, the property had been turned over to the county superintendent of the poor, and it was formally opened on February 7, 1881. On the first day of January, 1882, forty-four chil- dren were being cared for in the home. This number has fluctuated dur- ing the intervening years, sometimes the number of children being as low as sixteen, and at other times approximating the original number reported.
The Orange County Home for Aged Women is located at No. 27 South street, in the city of Middletown, and like the Children's Home, is not limited to the city of Middletown with regard to the territory from which its inmates are received. It was incorporated in 1884, the idea emanating from the fertile brain of Dr. Julia E. Bradner. The home now has be- come a well-known institution, not only in the city of Middletown, but in the county of Orange.
It is difficult to realize that Thrall Hospital, so much an integral part of the civic life of Middletown to-day, was not dreamed of a quarter of a century since. It is not an easy matter to make plain to the lay mind just what is behind the bald statistic, "One typhoid-discharged." Statistics may number the bandages and weigh out the drugs, but they never take reckoning of the anxieties, the heartaches, that broad utili- tarianism which under the name of the Middletown Hospital Association began its beneficent work.
It was twenty years ago last November (1907) that Dr. Julia E. Bradner called together, at her residence, a few of the women of Mid- dletown to discuss the project of having a hospital in their own home town.
At the first informal meeting in November, 1887, nine women, led on by the indomitable spirit of Dr. Julia E. Bradner, voted to have a charter legally drawn and to meet again at her home, on Orchard street, on the 22nd of November.
The charter was presented at this second meeting and signed before Notary Henry W. Wiggins by the following women: Julia E. Bradner, president ; Ella S. Hanford, first vice-president ; Lutie M. Clemson, sec- ond vice-president ; Clara S. Finn, treasurer ; Harriet L. Clark, secretary ;
Charles A. Evans.
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
Sarah' Orr Sliter, Jennie E. Prior, Frances W. Wilcox, Florence Horton.
The organization effected on this November day and incorporated De- cember 6, of the same year, was named "The Middletown Hospital Asso- ciation." its object "to build and maintain a hospital in the village of Mid- dletown."
The day of the second meeting was big in history, for not only was the matter of the charter settled, but an advisory board of physicians was elected, consisting of William E. Eager. M.D .: William HI. Dorrance, M.D .; Selden H. Talcott, M.D .; Burke Pillsbury, M.D .; and Ira S Bradner. M.D .- all of whom have passed away.
In the spring of 1891, seeing the need and the opportunity to supply that need, Mrs. S. Maretta Thrall gave to the association the lot on the south side of what is now Thrall Park. Plans were made for a building to cost over $13,000, but their execution would have been put off in- definitely had not Mrs. Thrall come forward with a gift of money suffi- cient to cover the cost of the planned building, making, with the estimated value of the lot, a total gift of over $16,000. Work on the foundation was begun immediately.
The association, which in various ways, during the four years which elapsed after the foundation was laid, had raised $5.000, now used that amount to furnish and equip the building in a practical and up-to-date manner. On the tenth day of May, one year after the gift of the lot, the hospital, having a capacity of twenty-six beds, was thrown open for the reception of patients.
MIDDLETOWN STATE HOMEOPATHIC HOSPIT.VI ..
Nearly forty years ago, or, to be exact. in 1869. several of the citizens of what was then the village of Middletown decided that a hospital for the insane was needed in this vicinity. Funds were collected and a farm was purchased on the western border of the village for a site for an asylum. as such institutions were then called. Dr. George F. Foote endeavored to raise money by subscription for a private asylum. To this end $75.000 were subscribed, the amount expended for a site and to build part of the institution, all of which was finally accepted by the commonwealth as a free-will offering from a comparatively few generous subscribers.
The first appropriation by the State for the institution was made in
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
1870. The original board of trustees numbered twenty-one, ap- pointed by the Governor. The first superintendent, Dr. Foote, having resigned, Dr. Henry R. Stiles was appointed in his stead. He served until February 9, 1877, and then resigned. He was succeeded by the late Selden H. Talcott, who served until his death in 1902, when the present incumbent, Dr. Maurice C. Ashley, was appointed to succeed him, and is now in charge of the institution.
Among the early trustees, who were residents of Orange County, may be recalled the well-known names of Daniel Thompson, John G. Wilin, Moses D. Stivers, James G. Graham, Henry R. Low, Elisha P. Wheeler, Dr. Joshua A. Draper, James B. Hulse, James H. Norton, Nathaniel W. Vail, and Uzal T. Hayes.
The hospital was incorporated in 1869, opened for the reception of patients on the 20th of April, 1874, and the first patient was admitted May 7, 1874.
To give an idea of the present magnitude of this great public charity, it seems fitting that a few figures should go on record where they will be permanently preserved.
The farm and grounds comprise nearly 300 acres, on which there are thirty buildings; the value of the real and personal property is over $1,500,000 ; the present annual expenses for all purposes, excepting the new building, are about $245,000, of which nearly $60,000 are received from private and reimbursing patients; about $110,000 is required for salaries and wages. Since the opening of the institution, over 7,000 patients have been received and treated. Of this number 2,600 have been discharged recovered and returned to their homes and to society, and 900 others have been sufficiently restored or improved to enable them to return to their families. The number of patients under treatment at the present time is 1,350.
The present normal capacity of the hospital for patients is 1,222. Buildings are now under construction for about 550 more patients and the necessary employees, making a total capacity for 1,850 patients and 450 employees.
The hospital district comprises Orange, Sullivan, Ulster and Rockland Counties, but those desiring homeopathic treatment are received from any part of the State.
During all the years, the hospital has been conducted upon homeo-
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
pathic principles, following strictly the practice and principles of homeo- pathy in the selection of medicines and treatment of patients. This is a compliance with the law under which the hospital was first incorpo- rated, and the results, in all respects, would seem to warrant the continu- ance of the present form of treatment and management.
In compliance with the law, a training school for nurses and attendants has been established and maintained for some years with the most satis- factory results.
A few years since all the asylums were placed under State control, and a board of local managers with modified duties took the place of the old boards of trustees.
The board of managers of the asylum, as at present constituted, con- sists of William H. Rogers of Middletown, N. Y., president ; Ira L. Case, of Middletown, N. Y., secretary ; Newbold Morris, of New York City. N. Y., Miss Alice Larkin, New York City : Mrs. Harriet A. Dillingham. New York City: George B. Adams, Middletown, N. Y .; and James B. Carson, Middletown, N. Y. The attorney for the hospital is William B. Royce, of Middletown, N. Y.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The city of Middletown is located on the Erie, the New York, On- tario & Western and the Susquehanna & Western railroads, about sixty- seven miles from New York City, and is the legal successor of the village of Middletown, in the county of Orange. The city was incor- porated by an act of the Legislature of the State of New York, known as Chapter 535 of the Laws of 1888, and John E. Iseman became its first mayor. The city, as now incorporated, contains 2.33015 acres.
The city is divided into four wards. The general city officers are: . 1 Mayor. Robert Lawrence, now holding the office : president of the con- mon council, two aldermen from each ward, city clerk and collector, city treasurer, corporation counsel, city engineer and surveyor, superintendent of streets, recorder, two justices of the peace, and three assessors. Each ward also elects one supervisor, the duties of whose office are the same as those of town supervisors.
Middletown has a most excellent and efficient fire department, of which Charles Higham is chief. The force, as now organized, consists of one hook and ladder company, truck drawn by horses ; five hose companies,
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two of them having chemical wagons drawn by horses ; one engine com- pany, new steamer drawn by horses. The city has a complete system of electric fire alarms, with forty-two boxes in service.
Middletown has about forty-seven regularly organized charitable, be- nevolent, fraternal and social organizations and clubs, exclusive of labor. organizations, societies and organizations connected with its railroads. Of the latter there are nine, and of the labor organizations, twenty.
A fine State armory is located here, which is the headquarters of the First Battalion, First Regiment, N. G. N. Y., A. E. McIntyre, Major, commanding. This armory is also the home of Company I (24th Separate Company), First Regiment, N. G. N. Y., of which Abraham L. Decker is captain.
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