LG off season — March 1894
The southern section of the Hudson River was thawing.
“The Hudson River is clear of all but floating ice from Troy down,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on March 8, 1894.
But at Lake George, the ice surface was still sufficient to support the wheels of progress, as construction work was underway to prepare for the next tourism season.
“Several teams are engaged hauling machinery across Lake George from Bolton to the ‘Calf Pen’ for use in the move of the latter place. The Bolton correspondent of The Star says that thirty men will be employed in the move in a few days,” The Morning Star reported on March 3, 1894.
It wasn’t the only heavy load on the ice.
“William Burnett had good luck moving the two-story boathouse owned by General R. L. Banks from the Fort William Henry grounds to Sandy Bay, at the entrance of Dunham’s Bay, on the ice,” The Morning Star reported on March 8. “It was loaded on sleighs, and drawn three miles on the ice by two double teams. The building is to be used as a summer residence.”
The ice also was still sufficient for harness racing.
E. Martin’s Billy won the first prize of $15 — the equivalent of $533 in 2023 dollars — and Martin Crandall’s Mollie won the second prize of $10 in a trotting race on Lake George the previous day, The Morning Star reported on March 6.
Also racing were Dudley Elsworth’s Link Sausage and Walter Hubbel’s Pedoc.
Construction projects were underway in preparation for a new tourism season.
“George W. Bates and G.B. Harris are at Bolton, rebuilding the connection between the shore and the new pier which they built for the steam yacht Geneva, owned by William Demuth of New York,” The Morning Star reported on March 8.
F.C. Wilson, who formerly owned a restaurant at 123 Glen St. in Glens Falls, leased the Trojan Cottage at Ripley’s Point tom operate as a boarding house, The Morning Star reported on March 16.
“The house is owned by Daniel Hyde and has accommodations for about fifty guests. Mr. Wilson will move his family to Lake George about the first of next month and will open the house for guests May 1, when the season opens.”
There were supply chain issues in 1894.
”Work on The Sagamore Hotel is progressing slowly at present, owing to the lack of building materials,” The Morning Star reported on March 29.
Steamboats were being readied for a new season.
“Captain Howe, of Lake George, returned yesterday afternoon from Ticonderoga, whither he went to inspect the work of fitting up the steamers Horicon and Ticonderoga,” The Morning Star reported on March 22. “The boats are being gotten in readiness as rapidly as possible. Captain Harris thinks the Horicon will make her first trip about May 28.”
Click here to read the most recent previous Lake George tourism history post.
