USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > From a forest to a city : personal reminiscences of Syracuse, N. Y. > Part 7
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citizens, that encroachments had been made at this point that would forever mar the beauty of the principal avenue through our city, the petitioners ask that the present council instruct the city attorney to procure from the county clerk's office all original conveyances bearing upon the subject, and also direct the city engineer and surveyor to survey and place a monument at this point as is the custom elsewhere on the corners of streets. The reply of this city official must forever be a reproach upon the citizens of Syracuse at this period of its exis- tence for placing such men in offices to fill places of trust. He replied that I had better save my time in pro- curing such a petition as there would be no action taken upon it; he thought he understood the sentiment of the council upon the subject, and so far as he was concerned, he should oppose it as he had some friends living in the locality and he should not incur their displeasure for the benefit of any street. Believing that in the future as our city grows in size and importance the wonder will be what could have been the cause of so shocking a blunder as to have two widths in so important an avenue, I feel that this history should be given in some detail. The early history of the corner of Salina and Onondaga streets is this. Sixty-two years previous to the present date, Andrew VanPatten bought this corner. South of the lot was a dense forest. He built the house that is now standing, known as the Larned House, for a tavern. He was an active politicien. In the year 1829 there were three candidates in the field for Governor, Mr. Van- Putten bet his tavern that Francis Granger would be
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elected Governor. Mr. Granger lost and so did Andrew. He manfully paid his bet and deeded his house for the consideration of one dollar to the winner of the bet: He then built on the opposite corner a brick tavern which became venerable, and was known as the Old Line House for many years. As the first named house was erected when land was of little consequence it is probable the first fence was placed without regard to lines and remained for so many years that the people became accustomed to its location and the encroachment was simply tolerated, and the apithy and indifference of the inhabitants north and south together with the stupidity of the common council in after years is the cause of this permanent encroachment. Four or five others with my- sely were all that ever offered opposition. Our position was that Salina street inust forever be the great central avenue, and will be to Syracuse what Broadway is to New York, so whatever mars or adds to its beauty should inter- est every citizen. The great mass of humanity that for years and centuries will surge from the north of Onon- daga street will see this encroachment which seems at one point to be standing in the center of the street, ani in my opinion it will serve as a monument of disgrace to all those who have fought so many years to establish it, and also as a reproach for the apathy and indifference of the common council whose duty it was to prevent it
THE NORTH SIDE OF WATER STREET, BETWEEN SALINA AND WARREN STREETS.
The lot occupied by the Onondaga County Saving Bank at an early date came to a point near the bridge.
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The building committee of the bank obtained permission of the common council to widen the lot at this point. In the early history of the village there was a wooden building standing on this lot. It was here that the first newspaper ever published in Syracuse was printed, mak- ing its first appearance in April, 1823. It was not a showy sheet being twelve by seventeen inches in size, containing four pages of five columns each ; it was called the "Gazette," which was a very appropriate name for this little paper. The beginnings of newspapers are traceable to Germany and Venice. At first they were only seen at public places and could only be read by the payment of a small coin called a "gazetta," whence the name Gazette. In 1820 a post-office was established on the north side of the canal but soon after it was removed to this building and was located in the office of Mr. Durnford, the publisher of the "Gazette." A Mr. Rogers kept a dry goods store in this building. His store took fire in the month of March, 1834, and this proved to be one of the most destructive fires that ever occurred in Syracuse. It soon involved the buildings on both sides of the canal, and twenty-one were burned, mostly stores. The Onondaga Standard office was burned, and it made a clean sweep of all the buildings on Water street be- tween Salina and Warren streets. At the time the fire occurred, most of the square was a sheet of ice, under which the water was a foot deep in places. The goods were carried out of the burning buildings and placed on the ice at a safe distance from the fire. In one place was a tall pile of barrels filled with crackers; the intense
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heat thawing the ice on the side nearest the fire caused them to fall over, and soon barrels of crackers were floating over Hanover Square to the great amusement of the boys, who were up to their knees in water securing the crackers. This is alluded to as showing the condi- tion of Hanover square at that time. Since then it has ` been filled up several feet, but in the early days of Syra- cuse the square was a sea of mud.
The buildings destroyed by the fire were soon after replaced with substantial brick buildings. Judging from their appearance, the architects of those days had little conception of beauty or convenience. There was not an ornament of any kind to be seen, the roofs were without cornices and rested upon the brick wall, the windows were small and ill shaped. The art of stair building seemed to be in the hands of the blacksmith, and the two and three stories were sometimes reached by iron stairs placed on the outside of the building. These were of the crudest workmanship, consisting of a single plank for a tread, placed on a bar of bent iron with an inch bar for a hand rail, and it required nerve and courage to descend the steep grade. The interiors were equally crude and inconvenient. The show windows were pro- jections on the outside of the store, usually sufficient in depth for two panes of ten by sixteen glass, with a half round corner and a pane of glass on a half circle. I have now a few of those half circle glass that I took from one of these show windows while making repairs forty- five years ago. At that time the windows were of small glass, and, for safety, board shutters were required to all
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doors and windows, which gave the business part of the town early in the morning and Sundays a most deserted and cheerless appearance.
In 1839 D. & M. Dana opened a dry-goods store on the north west corner of Warren and Water streets, which was one of the principal establishments of that class in the village. Mr. Dana was one of our self-made men. He came here in the early days of Syracuse, and worked at packing salt for a few shillings per day, and by great economy and industry was enabled to start in trade on a small scale. The strongest trait of character in Daniel Dana was his love of truth, and for this reason, when needed, he could always obtain credit. In those days there was but little money in circulation and barter was a necessity. So common was this practice that the rules and principles of barter were laid down in the school books of that day. Mr. Dana's store was a resort for many of the farmers of our county fifty years ago, where they took their grain and exchanged it for "store pay." When Mr. Dana sold the grain there was fre- quently a rise of a few cents per bushel, and this led him to make the buying and selling of grain a specialty, and he became one of the largest grain buyers in the State. At that date our granaries were not filled as now from the prolific fields of the west. Then the rich hills and valleys of our county returned the farmer a bountiful harvest of the " staff of life." When the farmers commenced mar- keting their wheat, Mr. Dana was always on the noch and it was amusing to see him following the load, of wheat through the streets. So active was he that it was
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said that sometimes the full capacity of the two banks were required to supply him with funds. The scales that decided the loss and gain with Mr. Dana were for many years evenly balanced, and one year he would be rich and the next poor, but this fact was known only to a few. The constant anxiety and excitement finally proved too much for his mind, and his familiar form was no longer seen on the market.
EAST GENESEE STREET.
East Genesee street from Warren street to the Park was bordered by four triangular blocks, with the angles reversed on each side of the street. This was thought by the original surveyor to be a necessity so as to lay out the blocks adjoining in a square form. In the early days when but few buildings occupied these three sided blocks they made a very pretty appearance when they were clothed in beautiful green turf with many fine spec- imens of the forest trees left standing here and there. One triangle was formed by Genesee, Warren and Wash- ington streets, and on the east point of this triangle was a copious well of water that furnished the few inhabitants with good water long before Captain Teall's supply was ever thought of. This well was the scene at one time of great excitement when a little girl struggling at the wind- lass to empty the heavy bucket lost her balance and fell into the well. She happened to be seen when falling and was rescued alive.
On the Warren street side of this triangle was erected in IS26 the first Episcopal church in Syracuse, where the
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society held their services until 1844, when they built St. Paul's church on the corner of Warren and Fayette streets, which was ultimately torn down and the lot sold to the United States for a Government building. The old church originally built was sold to the Catholic society in 1844 and moved to the corner of Montgomery and Madison streets, and is one of the oldest churches in the place, services having been held in it for more than fifty years. The lot made vacant by this removal was purchased by General Granger who erected the Granger Block. The block on the opposite side of Genesee street was the site of an old yellow building which occupied the whole of the space between Water and Genesee streets facing Hanover square, and was the first building on that block. It was divided into several small shops and stores which were occupied by small dealers with little capital. The second floor was reached by outside stairs from the Water street side. Dr. Hiram Hoyt occupied, for several years, a portion of this floor for his office and hospital, which was on a small scale of course, in those early days, yet it was sometimes of great service in sudden emergencies, and in case of accidents such as happened one fourth of July. Two men were loading a cannon on Prospect Hill, and a fellow by the name of Jack Hall had been instructed to hold his thumb over the vent of the cannon and be sure not to remove it while the men were engaged in loading it with powder. Too troch whiskey made Jack so patriotic that he re- moved his thumb, when a premature discharge took place which deprived two men of their arms. They were car-
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ried to Dr. Hoyt's rooms where amputation was per. formed, and where they remained until their recover, The next building east was the old Union House, erected in 1827. The last occupant of this house was a Mr. Partridge and he made some money while here but soor. lost it. He lived alone for many years, doing all his housework even to baking his bread; that it was of good quality was shown by the fact of his living to be over eighty years old. Next east of this old Union House. the first brick dwelling in Syracuse, was built by John Rogers in 1825, and at date of writing it is still standing If all that has transpired within the walls of this old building could be told it would make an interesting volume, recording the joys and sorrows incident to hu- man life. The first occupant of this house felt a just pride in living in the only substantial brick dwelling house then in the place. On the 15th of March, 1834. after a well-spent day over his counter, he returned to his quiet and happy home with anticipations and pros- pects of future prosperity, but the next morning's sun shone upon the ruins of his store, and more than twenty adjoining buildings were smouldering heaps of ashes. thus showing the uncertainty of human hopes and desires. As the years rolled by the walls of this old house were heated again and again by the conflagrations of the sur- rounding buildings, and at one time there seemed to be a determined effort of an incendiary to burn it, and for weeks a special policeman was secrete to capture the would-be incendiary. It seems sometimes as if there is a fate that surrounds buildings like this and the Syra-
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THE FIRST BRICK HOUSE IN SYRACUSE.
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cuse House, by which they seem to be protected from the destructive influences which are so common to other structures. The north side of Genesee street, between Warren and Montgomery streets, where the Convention Block now stands, was formerly the site of the Congre- gational church, an unpretentious wooden building that had been in use many years. The bell in this church- spire was the one that gave the signal at the arrest of the slave Jerry, under the fugitive slave law. We have no record of any place in the United States where in the days of slavery the poor slave had more ardent friends than in Syracuse,-not even Boston, the home of Gar- rison. The great activity of the anti-slavery societies at the North induced the slave-holding States to have the fugitive slave law passed, and under this law all citizens of the United States were required, when called upon, to render the officers personal assistance in the performance of their duties in arresting fugitive slaves, the principle being, that "the constitution and laws of the United States secure the right to reclaim fugitive slaves against State legislation." This law was particularly odious to the anti-slavery men at the North, as they claimed it turned them into slave-catchers and compelled them to perforin the office of blood-hounds in running down human beings whose only offence was the love of liberty. There were scores of men in Syracuse who hated the institution of slavery with as much intensity as Garrison, and accordingly they met in Market Hall and pissed the strongest resolutions they could find language to express, declaring they would never obey the fugitive slave law,
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and also that there never should be a slave returned from Syracuse under this law, and there never was. The rescue of Jerry has been so many times described we will pass it by without further notice. Yet there is one circumstance preceding it that I do not remember hay- ing heard mentioned. A few days after one of the most enthusiastic anti-slavery meetings ever held in Market Hall, Daniel Webster very unexpectedly made his appearance in Syracuse and was escorted to a little balcony on the east side of the Courier building (this balcony is there to-day as it was then), and there were soon fifty or a hundred men gathered around to see the great statesman, who there made a short speech. I think I can now repeat the most of it verbatim. He com- menced by saying : " Gentlemen of the village of Syra- cuse, I have long felt an interest in your place, as it is intimately connected with the salines of the State," and after a very short introduction he turned upon the politi- cal topics of the times which, to a large extent, involved the question of slavery, and he made this assertion : "Gentlemen, I am a lawyer, and I value my reputation as much for this as for anything," then, raising his voice and with much emphasis added, "let me tell you, as often as you meet in convention in that hall," pointing to Market Hall, "and pass the resolutions that you do, it is treason ! it is treason !! " If he had been sent here to instruct us as a high legal authority. the sequel clearly denotist ved how little his instructions were regarded !.
The changes that have taken place in Syracuse illus- trate the changed ideas of the American people, and we
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now look back with wonder and astonishment to think that at so recent a period as when Syracuse was incor- porated as a village, the laws of New York recognized the ownership of one man by another. The time for the gradual emancipation of slavery in this State expired in 1827.
The block bounded by Genesee, Montgomery and Fayette streets was first occupied by Samuel Phelps who built a blacksmith-shop on Genesee street, it being at that time surrounded by forest trees. There was an im- mense oak tree in front of his shop, which was left stand- ing near the side-walk for years after. At this early time, when the stage-coaches made it lively on this great thor- oughfare, blacksmith-shops were a necessity, to shoe horses and make repairs. These shops and taverns were located at short distances along the whole line of the Genesee turnpike. The taverns were furnished with whiskey by a man called "Old Hersey " of Cazenovia. He was one of Mr. Phelps's best customers and his shop was kept constantly supplied with a barrel of whiskey. This article, in those days, was cheap, costing but 25 cts. per gallon; it was pure and, when drank moderately, was a good tonic. Mr. Phelps was in the habit of giving his customers a drink, and the Indians made him frequent visits and brought him fine salmon, venison, live bears and coons. These he had so well trained that he would occasionally have a fine performance under the old oak tree, to the great enjoyment of his half-civilized neigh- bors. On one occasion there was a powerful Indian chief here on a visit from Oneida Castle, and, with another
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Indian, called on Mr. Phelps for a drink of whiske; Mr. Phelps was busy at the time and told the big Ind ... to help himself, whereupon he seized the nearly-full but rel and, holding it up to his mouth, drank from the bu :.. About the year 1835 Hoyt & Billings built a carri .... manufactory on the southwest corner of Genesee and M .. . berry streets, and later, in 1839, Mr. Billings built a la !. : shop for his business on the north of what is now Billin. . Park. This plot of land in front of his shop he own .... and cultivated, but years after he dedicated it to the clt: for a park with the understanding that it was to be knox: as Billings Park, and that the city should place a fountain in the centre. Just before the village became a city the old wagon-shop of Hoyt & Co was removed and a fine block erected by Harvey Sheldon, which was a great in- provement upon the old shop with its surroundings of used-up and disjointed vehicles. The upper part of this block was finished for a public hall, and being so central'y located patronage was expected, but this was not realized. and accordingly it was rented to Mr. Farnham, a popular school-teacher. While engaged in changing the hall to : school-room Mr. Farnham received a call from an old gentleman who lived in a house previously used for 1 hotel on the opposite corner where now stands the spaci- ous residence of Mr. Crouse. The old gentleman was very talkative and seemingly took a great interest in schools, and was very desirous that Mr. Farnham shou !! succeed. He said, in his opinion, there was no offe" business that required managing with more discretion than a select school. He related during the conversa-
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tion that a popular and successful teacher prevailed upon MI. Samuel Phelps to build a brick building on part of his lot, agreeing to rent it for a term of years for a select school, and the building was soon completed and the school commenced with most flattering prospects. The Unitarian society had their place of worship in a little chapel near the school, and the teacher was indiscreet enough to admit some of the children of the Unitarians to the school, when the Trinitarians withdrew their sup- port, and this sectarian influence was the cause of break- ing up the school. According to this old gentleman's story, sectarianism had a greater influence in those days than now.
The two triangular blocks, one on each side of Genesee street, next west of Fayette Park, as late as 1847 con- tained only small and unattractive buildings, a descrip- tion of which would be uninteresting to the reader. On the north side of Genesee street, opposite the present opera house, was standing a story and a half frame build- ing painted yellow, occupied by Brower & Son as a brass foundry. Several years previous Pope & Frazer used it as a harness-shop. Next west was a rickety old building with rough outside stairs leading to Whiston & Peck's paint-shop. John Ames occupied a small store, but nearly a quarter of the block was vacant lots. A little east of the centre of the block was the location of a small chapel built in 1839 at a cost of six hundred dollars and if it had ever been adorned with a coat of paint the evidence only existed in tradition; yet it was the birth-place of three of our wealthy church societies
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of to-day. The Unitarians, Central Baptist and Re- formed churches held services here. The Unitarian society occupied the little building for several years, and Rev. Mr. Storer was pastor. The first pastor of the Central Baptist church, Rev. A. Pinney, preached in this little chapel previous to the society erecting their brick church on East Genesee street where the Second Baptis: society held their services for several years, when they sold their church to the French Catholics and built a much more expensive and elegant edifice on the corner of Montgomery and Jefferson streets. The little chapel above referred to, was ultimately occupied by John Ford for a tin-shop. At that time there was in his employ two small boy's engaged in gathering rags, the mother of these boys being determined to early instil in them habits of industry, believing that any useful occupation was honor- able. She lived to see her sons honorable and wealthy citizens, one of whom now lives in a spacious mansion surrounded with beautiful adornments, and is considered one of our wealthiest and most substantial citizens, thus proving that "just as the twig is bent, the tree is in- clined." If mothers would reflect and understand more fully the great responsibilities resting upon them in the early training of their children, the world would be bet- ter. They have, to a great extent, the power of determin- ing whether their children shall be ornaments in society and filling places of importance among men, or whether by the dereliction of parental care they become cand :- dates for the State's prison.
The block on East Genesee street now occupid by the
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Grand Opera House, at as late a date as 1847, was partly filled by a few small buildings and those of too little impor- tance to interest the reader. Among these were two common brick dwellings, one occupied by Dr. M. M. White. Joseph Barton purchased these and removed them to give place to the Barton Opera House. That part of the block on the point of the triangle was without a building of any description. On the corner of Genesee and Montgomery streets was a long two story wooden building painted white, the lower floor occupied by the carriage and harness-shop of Ralph Phelps who used the upper floor for his dwelling. This corner was purchased by Austin Myers who built an unattractive but substan- tial building and named it the Myers Block, the upper part of which contained a fair-sized hall that received its full share of patronage. It was in this hall that the Syra- cuse branch of the organization known as the "Loyal League " held their meetings during the rebellion. It seems hardly credible now that such an organization should ever have been thought necessary in Syracuse, yet the lines were distinctly drawn between two classes of our citizens; one believed in putting down the rebellion if it took the last man and the last dollar, while the other class, which was greatly in the minority, sympathized with the seceded States and declared the war a failure and unjust in every respect, and opposed, so far as was in their power, our citizens in lending aid to the Govern- ment. So intense were the feelin's of hatred between these two clases that one was donomed as Northern copperheads while they, in turn, branded their opponents
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as Lincoln's hirelings. So bitter was the feeling that the loyal citizens fel: insecure, believing that the copperheads might be suddenly reinforced by their Southern friends and thus create a battlefield in our midst, for it was most keenly fel: that the devastations of the war were all con- fined to Southein soil, and they realized that the North could carry on the war indefinitely if it could be confined to the Southern States. This condition led to the organ- ization of a branch of the " Loyal League " which me: once a week in Myers Hall. The meetings were con- ducted so secretly that no account at the time, nor since, as I remember, was ever given. The organization was composed, to a great extent, of the substantial citizens, --- most generally men of middle age and those who could not. or were not expected to go to the front. The society was the most perfect that could be found, and in joining they took a strong and solemn oath not to divulge the secrets of the Order. Numerous secret signs were given by which they might be known as belonging to the League, and also for their personal safety; for instance, if any member should fall into the hands of his enemies, by slapping the hands together three times and repeatin. certain words, if it was heard by any member of the Order, he was obliged to at once make common cause and fight for the member of the League. But the most important part of this organization was the drill, perfect- ing a system by which a thousand or fifteen hundred men. at a signal upon a church bell, could be under arms in an hur's time, should a case of emergency require.
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