Lake George offseason — Feb. / March 1895

At first it appeared that the Fort William Henry Hotel was on fire.

“Ringing of all the village bells Tuesday night about eleven o’clock disturbed the slumbers of the people who adhere to the old-time proverb, ‘Early to bed,’ etc.,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star of Glens Falls on March 16, 1895.

In fact, it was a D. & H. Railroad water tower, on the hotel grounds, that was on fire.

“A force of men was soon at work, but the fire was not entirely put out until about two o’clock. The fire started probably from a coal stove which was kept in the building to insure the use of water at any and all times.”

In other February and March 1895 Lake George tourism news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• Ownership and management of Lake George basin hotels for the upcoming season was beginning to take shape.

“Henry Nichols of Chicago, formerly of the Lake House, Lake George, was in town yesterday. Mr. Nichols will manage the Hundred Island House at The Narrows the coming season,” The Morning Star reported on Feb. 8. “He is an experienced hotel man and will make this well-known house one of the most popular on the lake.”

“Charles and George Cronkhite will manage the Trout Pavilion, East Lake George, next season. The firm name will be Cronkhite Brothers,” The Morning Star reported on March 25.

• Renovation was underway at some hotels.

“Boyd & Suprenant have been awarded the contract to repaper the rooms in the Lake House, Lake George,” The Morning Star reported on March 11.

“Mr. and Mrs. Fred Derrick and child will leave today for Lake George, where Mr. Derrick will fit up the Lake House for electric lights. He did the electric wiring for the Presbyterian Church,” The Morning Star reported on March 28.

• Hotels were stocking up on ice for the coming season.

“Earl B. Smith filled the Agawam Hotel icehouse at Lake George with eighty tons of ice on Friday last, and on Saturday filled the Glen Lake House icehouse at Glen Lake with forty tons,” The Morning Star reported on Feb. 18, 1895.

• “Friday was a holiday for the pupils of Miss Russell’s room. The new seats are being put in position and sundry other improvements are being completed,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Feb. 2.
• “General Manager Rushlow of the Lake George Steamboat Company says his new steamer will be ready for service on Lake George on July 1,” The Morning Star reported on Feb. 16.
• “Owners of steam yachts on Lake George are beginning the work of spring repairs and overhauling. The machinery of the Julia, owned by O. G. Finkle of Bolton Landing is being overhauled,” The Morning Star reported on March 26. “H. Cole of Bolton is having a new shaft and boxes put in the steamer.”

J. L. Dix foundry in Glens Falls was overhauling both vessels.

“O. M. Smith of Caldwell has a new steam yacht nearly ready to be put afloat. Part of the machinery is being finished by the Dix Campany.”

• “The Lake George Steamboat Company has bought the steamer Mohican and will press her into service with their other boats next season. The price has not been made public,” The Morning Star reported on March 4.
• “Moore & Starbuck have bought the market formerly conducted by George Evans at Lake George. The firm took possession yesterday. Mr. Evans has gone into the firm’s employ at the Lake George branch,” The Morning Star reported on March 14.
• “Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Nichols are expected home this weekend from Chicago for the summer, news which is very pleasing to their friends in this town, who are legion,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on March 16.
• “Robert W. Alexander, owner of the Buena Vista cottage near the Lake View House, Bolton, where he spends his summer vacations with his family, is now managing editor of the New York Mail and Express. Mr. Alexander has a number of acquaintances in Glens Falls,” The Morning Star reported on March 18.

Click here to read the most recent previous Lake George tourism history post.