USA > New York > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 36
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Lord, Gurdon.
Talcott, Parson.
Manfield, John.
Thayer, Ahaz.
Merriam, Nathaniel.
Thayer, Eleazer.
Merwin, James.
Thayer, Simeon.
Miller, Aaron.
Thayer, Ziba.
Miller, Amos.
Thomas, Eliphalet.
Miller, David B.
Thomas, Henry.
Miller, Elias.
Tiffany, Levi.
Miller, Isaac.
Tilly, William.
Miller, Joel.
Tolls, Jonathan. Topping, William.
Mumford, Henry.
Northam, Samuel.
Tyler, Josephus.
Otis, Chandler C.
Tyler, Moses.
Palmer, Aaron.
Tyler, Patrick.
Pease, Alpheus.
Utley, Henry.
Pelton, Nathan.
Walker, James.
Post, Josiah.
Ward. Ithamer.
Putman, Cornelius.
Washburn, Solomon.
Right, Samuel.
Wetmore, Joseph.
Sage, Zadock.
Wetmore, Nathaniel.
Scovil, John.
Witmore, Ebenezer.
Seger, Daniel.
Whitmore, Ethe.
Smith, Lewis.
Wilcox, Elisha.
Snow, Nathaniel.
Wilby, Nathaniel.
Spencer, Abraham.
Wolcott, Thomas.
Spinner, Stephen.
Woolworth, Josiah.
Starr, Benjamin.
The first store in town was kept by Benjamin J. Starr, at Talcottville. Dr. Jotham Snow was the first physician in Leyden, and Dr. Manley Wellman the next. The latter removed to Low- ville and afterwards to the Genesee coun- try, above Rochester, and died there. He came into this town from Whitestown.
Silas Southwell taught the first school in town. The first school organization under the act of 1813, was effected at a special town meeting, held December 27th, in that year,at which Thomas Wol- cott, David B. Miller and Winthrop Fel- shaw were appointed School Commis- sioners, and Nathan Pelton, Samuel Kent, Israel Douglass, Jr., Amos Miller, Allen Auger and Benjamin Starr, Inspectors. The first school house in town was built in 1802, at Leyden Hill.
Billing, Justice.
Hawley, James.
Higley, David.
Stone, Luther.
267
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEYDEN.
The Leyden Union Library was formed December 24, 1821, with John- son Talcott, John Fish, Ela Merriam Parsons Talcott, Allen Auger, Joseph Stimson, Ezra Miller and Thomas Wol- cott, trustees. It acquired about 300 volumes and was dissolved two or three years after the introduction of school li- braries, sharing in this the fate of all the Union Social Libraries of that day.
An unsuccessful application was made to the Regents of the University, March 29, 1826, for the incorporation of an acad- emy at Talcottville, but a sufficient sum had not been raised by the applicants to obtain an incorporation.
A murder occurred in the northeast corner of this town on the morning of May 4, 1855, under these circum- stances :---
A quarrel arose between two Irish women, near Lyon's Falls, growing out of the pawning of a pair of flat-irons. One of the parties, who kept a low grog-shop, hired Thomas Rutledge and Michael Cavanaugh, two drunken sots, to whip James Cooper, the husband of her op- ponent. The hirelings assailed Cooper's cabin, pelted it with stones and broke his windows. He resolved to seek the protection of the law, but observing the superstition of his countrymen that "when the cock crows, all danger is over," he awaited this signal, and a little after three o'clock, started for Port Leyden ; was watched, pursued and killed with clubs, as he fell exhausted with running, at the door of Mr. Philo Post. Rutledge fled, and was doubtless concealed for some time among the Irish in High Market. Rewards were offered by the Sheriff and the Governor, but he was never arrested. Cavanaugh was indicted May 16th, tried June 26th, when the jury did not agree, and again before Judge Allen, August 14th and 15th, when he was convicted of murder and sentenced to be hung October 5th. The convict was res-
pited by the Governor till Nov. 9, 1855, and subsequently his sentence was com- muted to imprisonment for life in Clin- ton prison. An attempt was made by a low class of politicians, to bring discred- it upon the Governor for this exercise of executive clemency, and on the night of November 9th, Governor Clark was hung and burnt in effigy. The Gov- ernor, for political effect, wrote a lengthy letter in answer to one addressed to him, in which he stated in detail, the grounds upon which the commutation was granted.
Besides at Port Leyden the principal place, there are two other postoffices in town. Leyden P. O. was formerly kept at the village known as Leyden Hill, but in 1836, it was transferred to Talcottville on the Sugar river, two miles south, where it has been since kept. The other is " Locust Grove," at the place former- ly owned by Ela Merriam, a little north of "Leyden Hill," on the old "State Road." Leyden Hill was formerly a place of some business, but is now only a farming vicinage, having neither church, store, hotel or business place of any description, other than a cheese factory, and this occupies the building of the old Presbyterian church.
PORT LEYDEN VILLAGE.
On the 22d of March, 1836, General Ela Merriam bought of Eber L. Kelsey an undivided half of fifty acres, Lot 17, embracing the water-power at Port Ley- den and Rock Island, about sixty rods below. On the same day he bought of Daniel Sears his farm on Lot 16, adjoin- ing Kelsey's, and immediately sold three-fourths of his interest to Francis Seger, Lyman R. Lyon and Jesse Tal- cott.
The intention in these operations, was to establish a village, and in anticipa- tion of the construction of the canal,-
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HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
still many years in the future, but rea- sonably certain-they called their place " PORT LEYDEN." It had been previ- ously known as "Kelsey's Mills," but was at the time only a farming region, adjacent to a valuable water-power on the river, and a convenient point for business on either side.
The village was surveyed out into lots by Eleazer Spencer, in 1838-'39, very nearly upon the same plan as it exists upon the map to-day.
A short distance below the village, the channel of Black river is contracted to less than twenty feet in width, and the torrent rushes through the gorge with immense force. Several pot-holes have been worn in the gneiss rock to a great depth. Rock Island, at this place, is a rugged bluff, in its natural state, surrounded by water only during floods and easily accessible at other times. Its scenery was highly picturesque before it was disturbed by the hand of man. In the map of a survey made before set- tlement, this narrow gorge is named "Hellgate." The rock has been exca- vated west of the island, to afford hydraulic privileges, and when our first edition was published, it remained an unfinished work. It has since been com- pleted, and is used as a race for bringing water-power to the furnace works. By being lower than the natural bed of the river east of the island, the necessity of a dam is obviated, except at the head, to turn off the surplus water.
Mrs. Pamelia J. Munn afterwards pur- chased the interest of Talcott. A tan- nery was run at this place many years by Cornwell Woolworth, who had bought the other half of Kelsey's inter- est, and in the fall of 1855, the Snyder Brothers purchased this tannery, greatly enlarged it and made it one of the larg- est establishments of the kind in North- ern New York. It contained in 1860, 163 vats ; used 3,800 cords of bark a
year, and tanned annually about 40,000 sides of sole leather. It suffered with other interests along the river, from the breaking away of the reservoir on the upper waters of the river in the spring of 1869, and was finally burned April 30, 1875, being then owned by Thomas Watson & Company. It employed about 300 men in the bark season. A part of the stock was lost ; but to finish the rest, the tannery was partly re-built. As a matter of prospective interest, this tannery was of less consequence, be- cause the supplies of bark were becom- ing every year more scarce, and the closing out of this business was only a question of time, and very near at hand.
The river flood above mentioned swept off entirely a grist-mill, and did other damage of vast amount all along the river from Boonville to Watertown. These damages became a subject of ex- tensive investigation, and elaborate re- ports were published giving facts and details in great abundance. The losses as ascertained were paid by the State, but of course there were some claims altogether beyond reason, that were re- jected. The withdrawal of the waters of Black river for the canals, to the in- jury of its hydraulic power, has been but in part restored by the construction of reservoirs for equalizing the supply.
The village of Port Leyden was in- corporated about 1867, under the gen- eral act, but we are unable to give the exact date, as the books were burned in a fire in March, 1872 .* It accepted the general village act, at a special election, at which 23 votes were cast for, and I against that measure. The village in- cludes a part of two towns-Leyden and Lyonsdale. Nearly all the business
* The village has suffered several times by fire. On the 7th of March, 1870, the grocery and drug store was burned with all its contents. Loss, about $11,000 partly insured. The hotel of Asa H. Loomis was burned October 13, 1870, and the stores of N. J. Brown and C. G. Riggs, March 25, 1872.
269
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEYDEN.
and population are in the former. The census of 1880, showed a population of 1,115 within the corporate limits, and the tendency is manifestly towards a much greater increase.
The Masons have a lodge in this vil- lage. The "Good Templars" organized a lodge (No. 256), in 1868, and they maintained it until about 1877.
In 1868, the Grand Army of the Re- public established a post, in which they were assisted by the Hon. Clinton L. Merriam. It was named Post Merriam, in honor of his brother, Major Gustav- us Merriam, who was in active service in the late war. It was kept up about four years, when it was given up. There is now a " Veteran Organization," an in- dependent affair, in the village, made up of those who had been in service in the late war.
Business of Port Leyden in August, 1882.
Barber .- William Cone.
Blacksmiths. - John Cummings, Mi- chael Depster, James Jordan, Yeoman.
Drugs and Groceries .- E. D. Spencer, W. L. Wilcox.
Furniture. Samuel McClure.
Grist-Mill, (steam) .- Norton Douglass. Hardware .- C. G Riggs.
Hotels .- E. McMarrion, A. Secor.
Harnesses. - O. Holdridge, Reubin Kline.
Jewelers .-- G. B. Reed, J. S. Tardy. Lawyers. - W. H. Hilts, Isaac Wormuth.
A.
Merchants .- James Corney, Colton & Manchester, W. J. Hayes, William B. Reyn, John Schroeder, C. E. B. Williams, Wilcox & Woolworth.
Milliners and Dress-Makers. - Mrs. Hoag, Mrs. Post, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Woolworth.
Photographer .- O. J. Kenyon.
Physicians. - Dr. Ash, Dr. D. D. Douglass, Dr. William H. Johnson.
Planing, Sawing, Wood-Making, etc .- G. W. Chase, Cone & Sears.
Saloons .- John Hart, Martin Kelsey.
Saw-Mills .- James A. Merwin, (gang mill), Thomas Rogers.
Shoemakers and dealers .- Peter Beck, John McHale, Somers & Sawyer. Taylors .- Timothy Crowley. Wagon Shop .- Jordan & Kilts.
Iron Furnaces at Port Leyden.
About 1865, a deposit of black mag- netic iron ore, was discovered in the gneiss rock, near the river, in the village of Port Leyden, on the west side, and in the town of Leyden. It appeared to be abundant and of good quality, and led to the formation of " The Port Leyden Iron Company," which was incorporated July 25, 1865, with a capital of $500,000. Its trustees were: Henry D. H. Snyder, Jr., Benjamin F. Sherwood, Henry Hopson, Abel B. Buell and Charles H. Sayre. A tract of fifteen acres was deeded by Sny- der to the company, and a furnace was built. The enterprise failed, and the title passed through the hands of a succession of owners, assignees and agents, as fol- lows :-
The company to Addison 'C. Miller ; Miller to John Horton; Horton to the Black River Iron and Mining Company, (July 29, 1872,) the latter assigned to Schuyler C. Thompson, who bought on a sheriff's sale March 7, 1876, and ran the furnace until his death, when it laid idle for some time.
In the early history of the furnace, and before the " Black River Iron and Min- ing Co." had possession, an ineffectual attempt was made to establish a steel company. " The Port Leyden Steel Co." was formed under the general act, Janu- ary 7, 1870, with Christian W.Weise, John Werkert, Lawrence Conrad, Herman Winehenbach, Frederick G. Schwind and Caroline Helm as parties named, and the first five of these as trustees ; capital $48,000. On the 7th of April of the same year, there was another organiza- tion formed with a capital of $250,000,
270
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
under the name of " The Port Leyden Steel and Iron Co." and the following persons were named : Edward L. Sey- mour, Christian W. Weise, John Weis- kert, Lawrence Conrad, Herman Win- chenbach, Frederick G. Schwind and William Gries. They spent a large amount of money, but encountered diffi- culties with the ore, which they could not overcome. It was then thought that the ore contained no other injurious ele- ments besides sulphur and phosphorus, but it is since found that it has a considera- ble amount (said to be about 10 per cent.) of titanium, one of the most refrac- tory of the metals, and a material wholly incapable of reduction in furnaces of the usual form.
While owned by Mr. Thompson, the furnace was run profitably upon ores from Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Oneida counties, with charcoal as a fuel.
On the 4th of May, 1880, the title to the property passed into the hands of the "Gere Iron and Mining Co." which has existed as a corporation since April 15, 1868, and is also the owner of a furnace in Syracuse. The present officers of the company are : William H. H. Gere, of Syracuse, President ; Isaac Maynard, of Utica, Vice-President ; George H. Gere, of Syracuse, Secretary ; and Charles H. Hawley, as Treasurer. The capital of the company, at first, $100,000, was in- creased to $200,000, February 7, 1822.
With the view of ascertaining the amount and quality of the ore, upon the faith of which the furnace had formerly been started, the present company went down with a diamond drill about three hundred feet, and the core from this bor- ing shows that there is an abundance of the ore-in one instance fifteen feet, yet the presence of deleterious materials, ren- der it at present undesirable to attempt its use.
The company began to fit up the fur- nace as soon as they purchased, and it
was put in blast on the 14th of October, 1880. It was burned down January 26. 1881, but at once rebuilt, and it again went into blast May 19, 1881. At the time of our enquiry in August, 1882, it was still in blast, using ores from the Keene and Old Sterling mines in Jeffer- son county, and some ores from Canada, Salisbury, Connecticut, Middleton, N. Y., and Carthagena, in Spain.
The following technical description of this furnace, is from the "Journal of the U. S. Association of Charcoal Iron Work- ers," for May, 1882 :--
" The plant consists of the blast fur- naces, and extensive chemical works, wherein the acetic vapors from wood- carbonization are transformed into chemical products. The two stacks "Grace" and "Fannie," stand side by side, and are of cut stone for 33 feet, topped by iron shells for 18 fect, making the total height of the stacks 51 feet. The interior measurements of the two furna- ces are similar, being as follows : diame- ter of bosh 10 feet 6 inches; height from hearth, 15 feet 3 inches; diameter of crucible, 4 feet 6 inches ; height, 4 feet 3 inches; tuyeres placed 3 feet 6 inches above the bottom ; cubic capacity, 2,550 feet.
" The crucibles are each equipped with a water-cooled dam, Lurmann cinder notch, and four bronze tuyeres (4-inch nozzle,) placed in water breasts. The stacks are lined throughout with fire brick. The top of the furnace, which is seven feet in diameter, is supplied with a hopper and a 4-foot bell, operated by a hand winch. The stack-house is of two stories, the ores and limestones being re- ceived upon the upper floor, in cars over the Company's switch, connecting with the Utica & Black River Railroad, and passes through two crushers to the floor below, on which the charcoal is also de- livered. The materials are raised to the tunnel-head, by a single cage-hoist.
" The plant is located on the bank of the Black river, which makes, at this point, a most picturesque fall ; the large volume of water dashing over a series of cascades, which in 500 feet, make a fall of 50 feet. Only a small portion of this
271
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEYDEN.
water-power is now used by the Com- pany.
" The blowing machinery consists of two vertical iron cylinders, 60" diame- ter, by 68" stroke, connected with two turbine wheels, under 17 feet head. An additional turbine furnishes power for crushers, hoist, wood-sawing, etc., etc.
" But one of the furnaces was in blast, the other being lined, ready for opera- tion. The blast is heated by two stand- ing pipe hot-blast stoves, each contain- ing 24 pipes, 10 feet high. There are three additional stoves of similar size, not now in common use, connected with the plant. The average temperature of the blast is 800°; pressure 112 to 2 pounds. The practice is to blow the furnace by volume, and not by pressure. The iron is tapped every eight hours, and the average product is 23 tons per day of iron, showing very satisfactory chill * * * * tests. *
" Specular ores, from northern New York, averaging 45 per cent. of iron, are used, and are charged with 20 per cent. of local limestone,* all being finely crushed. The basis of the charge is 600 pounds of charcoal (30 bushels). The average consumption of fuel is 2,400 pounds charcoal per gross ton of iron made. There is a large deposit of tita- niferous ore, close to the furnaces, which is not in use."
The chemical works connected with this establishment, may be thus de- scribed :-
Seasoned hard-woods (beech, birch, maple, etc.,) are brought to the furnace in cord-wood form, and cut up into form for stove wood. A series of 24 strong egg-shaped retorts, made of boiler plate iron, are arranged in pairs along a struc. ture in masonry, so that they can be filled from above, and the charge may be withdrawn from below. Each retort will hold a cord of stove wood, and they are firmly closed and secured, both above and below, for the pressure from
within them, in the process of carboni- zation, is very great.
The heat needed for this purpose is derived from the gases of the furnace, which are brought in pipes, and the flame is made to circulate around the retorts, heating them to the degree re- quired for the disengagement of all vol- atile products, which requires from twelve to fourteen hours. These are condensed in pipes placed in cold water, and the completion of the process is judged by the character of the smoke that is allowed to escape from a small hole provided for this purpose. The lower end of the retort is then opened, and the contents, still glowing hot, are dropped into a great iron-plate drum, to which the cover is at once applied, and luted air-tight. It is then allowed to cool, which requires about as much longer time ; but as all the air is excluded, there can be no combustion. These iron coolers are mounted upon an iron rail- way, and when cooled, the coal is at once used in the furnace, it being best when entirely fresh. The yield of charcoal is about 60 bushels to a cord-an amount much greater than where a part of the substance of the wood is wasted in burn- ing, as in common coal-pits. The coal weighs from 19 to 20 pounds to the bushel. The wood is cut in winter and seasoned six or eight months before using, and the wood costs about $3.00 per cord.
We will now attempt to describe the processes of obtaining the products of value, from the volatile portions of the wood : A portion will not condense, but remains as vapor. These gases have inflammable properties, that are turned to account by being passed into the flames circulating around the retorts. They give a steady white flame, and aid considerably in the process. By special arrangements, illuminating gases of the very best quality, are now made from
* The limestone used as a flux, is from the Trenton limestone strata, forming the upper terraces of this for- mation. The " blue," or " bird's eye " limestone. from the lower terraces, contains about 10 per cent. of Silica, and is not suitable for this use.
272
HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.
wood, but these gases do not afford a flame suitable for this purpose, as they come from the condensers. This illum- inating gas is not made at this place.
The watery products obtained from the condensed smoke, are much the same as we get in " leaking chimneys,"- that is to say, in places where the smoke of our stoves and furnaces gets nearly cold before it leaves the chimney, and condenses in "soot water," to the infinite annoyance of house-keepers. This liq- uor is first distilled to separate the " wood-alcohol," which by two or three other distillations is reduced to a clear or slightly brown liquor, of a specific gravity of about o.85, and an intensely pungent taste. It is very volatile, in- flammable and applicable to all the uses for which alcohol from grain is em- ployed-except for drinking. It is used as a solvent of gums and resins, chiefly in the making of paints and varnishes, and because it pays no internal revenue tax, it is now generally employed instead of common alcohol for all chemical and mechanical uses to which that can be applied. The quantity got, is said to be about 5 gallons to the cord, worth some 75 to 80 cents per gallon. It is sent off in kerosene barrels, and must be kept closely confined to prevent waste.
The waters remaining after distilla- tion, which are chiefly dilute acetic acid, are then saturated either with quick- lime, or with litharge-the former mak- ing the " acetate of lime," and the latter the " brown acetate of lead." It is then evaporated down to dryness, when it is ready for market.
The "acetate of lime," is worth some $40 to $50 per ton, and is a black, earthy substance, soluble, but not liable to change in the air, and may be sent off in bags. It is used in the manufacture of white lead. For this, it is dissolved and mixed with muriatic acid, which uniting with the lime, releases the acetic
acid in form of vapor. These vapors are conducted in among lead in thin sheets, forming the "acetate of lead," and this by further action of carbonic acid furnished at the same time by an- other process, becomes the CARBONATE OF LEAD, or common "white lead" of commerce.
But the product heretofore made here has been chiefly the "brown acetate of lead," a dark brown substance, looking something like maple sugar, and when broken presenting a crystaline structure. It is hard, heavy and very poisonous. It forms the basis of many chemical salts used in calico printing and dying, and is worth some six or eight cents a pound. About 300 pounds are made from the smoke of a cord of wood. For procur- ing the litharge used in its preparation, common pig-lead is melted in shallow pans, and raked in the open air until it turns to dross. This, when ground to dust, is the material employed in neutralizing the acetic acid in the waters left after distillation as above described.
The retort, and some other portions of the apparatus, are secured by patent to Jean Antoine Mathieu, but other portions are public property for use, and there is no secret or mystery in any part of the process.
We have not mentioned another prod- uct, which is tar, of which no use is made. It is proposed to use it by mix- ing it with charcoal dust, and thus form blocks that may be used as fuel.
We have given these processes some- what in detail, because we think they will be read with interest. They show the great saving that may be secured by the application of science to the arts and the profits that may be got from so com- mon and useless a thing as smoke. It is not impossible that means may be de- vised for saving these products in many other places where wood is burned as a fuel, and that there may be economies
273
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEYDEN.
hereafter discovered in things now neg- lected and wasted, that will excite a wonder that they were not known be- fore.
TALCOTT VILLAGE, (Leyden P. O.)
This place is located upon Sugar river, at the point where it is crossed by the State road. With suitable enterprise on the part of its first settlers, it should have grown into an important village, having everything in its favor in the way of water-power and location. The opportunity was lost, and the village is what it was forty years ago, a quiet vicinage, with no great prospect of future change. Its business may be stated briefly as follows :-
Blacksmith and Wagon Shop .- John Grems.
Cheese-box Factory .- Benj. S. Jones. Hotel .- Thomas Baker.
Quarry .- Mulcher Auer, (employing four or five men.)
Sash and Blind Factory and Grist-mill. -Mrs. Albert Jones.
Saw-mill .- Benjamin S. Jones.
Store .- A. G. Miller.
There are five cheese factories in the town of Leyden, viz :- " Sugar River," "Clover Dale," " Meadow Brook," "Leyden Association," and "Sperl."
The house of Mrs. Pamelia J. Munn, north of the village, was burned Febru- ary 4, 1870.
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