USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > From a forest to a city : personal reminiscences of Syracuse, N. Y. > Part 1
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Gc 974.702 Sy82h 1755248
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01148 1543
FROM A FOREST
TO A CITY.
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF SYRACUSE, N. Y.
- - BY
- M: C: HAND .-
.
MASTER- . STONE, PRINTERS. 1889
三
1755248
€
MAR 23 '73
Hand, Marcus Christian.
F 85182 .4 From a forest to a city. Personal reminiscence, of Syracuse, N. Y. By M. C. Hand. Syracuse, Masters & Stone, printers, 1889.
203, [1; p. frout., illus., plates. 181cm.
SHELF CARD 22184 1. Syracuse, N. Y .- IlIst.
Library of Congress F129.SI2 [3211; 1-10201
"SEALONE IN THE LAST YEAR OF VILLAGE, AND FIRST YEAR OF ITS CITY LIFE. (FROM THE ORPHAN ASYLUM.)
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FROM A FOREST TO A CITY.
More than half a century ago I reached that period in life common to most young men when it seems best to leave the parental home and start out on the broad earth in search of the place that destiny has decided we should make home for ourselves. I had never prepared myself for any particular pursuit. My school advantages had been, perhaps, a little better than many of my early as- sociates. There seemed no calling nor locality that beckoned to me as offering place and opportunity. I bade farewell to the home of my childhood in one of the north eastern counties of this state. I seemed like a piece of drift wood carried along by the tide of circum- stances to what destination I knew not. I soon found myself moving slowly westward on a canal boat, then the most common mode of travel through the state. Dark for- ests and swamps were almost continuous with occasional clearings of a few acres with cheap structures filled with boatmen's supplies. After traveling for hours through an unusually gloomy cedar swamp we came to a place called Lodi. There was a small flouring mill built of stone on the south side of the canal, our boat stopped here in search of freight. Seeing the spires of two little churches a mile west, I stepped off the north side and walked along through a thick growth of cedar until I came to
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FROM A FOREST
the Oswego canal. There was not a house to be seen where Canal street is now located. When I came to Salina street I left the tow path and crossed over to the south side of the bridge, where I obtained my first view of the streets of the little village of Syracuse. Of the several streets that diverged from near Salina street bridge, I could not decide which to take, as I had noth- ing to call me in either direction. It was a warm pleas- ant day in October, and for more than an hour I stood still and surveyed the prospect before me. The build- ings that lined the streets were unattractive, no better than other country villages in those days, wooden build- ings largely predominating. The two wide streets Salina and Genesee crossing each other where I stood, gave the little town an airy appearance. On the west side of Salina street where the Globe Hotel is now, was a row of one and a half and two story wooden dwellings, nearly all painted white with green blinds, each lot sur- rounded with a picket fence ; the green lawn and shrub- bery in front of these neat little homes giving them an air of cheerfulness and comfort. On the north-east corner of Salina and Fayette streets the present site of McCar- thy's store, there was a church built after the architecture of those days, painted white with outside green blinds running up to a point. There were brick side walks, over some of which sign boards were placed which read " five dollars fine for any person driving or leading a horse on any jewalk in this villa_e." This seemed to a stranger, evidence of a mot and the people. When claimed my notice more than anything che, was the ar- tivity of those I stw on the street. Every man moved
5
TO A CITY.
as though he had just heard that his house was on fire.
This energy impressed me most favorably with the place and its people. The hills of the surrounding coun- try were not hiddden by lofty buildings, and clothed in the variegated hues of autumn, added much to the beauty of the landscape before me. I felt a growing attachment to the little place, and taking an inventory of my pockets, found an old crown dollar, and several small pieces of silver with bars on one side and a medallion on the other, worth twelve and one half cents, (this currency long since passed out of circulation). My cash amounted to two dollars, a doubtful capital to resume my journey with. I had not yet exchanged a word with any citizen. As I was reflecting what was best to do, a short thick-set man, past the meridian of life, stopped near me to look at a passing canal boat. He was the first man I had seen, who did not appear to be in a hurry. He took from his pock- et a snuff box and applied a liberal pinch to his nose, with evident satisfaction. Our eyes met, he noticed that I was closely observing him, he handed his snuff box towards me and said, "Will you have a pinch young man ? I thanked him for his courtesy, and replied that I was more in need of advice, that I had come to a stand- still was a stranger without money, and in search of some locality where I could spend the energies of my life with a fair chance of a reasonable compensation. The kind- ness of his nature led him to be interested in my welfare. He advised me to look no farther, that young energetic men were needed here, as it was the opinion of the best men of the village that it would grow to be a city. This opinion was based on its natural advantages, as it was
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FROM A FOREST
nearly the center of the state, with inexhaustable salt springs. His advice was to go to work here and help build up the place, and invest every dollar in real estate, that the rise of property would increase with my years. He gave me his name, and pointed out a little white house standing near the site of the Baptist church on West Genesee street, as his home, and said if he could help me by further advice any time he would do so if I would call on him. These few words so comforting to me cost him nothing. A half of a hundred years have passed by since they were spoken and every muscle and bone of his body has crumbled to dust. His kind words are as fresh in my memory as the hour in which he ut- tered them, and they are firmly impressed upon the minds of my family not to be forgotten so long as their lives last, thus proving the truth of the little song,
" Kind words will never die, no never die."
I followed his advice and with little difficulty found employment as clerk for the fall and winter in a store situated where the Court house now stands. I became acquainted with the original settlers and gained from them a knowledge of the early history of the place. Since that time more than fifty years have left their ex- periences with me, and their changes in the place, and sometimes when walking along our streets in a reflective mood, my feelings are beyond description, contemplat- ing the great changes that ! :. eriken place, and seldom if ever do I see the face of one that was a middle aged man at that time. They, with their unpretentious homes only exist in memory Few men are left in Syracuse who
7
TO A CITY.
have personal recollections of its early history, and these year by year are growing less.
Mr. Clark in his History of the county only gives the same space to Syracuse that he does to other towns. Mr. Clayton in his new History of the county should have de- voted a liberal space to Syracuse. but instead he has copied largely from Mr. Clark with but little additional matter. This is to be regretted as it would seem that his book might have been greatly enchanced in value by such a course. It was hop:d and expected that Mr. Leavenworth would have given us a detailed account of the early history of our town. He was without doubt thoroughly familiar with the subject. Probably a large majority of the citizens of Syracuse have but little know- ledge of its history. It should be interesting to every citizen to trace the progress of Syracuse through its pe- riods of development from a miete hamlet to a flourishing city. For many years I to k an active part in the com- pletion of many of the buildings that form the central portion of the town, and was acquainted with all the principal builders until the population was sixty thousand.
It is only designed to give a history of many of the most important events occurring within the original boundaries of the village of Syracuse for a period of near- ly half a century. According to the title of this book my task is completed when Syracuse is chartered a city. My reminiscences will comprise short personal sketches of some of the early settlers and a description of their simple unpretentious homes, tracing Syracuse through its various periods of development from a forest to a city. Many
8
FROM A FOREST
citizens now living in the fifth, seventh and eighth wards, will remember that a large portion of these localities were but little more than farming lands in 1848.
EARLY HISTORV.
In the year eighteen hundred the now central portion of Syracuse was a dense forest, covered by a thick growth of cedar, with here and there patches of higher ground covered with stately pines, and other varieties of forest trees. This was a continuance of the vast forest that stretched from the Adirondacks on the north to the pine forests of Pennsylvania. \ hundred years ago the forest was cut by a few continuous roads, with here and there small clearings, peopled by pioneers from the eastern states, and where good water power was found small vil- lages sometimes sprang into existance. The streams were filled with salmon and trout and wild game abound- ed. So plenty were the wild animals in the forest where Syracuse now stands that a trading boat from Albany made a trip spring and fall loaded with goods to ex- change for furs and live bears, deers, and wolves and re- turned to Albany where the trader found market for these wild animals. The route traveled was by an old water way from tide water up the Mohawk to Rome, where a short portage was made to Wood creek, via. Oneida lake and Sereci river to Onondaga lake. The first white man who made this journey was said to be W. Greenhalgh in 1077. In the year 1788 Asa Danforth, with a few others. located at Onondaga Valley, and in
£
9
.
TO A CITY.
1803, there were eight frame and several log houses. a post office established, and court was held there. In 1800 there were fifty-eight inhabitants at Salina mostly engaged in manufacturing salt. Thus we see at these two points there was a nucleus of a village, while between the two where the center of the city is now, was an un- broken forest. The State by treaty with the Onondagas, held at Fort Stanwix a few years before the close of the last century, had acquired a title to a tract of this forest. In the year 1804 two hundred and fifty acres, the now central portion of Syracuse, was sold to Abram Walton. The proceeds of the sale were to be expended in building the Genesee turnpike through this section. On the 4th, of July 1817 amid the roar .of cannon from the Arsenal at Rome, N. Y., the first shovelful of earth was raised from the ground by Judge Richardson as a commence- ment of the Erie canal, and soon after Elias Gramaer made a commencement in this county. The large num- ber of laboring men that were called here to perform this great work, remained as permanent residents, as they be- lieved that labor would be in demand in some branch of salt manufacturing. These new comers built themselves houses along the line of the canal, using slabs from the saw mill located here where good pine slabs could be bought for one cent apiece. For a few dollars, and three or four days work, a comfortable house could be built. It was surprising how comfortable these houses could be made (and comfort only was considered). A whole slab was used as a batten, the bark removed, the edges were thin,
IO
FROM A FOREST
and with plenty of nails could be made nearly air tight ; and the same material made a good roof.
April 20th, 1820 the first boat made its appearance here, a small craft named the " Montezuma," from a place of the same name. This was the first great event in the place, it had been extensively advertised, and nearly every inhabitant for many miles around had gath- ered on the banks of the canal, anxious to see the great sight. The large crowd that had been standing for hours, became impatient ; from the first, there were many who believed the scheme was not practicable, and this faction was well represented in the assembled crowd, and many who had been standing expectantly for hours be- came tired and joined the doubters, who were shouting that "to-morrow you will hear that the " Montezuma" bumped her nose against the bank, and sunk before she had floated a mile, and we wish old Clinton had gone down with her, and sunk in the ditch he has made at our expense." While all this was going on, at once, there was a shout of " There she comes ! she is coming !" A team of spirited horses had been fastened to the line at Jordan and as they passed the crowd of spectators, the horses were on a fast trot, a wave of water was forced wide over the low banks, and a loud shout arose from the excited crowd. This successful trip silenced all doubters and the canal was acknowledged to be a success. From that hour dates a new ere in the history of Syracuse. All agreed that this water-way must result in great advantan- tages to the locality. Men of means came here and used
II
TO A CITY.
their money freely in building storage and forwarding houses on the line of the canal. No place from Albany to Buffalo attracted so much attention as Syracuse, on ac- count of its salt interests. Among the few inhabitants here there was much enthusiasm, and the forest receded before the axe-man's stroke. Of all the enterprising men few could equal Joshua Forman, and none could do more than he in laying the foundation for a permanent pros- perity. To his great energy, and ability, the undertaking and completion of the Erie canal is largely due. To him more than any other man, is Syracuse indebted for what it is to-day. He located at Onondaga Valley in ISco and opened a law office. He early became interested in founding a town that would ultimately became one of importance, and for many reasons he believed that neither of the three rivals, Salina, Onondaga Hill or Onondaga Valley should be the centre of this town. But to the clear and discerning mind of Judge Forman he believed it must be on a line of navigation through which much of the commerce of the state must pass. Accordingly he left the Valley and located where is now the centre of Clinton, between Water and Washington streets. At that time the greatest number of buildings were standing on what is now West Genesee street. Streets had no ex- istence then.
A wagon road from the Valley leading to Salina, crossed the Genesee turnuiks at the cons! bridge on Salina street west of Salina and south of Water street. The block where the Weiting Opera House and many other elegant and costly building are now standing, was
I 2
FROM A FOREST
then a grove of stately pines. The small trees, and all the under brush had been removed, and sufficient sunlight found its way through the scattering pines, to give life to the wild grass. Here was the little white house of Mr. Forman. The grounds west, nearly to the creek, were soon transformed into a garden, where beautiful flowers and fine vegetables grew under the care of the gardener; it was a place of rare beauty for those times, here a lover of nature and rural life, could be content. among those pines clothed in evergreen with such peculiar foliage, that they never cease responding in low murmurs to the passing breeze. In this beautiful pine grove the first celebration of the 4th, that was ever held in Syracuse took place in 1820. As before stated a section of the canal was com- pleted and several small boats could be located here. It was proposed to have a grand celebration of the 4th, which in those days was entered into with vastly more spirit than now, for many were then living, who had taken part with and followed the great Washington in skirmish and battle. One of the attractions, was a ride on the canal. The people of the present day will be surprised that so novel was this considered at that time, that the Govenor of the state with many other cele- brities, as well as many from all parts of the state, and inhabitants for miles around were here to see and take part. The programme was carried out in all it appoint- ments. Thaddee. M. Wood was called to preside, and in a short and brilliant sterch, for which this man was so won- derfully distinguished, dwelt upon the great achievements of the day they celebrated. and upon the inexhaustible
13
TO A CITY.
mines of wealth contained in their salt interests, and the postive assurance of an early and successful completion of a waterway through the state, which would afford them a cheap and easy transportation to the markets of the west and the tide water east. In view of this great advantage, in part only enjoyed by any other locality, it seemed postively certain that at no distant day instead of the shade of these pines, the shade of towering buildings would fall upon the ground where they then stood, that beautiful paved streets east and west would soon spring into existence populated by a happy and prosperous people. The oration was delivered by S. N. Hopkins, Esq., in which the same sentiments were continued in a most eloquent manner. A lengthy account of this cele- bration appeared in a paper published at that time in Onondaga Valley, and read by the writer many years ago.
Notwithstanding these flattering prospects so eloquent- ly expressed by Mr. Wood, there was a great drawback to the enterprise, one that seemed to dampen the ardor of the bravest heart. Syracuse had the reputation which seemed to be well supported, of being the most un- healthy locality in the state and to use the language of that time " it seemed to be the abode of pestilence and death," especially while the canal was being dug which un- doubtedly added to the other causes of sickness, and few of the canal laborers escaped the fever and many died. Thirty of these poor fellow were buried near where Fayette Frases Clinton street. Their loudly graves were then shaded by the tall forest trees that were standing near. The busy throng that now surges to and fro
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FROM A FOREST
through that locality are not aware of this fact. Some who had located here with the expectation of remaining and had built small frame houses, tore them down and removed them to more healthy locations. This most serious difficulty was to a great extent obviated by Judge Forman who believed there could be but little prosper- ity unless a healthy condition could be restored and like a skillful physician. was determined to find the cause if possible and then proceed to obviate it if it was in the power of man. He took a careful survey of Onondaga creek and lake, and found that the lake was nearly on a level with some of it surroundings when the water was highest and it set back from the creek and lake, and flood- ed the low and swampy lands. After making a survey of the outlet of the lake in the Seneca river, he believed it was possible to lower the lake several feet by making its outlet much wider and deeper. He petitioned the legis- lature for an appropriation for this purpose and also for surveys and maps for a thorough system of drainage. A part of the expense was to be a local tax upon the lands as they were benefited. This work was completed in 1822-23. The lowering of the lake produced a salutary effect : what was marsh and swamp became dry land, yet there were some pools which stubbornly resisted. Ditch- es were dug from these to the creek and some traces of them still remain. The last pool or frog pond that I re- member was located where the Farmer block now stands. on the corner of Madison and Warren streets. A sever was constructed by Bradley Cary to the creek, and this pool was drained and filled up. The residents on War-
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TO A CITY.
ren street would be surprised if they could see that local- ity as it was in 1828. There was a hill where Onondaga crosses Warren street. North of this point was a deep ravine with a brook running through it, the banks of which were lined with flags and rushes, through which the muskrat and mink had made paths in their nocturnal visits to the old mill pond. Before this ravine was filled a backboard on which three mechanics were riding down the hill, broke, and one a Mr. Hamilton was run over and his collar bone broken, he was carried to the nearest house a quarter of a mile distant where he was cared for. This accident is referred to as showing the condition of the road bed here at that time A few years after the ravine was filled and the road made level. The thorough system of drainage with the lowering of the lake, though expensive, proved most salutary in its effects upon the health of the inhabitants and prosperity was again re- stored and many who had desired to locate here, but had been restrained from fear, now came with confidence.
THE NAME OF SYRACUSE.
Previous to the year 1820 the place had been known by several different names. For the first twelve years it had taken its name from the first hotel, and while Mr. Bogar- dus was proprietor it was called Bogardus' Corners. It was next called Cossit's Corners, and South Salina. The latter name was not popular on account of feuds, and petty jelousies existing between the two places, and for the want of a better name it was called Milan, for three
16
FROM A FOREST
years, but that was not generally liked. At this date there were not far from two hundred inhabitants scattered about the vicinity. They were called together for some business purpose, when incidentally the vexed question of a name arose for discussion. Judge Forman made a short speech in which he stated that it would seem that they had arrived at that point when they should decide upon some permanent name; that he had always felt it would grow to be a place of importance, and should therefore have a good name. He said Corinth had always been a favorite name ever since he first read Grecian his- tory, (probably the most of his hearers had never heard of such a place) and he then gave them an account of this Grecian city. I am indebted to the traditions of the first settlers for this information. It is now impossible to re- late what he said on this occasion. He might, and probably did say, something to this effect, "We must confess that thus far, for fifteen years we have been vacillating be- tween several different names for the town, whose foun- dations we all desire shall be well laid. If we now select the name, Corinth, and should it bear that name as long as its Grecian namesake, some relic worshipper might look down from some of our hill tops five thousand years hence upon an ancient city, extending miles to the south with its spires and glittering domes and say, here is a city whose origin is lost in the night of ages. For Cor- inth the Grecian city was founded long before Homer werefedi Lenf Trong. I was one of the finest cities of Greece, but ned with the most sumptust. buildings, its public squares and temples, its theatres and portico;
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TO A CITY.
were famed in antiquity. The forum surrounded by temples and adorned with statues and columns. Here was the statue of Diana of the Ephesians and the Tem- ple of Fortune, with its statues of Parian marble." It is certain, if we can rely upon the statements of the first settlers, that Mr. Forman christened our town Corinth, and in all probability instead of living in the city of Syracuse to day we should be living in the city of Cor- inth. had it not been prevented by a mere accident.
Some time during the year 1819 Mr. Wilkinson with others petitioned for a post-office to be established in Corinth, N. Y., and himself for Postmaster. He soon after received his appointment, but the application for the name of the post office was rejected in conse- juence of there already being one in the state by that name. Within a few years our city has been flooded with pamphlets filled with advertisements, and for the purpose of inducing the people to preserve and tolerate them, have contained a few pages of the early history of Syra- cuse, in every instance quoted verbatim from Mr. Clark's history of Onondaga, and when they arrive at the name of our town they simply say Mr. Wilkinson named it Syracuse. The Yankee is renowned for his inquisitive proclivities, which in him seem an innate principle and is demonstrated in the character of the boy who cut the bellows in pieces to find out where the wind came from. Should one of our inquisitive inhabitants start out with the · w of finding out the " whys and wherefor's " that gave J'ir city the name of Syracuse, I will venture to say he might continue his inquiries until he had interrogated
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