USA > New York > Cayuga County > History of Cayuga County, New York > Part 8
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A great addition was made to the manufacturing interests of Auburn in 1858. In that year the most important industry in the city was started, and it still continues to be the largest single factor in the business life and prosperity of Auburn. This is the Inter- national Harvester Company, which had its inception, in the year mentioned, when the firm of D. M. Osborne & Co., of which the individual partners were D. M. Osborne, C. C. Dennis and Charles P. Wood, began the manufacture of the Kirby reaper and mower. The benefits of such an industry as this are almost incalculable. The products of its factories are shipped all over the world, and bring into Auburn money from the outside which adds continually to her material wealth. Subsequently the company absorbed the Cayuga Chief company and a corporation was formed with the following officers : D. M. Osborne, president; A. G. Beardsley, treasurer and John H. Osborne, secretary.
In 1905 the company changed hands and became the Inter- national Harvester Company, an extended notice of which appears in the Chapter on Manufactures.
The record of Auburn in her relation to the War of the Rebellion, and of her sons who participated therein, appears in a separate chapter devoted entirely to that subject. So referring the reader to that department of this work, the subject of Auburn's peaceful achievements and reverses is here pursued.
The immediate effect of the war upon Auburn's business interests was beneficial, as it was to every manufacturing center in the state. Large sums of money were distributed to producers of all kinds to supply the necessities and waste of war, to laborers engaged in the productions of such supplies, to manufactures whose factories could
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not supply the demands made upon them, to public carriers whose facilities for transportations were overtaxed, as well as to the families of soldiers in bounties and wages. The result was an unparalleled demand for workers which drew tens of thousands from rural dis- tricts to the cities and towns, the centers of manufacturing activity. Accommodations had to be supplied for the rapidly increasing popu- lation and so the villages and cities grew rapidly in area. Auburn shared in this growth and accumulation of wealth, along with other communities. In the decade from 1860 to 1870 her population and material wealth were doubled; her churches and business establish- ments became metropolitan, and mansions arose along her avenues.
But taxes and living expenses had also increased greatly and when the reaction of 1873 occurred, a period of hard times succeeded the years of plenty. The demand for manufactured goods had fallen off and many men formerly working full time at liberal wages, found themselves out of employment. During the prosperous years property values had advanced; with the stringency those values decreased rapidly and many fortunes were lost or greatly diminished.
Auburn suffered less, however, from the reaction of 1873 than from that of 1837. Conditions internal and external were different. The place had gained in size and correspondingly in financial strength and stability, and the establishments of national banks in 1865 had put the financial affairs of the country upon a sounder basis than they were in 1837. The old banks were conducted on a specie basis, and when a pinch came were among the first to retrench, depriving business men and industries of that accommodation which they needed most when hardest pressed. In 1873 the banks acted generously with their customers.
In 1866 the Merchants Union Express Company originated in Auburn. The idea was to interest business men of the country in such a company, so that it could be established and maintained in competition with the old express companies, and yet carry goods at
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lower rates than those then existing. At a conference composed of Elmore P. Ross, William C. Beardsley, John N. Knapp and Elliott G. Storke, a prospectus was adopted in which the plans and purposes of the proposed company were fully set forth. The prospectus also contained a proposal for the formation of a joint stock association of the merchants and business men of the country.
The plan met with instant favor and a corporation was formed with Elmore P. Ross, president; William H. Seward Jr., vice- president; John N. Knapp, secretary and William C. Beardsley, treasurer; Theodore M. Pomeroy was attorney for the company.
The nominal capital of the company was fixed at $20,000,000, upon which assessments were to be made only as necessity might require to meet the demands of the business as it developed. The company began operations in the fall of 1866.
The new company had to compete with three old companies, the Adams, the American and the United States, and these carriers began to cut rates until goods could be shipped by express almost as cheaply as by freight. This swelled the express business until it embarrassed the railroad to handle it, and they for self-protection, raised the rates upon all express packages from three hundred to six hundred per cent.
After a war of two years, during which the young company had expended about five million dollars, and the competing express lines had also lost heavily, a compromise was made and the Merchant Union united with the American Express Company, under the name of the American Merchants Union. Later on the name reverted to the American Express Company.
Auburn not only retained the growth which she acquired during the war, but has since increased steadily in population, industry and wealth. The financial panic of 1873 was not disastrous to the city, and the hard times of 1876-7, which produced so many failures and defalcations throughout the county, found no victims in Auburn.
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In 1876 the Cayuga County Historical Society was organized with Theodore M. Pomeroy as president, and on February 18, 1877, the society was incorporated. In the latter year, Division No. I of the Ancient Order of Hibernians was organized.
The Auburn City Hospital was incorporated in July, 1878.
On February 28, 1879, the Governor signed the new city charter for Auburn, increasing the number of wards from seven to ten, and materially changing the organization of the city government. No wards have been added since that date.
In 1880 the letter-carrier system was inaugurated in the city, five carriers being put into service. Owing to the irregularity of the street numbers, the system did not work smoothly at first, but the Common Council ordered a re-numbering of residences which removed the difficulty.
In the same year General U. S. Grant visited Auburn and addressed a large audience in the Osborne storehouse on Seymour street.
In September, 1880, the Forty-Ninth Regiment was disbanded, and in December definite action was taken to organize a separate military company. On the 17th of that month, the organization vas effected. Gorton W. Allen was elected captain; W. M. Kirby, first lieutenant; and Henry S. Dunning, second lieutenant. Wm. M. Kirby became captain, January 3, 1881, Mr. Allen not caring to serve. The company was mustered into service May 24, 1881, with fifty-eight men, and on June 8th, was given the name of the " Wheeler Rifles," in honor of Mayor Wheeler.
In September, 1880, was commenced the work of replacing the wooden pavement of State street, from Dill street to the bridge, with Medina sandstone. The work was continued until frost pre- vented its further prosecution that year.
On October 10th, St. Joseph's Cemetery, (R. C.), near the foot of Owasco Lake was consecrated by Bishop McQuaid.
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During the summer of 1880, the D. M. Osborne Mower and Reaper Company, commenced a series of additions to their work- shops on the west side of Mechanic street, and built two large store- houses on the east side of the Central railroad, north of Seymour street. In 1881 they began the erection of their extensive rolling mill works in the northern part of the city.
The years 1881 and 1882 were noted in Auburn for their great industrial and commercial activity. In addition to the improve- ments already mentioned as having been projected or completed in 1881, the belt street car line opened, the track through North to Franklin street having been removed and connection being made through Seminary avenue. The roads were consolidated and placed under the management of a company of which D. M. Osborne was president. On May 12th, the big bell was placed in the City Hall tower, but was pronounced inadequate. On June 17th, following, the present bell weighing 6,300 pounds was substituted and has since done duty as a fire alarm bell.
On August 10th of that year the first train over the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad ran into Auburn in charge of Colonel F. T. Peet, the superintendent of the road.
In the summer of 1881, the great Second Ward sewer was com- menced, and was completed the same year at a cost of about $30,000.
During the latter part of that year the New York Central Rail- way Company demolished the old workshops north of the depot and utilized the site for sidings.
On April 17, 1882, the cornerstone of the new county clerk's office was laid. The building was completed and occupied in March, 1883. In that year also the Madison Avenue School building was erected; Ross Place opened, and the suggestive name of "Love Lane" was changed to "Linden Place." In that summer the stone freight house of the New York Central Railroad was commenced.
In 1882, the D. M. Osborne Company commenced building their railroad along the bank of the Outlet to their works on Genesee street
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from the New York Central Railroad depot. The work was nearly a year under way, the dummy making its first trip, October 5, 1883.
Early in the summer of 1883, the First Presbyterian Church parsonage was begun. On July 17th, the cornerstone of the Second Baptist Church at the junction of Genesee and Owasco streets was laid. This edifice occupies the site of the ancient and somewhat disreputable pile familarly known as the "Codfish block," which residents in the immediate vicinity were glad to aid in purchasing and donating to the church, thereby ridding themselves and the street of a nuisance. The church was completed and dedicated April 13, 1884,
On September 9, 1883, the Soule Cemetery in the town of Sen- nett, east of Auburn, was dedicated. It was a gift to the city from Lyman Soule.
Notable improvements in lighting and drainage were completed in the year 1883. The South street, Hamilton avenue and Mac- Dougall street sewers were built during the summer, connecting with the great second ward sewer.
In October, the Thomson-Houston Company commenced string- ing wires in the streets for the electric light, and on November 28, following, the first electric lights were lighted, although D. M. Osborne had been using them in his works for nearly a year previous. On January 28, 1884, the Common Council adopted the Thomson- Houston system, but the proprietors of the Brush-Swan system having made a proposition, the Council, on February 1, got into a squabble over the two systems. After much argument, extending over the winter and summer, the Common Council, on October 9th, ordered a contract to be made with the Thomson-Houston Company for lighting some of the principal streets. The Mayor vetoed this order, but the Council passed it over the veto, and the contract was duly executed. The official lighting of the streets by electric light commenced December 15, 1884.
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On April 4, 1884, the Hardenbergh House in the rear of the City Hall was sold to Max Volkman, who converted it into a hotel and opened it as such on June 28, following.
On June 3rd, the cornerstone of the First Baptist Church was laid. The church stands on the corner of Genesee and James streets, and was first occupied for service June 28, 1885.
The cornerstone of the Young Men's Christian Association build- ing was laid September 30, 1884. During the fall of the year, the Genesee street sewer from about the middle of the Exchange block to the Outlet was enlarged and deepened so as to drain the cellar of the building.
On November 30, 1884, Willard Chapel on West Genesee street was dedicated. On October 27, 1885 the society was organized as a church.
On September 14, 1885, the first stone of the Aurelius avenue bridge was laid; some eight years after the structure became a live question. On June 4, 1877, the Common Council adopted a resolu- tion to build a "two-arch stone bridge" at the Aurelius avenue crossing. The project was contrary to the conception of the Mayor as to a due regard for the interests of the tax-payers and on the twelfth of the month his veto was announced. However, a contract was let, but the unsatisfactory progress of the work led the Common Council to annul the contract in November, 1885, and take the matter into its own hands. Litigation with Contractor Perkins was the final result.
Among the public improvements of 1886 were the commence- ment of the Methodist Episcopal Church building at the corner of Washington and Wall streets, the Hollister block on the old Harden- bergh homestead, the Lewis block adjoining the old stone mill on West Genesee street, the Tallman block on Dill street, the banking house of the Bank of Auburn, adjoining its old home, and the paving of North street.
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On September 24th, the ground was broken for the new High School building. During the year Green street was extended from Clark street through to Genesee street and opened to public travel. Westlake avenue was also opened to the public from Fort street to Court street.
During the summer of 1887, the New York Central passenger depot was renovated and greatly improved. In that year, also, the supervisors let the contract for the building of a new county jail.
On February 17, 1887, a preliminary meeting was held by a few prominent citizens to consider the advisability of establishing a Board of Trade in Auburn, and on March 9th, following, the Auburn Board of Trade was duly organized, and by-laws adopted. Cyrenus Wheeler Jr., was made president of the organization, and A. W. Lawton, secretary. Rooms were secured in the Bank of Auburn building, and the organization immediately took up the task of booming the city. The mails to all parts of the country were burdened with information as to the business advantages and facilities of the city.
The first month of the year 1888, brought the first bank failure in the history of Auburn. On January 23rd, the First National Bank suspended payment and closed its doors. This was followed, in March, by the failure of the house of Dunning & Co., one of the most extensive wholesale dealers in hardware and iron in Central New York. Then, in April, the street car line went into liquidation. But the depression was only temporary and the worst that can be said of that year is that it was one of subdued prosperity.
During the summer months the navigation of Owasco Lake was put upon a permanent footing by the establishment of two lines of steamships, the Moravia from Cascade and the Lady of the Lake from Ensenore, which made daily trips, when the wind did not blow too hard, from their respective ports to Port Townsend. This
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led to the organization of a yacht club, the following year, and suggested the building of a lighthouse at the end of the pier.
On June 5, 1888, the High School building was dedicated, on which occasion addresses were made by Mr. T. M. Osborne and Honorable Andrew D. White.
On September 4th, the cornerstone of the new government building (the present post-office) was laid with elaborate Masonic ceremonies and a poem by Albert L. Childs.
A bronze statue of William H. Seward was unveiled in Seward Park, in the presence of a vast concourse of people, on November 15, 1888. The weather was disagreeable, a drizzling rain falling, but this did not prevent the people from assembling to show their esteem for the memory of the great statesman. William M. Evarts delivered the oration.
During the late fall of 1888 and the early winter of 1889, an episode in the literary history of Auburn was occasioned by the publication of a weekly paper, named after the city, under the management of Wm. P. Allen. Its career was limited to fourteen numbers. It was purely literary, reformatory and progressive in its aims, and sought the best talent for its contributors. It made friends rapidly, and had it survived the ordeal of teething, its long life was assured. But "whom the gods love die young," so did Auburn.
On February 1, 1889, the moulders in the malleable works of the D. M. Osborne Company struck for an advance in wages. Soon all the moulders in the employ of the company went out, and on the 9th of the month the woodworking and machine shops were obliged to shut down for lack of castings. The company imported some moulders, but as these joined the strikers, arrangements were made to have the castings made abroad. This intention was not carried out however, as differences were adjusted and the men resumed work on the 19th of the month.
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During February and March the tall poles of the Overland Telephone Company were set up in the streets, and the line was opened to the public on the 17th of April.
On April Ist the little Ann Cray Hermitage on Exchange street, and the brick parsonage on South street were demolished to make room for the extension of the cabinet warehouse of G. W. Richardson & Son.
During the year the large Barber Woolen Mills on Washington street were occupied by Dunn & McCarthy, shoe manufacturers, the Barbers continuing their business on Garden street.
Nye & Wait completed a large addition to their works in 1890 as did also Richard Eccles. The Canoga Woolen Company moved into the building formerly occupied by the Cayuga Woolen Com- pany, having purchased the plant of the latter company and em- ploying two hundred and twenty-five men in addition to the number at its other mill.
Wegman & Co., piano manufacturers, moved into the Logan Silk Mills building in 1890 and were employing seventy men. The shoe manufacturers, F. A. Barber & Co., Cowles & Young and Dunn & McCarthy, were all employing more operatives than in the previous year. McIntosh & Seymour added largely to their engine works.
Probably the most expensive building erected in Auburn in 1890 was the new brewery erected by William Sutcliffe on Clark street, reported to have cost $150,000. This building is now occupied by the Independent Brewery Company.
During the fall of 1890, a large sewer was built from the Outlet up East Genesee street as far as Evans street.
The two improvements of most general interest and importance in Auburn were the change from horse power to electric motor on our street car lines during this year, and the extension of the system to the lake, also the building of the new bridge on Genesee street. A handsome new brick building was erected for the power house of the
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railway company just north of the New York Central passenger depot. On January 17th, the first electric car was let loose from the power house, and cautiously felt its way down Seymour street and up State street. Since then there has been regular service of these cars on the Genesee street and Seymour street routes, and the business of the road has greatly increased. Regular trips to the lake were begun in March.
On July 17th, began the demolition of the old Genesee street bridge. This bridge was built in 1828. After the old wooden bridge had been torn down, it was perceived it had been the prop and stay of two brick stores on the north side of the street which bulged perceptibly towards the south. The Common Council, after viewing the structures themselves and having an expert examine them, condemned them as unsafe and ordered them demolished. The owners of the buildings also hired an expert who pronounced the buildings all right, but the Mayor, scenting a lawsuit, vetoed the resolution of the Council and the buildings still stand. Several accidents occurred, only one was fatal, however. On November 3d, John Rowan was killed by the falling of one of the heavy iron girders, occasioned by the breaking of the chain with which it was hoisted.
On August 12th, the first passenger train ran over the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad to Ithaca. What we have gained by the connection is offset by the loss of the old Ithaca, Auburn & Western, which ran to Venice and Genoa. Train service on the latter road was stopped in January and in April the company commenced to take up the rails and the ties.
On November 19, 1890, it was announced that the American Harvester Company had been formed in Illinois, with a capital stock of $35,000,000; the object being an amalgamation of all manufacto- ries of mowers and reapers in this country under one management. D. M. Osborne & Co. of this city were included among the organiza- tions represented in the new combination. On December 29th, a
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committee representing the American Harvester Company visited Auburn and looked over the plant here. Great interest was excited among our citizens and the employees as to the probable outcome of this visit, and speculation was rife as to whether the plant in this city would be closed or not. This continued until the 9th of January when it was announced that the American Harvester Company had died prematurely because of its illegality.
Various matters of weighty interest were discussed in our local legislatures. The Board of Health had not only the Auburn hog, the bone-yard and other nuisances to occupy its attention, but fell into a dispute over its own membership. The Boards of Charities and Police were engaged in the game of advancing and retiring Chiefs of Police and Superintendents of Charities. When the Mayor was in town George Fullmer was Chief of Police; when the Mayor was out of town, and Alderman Hoyle was Acting Mayor, John A. Davis was Chief. Davis was first discharged on August 31st, for alleged willful neglect of duty. He was reinstated on October 2Ist, but only held office one week, as the Mayor returned on October 28th and turned him out again. Commissioner Lewis was re-elected again in the spring together with B. F. Winegar in place of T. K. Smith.
Various votes in favor of city ownership of water works were taken in Common Council all of which were vetoed, and it was not until February 2d that a sufficient number of aldermen were present to pass the resolution over the Mayor's veto. Thereupon the advocates for and against the water bill prepared by the city attor- ney changed their place of contention to the committee on cities at Albany, and sundry debates were then conducted by our city attorney on one side and Ex-Senator Woodin and other citizens, on the other. The bill was reported favorably in the Senate and Assembly, and having passed both bodies was signed by the Gover- nor and became a law.
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The State enumeration made in February showed a population for Auburn of 26,180 as against 25,858 by the United States Census of 1890. The county showed a decrease from 1890 of 843 ; the state a net increase over 1890 of 481,877. A reapportionment bill based on this enumeration was passed at a special session of the Legislature called on April 25th. The State was gerrymandered somewhat. Our district consisting of Cortland, Cayuga, Tompkins, Wayne, Ontario and Yates was christened the "Wishbone" district. Cayuga got only one assemblyman instead of two heretofore.
On June 7th, the proposition of municipal ownership of water works was submitted to the people and carried in the affirmative by by a vote of 2,829 to 634. On August 15th, the Common Council appointed Messrs. Laurie, Wait and Moses as commissioners. The latter on the 23rd of January made a report to the Common Council recommending the purchase of the present water works plant for the sum of $425,000 to take effect on July Ist. This was ratified by the Common Council and by the stockholders of the Auburn Water Works Company.
Two new newspapers were established during this year, not to mention the sheet designed to boom Auburn Heights namely, the Patriot edited by Lewis Schewe and the Auburn Gazette edited by Fred Mohr. The latter paper advocated Henry George's theory of a single tax. On June 24th, the Advertiser having purchased a Cox duplex press came out in a new dress of an eight-page paper.
The old seminary building was nearly torn down. As if to empha- size the disappearance of the old landmarks the large elm at the corner of North and Seminary streets was cut down during the month of November. One of the local sensations of the season was the tilt between the Reverend Levi Bird and the city officials. Mr. Bird preached a sermon against the city officials, not only generally but specifically, pointing out their shortcomings and alleging that they were individually and collectively guilty of drunkenness, Sabbath desecration and other crimes and misdemeanors. The city officials
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