The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-09-26
letter from the Mohawk Valley.


Empire State"
The Mohawk river cmptics its waters
into the Hudson at Troy, six miles above
Albany, and the country through which
It flows is known as the "Valley Of the |
Mohawk" The New York Central Rail-
road, running in a northwest direction
from Albany, will take you through it,
the course Of the river through
out, almost to its source. The first town
Of importance through which you pass
after leaving Albany, is one well known
the whole country as the seat
Of one of our oldest and best educational
namely: Union College,
which still retains much of the prestige
fits former days. Aside from this, Schen-
ectady has but little of interest to attract
the attention of the transient visitor, OK.
cept the beautiful dale Cemetery" with
its shady walks, and groves, circling the
pond strcamlet, unless he is one deeply
interested in antiquarian researches, and
finds pleasure in viewing quaint old build
ings, planned and erected wholly regard
less of architectural beauty, or modern
convenience.
Leaving Schenectady and its ancient
relies, we pass on through the valley till
the place of Amsterdam, fast rising into
prominence, is seen, still farther on the
little town of Fonda is reached, and we
are fifty miles from Albany. This place,
but short time ago, was the scene of
much excitement for here was where
Aecker, the murderer, was confined and
paid the penalty of the law, a retribution
for his criminal act, It's also the county
seat of Montgomery County, having fine,
commodous county buildings erected.
A little branch railroad, completed last
winter, leads from Fonda to Glovcrsville,
distance Of seven miles in a northerly
direction, and at the eud of four miles on
this road is one of the prettiest little towns
in the Mohawk Valley, once the home of
Sir William johnson more recently, the
home Of the late Judge Cady, and at
present, the summer residence OF Mrs.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This place was
named Johnstown, in honor of its first in
habitant Sir William johnson, whose
name occupies prominent place in the
early history of New York State. Its
present population is about 1880, and it
is honored in being the county seat Of
Fulton County. Just on the border Of
the town is the old johnson mansion,
known as johnson Hail." which has re-
Gently passed into the possession of a
gentleman who has greatly beautifed the
grounds and repaired the buildings, and
who takes great pleasure in showing Wis
itors all the curiosities Of the place.
The little old court house, now in its
Doth year, the old Episcopal church, and
several other old buildings, all erected by
Sir William, are still standing as monu-
ments to his memory. He also instituted
a Masonic Lodge, the third in the state.
The old hotel, erected by him, was burn
ed down few years ago, but most
beautiful structure has taken its place,
named the "Sir William johnson Hotel. 5"
The grave of Sir William is in the yard
of the Episcopal church, in the shade of
Masonic Hall, overgrown with tall, rank
weeds, and without even a stone to mark
his resting place. The history Of this
man is full of interest, but time will not
permit my going into details, but hope to
do so at some future period
Johnstown, in common with all the
other towns and villages of Fulton Coun-
ty, is extensively engaged in the manu-
facture of gloves, from the exquisitely
finished kid of finest lecture, designed for
the delicate hand of beauty, up to the
coarse, heavy buckskin glove or mitten'
intended for the protection of the more
highly honored and more useful hand of
labor. / am informed by a gentleman
who knows, that more gloves are manu-
featured in Fulton 60. n. Y, than in all
other parts of the United States combined.
Gloversville, town of 5000 inhabitants,
three miles distant from this, is devoted
entirely ard exclusively to this branch OF
industry. The glove trade of ohnstown
and Gloversvile amount annually to three
millions of dollars, one third Of which be-
longs to Johnstown, and the balance to
Gloversville. Every other house in the
former place, and almost every house in
the latter is glove mandatory, truly
It's carried on to such an extent, that
nearly every man, woman, and child, pass
ing in the streets, have a basket or arm
full of gloves, and in the rear of each
wagon, may be seen, hides, gloves, or
something appertaining thereto The
country surrounding Johnstown, viewed
from an eminence, forms the most beauti-
full landscape on which the eye can rest,
especially, the fields all along on the line
of railroad between the aforesaid named
places, which precents fine grotesque
view of Sheep Skin" and deer Hide
Scenery" Hills and valleys, green fields
and shady groves, greet the vision nc
every side, forming panorama OF natural
beauty and loveliness rarely equalled and
never surpassed.
Cherries are not grown in this latitude
and peach trees are unknown. The apple
crop is always good, and much attention
is given 10 tuc CultlNdliOh VI OiSh"i NN
But very little wheat is cultivated, oats
looked we'll, though corn is short, farmers
say the crop was an averaged one. The
natural quality of the soil is very good
and under careful cultivation, would be
as productive as the soil Of other villages
but, under the system of agriculture pur.
sued here, briars, Canada thistles and
noxious weeds flourish and bloom undis
turbed. Old dilapidated board fences
enclose fields of growing corn and Canada
thistles, with ten chances to one in favor
of the thistle, and near by, might be seen
a field of grass struggling against fate, il
in a vain endeavor to subsist decently IL
the vile company Of iron weed and daisies
A few practical, wide awake Addison
County farmers scattered through thu
Valley of the Mohawk, would be Of more
benefit to its agriculture than all thu
Philosopher of the Tribune has writer
"about farming"
Hon Uoratio Seymour. whom some o