long since abandoned. This ore is said to have been discovered in the town of Salisbury, but the quantity is not sufficient to afford any encouragement to capitalists to work it, or the quality of it is not as good as that found in other localities at much greater distance from the market, as no efforts have as yet been made to open and work the mine since its discovery. Gypsum has been obtained in small quantities in the town of Stark. Some specimens of lead ore have been found in the county, but neither lead or gypsum has yet been found in sufficient quantities to attract attention. The rock crystal, or false diamonds, were formerly found at Little Falls and at Middleville, nine miles north, on the West Canada creek, in large abundance, and more beautiful than in any other portion of the United States. They were of different sizes, and most of them. beautifully clear and transparent, and exceedingly multiform in shape. Those found at Little Falls were taken from the sandstone; and those at Middleville were obtained in cavern or grotto, apparently formed by the crystallization of some mineral waters. Some specimens were found larger than a walnut, with water in the centre, and others with dark spots entirely inclosed or surrounded with clear crystal. The writer was several years ago told by a gentleman, that he took a number of these crystals, obtained at Little Falls, to London, England, and the lapidary informed him that one of them was a real and not a false diamond; and that he saw the stone submitted to the test of fire. No positive indications of coal have yet been found, and there probably will not be, as the geological formations are not characteristic of that fossil. At present the wealth of the county consists principally in its agricultural products; but we might speculate a moment, in these days of improvement and progress, and fancy the navigation of the Moose river, improved as high up as the iron region of the county, by which the products of the ore beds will be brought to market on the Black river canal.

MANUFACTURES.

These, although not numerous, or employing large amounts of capital, when compared with some other counties in the state, or some other localities in the United States, are respectable, taken altogether, and contribute an important. item to the sum of our integral prosperity and wealth.

The manufacture of leather has heretofore been successfully carried on, and several large tanneries have been erected in different parts of the county. Several extensive paper mills are in operation in the county. An extensive building is now being erected at Little Falls, by Mr. George W. Beardsley, to be used in manufacturing paper of various descriptions and qualities, from wood.

ROADS, CANALS, TURNPIKES.

Before and during the revolutionary war, the Mohawk river was navigated by batteaux of light draught and easy transport over the carrying place at the lesser falls. At this time the main traveled road between the East and West Canada creeks, was on the south side of the river. As early as April, 1790, the legislature appropriated "one hundred pounds for the purpose of erecting a bridge across the East Canada creek, not exceeding three miles from the mouth thereof, upon the road from the Mohawk river to the royal grant."

On the 6th of April, 1793, the legislature appointed commissioners, and directed them to erect "a bridge over the East Canada creek, nearly opposite Canajoharie castle, on the public road leading from Tribes Hill to the Little Falls; the building and erecting a bridge over the West Canada creek, on the public road or highway leading from the Little Falls aforesaid, to Fort Stanwix."

The Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, was incorporated March 30th, 1792. The object of this company

was to open and improve the navigation of the Mohawk river, and other streams, from the Hudson to the Seneca lake and Lake Ontario, to "encourage agriculture, promote commerce and facilitate intercourse between the citizens" of the state, as put forth in the preamble to the act. The improvements made by the company, in this county, consisted in opening a short canal in the river flats, and the construction of a lock, to avoid a rapid in the river, hear old Fort Herkimer, in the town of German Flats; and the construction of the canal and locks, at Little Falls. This work was completed in 1795. The locks were first made of wood, were rebuilt of stone in 1804, and in good condition in 1825, when the Erie canal was opened. On the completion of these works, the river was navigated in a good stage of water, by the large Durham boats, between Schenectady and Lake Ontario. There was a light and commodious passenger boat on the river, in the year 1817. The trip from Utica to Schenectady was rapid and agreeable, but the return was so slow and tedious, that passengers did not incline to embrace it. The entire cost of this company's improvements was about $450,000.

The state owned $92,000 of the stock, and individuals, $140,000. The state wishing to use the waters of the Mohawk and Oswego rivers, and occupy some portion of the company's canal, for the purpose of the Erie canal, and being unable to agree with the company, on the sum to be paid, took the franchises and property of the corporation by appraisal, paying to the individual stockholders, for their interest, $91,616; the interest of the state, at the same rate of allowance, being $60,204-80. This company, it appears, sunk of capital in twenty-two years after their works at the Little Falls were completed, $298,180-20.

The next improvement in roads, which materially affected the interests of the people of the county, was the construction of the Mohawk turnpike. The charter of the Turnpike and Bridge company, was granted April 4, 1800. The road from

Schenectady to Utica, on the north side of the river, was built in an expeditious and unsubstantial manner, of the material found along the line. Although the opening of the Erie Canal, in 1825, materially affected the income of the company, by diverting transportation from the road, it was an immense thoroughfare for travel, until August, 1835, when the corporate franchises of the company and the road itself were transferred to the Utica and Schenectady rail road company, for $62,500, and the successors of the company, now own and control the turnpike, from the west bounds of the town of Herkimer, to its termination on the west bank of the river, at Schenectady. I need not say, perhaps, for the information of any inhabitant of the county, that the Erie canal traverses its territory, from west to east, on the south side of the Mohawk river, passing through the villages of Frankfort, Ilion, Mohawk and the town of Danube; nor that the New York central rail road traverses the county from east to west, on the north side of the river, passing through the town of Manheim, the villages of Little Falls and Herkimer, and part of the town of Schuyler, crossing the Mohawk, near the west bounds of the county; having five passenger and freight stations along the line in the county.

One of the most, if not the most, successful enterprises of modern times, was the the Utica and Schenectady rail road company, chartered in 1833, and now forming a part of the New York central rail road. The original capital was $2,000,000. The road was constructed, equipped for running and opened on the 1st of August, 1836, for a sum somewhat less than capital. It was a pioneer road, and the art of chisseling had not then been brought to its modern perfection.

On the first organization of the company, in 1833, after the distribution of the stock, Erastus Corning, John Townsend, Lewis Benedict, James Porter, of Albany; Alonzo C. Paige, of Schenectady; Tobias A. Stoutenbergh, of Montgomery; Nathaniel S. Benton, of Herkimer; Nicholas

Devereaux, Henry Seymour, Alfred Munson, Utica; James Hooker, Poughkeepsie; John Mason and Churchill C. Cambreleng, of New York, were chosen directors; James Porter was appointed secretary; Gideon Hawley, treasurer; Wm. C. Young, chief engineer; and Gideon Davidson, commissioner. The charter required that one director, at least, should be a resident of the county through which the line of the road passed. Messrs. Corning, Townsend, Paige, Devereaux, Benton and Hooker, of the first board chosen, remained in the direction twenty years, and until the consolidation took place, May 17th, 1853. Mr. Young was appointed engineer and general superintendent after the road was finished, and held that highly responsible place until 1851, when he resigned, went on to the Hudson river road, and was succeeded by Mr. Chauncey Vibbard, who had been several years an efficient aid to Mr. Young. Mr. Vibbard is now the general superintendent of the New York central company. It is not too much, nor out of place here, to say, that Mr. Young was a most valuable and efficient officer. There were but few men in this country at that time, who could have taken the charge and active superintendence of an entirely new enterprise, organized and arranged the running of the trains, selected competent and suitable agents to aid him, with better or more complete success than he did. He lived on the road for years, until order and exactitude pervaded the whole line, and at every station, and in every department of service. But it may be said, he did not and could not do all this work alone and single handed. This is true; he had active, able and vigilant assistants on the line, as local superintendents; and Maj. Zenas C. Priest, who entered the service of the company before the road was opened for traffic, and has remained on it ever since, was among the most reliable and efficient of Mr. Young's assistants.

At the time of consolidation, the stock capital of the company was $4,500,000, on which the shareholders received fifty per cent premium in six per cent bonds of