H. G. — Chipping in more than his share for narrow gauge railroad

No doubt that Whitehall and Ticonderoga businessman H. G. Burleigh’s business ventures benefited from the transportation infrastructure improvement.

Still, it was a civic-minded investment that demonstrated his vast wealth.

“The Whitehall Chronicle reports: ‘Mr. Burleigh has subscribed one tenth of the amount assessed to the town in aid of the narrow-gauge railroad. We have 5,999 more citizens to make nine more Burleighs,’” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on June 29, 1877.

In other H. G. Burleigh news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

1879

• An early morning fire, believed to be arson, destroyed the new H. G. Burleigh & Brothers plaining mill and machine shop on Sept. 6, 1879.

The mill was only partially insured.

The blaze was the latest of three fires at Burleigh properties over the past 18 months.

The fire was discovered a half-hour after midnight.

By the time fire companies arrived on the scene, the fire was too severe for the building to be saved.

“And in an hour and a half the building was a smoldering heap of charred ruins,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on Sept. 12.

The machinery, mostly new, in the Burleigh mill was ruined.

“Treadway’s woolen factory, within a few feet of the burned building caught several times, but by the efforts of the employees of the mill, with the use of buckets and water from the tanks on every floor the (woolen) mill was saved.”

1881

• “William W. Newton, district deputy of Washington County, will open a court of the Independent Order of Foresters this evening at the hall of the Knights of Pythias in Whitehall,” The Commercial Advertiser reported on Feb. 16, 1881. “The polls will be opened for charter members and closed this evening. The title adopted is the ‘H. G. Burleigh Court of Independent Foresters.’”

1882

• “Hon. H. G. Burleigh of Whitehall has purchased the lumber land in St. Lawrence County formerly held by the First National Bank of that village,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on April 7.

1895

• At the conclusion of revival meetings at Whitehall, evangelist W. E. Geil announced that local businessman, philanthropist and politician H. G. Burleigh had agreed to donate the building which the Young Men’s Christian Association was using, as well as other land, if $2,000 could be raised to equip it, The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on March 26, 1895.

“A popular subscription was started, and in twenty minutes the $2,000 was raised. In less than an hour, $625 more had been added to supply furniture and books. In including (the value of) Mr. Burleigh’s gift, the amount raised in four hours was over $7,000 (the equivalent of $260,276 in 2024 dollars).”

• H. G. Burleigh made an impression when he dined at the Methodist Church the day of the Washington County Republican Convention in Argyle.

“The Hon. H. G. Burleigh performed a characteristic act at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Argyle, convention day,” The Morning Star reported on June 26, 1895. “His bill was perhaps fifty cents, but he handed over a fiver and requested that the whole be placed among the receipts.”

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