19th Century Ti — New Year 1875

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts about news reported in 19th century weekly issues of the Ticonderoga Sentinel.

It didn’t take much to make an editor smile in 1875.

“Two dollars in subscriptions received at the office the other day,” the equivalent of $50.54 in 2022 dollars,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on Jan. 9, 1875 “We thank the Gods.”

The new year at Old Ti and the surrounding region opened with residents feeling generally healthy and happy.

“Good sleighing. The ice crop is being cut. Fishing through the ice is now engaged in.”

Residents were looking forward to trotting races on the ice.

“Someone has counted up the seventy-five fast horses in this place that are training for the course.”

The weather was milder in northern Essex County.

“Our winter is mild with scarcely any snow,” the Elizabethtown correspondent reported. “We hear of one or two cases of small pox in the vicinity of Keeseville, but they intend keeping it pretty close quarters. The mantle of health is still gathered around us. Very few are suffering even common colds.”

“Sickness is not as prevalent as it has been, and death is not so frequent a visitor,” reported the Ballston Spa correspondent, where wintry weather had turned mild.

“It was quite good sleighing for Santa’s travels on Christmas. Since then, we have had a heavy rain. It has not left ‘Beautiful Stuff’ enough to facilitate the rhyming and chiming of the bells. Instead, we have had the rumbling and screeching of wheels.”

In other Jan. 9, 1875 Ticonderoga Sentinel news:

• Rumor debunked: “Careful inquiry reveals the fact that the scandal in regard to the West Hague School is entirely without foundation, also the the management of the school is good.”
• Editorial: “It is time to plead for a reform in weddings. Every year this sacredest of all occasions is turned more into an opportunity for display, and for replying to some fancied obligation…. A wedding must not be uncheerful, but it must certainly be solemn to all who realize what it is.”

Click here to read the most recent previous post in this series.