New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-21
SCENES IN HARLEM VALLEY
WHERE BORDEN's CONDENSED MILK is
MADE
A BEAUTIFUL SLOT IN DUTCHEss COUNTY
BENSON J. LosSING's HoME-GAIL BoR-
DENIS SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS.

DENIS SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS
Dover Plains, Duchess County, n. Y. Nov. 90
! The first settlement was made in TINS part Oh
the valley late in the last century, ana there are
few samples still remaining of the small ana
primitive houses built by the pioneers. One IN
particular at the southern side OF the Village
tells the story of isolation and poverty In plthy
and aconic chapter, where IL stands IN close
proximity TO modern comfort and plenty IKE
spectre of the remote past The county annals
show that four families came here from Con
nectcut and settled after the region had peeh
wrested from the Indians these were the MAD
belts, Bcrrys, Ketchams and Belongs, all oil
which are still represented in the community
| John Henry Ketcham, who has been the Kepub-
can Congressman for the district for some
twenty-five years. still holds his seat in the M
tional Legislature, and descendants Of the other
pioneers maintain the solid character OF their
ancestors Many Of the early settlers were
| Quakers, and founded their homes on pleasant
sites along the valley, both south and north OF
this point Among them are found the Crosbys,
| Pamers Nycs, DelJnos Chamberains Shermans,
Conkns Alertons, Swifts Bryants, Rows, Mont
| gomerys, and many others that have become
famous in the literary, military, political, naval
or commercial history of the country.
But while the country possessed unusual at
fractions for the settler, it also presented many
scenic beauties and wonders which were destined
to attract the attention of the somewhat different
| pioneers of later age. The picturesque hills,
which rise to n great height on both sides of tho
valley are not only pleasant objects In themselves
for the eye to rest ON, but they pussess innumer-
able features OF kind and character which
tourists willingly travel hundreds of miles to see
Almost within stones throw of this village Is
a marble quarry of practically inexhaustible ex-
tent which was worked for fifty years, and has
recently been shut down for want of enterprise.
The marble is pure white, strealSed and blue;
and while it is not of the finest quality, 1t is
suitable for building purposes and for tombs, and
is situated on railway line only seventy miles
| from New York The beds of marble lie in layers
along the level part of the valley, so that the quar-
rying can be done with the minimum of difficulty.
THE HOME OF HISTORIAN
The high hill on the western side of the valley,
known as Chestnut Ridge, is lofty tableland,
from the summit of which, on clear day,
splendid panorama of New-York and Connecticut
| is had the CdtsldIls stand forth in bold outlines
to the westward and to the northeast are seen
the Berkshire hills in all the glory of distant
view Intervening are the fertile valleys and
| plains that make this part Of the State para
disc for homes, and in many spots are seen fine
| buildings in course Of construction. Near the
| summit of the ridge are the house and 350-acre
| farm Of the historian, Benson j. Losing 1t is
| the plain, Old-fashoncd home Of scholar.
| One OF its chief features is square structure
made fre-proof for library and study. Here
the scholar has large collection of books, many
of which are extremely and valuable, and
a cabinet OF curios which contains, among vast
variety of odd relics, book that belonged to
| Miles StaDdish, in which Is his autograph
| piece Of Mary Washingtons dress; fragment
| Of curtain that came over in the Nayflower; a
| strip of the historic flag of Fort Sumter, and a
| fac-simile OF the Emancipation Proclamation
| Mr. Losing is now in his seventy sixth year.
| having been born at the town of Beekman, IN
1913. He enjoys excellent health, frequently
| goes to New York and Poughkcepsie, and still
| devotes himself to literary work. lie is rather
| heavy-set man Of medium height, with thick
white hair and beard. His aspect is that OF a
venerable and kindly boo<-worm and his hos
| pitablc reception to stranger ~ or the good
old school. His history Is extremely interesting:
| Starting out as farmland in his boyhood, he
afterward drifted to Poushleepsie where he
| learned the watchmabers trade. Ills taste for
study was too strong to permit OF his continuing
| at that calling, and he became writer on The
Telegraph" lie was afterward editor of " The
| Family Magazine and later distinguished MIN
| self by his historical works.
NATURAL cURIosITIEs.
Lying at the foot Of this splendid ridge, only
short distance from the village of Dover, are
two natural curiosities that at once beautiful
and wonderful One is the Dover Stone
Church. which, to some extent resembles the
Natural Bridge in Virginia, and the other is The
Wells" a miniature rock and water scene, fine
as ANYTHING of the kind in Watkins Glen. The
Church derives it, name from the opening of
a hinge cavern in form like the front OF church.
| The interior is a large chamber about 2Ox4O feet
and fifty feet high. At the back the resemblance
| 10 a church is continued by high stone re-
| L. lin, Init through
| hind il falls a stream OF crystal water. The
legend connected with the place lends it an addi-
tional charm. The chronclers say that 1t was
| in this cave that the Pequod chief, Sassacus took
| refuge with few of his braves after the final
overthrow of his tribe by the English in Connecti-
cut 200 years ago While ne was concealed IN
| they returned to the eastward he made his way
TO the land of the Mohawks to ask for shelter.
He and his few remaining friends were soon after
ward captured and slain.
| The Wells are even more remarkable than
the church Nothing more striking is seen when
the visitor approaches the spot thar clear stream
OF water rushing, for about 90 feet, down the
| inclined face Of rock After climb Of some
| 200 feet however, one soon becomes aware that
he is in % land Of surprises In the midst of n
grove Of pines is seen a chasm of singular aspect
| hewn into the solid rock. 1t is n succession OF
nearly cilcuh wells of various sizes, from three
to fifteen feet in width breaking into each other
| from different attitudes, and forming sort or
spiral course for the foamng brook. 1t varies in
depth from ten 10 forty feet, and extends up the
cliff an eighth of mile.
THE BORDEN CONDENSED MILK FACTORY.
The roads along the valleys and the hills
| are good. In few minutes can drive 10
Wassaic, a perfect gem of hill scenery Just four
and a half miles north of here. Wassac is the
| heart OF the dairy country, and here is located
| the original Bordcns Condensed MILK Factory 1ne
growth of trade has caused the company to build
branches at other points in this State and one IN
Illinois but here it WAS that the old eccentric GAIL
Borden, who regarded by his neghbors
MS crank proved that pure milk could be
preserved and used on land or sea in state
but little differing from the natural Like al
early inventors his methods were crude, and
he had struggle against poverty and misrep-
resentation. Curiously enough, his experiments
originated in an attempt to produce an extract
Of beef, but rs the cost Of cattle for making
necessary tests was too great for his narrow
L. LIZ m