USA > New York > Cattaraugus County > Historical review of Cattaraugus County > Part 9
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In 1852 the society held its exposition in Otto, where use of the fair grounds was donated without cost. It remained at Otto for only one year, however, possibly because its location was not deemed satis- factory as to distance from all points. It must be remembered that travel at that time was a slow process, often featured by difficul- ties, also that the farmers' chores must be performed on schedule, as a
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herd of dairy cattle makes no allowance whatever for holidays or en- tertainments. Even today, after automobiles and improved highways have given the farmer tremendous social and economic advantage over the agriculturalist of yesterday, attempts at attending funerals, church services, sports events and moving pictures often make difficult problems for the dairyman to manage.
The county fair was held at the Randolph fair grounds in 1853, Asahel Crowley of that village being president of the agricultural so- ciety at that time.
The following year it was held at Little Valley for the first time, under the administration of Horace Howe. At the 1854 fair Horace Greely, founder of the New York Tribune and later a candidate for the presidency, was the chief speaker.
In April, 1855, the society which had been re-organized the previ- ous year, leased ten acres between Eighth and Ninth Streets in Little Valley for a period of ten years. At the end of the ten year period the society bought this property, although the fair was located at Olean in both 1862 and 1863. It was held in Little Valley during the years 1864 and 1865, only to return to Olean for the 1866 fair. Little Valley was the sight of the fair until 1877, in which year, as well as the two subsequent ones, it was held in Randolph.
In 1875 the grounds which had been purchased at Little Valley in 1865 was traded to John Manley for the grounds which the present fair occupies. This sight was early known as Beechwood Park, and it came about that suitable buildings, as well as a half mile race track and two grand stands, were constructed.
In addition to the county fair, others took place in various villages which, although perhaps not having the backing that the county fair possessed, nevertheless served to play a prominent role in the com- munity's life.
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SECTION SIXTEEN
THE RISE OF INDUSTRIAL AND URBAN LIFE
The American Republic began its career as primarily an agri- cultural nation. From the time the first permanent settlements in Vir- ginia and New England the colonists supported themselves chiefly as tillers of the soil, either in small free-holdings in the case of the north- ern colonies or in huge plantations in the colonies of the South. Even after the Revolutionary War agriculture was looked upon as the back- bone of the nation. Jefferson in particular was convinced that the future prosperity of the new nation was wrapped up in the success- ful cultivation of the soil.
The "Industrial Revolution," a term applied to a series of inven- tions and of radical changes in production and systems of transporta- tion, originated in Great Britain in the last quarter of the eighteenth century; the movement began to assert itself in America after the close of the War of 1812. The general tendency was to concentrate production in certain centers which had superior resources in water power, labor supply, or avenue of commerce. The mills and factories which sprang up in these centers thus became the backbone of com- munities which rapidly grew from villages or small cities into great and populous industrial centers. Thus it came about that the America which Jefferson had envisioned: a land supported by agriculture bal- anced by a few of the more necessary forms of small-scale manufactur- ing, was put in the background by industrial America with its circuit of manufactoring centers, concentrated in the East but also represent- ed in the middle West, and in time even in the South.
One of the features of the Industrial Revolution was the promo- tion of systems of inland transportation. A wave of canal building was ushered in during the early nineteenth century. Canals were built between natural bodies of water, the commercial value of which was often overestimated. Railroads, coming on the scene in America about the middle of the century, rivaled and in time surpassed the canals in importance.
In Cattaraugus County the effects of the Industrial Revolution had a certain resemblance to its effects in the nation as a whole. The county had been opened up largely by the lumbering interests, supple- mented by small-scale dairying, the latter rising in importance in about the same general scale that the former declined. Before dairying had definitely supplanted lumbering as the major occupation of the county, certain effects of the rise of industrial life began to be felt. Two forms of inland commerce, canals and railroads, left their imprint on the county's records.
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We have seen how the founders of Olean had begun their settle- ment cherishing hopes that the village would rise to the position of an important link between the East and mid-West, how it appeared for a time that this surmise was being fulfilled, and how after the com- pletion of the Erie Canal in 1825 commerce on the Allegany River de- clined, bringing with its decline a slump in the growth and prosperity of Olean.
The first revival of business after this slump was the result of the completion of the Genessee Valley Canal. As early as the days when the Erie Canal was being proposed, a branch was suggested which would link the Erie Canal with the Allegany. Governor De Witt Clin- ton called attention to the advantages he believed would result from such a channel. In 1825 the state engineer conducted a preliminary survey of the proposed route, and nine years later a bill passed the legislature authorizing the commissioners of the project to draw two million dollars on the state's credit toward the canal's construction. The rallying of public support for the canal was largely due to the efforts of John Griffin, later a state senator, who published a pamphlet in behalf of the enterprise. It appears that the early plans called for the construction of a lake of about 550 acres, to be the result of Ischua Creek being dammed a little south of the village of Ischua. The 1839 map of the county actually indicates this lake as if it were already completed, but inquiry among the inhabitants of that community fails to reveal any tradition of a body of water of such a huge area, although it appears that a small feeder was built near this point. It is quite possible that the construction of Cuba Lake supplanted the proposed Ischua Dam.
Several other changes were made in the general plan, and the result of these departures was an increase in the estimated cost of the project, which was placed at nearly four million dollars. By 1840 one section of the canal, from Rochester along the Genessee to Mt. Mor- ris, was completed. However, a change of administration in the state government resulted in construction being suspended, and it appeared for a time that the entire project would be abandoned. Work was re- sumed, however, and the canal was opened as far south as Ormeal in 1851. By 1853 it was extended to Belfast, and was completed to Olean in 1856. Shortly afterwards the canal was extended along the Allegany to Mill Grove, a short distance south of Portville.
Nicholas Devereux endeavored to persuade those planning the canal's route to construct either the main channel itself or a branch thereof to "Allegany City." In this effort he pointed out that a strip of low land, possibly the bed of Olean Creek at one time, reached from the vicinity of that stream toward the river at his "city," which could be altered into a canal bed. His plea was unsuccessful.
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The canal followed a route close to Oil and Olean Creeks after reaching this county, crossing the latter stream twice inside the present city boundaries. It crossed to the west side of the creek near the present Main St. bridge and recrossed to the eastern side near Bradner Stadium. It followed the northern bank of the river to Mill- grove. Two large three-story warehouses, one at Hinsdale and a sec- ond at Olean between the two creek crossings, were used to store goods awaiting transportation.
After its completion to Ormeal, passenger service from that vil- lage to Mt. Morris and return was initiated. The passenger boat, known as the "Frances," gave service of this kind only for a short time; there is no record of any other attempt at regular transporta- tion of passengers.
The completion of the canal to Olean saw huge piles of lumber and produce on its banks awaiting shipment. For a time Olean saw its old position as a shipping point revived. Pine and hemlock lumber of the Allegany River region were shipped over the canal to Rochester, there to be transported by the Erie Canal to other points. Bales of shingles were also among the canal's articles of transportation. On return voyages the canal boats transported various items of commerce, especially salt from the central part of the state.
This commerce, while instigating a temporary revival of Olean's position as a shipping center, nevertheless failed to come up to the expectations of those who promoted it. Twenty-two years after its opening, the canal was abandoned, along with several other small canals. The abandonment order, in 1878, provided that the canal beds might be disposed of to railroads. The Rochester branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad follows the old canal bed part of the distance.
Two major results may be considered as resulting from the Gen- essee Valley project. The first is the stimulus it gave to the already growing dairying industry by giving the landholders an additional outlet for their lumber. The more valuable portions of the cleared land was thus made available for pasturage and cultivation. The sec- ond result was the aid it gave to seekers of recreation and outdoor life by the storage reservoir which was built north of Cuba.
Cuba Lake became known in time as one of the outstanding sum- mer resorts of western New York, and proved a valuable holiday and recreational spot, especially to the people of Olean.
The construction of the Genessee Valley Canal lent encouragement to a movement for improving navigation on the Allegany River. On May 1, 1859, the "Allegany Slack-water Navigation Co." was incorpo- rated, its stated object being to improve the Allegany by means of locks and dams. Authority was given the company to construct and maintain slack-water navigation from Olean to the state line. Another
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similar corporation, the "Allegany Slack-water Improving Co.," was later chartered. Commerce on the river, however, failed to grow into the thriving industry some had envisioned.
Mill dams were considered an impediment to navigation on the river, and were denounced at a "river convention" held at Ellicottville. The decision in the Hemlock Mills case, handed down in 1843, was that the Hemlock dam, at Salamanca, was an aid, rather than a hin- derance, to navigation.
Railroads began to come upon the scene in America around 1830, the first regular line being the Baltimore & Ohio, opened about that time. Soon afterwards, sentiment developed in favor of connecting the Atlantic coast with Lake Erie by railroad. It was proposed that the state of New York should build and operate the line in something the same maner that the Erie Canal had been opened. This sentiment ap- pears to have influenced the charter granted to the "New York & Erie Railroad Co." on April 24, 1832 by which the state reserved the right to take the line for public use, on paying for its construction plus 14% interest. This right could be exercised only within a five-year period, beginning ten years after the charter was granted. The rail- road company was authorized to transport by "the power or force of steam, of animals, or of any mechanical or other power, or any com- bination of them, for the term of fifty years." It was also provided that operations must begin within four years, and the line must be finished within twenty years.
The company was beset with financial difficulties from the start. It was looked upon by some as a visionary enterprise and unsafe for investment. In 1836 an act was passed granting state aid to the ex- tent of three million dollars. Even this grant was not sufficient to over- come the tide of financial distress, which overcame the company the following year. The company was re-organized, however, and con- struction continued.
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The stretch between Deposit and Calicoon was the first part of the line to be built. The company was beset with the problem of find- ing the most desirable route in several places, and this problem was made more complicated by the ambitions of certain communities. Buf- falo made an early effort to secure the western terminal, and it seems likely that acceptance of this proposal might have meant that the line would follow the Hudson River and Erie Canal instead of the southern tier counties. The state aid which was granted in 1836, however, specifically provided that the line should pass through the southern tier. Silas Seymour, the company's representative, reported that the original route from Salamanca to Dunkirk should be altered. The original plan called for the line to follow the Allegany to the vicinity of Cold Spring Creek, then to proceed through Randolph to the Conewan- go Creek, following this stream northward into Chautauqua County.
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Seymour's recommendation called for the line to follow Little Valley Creek, thence to proceed over Dayton Summit into Chautauqua County. This proposal aroused the ire of citizens along the first mentioned route and a committee was chosen to appeal to the company's repre- sentatives. The company appointed McRae Swift to definitely settle the issue. After investigating the two proposals, Swift decided in favor of the Little Valley Creek route, and the line was accordingly built along that course.
The Erie Railroad, connecting the Atlantic coast at Jersey City with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, was completed in 1851, having the largest mileage of any railroad operating under one charter. On April 22, 1851, the directors of the road made an excursion in a special train to Dun- kirk, and the enthusiasm of these officials is portrayed by Ellis as follows:
"At Dunkirk they came in view of Lake Erie lying before them and extending as far as the eye can reach. As the party caught its first glimpse of the lake, three hearty cheers broke from directors, engineer, conductor and entire company of guests."
Less than a month after this excursion, another special train car- ried citizens of far greater prominence than mere railroad directors. President Millard Fillmore and the members of his cabinet, including Daniel Webster, also Governor Washington Hunt of the Empire State, were aboard this train. Its passage along the line called for a general holiday celebration. Cannons were fired, bells were pealed, and the population swarmed to the railroad line anxious for a glimpse at the government officials.
As the train stopped at Cuba, the populace demanded that the nation's chief executive and, perhaps more important still, the one and only Daniel Webster, should make speeches. It was announced by one of the officials that no speech would be forthcoming, and that the train must proceed toward Dunkirk. At this point a group of Irish section-hands, most of whom occupied "railroad shanties" along the track near Cuba, proceeded to settle the issue in a manner all their own. Several piles of railroad ties had been stored along the tracks at that point, and the Irish seized a satisfactory number of these and placed a large pile of them diagonally across the tracks in front of the engine, their spokesman announcing that their removal would take place only after Millard Fillmore and Daniel Webster had been heard. The procedure succeeded in its purpose, and President Fillmore's ad- dress, followed by an enthusiastic burst of eloquence by Webster, gave the Cubans a holiday long to be remembered. The removal of the ties took place and the train proceeded.
At Salamanca the great Webster is said to have gone into an open car in order to secure a better view of the remainder of the trip.
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The journey of the government officials to Dunkirk was truly a holiday excursion and, like many celebrations, it was destined to be marred by tragedy. The catastrophe at Dayton can perhaps best be described by quoting from the Cattaraugus Times (published at Go- wanda) of May 15, 1851 :
"We have just returned from the railroad gathering at Dayton Summit to greet the passing of the train with Millard Fillmore, Mr. Webster and the other officials of the government. There was a joy- ous gathering of the citizens and all went happy till the arrival of the first train, when a dark cloud passed over us in a sad and mournful accident. As Franklin Peacock and Ebenezer Henry of this place were engaged in firing the cannon, they were horribly mutilated by the pre- mature discharge of the gun. Their arms were badly shattered and otherwise injured. Their lives are despaired of. We hope that the practice of burning gunpowder on such occasions will cease, and, if dire necessity requires, it shall only be used in defense of liberty." Later dispatches from the same newspaper mentioned the death of Peacock and the sad fate of Henry, who lost the sight of one eye in addition to having both arms amputated.
Following the Dayton tragedy, the special train proceeded to Dun- kirk where a gigantic celebration was held. The Dunkirk program was climaxed by a banquet held in Loder Company Fire Hall of that city.
Strange to say, sentiment in favor of making commercial use of the Allegany River revived, rather than declined, with the construction of the railroad. The supposed value of the "broad, deep channel" con- necting southwestern New York with the Ohio and Mississippi was publicized with a credulity which in later years was considered almost amazing. A committee appointed for the purpose of investigating this belief returned the verdict that "the river has immense possibilities." Accordingly, plans were made for organizing a system of close collab- oration between the Erie Railroad and the 'Allegany River.
The completion of the Erie Railroad, with the advantages it brought its way, encouraged other communities to seek similar advan- tages. On June 27, 1857, a meeting was held in Jamestown to con- sider the construction of a railroad line reaching from the Erie Rail- road at West Salamanca westward toward Lake Erie. Plans under consideration called for either an arrangement with the Sunberry and Erie whereby the company could make connection with the City of Erie, or a new direct line in that direction. The "Erie and New York City Railroad" was chartered as a result of this movement. The com- pany broke ground at Randolph for the new line on May 17, 1853. Later Morton and Doolittle took it over as representatives of a num- ber of investors. Prominent among these investors was a Spanish nobleman, the Duke of Salamanca, in whose name Salamanca received
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its name, and a new corporation, the "Atlantic and Great Western Railroad" was organized December 9, 1858. The road was completed from West Salamanca to Randolph in the summer of 1860, and to Jamestown a short time later. In 1864 the eastern terminal was moved from West Salamanca to Salamanca. The company took over or con- structed other lines, so that it reached Corry, Meadville, Youngs- town and other points in the mid-West.
The A. & G. W. planned a line from Randolph through Napoli and Otto to Buffalo, and actually did some grading of the proposed bed in 1864-1865. Arrangements made with the Erie about that time, however, resulted in abandonment of this plan.
In its later days the Atlantic and Great Western passed into other hands and became known as the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, for which name the term "Nypano" was often substituted. The Erie railroad leased the line and it became a fundamental part of that company's system.
The Buffalo and Jamestown Railroad Co. was organized in 1872. It was completed from Buffalo to Gowanda in 1874 and to Jamestown in 1875. Later it became known as the Buffalo and Southwestern, and in 1880 it became part of the Erie Railroad System as a result of a ninety-nine year lease by that company.
A proposal to build a railroad from Buffalo southward to the coal fields of Pennsylvania resulted in construction of part of the pro- posed line, from Carrollton southward through Bradford, thence over the famous Kinzua Bridge toward the coal regions; plans for build- ing the line northward to Buffalo were abandoned and the completed part became part of the Erie Railroad system.
The Rochester and State Line Railroad Co. was organized in 1867. The line was constructed between Rochester and Machias apparently following a new grade, while that section between Machias and Sala- manca may be considered a successor to the Cattaraugus Railroad Co., which had unsuccessfully attempted to open a line hereabouts. The R. & S. L. later extended southward through Bradford, Ridgeway and Butler, taking within its grasp a large amount of thru coal-hauling transportation from the mines of Pennsylvania. The Buffalo division separated from the other section of the line at Ashford Junction, this village becoming a thriving railroad center for a time. Later, East Sala- manca was made the point of operation for trains running on the Buffalo and Rochester branches, although the actual point of separa- tion continued to be at Ashford. The original designation was alter- ed to the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railway, and the B., R. & P. Railway became noted for the neatness of its stations and trains, both kept within the B., R. & P. motto of "Safety and Service."
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The Pennsylvania Railroad System as it is known today is largely the result of various lines, too weak to succeed as independent rail- roads, combining in such a manner that their value was increased. The Buffalo and Washington Railroad, built largely with Buffalo capital, was later made part of the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia. Com- ing on the scene in the early 70's, this line extended southward through Delevan, Franklinville, and Olean. From Olean the line pro- ceeded up the Allegany River valley to Port Allegany, from which point it went to Emporium. Two other lines, one occupying part of the abandoned canal bed from Hinsdale to Rochester, the other following the Allegany valley from Olean through Warren to Oil City, also were joined with the Buffalo-Emporium line, the group becoming known as the "Western New York and Pennsylvania."
Later these three lines became part of the Pennsylvania System. A narrow-gauge railroad, the Lackawanna and Southwestern was built from Olean to Bolivar; later it became known as the Lackawanna and Pittsburg, but its ambition to reach either of the cities never materialized. Another narrow-gauge line, the Olean, Bradford and Warren, was built over Rock City from Olean to Bradford. The nar- row-gauge railroad was short lived, however, and the standard-gauge became generally accepted for both railroads and trolley lines.
Two more railroad lines found their way into the county, coming during the first decade of the twentieth century. The Pittsburg, Shaw- mut and Northern, a standard-gauge line, superseded the Olean-Boli- var narrow-gauge railroad. The P., S. & N. extended southward to St. Mary's, Pa., and northward to Wayland and Hornell. The northern di- vision of the Buffalo and Susquehanna was built in the early years of .. the century, traversing the northeastern corner of the county.
The effects of the railroads' traversion of certain villages on their growth and expansion has already been noted. These benefits, how- ever, were by no means limited to the villages themselves. The fact that the railroads brought places together aided greatly in giving the farmers an outlet for their products, an advantage which was sorely needed. Buffalo, the only large city in the immediate area, had been much too far out of reach for the farmers to carry on commerce in large quantities. The practice of hauling agricultural products to Buf- falo by teams of horses had been found both slow and of doubtful net gain. The coming of the railroads, combined with the discover- ies and improvements which were made in the field of milk-preserva- tion and refrigeration, were influential in a change in policy on the part of farmers from general agriculture to specialization in dairy farming:
The growth of Olean from village to city status can be attributed to three main factors: the development of the oil industry, its posi- tion as a railroad center and the development of the tanning industry.
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The success of the Drake Well at Titusville in 1859 was the be- ginning of a general oil boom in that region, and the area of search spread throughout northwestern Pennsylvania. What was appar- ently the first well to be drilled in New York State resulted in a small amount of oil, it being drilled on the Beardsley farm near Limestone in 1864. Another well was drilled in the same vicinity the following year. The well on the Woodmarsee farm in the town of Allegany in 1876 was the beginning of oil excitement in that vicinity. The year 1878 was an especially busy year in the Cattaraugus County fields.
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