Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1913-07-24
A CHAIN OF FAME.
The Barrier Washington Erected
Across the Hudson.
ARNOLD REMOVED ONE LINK.

| okGI IS7e mcnSleF NaDtcy IN SPtE- q kfi-
Traitors Act, Served It's Purpose and
Blocked the Progress Of the British
Ships Up the River.
! Somewhere in the bed Of the Hudson
river just of Of West Point lies buried
the larger part OF a great iron chain,
one Of several ordered by General
Washington during the Revolution to
b constructed to prevent the enemy
/ from ascending certain rivers 10 &C
eompIish strategic points Of vantage
! The British were making strenuous
efforts 70 get hold Of the Hudson in
order TO keep free communication with
Canada by the additional channels Of
the St Lawrence and Lake ChampIain,
and so # was determined 70 obstruct
the Hudson By a great chain crossing
from Fort Montgomery 70 Anthony's
Nose
But this was failure. The chain
parted within week after It had been
stretched and. although subsequently,
raised and again placed. it was de
stroyed by the British
Finally Washington decided 70 forge
another and obstruct the river between
West Point and Constitution island, for
here there was an abrupt change Of
course, and a heavy tide reduced the
speed Of any ship encOunteHng # Be
sides. the channel was 800 feet narrow
er NJ this crossing
The forging Of q chain such as was
contemplated was then no small under
taking Requests were secretly sent
10 various iron companies, and among
the bids the most favorable came from
the Sterling Iron works, situated in
one OF the most beautiful regions OF
the east. now within the fashionable
domains Of Tuxedo PARK
IL was originally organized by Lord
Sterling in 1TJI. 4 well known officer
IN the Revolutionary army. and COZ
tinUed in operation for more than
hundred years meanwhile passing into
the possession OF Abel Noble who
married a niece OF Peter Townsend
and who now in association with the
latter increased the capacity Of the
works which eventually came into the
entire possession OF Peter Townsend.
a patriot and filed with the spirit Of
the time
He finally obtained 9 few Welsh min
ers from Pennsylvania for the heavy
handling in the forging and q number
Of men from Connecticut with their
OK teams 70 do the hauling. and when
the chain was ready II was drawn
over the rough mountainous roads and
through forests that had 70 be pur-
pOseIy cut in many places and so On
to New Windsor. the nearest river
point. aud lowed 70 West Point
It was q strenuous undertaking from
the very start Each link weighed 500
pounds. was two feet in length and
two and Z quarter inches square and
each 100 feet was secured BY 4 swivel
Z twisting link. and at every Thousand
feet there was Z clevis. The whole
of this weighed 1S5 tons When Il
was stretched across from West Point
to Constitution island It was buoyed
up by large sixteen foot logs. and
these were in turn held IN place by
the anchors
The British made no specific attack
on this then invincible obstacle. for il
must be remembered that in those
days there was no dynamite nor tor
petIoes, and none OF the enemy's pruws
would have pushed their way through
such barrier.
Although the British did not succeed
in passing the big Hudson river chain !
the American traitor Arnold gave il /
bis particular attention and removed |
I link OF il under the pretense Of hav- /
Ing it repaired for weakness st s near
by smithy. He wrote 10 Major Andre |
that it would not be replaced until the
But somehow the chain stood for its
purpose. and Sir Henry Clinton did
not attempt to relieve Burgoyne-
Parts OF this celebrated chain srs 10
ne seen among various historical Gu
-iOs Of prominent societies 4 number
II years ago Mayor Hewitt OF New
fork. then the owner OF mine near
he Sterling properties. became inter
,Sted in finding out the whereabouts OF
he remaining portions OF the chain 4
drge part OF il lies st the bottom Of
he river, about thirty tons were IN
-aTiOuS possessions. and at West Point
here are thirteen links. ant s staple
,Isced near the spot where the chain
vas anchored and q plate tells OF the
late and place Of forgins.-Bostou
Herald.