New-York tribune., 1902-05-18
THE ST. LAWRENCE CLUB
FORMED BY FORMER RESI-
DENTS OF THE BIG
A COUNTY.
SOME OF THE STORIES TOLD AT THEIR
ANNUAL GATHERINGS-MEM
OF THE ORGANIZATION.

Of the MANY organizations in this city COM
. posed OF men who came here from other parts
OF the State. the st. Lawrence CLUB is one ol tIe
best known The club was formed twelve years
non for tbe nurpose Of reviving old memories or
the Big County" and Of keeping alive the stories
Of the struggles OF the first settlers Ihe clup =
composed both of alumni OF the ST Lawrence Ou'-
Sersity at Canton and Of former residents oI 'ne
F counts, who have moved TO the metropolis
..The early settler Of ST. Lawrence County fol-
lowed the woods all day in quest OF game pul
cot nothing except tired. While in ms absence
young cub stroled into the clearing tipped over
the beehive, and the bees aFeheeo iS0-'' VA
his best colt
This illustration Of the pioneer life Of St Law
renee County was made by Judge John M hellogs
at recent dinner Of the st. Lawrence Club in this
city The Judges home is in the city or Ogdens-
burg which is as rich in legend and as unique IN
the peculiar characteristics of its people as was
the ancient town Of Sparta.
St Lawrence County has an area Of 2sz5 square
miles Il Is bounded the northwest by the 81
Lawrence River. which separates 1t from CaIlaua ~
and Is Intersected by number of smaller streams
among which are the ST. Regis, Racquette' indian
Osvegatchie and Grass rivers consloerdole pdIl
of the county III the ADIRONDACK region IL ~
cred with forests Of pine. sugar maple OAK peech
and hirch II is also rich In minerals whle the
farm lands are among the finest IN the state A
story is told of the boy who was asked al scliooi
For what is St. Lawrence County noteu! WIN
answered For its big Republican maJorlues III INC
en- .nd its big 1ish stories in the summer"
The how was right but there are other Things
about St Lawrence County which the tourist "iio
makes the Thousand Islands trip usually relein-
brs afth Measure This part Of the county, "h4ch
has been called the Venice of America was until
bon4 thirty wears ago nothing more than hhe
fishing ground. but the people OF Ne"-iorA ~ "iN
other Eastern cities appreciated It's advantages
a summer vacation place, and the little inns mace
NAV cor fine hotels and beautiful summer homes
1,srlared the log hut and clapboard shanty PUBIC
attention was drawn TO the region IN 4S'z' "heh
: General Grant entertained there by George NJ
pullman and since that time improvements nave
gone on continually. and. although hundreds OF hhe
cottages have been erected the natura4 peauIeS u
the region have not been diminished
+ charles Dickens visited the Thousand Islands
,o,,v Years before they were brought near to New
York by the improved service OF the New-fork
central Railroad. and he said of the sceneryi
The beauty Of this noble stream at almost st any any
tourney where It winds its way among the Ihou-
and constant succession OF these islands, all green
and richly wooded: their huctuating sizes SOME so
,a n RSa f0s apPear ReI a m 6e bank Of
river sIa 80 some SO sta nnte VARIETY of shapes
and the numberless combinations OF beautiful
ali form picture fraught with uncommon in
terest and pleasure.
The moving spirit in the organization Of the st.
Lawrence Club has been Herbert F. Gunnison.
business manager OF ''The Brooklyn Eagle" whose
st. Lawrence University.
At its dinners prominent men Of the county who
still make IL their home are invited to join with
their fellows who live in this city. but who
still take pleasure and pride in recalling earlier
days and old associations.
The guest OF the last dinner Judge Leslie
W. Russell. of Ogdensburg. who. however. spends
good deal OF his time in this city being assigned
10 service here in the Appellate Division Of the
Supreme Court Judge Russell the society's
first president
Other dinners have been given in honor Of DR.
A g. Gaines former president of ST. Lawrence
University; Foster L. Backus at the time OF hi
election as District Attorney of Kings County
DR.. Alrnon Gunnson, the present president OF tht
college; Irving Bachelor. the author of "Eber
Holden" who spent many years in the study o.
the life and characteristics OF the natives of ST
Lawrence County; Senator Malby, the time h,
Speaker of the Assembly; Professor Henr,
Priest, dean OF the College of Letters and scienc
Of St Lawrence University: Dr. John Clarenc
Lee former president Of the college, and DR.
Walter Gunnison brother OF Alnnon and Berher
Gunnison. and principal OF the Erasmus Hall F4,g,
School Of Brooklyn.
Many the stories told at the reunions Of IN,
St Lawrence Club Of the life Of the big County
the banks OF the Big River" Some Of then
touch the marvellous. as all tales are i,rel, :,
DO when told in after times and in distant piace
When Colonel Z. c. James the eminent tria
lawyer of this city. was alive he was looked uno,
as the master story teller Of the club for coIopa
James was a native of the big COUNTY, pcher
his father. Judge A. B. James, was noted lawve
before him.
Chief among the stories which Colonel Jame
used 10 tell and which since his death have becom
part Of the folklore Of the county was his tall
OF the muskallonge and the repeating watch Th
story he used to tell IL went something lik,
this:
i was presented on my birthday, just which on
~ does not matter. with A handsome repeatinl
~a'eh. Indeed. do not believe that / ever SAD
Hahdsofner watch OF its kind anywhere, and CON