Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 40

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094

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" It is my last and dying request, that my children shall have all the money that is contained in the papers which have their names on, which is $3,000 for each ; and let there be pains and caution, and a great length of time taken to exchange it in. God and my own heart knows the misery I have suffered in con- sequence of it, and that it was much against my will that it should be done. I have put all that is in the same bank by it, that I had from prudence, and a great number of years been gathering up ; and when I used to meet with bill on that bank in your posses- sion, or when I could. I used to exchange others for them, as I supposed it was the best, and would be the most permanent bank. You know the reason of. your taking this was, that we supposed that from the lock of the small trunk being broken, and the large one being all loose, and the nails out, that we were robbed on the road of $8,700. You know that I always told you, that I believed it was done in the yard, where you, as I told you then, put the wagon imprudently in Schenectady. Oh ! how much misery

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

am I born to see, through all your improper conduct, which I am forced to conceal from the view of the world, for the sake of my beloved offsprings' credit, and whereby I have got enemies undeservedly. while the public opinion was in your favor! But it fully evinces what false judgments the world makes. Oh! the God who tries the hearts, and searches the reins of the children of men, knows that the kind of mis- ery which I have suffered, and which has riled and soured my temper, and has made me appear cross and morose to the public eye, has all proceeded from you, and fixed in my countenance the mark of an ill- natured disposition, which was naturally formed for loves, friendships. and all other refined sensations. How have I falsified the truth, that you might ap- pear to every advaniage, at the risk and ill-opinion of the sensible world towards myself, when my con- science was telling me I was doing wrong ; and which, with everything else that I have suffered since I have been a married woman, has worn me down and kept me out of health ; and now, oh! now, this last act is bringing me to my grave fast. I consented because you had placed me in the situation you did. In the first place you were delinquent in the payment to government of eighteen or nineteen hundred dol- lars. Then this almost $9,000 missing, I found when you came to settle, that you never could make it good without sacrificing me and my children, was the reason I consented to the proposal. I did you the justice to believe that the last sum had not been missing, that you would not have done as you did ; but I am miserable! God grant that my dear chil- dren may never fall into the like error that their father has, and their poor unfortunate mother con- sented to! May the Almighty forgive us both, for I freely forgive you all you have made me suffer."

The money being counted, and to their surprise found to embrace a part of the sum supposed to be stolen, Mr. Keyes went back to release Whittlesey. The latter, meanwhile, had related the circumstances of the robbery, and anxiously inquired whether, if the whole was not found, they would still execute their purpose; to which Mr. Fairbanks replied in a manner truly characteristic, "that will de- pend on circumstances." No one was more surprised than Whittlesey himself, to learn that most of the money was found, and that he had been robbed at Schenectady by his own wife. He begged hard to be released on the spot, but it was feared he would commit suicide, and he was told that he must be de- livered up to the public as sound as he was taken, and was led home The fame of this discovery soon spread, and it was with diffi- cult the villagers were restrained from evinc- ing their joy by the discharge of cannon. Mr. Whittlesey was led home and placed with guard in the room with his wife, until further search; and here the most bitter criminations were exchanged, each charging the other with the crime, and the wife up- braiding the husband with cowardice, for re- vealing the secret. The guard being with- drawn in the confusion that ensued, Mrs. Whittlesey passed from the house, and was seen by a person at a distance, to cross the cemetery of Trinity church, where, on pass- ing the grave of a son, she paused, faltered and fell back, overwhelmed with awful emotion ; but a moment after, gathering new energy, she hastened on, rushed down the high bank near the ice-cave, and plunged into the river. Her body was found floating near the lower bridge, and efforts were made to recover life, but it was extinct.

The sympathies of the public were not withheld from the children of this family,

who were thus cast penniless and disgraced upon the world. Many details connected with the affair, we have not given ; among which were several attempts to throw sus- picion upon several parties by depositing money on their premises, writing anonymous letters, etc., which served but to aggravate the crime, by betraying the existence of a de- pravity on the part of the chief contriver in the scheme, which has seldom or never been equaled. The marked bills, amounting to $400, had been dropped on the road to Sack- ets Harbor, and were found by Mr. Gale, who prudently carried them to a witness, counted and sealed them, and after the disclosure brought them forward. Mr. Whittlesey stated that he expected some one would find and use the money, when he could swear to the marks, and implicate the finder. Mr. Gale, upon hearing this, was affected to tears, and exclaimed : "Mr. Whittlesey, is it pos- sible you would have been so wicked as to have sworn me to State prison for being honest!"

Mr. Whittlesey remained in town nearly a year, and then moved to Indiana, where he afterwards became a justice of the peace and a county judge, and by an exemplary life won the respect of the community; and although the details of this affair followed him, yet the censure of opinion rested upon the wife.

Congress, on the 11th of January, 1821, passed an act directing the Secretary of the Treasury to cancel and surrender the bond given by Whittlesey, and endorsed by Fair- banks and Keyes, on condition of the latter giving another, payable with interest in two years, for the balance remaining unaccounted for,-thus virtually closing up a business arrangement which had been a continued occasion for anxiety and trouble to them through successive years.

It was at a time in the history of our country when men doing business with the Government were very properly held to a strict accountability for every dollar of the people's money, and they paid the utmost farthing.

In speaking of the Whittlesey matter, to the author of Hough's History, Mr. Fairbanks said :

Before we executed our plan we had positive evi- dence of his knowledge of the transaction, and of his guilt; and, on the strength of that, we did not expect to proceed to extremities further than to frighten him until he informed us where the money was secreted. But his stubborness held out much longer than we supposed it would or could. When we put the evidence of his guilt before him in such a plain manner his looks were evidence of it. We informed him that there was no doubt about it, and I believe that there is not one case in a thousand where evi- dence was so palpable as in this case. But Lynch Law is a dangerous one, and I would not advise it But with other guilty parties who have stolen from me and been detected, I believe I have used more mild and lenient measures. I have probably caught twenty persons pilfering from me, and I have always made them give me a confession in writing, and then promised them, that as they had relatives who would be disgraced by their bad conduct, I would keep it a profound secret until they committed the crime again, when I would prosecute them. I found this plan the surest method of reforming them.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

In giving such an extended notice of this Whittlesy episode we are perhaps open to the criticism of making a great deal out of a com- paratively unimportant matter-but there is so much of tragedy in the story, and it affords so striking an illustration of the soul-destroy- ing influence of a dishonest greed for money, that the tale rises above a mere relation, and becomes a great moral lesson. In that light we present it as a legitimate chapter of history.

VILLAGE INCORPORATION.

The village of Watertown was incorporated April 5, 1816. The. act provided for the election of five trustees, who were to possess the powers and immunities usually vested by similar corporations.

On April 7, 1820, an act was passed altering the bounds of the village and amending the charter, and on April 17. 1826, and April 26, 1831, the charter was still further amended. March 22, 1832, the trustees were empowered by an act to borrow a sum, not exceeding $2000, to improve the fire department of the village, and supply it with water to be used in fires, and April 21, 1832, the doings at an elections were confirmed. An act was passed April 23, 1835, granting additional powers to the trustees, repealing former provisions of the charter, and authorizing the erection of a market. The village charter was amended by an act of April 16, 1852, by which its bounds were increased, the district included directed to be divided into from five to seven wards.

The first village election was held at the house of Isaac Lee, in May, 1816, David Bucklin, Esq., presiding, and the following officers were chosen : Timothy Burr, Egbert TenEyck, Olney Pearce, Marinus W. Gil- bert, and Norris M. Woodruff, trustees; Reuben Goodale, William Smith, Orville Hungerford, assessors; Micah Sterling, treasurer; Seth Otis, collector; Jabez Foster, Samuel Watson, Jr., Rufus Backus, William Fletcher, Joseph Henry, fire wardens.

The trustees, at their first meeting, divided the village into five wards, to each of which a fire warden was to be assigned. A series of regulations providing against fires and making provisions for the several objects named in the charter, were also adopted.

October 27, 1823, a plan for a cemetery was accepted, and on December 6, 1825, the lots, one rod square each, were balloted for, each taxable resident being entitled to one share. To non-residents lots might be sold. the pro- ceeds to be applied to the building of a tomb. A hook-and-ladder company was voted to be formed in May, 1826.

A census of Watertown, taken in April, 1827, gave 1098 males and 941 females; a gain of 500 in two years. There were 321 build- ings, of which 224 were dwellings; 3 stone churches (Methodist, Universalist, and Pres- byterian); court-house and jail; clerk's office ; arsenal; 1 cotton-factory with 1300 spindles, another (Beebee's) then building; 1 woolen- factory; 2 paper-mills; 3 large tanneries; 3 flouring-mills; 1 furnace; 1 nail-factory; 2 machine-shops; 2 fulling-mills; 3 carding-

machines; 2 distilleries; 1 ashery; 2 pail- factories; 1 sash-factory; 2 chair-factories; 1 hat-factory ; 4 wagon-shops; 2 paint-shops; 4 cabinet and joiner-shops; 8 blacksmiths; 4 tailor-shops; 7 shoe-shops; 3 saddle and har- ness-shops; 8 taverns; 15 dry-good stores; 2 hardware-stores; 2 hat-stores; 2 book-stores ; 2 leather stores; 1 paint-store; 2 druggists; 2 jewelers; 2 weekly papers; 7 public schools; 6 physicians, and 10 lawyers.

In 1829 an association was formed for boring for water on Factory Square, and a hole 212 inches in diameter was drilled to the depth of 127 feet, when water was obtained that rose to the surface, and, having been tubed, dis- charged for a long time a copious volume of water, slightly charged with sulphur and iron. The cost of the work was about $800. On Sewall's island a similar well was bored, which at 80 feet discharged water and in- flammable gas; but upon being sunk further these were both lost. This valuable flow of water was afterwards lost when the Knowl- ton Bros. bored for water on their premises. [See p. 12.]

The waters of Black river, within the dis- tance of a mile, pass over four dams, at each of which are numerous establishments, but at none of them is the full amount of water- power used. The facility with which dams can be constructed, and the security that can be given to buildings erected upon them, from the bed of the river being solid rock, gives additional value to these privileges. The four dams were built in 1803, 1805, 1814, and 1835, and none of them have been impaired by the spring floods. The river is crossed by three bridges, of which the lower one was first erected. Soon after the beginning at Factory village, one was erected there; and one over the cascade, near the ruins of Bee- bee's factory, in the summer of 1836. This consisted of a single arch of timbers, and was built by Hiram Merrill for the two towns it connects, at a cost of $764. In the fall of 1853 the present bridge was erected.

The business of the place early centered around the Public Square, especially at its west end, and on Court and Washington streets; and in 1815 John Paddock erected a three-story block, which was the first edifice of its size and class in the town. The corner of Washington and Arsenal streets became, at an early day, the site of a two-story wooden tavern, and was occupied until 1827, when an association of citizens desiring to have a hotel in the place that should compare with those of the first class in cities, was formed under the name of the Watertown Hotel Company, having a capital of $20,000. In the same year they erected the American Hotel, and this establishment continued to be owned by the company until burned in 1849, when the site was sold for $10,000.

EARLY FIRES.

Watertown has been repeatedly devastated by fires, some of which produced a decided check to its prosperity, while others acted beneficially by removing rubbish that would

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otherwise have disfigured the village for time indefinite, and from which the place recovered with an elastic energy characteristic of a pro- gressive age and people. On February 7, 1833, a fire occurred which burned the exten- sive tannery and oil-mill of Mr. J. Fairbanks, the paper-mill and printing-office of Knowl- ton & Rice, and a morocco-factory and dwelling of Kitts & Carpenter; loss about $30,000. The destruction of Beebee's factory, was on Sunday, July 7, 1833. On December 22, 1841, the Black River Woolen-mills, in Factory village, were burned. On March 21, 1848, a fire occurred in an old stone shop, near the Union mills, which spread rapidly to the buildings on the island opposite, and to others above, which, with the bridge, were rapidly consumed; and two men, named Leonard Wright and Levi Palmer, perished in the flames, having entered a woolen-mill for the purpose of rescuing property. Mr. James DeLong, now living on High street, barely escaped with his life. Among the buildings burned were the paper-mill of Knowlton & Rice, the satinet-factory of Mr. Partridge, a row of machanics' shops on the island, etc. This fire threw many laborers and mechanies out of employment, and was seriously felt by the public.

Early in the morning of May 13, 1849, a fire occurred in the rear of the American Hotel, corner of Arsenal and Washington streets, which swept over a considerable por- tion of the business part of the village, and consumed an immense amount of property. The American Hotel, Paddock's block, Wood- ruff's iron block, and all the buildings on both sides of Court street, as far down as the clerk's office, were burned. The Episcopal church, three printing-offices, about thirty extensive stores, the post-office, Black River bank, Wooster Sherman's bank, Henry Keep's bank, town-clerk's office, Young Men's Associa- tion, surrogate's office, and many dwelling- houses were in the burned district. This was by far the most disastrous fire that has occured in the city, and nothing more fully proves the enterprise of the place than the quickness with which it recovered from the disaster. While the flames were still raging, preparations for rebuilding were made by purchasing materials, and laborers were seen pulling the bricks, still hot, from the smould- ing ruins, and laying the foundations of new and larger buildings on the site of the former. The site of the burnt buildings were, in many instances, sold for a greater sum than the same, with the buildings on them, would have previously brought. During the ensu- ing summer the village exhibited an industry among masons and carpenters which had never been equaled, and the external appear- ance of the village was thereby decidedly im- proved.

On September 24, 1850, a fire occurred on Sterling street, from which the burning shingles were wafted to the steeple of the Universalist church, and when first noticed had kindled a flame not larger than that of a candle; but before the place could be reached,

it had enveloped the spire in flames, beyond hope of arresting it, and the building was consumed. January 27, 1851, Perkins' Hotel, on the site of the Merchants' Exchange, was burned, with a large block on Washington street, adjacent. The loss was estimated at about $25,000.

October 16, 1852, a fire occurred on the west side of Washington street, which con- sumed all the buildings south of Paddock's block, viz .: Hungerford's block, Citizen's bank, and Sherman's block. The loss was estimated at about $14,000, of which the greater part was insured. Mechanics Row, below the Union mills, was burned Novem- ber 5, 1852; loss about $20,000, of which be- tween $6000 and $7000 were insured. From fifty to sixty mechanics were thrown out of employment; and one young man, Hudson Hadcock, perished in the flames while en- deavoring to rescue property.

In the autumn of 1862, six different fires occured, on six successive Friday evenings, and at very near the same hour of the day, all evidently incendiary, which created a great amount of excitement. Among the buildings burned was the old sugar-house, on Massey and Coffeen streets, built by Henry Coffeen. Several dwellings were also fired in various parts of the village, and a portion of them consumed.

At half- past five o'clock Friday afternoon, May 6, 1850, the bells at Factory Square sounded the dreaded alarm, and in thirty minutes the well-known woolen factory in the east end of the village was a mass of ruins.

At the factory the most heart-rending scenes were being enacted. The fire origin- ated in the " picking room" and an ineffect- ual effort was made to extinguish it with buckets of water. This was soon desisted from, and Mr. King at once gave the order to start the flooding pump. This was done, and the wheel and pump worked well-but all was ineffectual. Mr. King then started to alarm the operatives, of whom there were 130 scattered through the five stories-the only means of egress from all above the second was down a winding stair. Many of the operatives heard the alarm, and rushed down the stairway and the ladders outside the building in comparative safety. Over a dozen, owing to the great confusion and want of time, were not so fortunate, and found themselves completely shut off from egress. Some of these were very badly burned in getting down the ladder, after the fire had become a mass of flame in all but the fourth story, but the greater number of them threw themselves from the windows to the hard and stony ground below. We append names

of most of them.

Miss Angeline Sloan, aged about 21, jumped from the fourth story, was picked up insensible, and died in half an hour.

John Shepherd was an object of excruci- ating suffering. He was deeply burned on the face arms, breast and neck, and died on Sunday, about three o'clock.

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Mrs. Vincent White (sister to Jas. Elder, so well known as a musician), jumped from the fourth story. She was the most seriously injured of any who survived the fall.

Miss Maria Greenwood, aged about 18, jumped from the fourth story, and was badly injured.

Miss Celia Blodgett jumped from the fourth story, and her escape from any other injury than the mere shock, was really wonderful. She rose from the spot without help, and walked one-fourth of a mile to her home.

James M. Griffin escaped from the weavers' room down a ladder, with his child seven years of age between his legs. He was deeply burned on his left arm. His child was saved, with a slight burn on her right leg.

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were both very badly burned on the face breast and neck.

Thomas Farrar, badly burned on the left arm.

Mrs. Elizabeth French, aged about 26, jumped from the fourth story-very badly burned and ribs broken.

Mary Harris, broken ankle-jumped from third story.

Mary A. Huntley, aged about 24, burned very badly, but recovered.

Mrs. Hannah Rogers, aged about 23 years, badly burned, but recovered.

Thomas Osburn, burned deeply in the face, neck and arms.

Miss Simms jumped three stories.

Express messengers were sent to the vil- lage for medical aid, and, to the credit of the profession, they quickly responded.

The most probable conjecture as to the origin of the fire is that it originated by a piece of iron or stone passing through the picker, and igniting the linty combustible. Once started, it spread too rapidly for human efforts to extinguish it.

Contributions were taken up in all the churches for the aid of the destitute and suffering, and many liberal offerings were made by others.

On the evening of July 23, 1863, a fire broke out in the extensive foundry, car- factory, and machine-shop of Horace W. Woodruff, & Co., on the north bank of the river, opposite Beebee's Island, which, with all its contents, was rapidly consumed. About seventy men were thrown out of em- ployment by this calamity, which was felt by great numbers indirectly concerned in the works, and by the public generally.

Soon after the fire of 1849, Norris M. Wood- ruff erected the spacious and elegant hotel that adorns the north side of the square, and there arose, simultaneous, from the ashes of the former, a range of buildings, extending down Court street and on Washington and Franklin streets fronting upon the public mall, that for architectural beauty have few su- periors. Among these we may name the Hubbard, the Burdick and the Taggart blocks, the Smith building, the Flower building, the Otis House, the Opera House, the Post-Office and the Armory.

CITY INCORPORATION.

Watertown was incorporated as a city under an act passed May 8, 1869. The original charter has been twice amended, to-wit: on April 27, 1870, and April 28, 1871. The limits of the village were greatly enlarged up- on its erection into a city, and made to in- clude a large area taken from the town of Pamelia, embracing all the built-up portions upon the north bank of the river and extensive tracts besides. The total area occupied by the city approximates 6500 acres, nearly three- fourths of which is upon the south side of Black river, and originally constituted a part of Town No. 2, of the " Black River Eleven Towns."

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Watertown has just reason to feel confi- dence in her fire department, and we enume- rate it among her attractions. It is a just claim that no other city of its size can boast a more effective fire organization, while it is true that many cities containing a larger pop- ulation cannot surpass, even if they equal her department.

The original charter incorporating the village of Watertown, provided for the election of five fire wardens, each of whom was supplied with four ladders Each owner or occupant of any building was obliged to furnish one or two buckets, according to the size of the structure, and to have them properly marked, and kept in a convenient place for use. It was also "ordained " that on an alarm or cry of fire, every male inhabitant of fifteen years and upward should repair to the place of the fire "forthwith," and put himself under the direction of the fire wardens. A fine of $1 was imposed for " disobeying orders." Each warden was furnished with a white staff seven feet long by which to " distinguish " himself.

The first fire company was organized May 28, 1817, and on September 27 following, at a meeting of the freeholders, the sum of $200 was voted toward the purchase of a first-class fire engine. The "Cataract" was purchased soon afterward. The same meeting author- ized the formation of a Hook and Ladder Company, and William Smith was its first captain. August 6, 1832, the second engine company was formed and attached to the fire engine of the Jefferson Cotton Mills. This company was No. 1, and the one previ- ously organized, Cataract Company No. 2. Dyer Huntington was chosen Chief Engineer, and Adriel Ely, Assistant. In April, 1835, Neptune Engine Company No. 3, was formed with the first brake-engine used in town. In 1837 this company became No. 1. In 1842 a company was organized to take charge of the engine formerly belonging to No. 1. This company disbanded in 1845, and the same year, a new engine having been purchased, a new company was formed and called Jeffer- son Hose No. 3. Cataract Company No. 2 was disbanded about this time, its engine having been damaged. In June, 1849, a new engine was purchased for No. 1, and in July of the same year, Central Hose Company No.

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Growth of a Century : as illustrated in the history of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894, Part 40

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823- Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Haddock, John A. 1823-
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Sherman
Number of Pages: 1094