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[[newspaper clipping]] NAVIGATION ABOUT ENDED FOR THE SEASON OF 1886 ON THE HUDSON RIVER, The "Baldwin" has Made its Last Trip and the "City of Kingston" will Lay Up To-Morrow-The Cold Snap- The Ice Embargo. If the sign reads right, the Hudson River is closed for navigation for the fast waning year of 1886. On Saturday, the Hudson River North of Rondout, was full of running ice, and for some miles south of Albany at was fast from shore to shore. A number of tows bound for the Capital City, after getting as far as Catskill, were unable to proceed further on their journey. The steamboat Syracuse, of Schuyler's Towing Line, turned around and took its toe to Port-Ewen. It is safe to presume that these boats will not reach their destination for some time to come. On Saturday it was hoped by boatmen that Sunday would be milder. Instead of the weather moderating, however, it grew colder, and the boatmen's last ray of hope vanished when yesterday's snow storm set in. On Sunday, morning the Hudson River was choked with floating ice. The steamboat Sandy was detailed in place of the ferry-boat Transport to cross the Hudson River to Rhinecliff, to get the New York mail and papers. At the mouth of the Rondout Creek it encountered such heavy masses of ice that it could not make its way through. The propeller General Sheridan then attempted the trip with better success. The letter mail and papers arrived late. The tug LaVergne made the afternoon trip and kept the ferry track open. The passenger yachts of the Haber Steamboat Company, running between Rondout and Eddyville and Rondout and Saugerties, have been hauled off by their routes. The John McCausland and Lewis D. Black have also secured snug winter berths. There are a large number of boats in the Rondout Creek, the destinations of which are at points along the Hudson. They will remain at the Port of Rondout, for some time to come. A three-masted schooner, which sailed into this port, last week, for a cargo of cement, left Eddyville, yesterday morning, in tow of a propeller, with but a quarter of its load. The Captain of the vessel said he did not care to incur to risk a winter's business in other waters, by holding back for the full cargo. There are several other large sailing vessels "Up-the-Creek." The chances are favorable for their remaining there, all winter. When the propeller I.M. North arrived at Rondout, from Newburgh, early yesterday morning, its deck and sides were covered with ice. Captain Julius Hyde said that he encountered large fields of floating ice, near Newburgh Bay. The schooners Golden Rule and Lauretta, with cargoes of Sing Sing lime, for Rondout, are ice-bound in the Hudson River, near Newburgh. The schooner Minnie C. Post, Captain Isaac Hotaling, arrived at this Port, on Saturday night, in a leaking condition. Its bottom had been cut by the ice. Captain Hotaling told a reporter of THE FREEMAN that he had been boating many years, but this was most sudden "freeze up" he ever saw. One day he was sailing in clear water and the next surrounded by ice. For many boatmen who were anxious to make another trip, and were caught with full car goes, it will be "hard lines." One hundred and eighteen loaded Delaware & Hudson Canal boats, which were on their way from Honesdale to tidewater at Eddyville, will be tied up where they now lay until the opening of the canal, next spring. The ice in the upper creek was six inches in thickness, this morning. The propeller Charles A. Schultz tried to get through the lock to break the ice up to release a number of boats, but failed. Before a tug broke the ice up in the Rondout Creek, this morning, people crossed the ice on foot, at South-Rondout. The propeller H.T. Caswell came into the Creek, this morning, all covered with ice. Even two lanterns, which hang from its mast, were enveloped in an icy coating. Yesterday the A.B. Valentine took a string of boats up the Hudson to Glasco, Malden and West Camp. It was a rough passage all the way, as heavy ice was encountered and the wind blew a gale. The steamboat Norwich, the "Ice King," and the propeller John H. Cordts left Rondout, on Sunday morning, with a tow of boats and sailing vessels for New-York. A short distance below Poughkeepsie they were obliged to come to an anchor, so fiercely did the storm rage. Word was received at the Cornell Steamboat Company's office, in Rondout, this morning, to the effect that the propeller J.C. Hartt and steamboat S.O. Pierce, with tows for New-York, lay at Caldwells, windbound. Yesterday, the steamboat James W. Baldwin left Rondout at 3 o'clock, three hours earlier than its usual time, on its last trip, this winter, for New-York, where it will lay up. The steamer City of Kingston will leave Rondout, on its last trip, at its usual time, to-night. It will "winter" in New-York. All day long the towing office of the Cornell Steamboat Company, on Ferry-street, has been besieged by boatmen. Many anxious inquiries were made as to whether another tow would be made up to go to New-York or not, Superintendent J. M. North informed them all that if it was possible to do it with safety, that a boat would go through, but at the present time the idea was deemed impracticable. Ice has been forming in the Hudson River and Rondout Creek all day. Looking for snug berths to lay up for the winter was the chief work of the boatmen, this afternoon. [[/newspaper clipping]] evening and spent an hour. I bought a couple of presents for the servants and Sara some some articles. When we came home I read aloud in the Century the second installment of the Life of Lincoln by Hay + Nicolas. I am reading Daudits [[Daudet]] "Tartarin sur les Alps" very amusing. 362 Wednesday Dec. 8. 1886. Beautiful winter day. The effects this afternoon were unique and interesting, a soft mellow haze visiting the landscape. I made notes of two views. Went to the Post office after breakfast and received a letter from Julia Donaldson from Zurich. went to my studio and worked on my winter picture 8+10 which after all is not good. I was strangely tempted to spend the day out of doors for there never could be a more lovely winter day. To my surprise this morning I found the Mercury only 2° above zero so far the coldest morning of the winter, ut it was perfectly still and it has moderated since. Thursday 9" Sara and I had planned to go out to Mr. Jansens to see about next winters supply of hickory wood. I had Tom put before the little cutter and first drove down to the mail and brot [[brought]] Stephen Canfield up to take the measure for a copper arrangement for heating water on my stove. We started about 10.30. It was a splendid morning not very cold and with a soft Indian summer atmosphere. We went through Kingston and up the turnpike to Mrs. Keatons where we took the mountain road. The snow had nearly all blown off the road and the sleighing was bad. We hoped to find it better under the mountain but were surprised to find so little snow. We finally reached Jansens by skillfully navigating but found he had gone to Kingston. We got some eggs and a half bushel of hickory nuts and started back via Hurley and found the sleighing much better that way. Stopped in Kingston and bought a brace of Partridges and arrived home at 2.30. We met Mr. Jansen in Kingston and he is to get me the wood. We were as hungry as bears at dinner. This evening I wrote a long letter to Julia at Zurich. The night is splendid and the moon nearly full. Friday 10" Cold morning quickly growing warmer. Down to the Post Office. At work in my Studio where I remained until 3 o'clock when I took the cover of dear Gertrudes headstone over to the cemetery and put it over the stone. The graves lay white and cold under the snow and the little flag over poor Maurice, put there last May by the Grand Army Post fluttered in the wind, my Mothers grave still unmarked but not forgotten. It shall be my first duty to mark her grave suitably and tenderly. Something sacred about this spot [[strikethrough]] where [[/strikethrough]] "Where all of them that time can wither sleeps and perishes among the dust we tread" Wrote to Downing
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