19th century Moriah — Vacation in the mountains

Moriah residents retreated into the Adirondacks for relaxation and enrichment.

“A party of gentlemen of this village made the ascent if the ‘Giant of the Valley’ yesterday. They found a party of eight, four ladies, from Moriah, under a direction of our friend, Mr. F. L. Reed, the organizer, on the mountain,” the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette reported on July 31, 1879. “They had camped the night before on the brook in a comfortable log hut and proposed to do so last night.”

It wasn’t the only Moriah party in the wilderness.

“A party of some 10 or 15 from Port Henry are camping at Camp Witherbee on Moore’s Point and are having a splendid time.”

In other 1879 Moriah news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• Ore production was plentiful.

“1,650 tons of ore were shipped by rail to Port Henry on Thursday of last week, and about 100 tons from Cook Shaft and Barton Hill were carted by horses. Quite a mining locality here, is it not?” the Mineville correspondent boasted in the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette on Oct. 9.

It would not be the largest haul.

“Two thousand tons of ore was recently brought down from the mines to the company’s dock, Port Henry, in one day,” the Post & Gazette reported on Oct. 23.

• “The Cedar Point furnace, Port Henry, is now casting about 75 tons of ordinary pig iron per day,” the Post & Gazette reported on Oct. 30.
• “The cornerstone of the new Episcopal edifice was laid last Monday. Bishop Doane, assisted by seven ministers, assisted at the ceremony,” the Mineville correspondent reported in the Post & Gazette on Aug. 7.

“The foundation of the Episcopal Church is nearly completed. John Lalone has the contract of laying it,” the Post & Gazette reported on Aug. 28.

The new Episcopal Church is nearly completed. It is a neat structure although small, but large enough to accommodate the members of the denomination,” the correspondent reported on Sept. 18.

• The new Presbyterian Church in Mineville was dedicated on Thursday, Sept. 11. Rev. P. J. Myers of Chazy preached the dedicatory sermon, the Post & Gazette reported on Oct. 2.
• “At last, we have a competent barber among us — Albert Panton of Plattsburgh. He is immensely popular with the boys, and we hope he will remain among us,” the Mineville correspondent reported in the on Sept. 18.
• “The diamond drill in O’Neil’s shaft has bored to a depth of almost 400 ft. But slight indications of ore have been obtained as yet,” the Mineville correspondent reported on Sept. 18.

“They have bored to a depth 550 feet with the diamond drill in O’ Neil’s shaft and have not obtained but slight indications of ore. They intend to bore about 180 feet more,” the Mineville correspondent reported on Oct. 30.

• “Thos. Carr, one of our wheelwrights, is turning out some fine buggies. If you want a stylish and durable buggy made, order from him,” the Mineville correspondent reported on Oct. 9.

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