USA > New York > Schuyler County > Schuyler County, N.Y., the first hundred years, 1854-1954 > Part 1
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Gc 974.701 Sch8s 1753372
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01125 9899
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To Lloyd Jis. From "The Warners Christmas 1954 1 Schuyler County, N. Y.
The First Hundred Years
MUYLER VATHOUSET
SCHUYLER COUNTY COURT HOUSE - Built 1857 Wood cut by Mary Robinson
1854 - 1954
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1:53372
MAR 23 '73
SCHUYLER OSTRTY, NEW YORK. Centennial Committee.
851737 Schuyler County, N.Y., the first hundred .
.799 years, 1954-1955. ER. p. : 1950 . 632. illus. , ports., maps. 23cm,
Gift '61
SHELF CARL ICM 61-3364
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SCHUYLER 1
COUNTY
The First Hundred
Mears 1
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1854
UYLER COU ORGANIZED
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NYS PIX-Commerce
PHILLIP JOHN SCHUYLER 1733-1804
General Schuyler, for whom the county is named, was one of four major generals in the Continental Army. After serving in the French and Indian War (1755-58), he formed a lumber business at Saratoga, N. Y. and built one of the first flour mills in America. In 1764, he was on the Boundary Commission to determine claims of New York and Massachusetts, and in 1775 became a member of the Continental Congress. In the Revolu- tion, he actively led expeditions and became a Major General. Then as United States Senator, he promoted canal building from the Hudson River to Lake Erie.
He and his wife, Catherine Van Rennselaer had eleven children, one of whom became the wife of Alexander Hamilton. 4
This portrait and family Bible arc pictured in the hall of the Schuyler Mansion in Albany.
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CHARLES COOK, born November 20, 1800 in Otsego County, came to Havana when twenty-nine. He never married. He engaged in canal and railroad construction, served as supervisor, State Senator, member of the State Canal Commission. He presented Havara with a church and a college, and built a hotel, a business block and other civic buildings. He died in Auburn, following a paralyzing sickness in 1866. His leadership made Schuyler County possible. This statue, given to Cook Academy by Dr. Halsey Ives, is the work ci R. P. Bringhuist and is now in the Montour Memorial Library.
-Photo by R. O. Bale, Jr.
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Hacea, Lederdown, Jr.
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Znal BA
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GLEN NATIONAL BANK
Glen National Bank Watkins Glen, N. Y.
Member F. D. I. C.
Member Federal Reserve System
A COUNTY IS BORN
Indians dwelt in upper Watkins Glen before Columbus' time. Pre-Iroquois mounds excavated between Lamoka and Waneta Lakes reveal a substantial Indian settlement here. The Rochester Museum preserves these early Indian relics.
After Sullivan's main army burned and drove out Indians in September 1779, from Sheoquaga (Mon- tour Falls), Peach Orchard, and Candawhaw (N. Hector), the area was settled by families from the northeast coastal states.
Chemung County was partitioned just ahead of 1854 when Schuyler County was erected. The citizens of Catharine township (in Chemung) were
unhappy to have Elmira rather than Horseheads chosen as county seat and persuaded neighboring towns to agitate for a new county. Separation from Chemung, Steuben and Tompkins counties was popular locally as it would halve distance to public offices. The personal interests and ambition of Charles Cook of Havana were also a factor and with his leadership the act erecting Schuyler County was signed in April 1854.
The 336 square miles in the new county have an interesting contour as is indicated by the sketch below.
Steuben Lo. Line 1050 Waneta Lake 1110' Lamoka Lake 1110'
Monterey 1212'
"Sugar Hill"
Fire Tower 2090'
N. Y. C. Station, Watkins 1000'
Seneca Lake 443'
Burdett 1003'
Logan 1400'
Texas Hollow 1140'
Odessa 1454'
Cayuta Lake 1272'
Cayutaville 1400'
Tompkins Co. Line 1900'
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156'
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Schuyler County Profile Looking North
6 X Vertical Exaggeration
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Schuyler County "got seated" with considerable Ificulty due to the zealous efforts of Havana and Watkins to become the county seat. Words were fontiful and feelings waxed warm as Mr. Cook's and .. Freer's groups offered sites and buildings, npared heights above lake level, their hotels, tenue from post offices, number of small-pox cases, Itribution of wealth and intellect, rights of super- ors and the State Legislature in the decision. ₴ghteen years passed before all legal details were ared, all fully reported in the 5 year old Havana arnal and the Watkins Republican, just started.
The old mill at Watkins Glen before the park was operated by the State. Streams throughout the county were utilized to grind and mill and tan. These two couples-the men in tight unpressed trousers; the . women in hoop skirts-doubtless enjoyed the Glen's cool, fern-clad cliffs just as thousands do each day in 1954.
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-- Photo from Finger Lakes Park Commission
DEPENDABLE AND FRIENDLY
OVER THE CENTURY
Your Schuyler County Coal Dealers' Association
MACREERY LUMBER CO.
MONTOUR FUEL & SUPPLY CO.
H. M. SMITH & SON SULLIVANS INC. WATKINS COAL & OIL CO.
SENECA ENGINEERING CO.
Large Stock Available
Structural Shapes Engineering - Designing Fabricating Electric Welding
Montour Falls
W. Main St. Phone 2411
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THE COUNTY IN 1854
The hills and valleys of the new Schuyler County
had 16,181 people. Jefferson had just become Watkins in honor of Dr. Samuel Watkins, founder and financier of much of the area and its develop- ment. A majority of county residents had been born outside the county lines. In Catharine township 397 of 1,097 were not natives. The Connecticut Hill area when sold seemed to bring many residents to this county from Connecticut.
Lincoln and Douglas had begun their speeches on slavery in new western areas. Newly laid railroads sent farm values up $2 to $10 per acre due to improved markets. Butter was 18c, eggs 12c, maple syrup 11c, poultry 9c, potatoes 38c (bu.), cider cost $1.50 a barrel. Frost Nurseries front page ads drove the stories clear out of the Havana Journal for a fortnight telling of fruit and ornamental trees. Catharine Valley Agricultural Society was 18 years old and talk of a Schuyler Agricultural Society led to organization in '55. Passenger pigeons in huge clouds menaced the crops. Most produce was consum- ed at home. It took 10 farm hands to produce food for 15 people in 1854. (Now in 1954 one farmer produces enough food for himself and 14 others).
Education was far from universal. Montour's Mrs. A. Lyon had a school teaching English for $5.00 a term, French, drawing and painting $8.00, small scholars $2.00 (boys and girls). Vocations were learned by apprenticing. Less than half of school age young people attended school at all and those only a short term per year. Investment in schools of New York State was $2.00 per potential pupil. A school mistress who danced had to defend herself in court as late as 1859 to keep her job. Elmira Female College had just started and Hobart had a record class of 43 entering.
One could buy a weekly paper for $1.00 per year, Sears' "great work" on Russia for $3.00 and Harper's Monthly had the Life of Napoleon as a serial, an account of a "Day in a Lunatic Asylum" (at Black- well Island, N. Y.), recent current events and a couple style pages all in one copy. Godey's Lady's Book was in the better homes.
The only "lodge" in the county was Jefferson Lodge F & A M 332 founded with 12 members in June 1854.
Temperance Societies were strong and influential. Hector had 1,064 members at its height.
Churches filled a great need. There were over 50 churches active in 1854, 7 in Tyrone township alone. The church was the meeting place for religious and patriotic gatherings.
Social life was far from dull. Valentines could
be purchased from 2c to $2.00. Postage was 3c, a recent 1c increase. The Dresden Cotillion Band of 8 pieces was available at a price for polkas, schottische, waltzes. Barnum advertised 90 infants in his National Baby Show including a baby 3 months old weighing. 66 1bs. One circus at Havana cost 25c and included a French Equestrienne Burlesque (gross revenue $900.). Bloomers, although advocated by Amelia Bloomer of our neighboring Seneca County, were shortlived and one railroad threatened to charge extra fare for ladies wearing more than 20 petticoats.
Marriage was considered pretty essential. In fact Mr. Cook's "dourness" was explained in his obituary as probably due to his being a bachelor following a disappointment in love.
On October 14, 1854, an inquisitive reporter observed "A newly married couple stopped at Montour House in this village on Monday last. The bride was a young lady of 17 years and weighed 430 pounds. If a husband can be satisfied with a wife this one has enough. They were from Pennsylvania."
News Transportation was improving. from Liverpool arrived by packet in Boston in a fortnight. Here the ten year old telegraph was being improved rapidly thru efforts of Ezra Cornell. The railroads were running and more being planned. The corduroy road up from Havana to Catharine to Mecklenburg was 4 years old and proving hard to maintain. The Chemung Canal was feeling competition of railroads. Postoffices vied with each other in reported receipts. Horses and carriages were major businesses. There were more horses than cattle. The relative con- venience of shillings or cents was discussed. Both were used.
Hotels and taverns were plentiful. The Havana county office buildings were going up under contract. The papers were full of comments on Whigs, Know Nothings, Fusionists and Locofocos. The railroads and canals hired many and provided transportation and market for much farm produce including hay for the canal tow horses. The miller and blacksmith were key men.
Life was more risky than now. If you lived to get started at all, pneumonia, diphtheria, smallpox or tuberculosis or other ailments killed many off soon, despite the heroic attempts of more rural doctors than now serve us.
There were no local hospitals, no health depart- ment, no Pasteurization or herd tests, no water works and little knowledge of sanitation. Large families were necessary for survival and the first cemetery at County Line records many early deaths. There were few traffic accidents however.
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CHURCHES
There were in 1879, 54 churches including 1. African Methodist, 2 Wesleyan Methodist, 2 Union, 1 Roman Catholic, 3 Protestant Episcopal, 9 Pres- byterian, 2 Friends, 1 Christian Connection, 16 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Universalist. By 1900 the number of churches began to decline to 38 in 1954. New denominations included Church of Nazarene, Pentecost and Community.
Men of means such as Duncan and John Magee, George Freer, Charles and Albert Cook, John Mulford, Warren Clute, the Leffingwells and Lawrences gave freely to build and beautify their own and other churches. Parishioners sacrificed and worked giving money, timbers, shingles, nails and labor to erect churches.
Almost every church has its warm fascinating history. The church of the town of Hector erected in 1818 on the site getting the greatest public subscription is the oldest church edifice standing today. Admired for its flowers is Tyrone Methodist Church where the women during 20 years have planted 21 varieties of lilacs.
St. Mary's of the Lake (Catholic) was started as a mission by a Protestant, George Quin in 1846. He negotiated the purchase of the first (abandoned) Presbyterian Church building on First and Jackson streets. The Catholics weathered the Know-Nothing opposition and welcomed the Italian immigrants attracted after 1890 by vineyards, the salt, canal and railroad work. This church pioneered "Released time" religious instruction in 1945 Watkins. Catharine Methodist Episcopal has the oldest record- ed church organization started in 1805.
At Reading two parishes united their two buildings to create a true united church. Cayutaville Methodist Church bought the abandoned Mecklenburg Baptist Church as building materials.
Sunday Schools were strong during most of the century. Picnics were big affairs and were held on canal barges, in the glens and parks. The word pic- nic is reported originating when a Hector Sunday School group picked up their knicknacks for an outing on the lake and created the word.
Religious conferences were or are held at the old Valois Camp Meeting Grounds, the present Lamoka Bible Camp and at Hidden Valley Camp in Watkins Glen.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE TOWN OF HECTOR
The oldest church building in use in Schuyler County, erected in 1818. Here is the crowd leaving the church after an oration on July 4, 1916. The carriage sheds were later used to build Sunday School rooms and a kitchen at the rear of the building. Fourth of July was a grand day! -- Glen Mickel collection
COMPLIMENTS OF HAESE MOTORS 219 WEST MAIN MONTOUR FALLS
ARTHUR J. PECK SCHUYLER COUNTY'S OLDEST BUT STILL THE BEST OPTOMETRIST
TYRONE MOTORS
MASSEY HARRIS TRACTORS & IMPLEMENTS FERGUSON TRACTORS & IMPLEMENTS SALES AND SERVICE CLINTON CHAIN SAWS
FROST FEED MILL "NEARLY A CENTURY OF SERVICE" WATKINS GLEN
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ST. MARY'S OF THE LAKE CATHOLIC CHURCH
In 1951 remodeled and enlarged under the guidance of Rev. Benedict Ehmann. This Catholic parish includes all of Schuyler County and is served by two priests and three Fillippini Sisters.
-Symes Studio
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BEAVER DAMS CHURCH AND PARSONAGE is a true religious and musical center. In pre-railroad days the church overlooked a wide pond on which folks rowed when Sunday School picnic time rolled around. The beavers put up some strong dams but man's inventions and gadgets made the beavers and the pond move on.
-Picture from Mrs. Leon Hall
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EDUCATION (Past & Present)
Prof. Hall's Select School at Watkins became in 1860 the Academy a year after its founding. It became a Union School in 1864. A report for the year 1876 of this school reported 912 children with an average of 423 attending. $4,872.09 of the total $6,799.21 budget was for teachers' salaries. One hundred fifty-three hours and 38 minutes were lost by tardy pupils.
Schuyler County in 1879 had 131 school districts with property valued at $69,978. There were 84 men teachers, 145 women teachers and 4,611 scholars (attendance not available). That same year Havana had 150 pupils taught by teachers with salaries totaling $1,024!
The school districts in 1879 were located: Cath- arine 14, Cayuta 10, Dix 15, Hector 45, Montour 7, Orange 18, Reading 8, Tyrone 17. In only a few cases were districts combined for a school.
Schools in Odessa were built in 1825, 1830 and in 1877 on present site. Dr. A. H. Jackson and Ralph Winton had the school raised and a lower floor added in 1906 and four years later it became a Union School with a 2 year high. In 1912 the full 4 year high school was established. . Odessa centralized in 1938 combining 38 school districts.
A large new building and an addition to this have been built. A new elementary school has been authorized in 1954. This is typical growth and change.
Watkins in 1929 built a new brick school following a disastrous fire, and in 1953 moved the grammar grades to a new building adjacent to the old County Agricultural Society grounds.
About 25% of the county's youth now attend central schools outside the county. 'This year, 1954, one-room schools were still open in North Beaver Dams, Townsend, Moreland, Perry City, Reynolds- ville, Meads Creek, Star District, and Sickles Hollow with two-room elementary schools in Beaver Dams, Mecklenburg, and Monterey.
Both Odessa and Watkins Glen run evening adult classes with subjects taught including business, law,
driver training, shop wood work, farm welding, clothing, and art.
The Peoples College founded by the Cooks and soon becoming a semi-private Cook Academy under Baptist management flourished until war and a depression closed its doors. These facilities for some years unused were purchased by the Friars of Atone- ment for a seminary for 100, opening in 1950.
In 1949 the Glen Springs Hotel, having had a brief time as a post-war dormitory for Cornell Uni- versity married students, was bought by the Polish Franciscans to establish Padua High School and St. Anthony's Friary on this beautiful site.
The Extension Service of Cornell University through its Farm, Home and 4-H Club departments in the county has for over a quarter of a century provided up-to-date farm and homemaking informa- tion, demonstrations and leadership. This service reaches into all areas of Schuyler County.
In 1954, there are 14 schools in Schuyler County instead of 125 as in 1854. Value of schools in county, $4,675,100. Enrollment is 2,990 students taught by 130 teachers. School census (age 1-18) in the county showed 4,335 young people in 1954. The county schools (not including cost of education in surround- ing central schools outside the county) expended $1,035,979.37 in 1953 or about $346. per student.
Adult education is nothing new for in 1878 the Schuyler Teachers Association had developed such a program that 1,000 people attended a tour to a coal mine in Antrim under their auspices. Discussions and debates were well attended and run in the latter half of the 19th century. Today Parent-Teacher Associations holding monthly meetings serve a similar purpose.
Allied to education is art. Schuyler County has had three outstanding artists and two cartoonists of note. James D. Hope, a Vermont native, came to Watkins in 1870 and remained to paint Glen and county scenes until his death in 1892. Dr. Halsey C. Ives started as a sign painter, became internation- ally famous and became head of The St. Louis School of Art. In recent years, Mary Robinson has made sketches and wood cuts and paintings which have won wide acclaim in exhibitions. Bill Whiting is well known for cartoons in Elmira and other papers. Sam Cobean had just begun to display his versatility as a cartoonist when killed in an automobile accident. These latter three artists are 20th Century.
In 1864, the Academy at Watkins showed effort in the Civil War era to house schools well. Schuyler County residents gave early attention to educational opportunities for those wanting to learn.
Now in 1954, school facilities have increased greatly. In Odessa School district, for example, buses travel 500 miles per day, bringing young people to a modern school worth over a million and a half dollars.
-Photo loaned by Charles Haight
ODESSA SCHOOL was in 1906 raised and enlarged by building a first floor under it. School demands kept growing until centralization and a growing population makes it necessary to construct a large addition and a new grammar school in a decade to accommodate 1,000 young people.
-Photo from the Jack Ash collection
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Peoples' College or Cook Academy built in 1862-63 by the Cooks, nearly became the Land-Grant College for New York State, but alert, aggressive Ithacans and the death of Charles Cook shifted the grant to Cornell University for an agricultural college. The Academy is now St. John's Atonement Seminary.
-- Photo from Montour Library collection
THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WATKINS GLEN
Typical of the care and interest in our youth's education is the adequate expanded facilities in such a modern building as this, occupied for the first time in September 1953. This building cost $1,400,000. and will hold 850 pupils.
-- Photo by R. O. Bale, Jr.
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ogers" Group, "The Council of War", popular in 19th century homes. This one depicts Grant, In and Stanton in conference to find ways to save Inion, for which cause Schuyler County Citizens rced and gave their lives. This is now preserved e Montour Library.
--- R. O. Bale photo
MILITARY
Schuyler County, settled largely by adventurous men from Sullivan's Expedition and others "Going West", was named for a leading military man and the county has made large sacrifices every war. Charles Cook formed and sent on its way with expenses personally paid by him, a regiment of men immediately after the firing on Ft. Sumter. Schuyler County sent 20 regiments to the War between the States and suffered heavy casualties.
Again in World War I Schuyler County con- tributed its full share (450) men, losing 21 men and women and greeting with heavy hearts many more broken in health or maimed.
World War II called out 1500 men and women of which 60 were killed. And the end is not in sight in far corners of the earth where our folks live and die to help freedom ring.
With the last G.A.R. man gone, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars carry on educational programs to prevent wars and their causes.
During World War II surrounding areas such as Sampson Naval Base and Horseheads Supply De- partment called out all our available men and women for work thus speeding the trend of women entering work outside the house. One CCC Camp in Cayuta housed German war prisoners following War II.
In the opening years of the 20th century, Odessa's Fourth of July was the occasion for a parade of the military, the firemen, civic groups and the best in transportation, be it horse or automobile. The local band provided music. Odessa still celebrates holidays in similar fashion-especially Old Home Week and Labor Day.
-- Photo from the Jack Ash collection
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GETTING AROUND
After the Civil War, the Chemung Canal declined and ceased in 1877. Railroads became more import- ant. The third railroad (now Lehigh) was completed thru Cayuta, Odessa, Burdett, Hector in 1890. Over 10,000 men worked on this project. Many strange workers liked the county and became residents. Until 1920 or so the railroads were the main method to travel any distance, and are still the main road for heavy goods.
Some traveled by ferry and steamer; and in the gay 90's Seneca Lake was alive with craft. A steamer "Henrietta" even plied Kayutah Lake (Little) for a time.
In 1893 Henry Ford built his first auto and in 1893 Haynes had a car for sale. In 1880 Edison invented his Electric Railroad. Both inventions were soon felt in Schuyler for on May 19, 1900 under leadership of General John Mulford of Montour Falls, an Elmira company opened an electric railroad to Watkins which ran until 1923. Here was cheap and clean transportation. In 1904 the Thompsons and Beardsleys had their steam automobiles here. In 1908 Dr. A. H. Jackson of Odessa (now of Watkins
Glen) changed from horse & buggy to acetylene- lighted open Ford to get around to his patients. By 1909 the Leffingwells of Watkins were taking an October tour by automobile in The White Mountains and The Havana Journal had an editorial condemning reckless "scorchers" and joy riders in the new cars. But Cronk Machine Shop had a nice order of 1,000 dozen wrenches to repair cars.
By 1910 Curtiss' aeroplane could fly 7 miles from cruiser to shore but not until 1928 did Schuyler have a "plane" service with David Love's farm in Burdett as base. Now there are three small airfields in Montour Falls, Burdett and near the Grand Prix course.
Advertisements in 1910 boasted of classy cars with 25 h.p. for $1,000. And in 1912 meetings and editorials urged street pavings in the village and on main highways. An early black top was Burdett Hill in 1920 and Hector's Lake Road was hardtopped in 1922-23. The log roads had been expensive to maintain. The new roads were expensive too but automobile owners demanded them. By 1954 there were 5,000 automobiles and 1,200 commercials reg- istered in Schuyler County.
THE BEARDSLEYS steam down the road in 1904. This Buffalo-made steamer had power but not too much traction for clay roads. Still, riding was real fun. Mrs. Albert Forbes who furnished the picture is the little girl with the big smile.
THE LAKE ROAD
Just North of Hector Falls
A watering trough is located near the "big tree." The picture, dated in 1911, shows a better class road of its day. No gravel-just plain clay. On this same road was laid some of the first concrete and now with an improved blacktop is as smooth as a dance floor.
-Picture from Glen Mickel
HAVANA IN CANAL DAYS
When the County was Formed
In this painting, now hanging in Montour Memorial Library, we see the Montour House owned and built by Charles Cook; his office which burned (and led to formation of better fire protection); the canal which went north to Seneca Lake and the Erie Canal, south to the Susquehanna. This painting was by E. P. James.
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THE GOOD SHIP "GOODWIN"
Being a ferry which, starting in 1825, was later piloted by Captain Wood from North Hector (Valois) to Starkey. This picture was included in a privately printed set of poems and essays created by guests at "Fossenvue", one of the first summer homes at North Hector Point on Seneca Lake. The ferry needed no dock or slip-just lower the planks and drive ashore. Simple and inexpensive! Little to get out or repair in winter storms.
From "Embers in Fossenvue Backlogs" -- copy owned by Glen Mickel.
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Since 1903
· Shepard Niles products manufactured at Montour Falls, N. Y., have successfully served the many industries of America and the rest of the world.
Floor and Cab operated Electric Hoists in capacities from 1/4 ton to 20 tons.
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