Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-08-21
PATTERSON, N. j., Aug. 10Th, lsI5.
To the Editors Of the JYhig:

PATTERSON, N. j., Aug. l6th, Is45.
To the Editors Of the IYhig:
oenuemen-l am now in this enerprring town.
Through the kindness Of the Hon. Judge Megs Of the
American Institute, who furnished me with letters of intro
dueon TO some o the principal citizens Of this town.
was induced to take my vace and umbrella ia hand md
jump aboard Of the ferry boat ut New York and eros, the
Hudson for Jersey City. where took the to witn.s.
here with my eyes, and hear with my own ears what
had 30 often read OF the wonders of this place We ira
yelled on the Newark route for mles when we ook 10
the right as tho law directs" We soon emerged int,
fine pun. along which the Iackinsack and Passsc a,,
to the Newark Bay The landscape OF plain where
Nature from her genial bosom overspead the surface
with decorations OF gorgeous green made one Of
interest and beauty; while my left the re-.
Nssed oy the unduanons OF hill and dale, with here and
there, some lone mound, n cottage and n palace
hesc hough'l ARE the results OF education, temperance
and industry. and the hallowed homes Of peaceful US.
ful and happy ireemen. Willie these Thoughts. flied nv
mind with Joy and admifauon Involuntary my spirits sunk
when thought OF tho 'homc OF my fathers" my own be-
loved section OF this IllustrOus Union: thought why not
We too, ENJOY these blessings which Providence has n
largely conferred on instead Of negectng tramp
ing them under our feet 10 become angry and with
our brethren OF the North because they have improved
theirs by being wise and Industrious After reaching
Acquackanouck. FIVE miles from Patterson we lost tho NV
ers and the plains greet the hills along which we dashed
until we reached the depot where and made
through crowd Of "thck and thin" for some Hotel.
Patterson is located in valley embracing its charter
ed limits parts OF the counties Of Bergen and Essex sur
rounded by range Of cliffs ahd hills The scenery around
gives romantic grandeur place Il has the appe,r
snce from its position among the everlasting hills of wal.
ed or fortified The Falls over which the Pss.,ic :;
drven certainly picture, in the curioses of Nature
Of the greatest beauty While standing on the heights
above, gazing up at the placid motion of the stream as il
came gliding between the hills either side until it reach
ed the prccipice, which thrown some one hun
ded feet more, could help believing that i, was
scene oi the highest interest," and calculated To
excite the r0st gifted strains from the pen Of the
The commissions which have here ages past rem, these
rocks in twnin,-di'ding the hills and forming canals
through which the water after the fall produced on
my MIND, alternately awe aud admiration. The hand Of
Dny has been here, aud there is eoquencc poetry aud
grandeur IN the view. The position of the rocks below
have the appearance that the bed the ryer has suddenly
given way, and the rocks, by either losing their hold in tho
'idcs OF the bank or by the magnitude OF the
have been thrown from the ellis above the bank into The
abyss beneath.
Two incidents occurred these Falls which il NAV be
well TO MENTION This is the place where the celebrated
Sam Patch commenced his career. While standing ON
the bank surrounded by the crowd who were
on the garden grounds he gave notice that he was going
10 leap from the bluffs the terrible abyss below No
one believed the man mad and daring enough for such
fee. they therefore up laugh m but he very cool
y equipt himself and deliberately walked the heights
and made the terrible plunge down the precipice. For
moment after he was gone the feeling Of the bysanes
was indescribabe they could hardly believe their
Silently they by one, edge Of the bank 10
look below when suddenly Patch rising blowing
the water from his nosrs and mouth end swimming down
the stream for the rocks The men saw that he
SALE the shout tremendous This he repeatedly az
ter done. The notoreiy which act gave him. made him
very powerful and popular with the operatives, he
one himself He infused very bad spirit among
the wokmen, and one day assembled them together and
mounted hOgshead, and haangucd them against their
employers the result Of which put stop all the
factories for six weeks. The hands becoming pushed for
money. gradually went 10 work again, and iorsook him.
On account Of this act Of rebellion he could get no work
and became odious 10 the people, which lead him to leave
the place. His last leap down tho Niagara Falls from
which he rose.
The other is OF painful reflection, and shoud
operate warning to others. The Rev. Mr.. Cummings
Of Newark invited by the First Presby Church
OF this place, to make them visit. aud preach Sabbath
with them He came, and usual with all who come
here walked with his lady up the Falls Alter passing
through the Gardens they moved TO the edge of the Bluffs
TO look at the terrible chasm beneath They were both
deeply absorbed with the sublime picture before them and
he in the act Of describing those which had
lead the rupture and separation Of the earth and rock
while she still gazing the ogitaed waters and the
dashng spray below, hc turned round look
which caught his eye and called her TO view IL aso-she
neither answering needing his request, he turned
round again recall her. when To- his betrohcd was
gone Her head became gddy. supposed and in that
condition she fell Knowing that his wife must have fall
and in the "twnkling of eyo." inevitably los,
TO him, he became dsarmod Of hs strength and fell pros
ate TO the Garth The fact having become known
the whole place IN motion get her out, under the
hope that she had received physical injury and that
she might be restored le but she found until
the next day.
This now hourshne town Is the child Of Gen. AleSan
der Hamilton His creative genius brought II into being
He with the Father Of his country, were among tho ear
lest advocates Of home industry II IS somewhat
that the two places which Washington aud Hamilton ma
med, o. in their opinion would eventually become large
manufacturing cities should be siRnaly verified The
spoke Of Psburg and the other Of Patterson In the
year 1874 al the suggestion Of Gen. Hamilton number
OF gentlemen IN New York, New Jersey, and Pepnsvly.
MIA formed company, with capital Of 5000 600 G ,t
establishment Of Useful Manufacturer and commenced
operations here, by opening canal from above the Fol,
Almost the capital consumed in this undo,,
king The plan Of association and the chares were daup
up by the General himself On account Of the neapaet
Of tho Engineer, money was useessy squaudered The
first mill which started suffered from the same cause
on the part Of the operators, and the o1hObtant wages
demanded by them. Tho Society finally though continued
their operations under the prudent management Of Peter
Colt Esq formerly Comptroller of Connecticut until the
year lI96, when the whole business was by unanimous
consent, abandoned In 1901 however business again
commenced by indsiduals, leasing the mills and buying
other mill SITES and erecting thereon. In 1914 Roswell
L. Colt Esq, the Of Peter Colt purchased a, depre
caied price, large proportion the shares and tean
imated the Company lie is tho Governor Of the A.
ISOLATION Patterson has been growing ever since except
during the years Of 1915 aud 6 when the John C. Cal
houn Tariff to put tho manufacturers beyond all contingent
% was passed. and ro.cstabl'od them by protecting their
labor.
Were II not for the manufactures Of this place. town
could hardly exist hero. Being located in a valley be-
tween hills, 1t difficult Of access. The roads leading