The sun., 1883-10-10
ANNSVILLES DEATHBLOW.
THE STORY OF TIE DESERTED VILLAGE
IN THE HUDSON VALLEY.

Knocked Ont In n single Night by the Fire |
Fiend-AwaitinR Resurrection-Contr.
Pictured by n walking Remc Of the Past.
There was not llvclicr place OF It's size
anywhere along the valley OF tho Hudson than
Annsville was fow weeks ago. A milo to the
northwnrd OF Pcekskill tho old Albany post
road makes an abrupt descent to the level OF
he river crosses the Annsville Creek on IN
iron bridge. bonds around to tho westward.
and disappears in the narrow gorge through
which flows tho outlet OF Wallace pond.
From the iron bridge a dozen good-siZed
houses can be seen-most Of them on the
outer edge OF tho bow described by tho road.
Tho creek flows into the Hudson half q mile
to the westward. Branching of from the
Hudson River Railway Is q narrow-g gauge
track that leads past Annsvile and out to tho
Todd iron mine. three miles back. and to the
Croft mine. a couple Of miles beyond A
branch OF tho narrow gauge rond curves of to
tho northward and comes to an end within the
bow made by tho post road. Stoep hlllsides
ovcrgrown with brush shut Off tho view on nll
sides savo where the creek broadens out at its
confluence with tho river.
The acre or more of land between tho creek |
and the curving highway was covered with low. |
blackened wooden buildings. newsh brick OK
tensions tall chimneys OF brick and OF iron.
and open sheds. From this acre continuous
racket nrose day and night. Clouds Of smoke
dnrkened the valley by day and lighted 1t UP
by night with tho glare thrown back from tho
mouths of furnaces heated to whitcness. More
than 800 men worked in tho big wire mill.
They and their families were crowded into tho
dozen houses. the furthest Of which was hardly
more than n stones throw from the works.
THO majority Of the men earned good pay
and spent their money freely Right across
the rond from the mill gates was the
down down Mrs Williams dispensed good cheer to
thirsty mill & hnnds snd On ths Other sid" OF the
Landlord Smith began poor, and soon became
sa iSs es@s hSdsI M5s MSms grew rr
large wooden tcnements, children played and
Hsgh a il eand .nG r2sd Go and tho place was as full of
Late one night. when there was n lull in
S hs sS Of hs %
before anybody was awake the acre was rag
sgE reporter stsoed 4pMn Ea the hin into
upper surface A schooner. with, no sign OF
Lie near 1t. lay in the glassy creek. The va
chnrred ovcrshot water. wheel, stood twenty
Hss PSTs 9e @%p ahe
or fune., Three big boilers. halt covered with
daen Ghsss hs sSaFe Sn ns Eqes sess wsa a
way OVER tho % ruSbsh "0t @ man asnH Was s,tns
ON the grassy bank OF the roadside. half way
SSs' not face ,S was seem at widow Mrs. VII
iiamss door was slightly alSar. but no one was
derier' s double doors were closed. There was
paddock on the portals Of Alri Smiths GH6iis
man in gloomy revery by the roadside.
Where arc all the folksi' he was asked. :,
he made answer. ~ Without with % raising si his head head.
There was suggestion of uskiness in his
s S % ha as s
!. handle on it He turned out to be q dcscendant
yero Ppns1uated With hieeoughs ana crcum:
essd by ScsryW Ws, e said dhoua
p,ss.kd5 5 s%ihs IT, $o fSeSs si
,S lis esr Sish III {So ss ,sosS oy%x
! seen Mrs. WiiIians's in the middle of the sum
. whore there used to be moro work than the!
s soow DO lpi there sis 1 sh
GHms ,So to the 0ap Of the globe
the enaiestsa Public " s' heass Was S snisent {
rods & Tho 'i paddock i was
i and the door was thrown Hospitality open
chos % man at The roSdside and he SOC soon stoo,
i, on the threshold with bright tening expression
Of other @ timss mes aud that lie would take SeeT
M Smith m has 6ssn srd s OF Annss m
good IN f1 The the ~ ia s
i Of lampblaGk an industry which gave employ
aeture e 20 ron the o the ab bufned s mil
) were carried on In the place. small foundr!
'fh ns hs h ampsaeR M nas
3. about four years ago. and II was not far from
that time that the wire mill was enlarged to th
Y "a
orty that was burned OVER Steel wi Wire. used 10
er TeS sn
were on n the he pay roll The , wages amounted t
hS%e tSo Mas psWeen 400 5S Soay RI
"a the houses w were owned by persons per on who occu
g The he MN was THn ns1t and aay ]sss cuisines
HHer the ilre the mill hands and and those esH Dc
u whether the mill would be rebuilt; The rumo
ha, i would not be Yas M followed by the
X part OF the Sharps rifle works near Bridge
. pert Conn. and would abandon the old site Msitt
d Although many OF tho hands had been l gettin
:. good pay. few Of them had saved anvthing I
1t speak Of and mono was disposed TO remain al
N future had departed.
It There arc at present in the village q Anns
~ vile less than fifty persons all told These ar
OF Tho place could not present n more dcsolnt
ts appearance SO far rs business activity is col
I'd cerncd. The large houses that are not stand
G. ing vacant seem almost empty in comparso
10 with their crowded condition a few weeks ag,
x "Those OF us who remaln." said Mr.. smiil
m arc In hopes that another business will t
I'd raw material and taking away the manula.
are down. 10 ho hG Rys
road. and tho channel OF tho crock has bee
X. drodged so that small vessels and canal boat
'A' can come mp to the wharf. Water enough comc
down from Wallace Pond 10 furnish consider
10 able power, and II is ample for the uses q q,
M stc and privilege are owned by II. II. Wolf
hs in Co.. and OF fall depends upon wheth,
ne that firm will sell at a reasonable figure in cas-
ch thoy decide not to rebuild Those who still i.
his main in the place are not disposed to quit
ev Some of them are ablc to live hore. business
mn no business: but persons Of means do not gel
IS orally Ike to stay where their % means cannot
ho Inc pl ace Is Increased BY the fact that the b