Newburgh, New York

“ Believing in the importance of fixing in the minds of the people all those events which are vitally connected with the fate of our republic, he early conceived the idea of celebrating in some public manner those historic events which have made Newburgh famous in American history. To him more than any other individual is due, not only the inception, but also the successful carrying out of our centennial celebration in 1883. ”

“ For this they were punished by Hudson's men, who returned their fire and killed about a dozen of them. Hudson's journal says that above the Highlands "they found a very loving people and very old men, and were well used." One of his anchoring places had been the bay at Newburgh, and here he wrote prophetically: "This is a very pleasant place to build a town on," and the handsome and prosperous City of Newburgh shows that he judged well. At this point many more Indians boarded the ship, and did a brisk business in exchanging skins for knives and ornamental trifles. ”

“ His business acquaintance was very extensive and few men enjoyed such a reputation for honor, integrity and probity, his friends and acquaintances placing implicit confidence in him, which, throughout his career, was never violated. He was a public spirited citizen, always interested in the welfare and progress of Newburgh and contributed generously to projects which promised well for its advancement, yet he never sought public office or cared to appear prominently in public. ”

“ Newburgh, the chief city of Orange County, with a population of nearly 27,000, is also the largest commercial city on the Hudson between New York and Albany. It is located on the side hill of a bay, 57 miles from the river's mouth, has a deep and spacious harbor, with good docks, and its scenic views and contiguous territory are peculiarly attractive. The inviting bay and river are in front, and the mountains southward and westward have been characterized as "Nature's arm thrown lovingly about us." ”

“ Newburgh was still his headquarters when Washington by the force of his influence secured the quiet disbandment of the Continental Army at the close of the war. Upon the occasion of the centennial celebration (1883) of this event, a monument called the Tower of Victory, 53 ft. high with a statue of Washington, was erected.
Newburgh is the center of a rich agricultural region, but it is a manufacturing center as well; its output comprises machine shop products, plaster, cotton, woolen and silk goods, felt hats, furniture, flour, lumber and cigars. ”

“ They must practice in the old, historic city of Newburgh—a city which has always taken a deep, honorable, patriotic pride in its Revolutionary associations and in the land they represent, but which has no more pride in, no more sense of connection with, Orange County as a whole than West Point has. Its bar has always been distinguished for great ability and high character. ”

“ He is a moving spirit in all that makes for the welfare and growth of Newburgh and is an earnest advocate both through his paper and orally, of progress and enterprise in municipal matters. He is actively identified with the work of the Business Men's Association for a "greater Newburgh," and is the chairman of the committee which has in hand the arrangements for Newburgh's part in the celebration of the tercentenary of the discovery of the Hudson River and the centennial of the navigation of its waters by Robert Fulton's Clermont, to be held in September, 1909. ”

“ Just outside the legal boundary line north of the city of Newburgh is the fashionable suburb of Balmville, named after a large Balm of Gilead tree, which is estimated to be one hundred and fifty or more years old, and nearly twenty-five feet in circumference. The population is large and wealthy, inhabiting charming country seats. ”

“ E. R. BURROUGHS, president and manager of the Abendroth & Root Manufacturing Company, has resided in Newburgh since 1901, when the plant was moved from Greenpoint, N. Y., to this city. The factory buildings are distributed over twelve acres of land and have a total floor space of four acres, modern in every way, and thoroughly equipped for the work produced. The property has a frontage of 800 feet on the Hudson River, with deep water docking facilities. ”

“ The transportation facilities of Newburgh are almost unsurpassed.
In front is its fine harbor, bay and river, with steamship lines up and down and across. These lines are a restraint upon the tendencies of the railroads towards high freight rates. The river trade is large and within a few miles of Newburgh are about fifteen village ports which are more or less tributary to it. The local traffic of the Hudson is mostly by lines of steamers, some of which carry both freight and passengers and others only passengers. ”

“ Newburgh has been remarkably free from crime, which is in part due to the character of its citizens and in part to its uniformly excellent police force, which now consists of one marshal, two sergeants, two roundsmen and fifteen patrolmen. ”

“ About the year 1840 Newburgh was recommended by two of the earliest prominent homeopathic physicians of New York City, Doctors John F. Gray and Amos G. Hull, as a locality well-adapted to people affected with delicate lungs, and upon their advice many families built handsome residences there. In my early recollection Newburgh had a fine hotel called the Powelton, which bade fair to become a prominent resort for New Yorkers. ”

“ In 1863 he was trustee of the village; 1865, alderman from the Third ward; 1879, supervisor of the town of New Windsor; 1880 to 1883, sheriff of Orange County. In 1884 he was elected mayor of Newburgh, continuing in that office until 1890, when he refused to be a candidate for another term. In 1894, however, he was again nominated and reelected mayor, serving until 1900. During the twelve years of his administration the city witnessed the creation of many public improvements and an era of great progress and increase in population. ”

“ When the British sailed up the river in 1777, and burnt Kingston, after capturing the Highland forts, the Newburgh women hid their valuables in the woods, nearly all the men having gone to the defense of the forts.
While Washington's headquarters were at New Windsor his main army was in and near the Hudson River forts, and in 1782, after the surrender of Yorktown, was again encamped along the Hudson, numbering about 8,000 men. Washington at Newburgh, meanwhile, during the progress of peace negotiations, kept careful watch of Sir Henry Clinton's movements. ”

“ It is the natural avenue for intercourse between Newburgh and New Jersey. Crossing this road at Durland's Square is the old Albany and New York stage road, which enters the town of Chester at the Goshen line and to the metropolis continues its course southward near Greycourt. Leaving this old stage road at Nanowitt Park, which has been recently donated to the town of Chester by Rev. E. T. Sanford, pastor of the North Baptist Church of New York City, is the old Indian trail, which became a popular road during the Colonial days and leads to Greenwood Lake and to the ancient Sterling Iron Works. ”

“ H. D. COMFORT, manufacturer of ice cream at Newburgh, was born in the town of Crawford, Orange County, N. Y., and is a son of the late Daniel H. Comfort. Mr. Comfort was formerly engaged in the creamery and ice cream business in New York City, and in 1900 established his business in Newburgh, in which he has been very successful. His plant is located on an acre and a half of ground on South street near West street, and covers an area of 170 by 75 feet. Steam and electric power are utilized, and machines with a capacity of forty quarts of ice cream every six minutes are in operation. ”

“ The turnpike so reversed conditions, by giving to the western part of Orange County and Sullivan County a better and shorter route of travel, that Newburgh came up and New Windsor went down, and the merchants of the latter place moved their stocks of goods to Newburgh. Other turnpikes followed, and the village grew rapidly. From the close of the Revolutionary War to 1825 its population increased 1,100 in each decade, and its commerce was proportionately extended. ”

“ Robinson in politics is a republican. He has been identified with municipal affairs of Newburgh since 1894, first serving as alderman from his (Fourth) ward in 1894 and 1895; president of the common council from March, 1895, to March, 1900, and from March, 1904, to March, 1906. He became well informed as to the city's conditions and needs, and being a thorough, economical business man, he was chosen as its mayor in 1906-1907. He has been trustee of Washington's headquarters since 1893, having been appointed by Governor Roswell P. Flower, and reappointed by Governors Black, Odell and Hughes. ”

“ Vail's Gate, four and a half miles from Newburgh, contains about thirty-five houses, a Methodist Episcopal church, three hotels, and a general store, where Mr. Thomas Gushing has a new building.
The General Knox headquarters, the Edmonston house, and the old hotel buildings of stone are the most noted Revolutionary relics. The population is probably about four hundred.
Little Britain, made famous as the home of the Clintons, extends from the Square to the Little Britain creamery. At the Square are a dozen houses, most prominent among which is the Alexander Falls house. ”

“ Two or three chase each other like immense meteors; one amongst them comes along heavily, labouring and puffing, dragging along a large fleet of larger and smaller craft. New York receives butter, and cheese, and cattle, and many other good things from the country; and the country, with its towns and rural abodes, receives coffee and tea, and wine, and wearing-apparel, and many other things from New York, and through New York, from Europe. The little town of Newburgh maintains alone by its trade from the country and back two or three steam-boats. ”

“ The streets were frequently blocked for hours with farmers' loaded wagons. The completion of the Erie canal diverted the most of this trade, and later the Delaware and Hudson canal cut off another source of wealth. Then the construction of the Erie Railroad from Goshen to Piermont, and its subsequent extension in other directions, finished the old transportation business of Newburgh, and it has taken many years to bring about the present prosperity, with railroads extending from many directions, large and varied manufactures, superior public institutions and other conditions to correspond. ”

“ The early part of the last century was marked by the rise in Orange County of an able and progressive bar, whose courage and public spirit contributed to keep alive the fires of exalted patriotism. Jonathan Fisk, who removed to Newburgh in 1800, became one of the most influential citizens of the county, being elected twice to congress and being appointed twice United States attorney for the Southern District of New York. ”

“ He is amply qualified to uphold the traditions of an office always ably filled by such men as Fullerton and Carr, Brown and Hirschberg, Anthony and Headley, Powelson and Seeger.
J. D. Wilson, Jr., of Newburgh, who received the appointment as assistant district attorney, to serve with Mr. Rogers, is well qualified to sustain the burdens of the position, which are necessarily very considerable when it is considered that he is expected to exercise special vigilance in the entire eastern part of the county, including Newburgh itself. ”

“ Congress had appropriated $25,000, the State Legislature $15,000, the Common Council of Newburgh $7,500, and the citizens of Newburgh had subscribed $5,000. Many thousands of people came from far and near on railroads, steamboats and wagons. The river front was lined with steamers. The procession of the military, firemen, and societies was three miles long, and included quite forty brass bands and a score of drum corps. It was headed by a company of New York City police, and within it rode Peter Ward, mayor of Newburgh; Joel T. Headley, president of the Washington Headquarters Commission ”

“ The Newburgh Daily News of to-day is concededly one of the leading newspapers of the Hudson River valley, not only in circulation, but also in influence. It is splendidly equipped, and is not surpassed by any newspaper in a city of equal size anywhere. Its plant represents a large investment of capital and it carries on its pay-roll upwards of fifty employees. ”

“ Their promised land patent was not issued until 1719, when it granted to each of the different families from 100 to 300 acres, with 500 acres set apart for the support of the minister. The settlement was generally called "The German Patent," but its official title was "The Glebe." The lands for each family extended from the Hudson River west one mile. No. 1 was bounded on the south by Quassaick Creek, and covered the present site of Newburgh.
The immigrants erected a church, cultivated portions of their lands and maintained their settlement several years. ”

“ Nathan Purdy and Isaac Fowler, fence viewers and appraisers.
Ten years later Marlborough and Plattekill settlements were set off as New Marlborough, and left Newburgh with almost the same territory as that of the present town and city. The first supervisor of this reduced town was John Flewwelling and the first clerk was Samuel Sands.
The territory of the present town embraces 26,882 acres in the extreme northeast portion of the county. The soil along the river front for a distance of five miles is warm, productive and well cultivated. The rock formations are largely slate and lime. ”

“ THE FABRIKOID COMPANY of Newburgh is among the most important industries of Orange County. It was established in 1902 and incorporated under the present title with the following officials: John Aspinwall, president; George H. May, secretary and treasurer; J. Kearney Rodgers, general sales manager. The product of the plant is chiefly an imitation leather called Fabrikoid, which finds a ready market all over the world. Bronze paint and lacquers are also manufactured. The growth of this business has been very rapid and the plant now covers twenty-five acres and consists of forty-nine buildings. ”