MIDDLETOWN, N. Y., city, in Orange County, on the New York, Ontario and West ern, the New York, Susquehanna and Wil mington, and the Erie railroads, nearly midway between the Hudson and Delaware rivers, and about 66 miles northwest of the city of New York. Middletown was settled about the mid dle of the 18th century; its location on the Minisink road, the route to the °West,') and half-way between the important rivers of this section, gave the place its name, and its early importance. At first it was included in the Walkill township. In 1848 it was incorporated as a village, and 27 June 1889 was chartered as a city. It is in a fertile agricultural region, and has a large trade in dairy products, live stock and garden produce. It has the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad shops 'and the chief manufactures are hats, shirts, saws, automobile tires, cut glass, printers' supplies, files, carpet-bags, leather, condensed milk, paper boxes and cigars. Some of the noted public
institutions are the State Homoeopathic Hos pital for insane, the Federal building, churches, public schools (ward schools), one parish school, an excellent high school, Saint Joseph's Academy (R. C.), and the Thrall Public Library. There are two national and one sav ings bank and one trust company bank. The government is administered under a charter of 1902 which provides for a mayor, who holds office two years, and a common council of nine members, each one of whom holds office two years. The mayor appoints, subject to the approval of the council, the members of the board of health, and the council elects the en gineer, city clerk and corporation counsel. Pop. (not including over 2,000 State Hospital inmates), about 16,000.