having achieved forty-two miles that day.
Utica contains approximately 47,000 residents. At the time of the revolution it was a frontier trading-post and the site of Fort Schuyler, built to guard the settlements against the French and Indians.
We made arrangements to remain in this city over night.
A long walk through Utica made us acquainted with a regular and handsomely built city, which rises from the south bank of the Mohawk River to an elevation of 150 feet. Among the stately buildings are six large hotels, the handsome city hall, the postoffice and the bank edifice. There is also a State Lunatic Asylum. Utica, being in the center of a great dairy region, has become the most important cheese market in the United States.
Genesee Street is the principal thoroughfare lined with large blocks of commercial houses.
The city has not yet attained its centennial; but during its history of less than a century it has experienced a wonderful growth, especially during the last fifty years.
At 7 o'clock the next morning we resumed our voyage, sailing on the so-called sixty mile level; having thus the delightful prospect not to be detained by going through numerous locks.
We were also in limine of the far-famed lake region, and soon traversed one of the finest portions of New York State.
Passing the hamlets of York Mills, Whitesboro and Oriskany, the "Marguerite" advanced near to the city of Rome towards 10 o'clock A.M. In its vicinity the famous battle of Oriskany was fought; and Fort Stanwix, which was besieged by the British in 1777, occupies a site now in the center of the city of Rome. The latter is laid out with wide streets well shaded with maples and elms. In the resident portion, a very high artistic taste has been displayed in the erection of dwelling houses. Although this thriving city of almost 16,000 inhabitants has not so many points of interest as its namesake, the ancient metropolis of the glorious Roman empire, whose wealth of antiquities is perfectly marvelous and whose relics of classical and papal times are alike almost innumerable; still it possesses one interesting feature that ought not to be left unmentioned: It was here that cheese was first made in factories.
Other important manufactures are merchantable iron, brass and copper, locomotives and agricultural implements.