USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878 > Part 103
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1822 .- Same, except Wheeler Barnes was elected in the place of Stephen White.
1823 .- Wheeler Barnes, Joshua Hatheway, Simon Matteson, George Brown, Dennis Davenport.
1824 .- Wheeler Barnes, Arden Seymour, Simon Matte- son, George Brown, Numa Leonard.
1825 .- Same as 1824.
1826 .- George Huntington, John W. Bloomfield, Jay Ilatheway, Elisha Walsworth, Henry A. Foster.
1827 .- John W. Bloomfield, George Huntington, Henry A. Foster, Martin Galusha, Jay Hatheway.
1828 .- J. W. Bloomfield, Jay Hatheway, H. A. Foster, Seth B. Roberts, Arden Seymour.
1829 .- J. W. Bloomfield, Jay Hatheway, Seth B. Rob- erts, Franeis Bicknell, Lyman Briggs.
1830 .- Allanson Bennett, Bela B. Hyde, Noah Draper, James Merrills, Sylvester Willcox.
1831 .- Bela B. Hyde, Henry Tibbitts, James Merrills, Sylvester Willeox, Joseph B. Read.
1832 .- A. Bennett, Alva Whedon, James Merrills, Franeis Bicknell, Jay Hatheway.
1833 .- No record to be found.
1834 .-- Jesse Armstrong, John Stryker, Alva Mudge, Samuel B .- Stevens, Virgil Draper.
From 1835 to 1849, inclusive, the records of the village have been lost or misplaced, and it is impossible to give the trustees for those years. From 1850 to 1869 they were as follows :
1850 .- Edward Huntington, Oliver J. Grosvenor, An- drew J. Rowley, Stephen Van Dresar, Henry C. Mallary.
1851 .- Enoch B. Armstrong, Roland S. Doty, Woodman Kimball, Sanford Adams, Marquis D. Hollister.
1852 .- Same as 1851.
1853 .- President, Allanson Bennett. 1st Ward, H. S. Armstrong, E. A. Gage, E. M. Hinkley ; 2d Ward, Stephen Van Dresar, J. Lewis Grant, Publius V. Rogers ; 3d Ward, M. L. Kenyon, Zaccheus Hill, Henry Hayden.
1854 .- President, B. J. Beach. 1st Ward, Gordon N. Bissell, James L. Watkins, A. McCune; 2d Ward, J. L. Grant, M. Burns, Richard Peggs ; 3d Ward, James Walker, J. Scofil, C. F. Williams.
1855 .- President, Marquis L. Kenyon. 1st Ward, Harrison Jacobs, E. A. Gage, Moses Wingate ; 2d Ward, Michael Burns, Henry T. Utley, Eri Seymour; 3d Ward, R. G. Savery, J. H. Gilbert, M. L. Brainard.
1856 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, A. W. Cole, Joseph Higgins, Robert Whitworth ; 2d Ward, H. H. Pope, J. J. Armstrong, John Ward ; 3d Ward, A. II. Edgerton, Edward Dickinson, John J. Parry ..
1857 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, Henry O. Southworth, Robert Whitworth, Jacob P. Hager; 2d Ward, John Ward, Thomas H. Pond, Daniel Hager; 3d Ward, A. H. Edgerton, George W. Taft, Edward Smith.
1858 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, H. O. Southworth, Paul Schneible, Robert Whitworth ; 2d Ward, John Ward, Daniel Hager, Glen Petrie ; 3d Ward, A. H. Edgerton, G. W. Taft, Edward Smith.
1859 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, Alva Mudge, H. C. Case, H. C. Mallery ; 2d Ward, H. H. Pope,
John Ward, D. Hager ; 3d Ward, A. H. Edgerton, E. P. Wait, R. E. Lee.
1860 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, Charles F. Bissell, Henry C. Mallery, Nathaniel Hazleton ; 2d Ward, H. H. Pope, Adam Kochersperger, John O'Neil ; 3d Ward, Robinson E. Smiley, N. Hyde Leffingwell, Zaecheus Hill.
1861 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, H. C. Mallery, Jacob Rastizer, George Merrill; 2d Ward, A. K. Adams, H. H. Pope, Peter Quinn ; 3d Ward, William J. Walker, Daniel Cady, Nicholas Moran.
1862 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, H. C. Mallery, M. W. Rowe, Peter Rathmund ; 2d Ward, H. H. Pope, A. K. Adams, Peter Quinn ; 3d Ward, Z. Hill, E. A. Allen, Jeptha Matteson.
1863 .- President, George Barnard. 1st Ward, D. B. Prince, H. Edmonds, R. Whitworth ; 2d Ward, H. H. Pope, A. K. Adams, Thomas Flanagan ; 3d Ward, J. Matteson, Z. Hill, E. A. Allen.
1864 .- President, David Utley. 1st Ward, M. Maloney, Martin Seger, Daniel L. Ketcham ; 2d Ward, John Har- rington, John Spellicy, Peter Quinn ; 3d Ward, James Walker, John D. Ely, Harvey D. Spencer.
1865 .- President, E. B. Armstrong. 1st Ward, Joseph Higgins, Orson Knowlton, James Elwell ; 2d Ward, John Reifert, John Hook, Thomas Flanagan ; 3d Ward, Samuel Wardwell, James Walker, G. H. Lynch.
1866 .- President, George Barnard, Jr. 1st Ward, H. O. Southworth, Orson Knowlton, Joseph Higgins; 2d Ward, John Reifert, John Hook, Thomas Flanagan ; 3d Ward, James Walker, Lewis Gaylord, Sylvester F. Tremaine.
1867 .- President, James Stevens. 1st Ward, Lawrence Gaheen, James Elwell, Peter Rothmund ; 2d Ward, Nich- olas Kapfer, Thomas Flanagan, John Spellicy ; 3d Ward, Griffith W. Jones, Lewis Gaylord, William Jackson.
1868 .- President, James . Stevens. 1st Ward, Peter Rothmund, James H. Carroll, George H. Brodock ; 2d Ward, Henry W. Tibbitts, Fred Rostizer, Thomas W. Edwards ; 3d Ward, William Jackson, Lewis Gaylord, B. W. Williams.
1869 .- President, Edward L. Stevens. 1st Ward, James H. Carroll; 2d Ward, John Spellicy ; 3d Ward, Ackley P. Fuller. A portion of the old board held over this year, aeeording to the new regulations for the election of trustees, etc.
CITY OF ROME.
Rome was incorporated as a city by an act entitled “ an act to incorporate the city of Rome," passed February 23, 1870, of which the following is a copy :
"¿ 1. All that part of the county of Oneida now known as and being the town of Rome shall be a city, known as the city of Rome, and the citizens of this State from time to time inhabitants within the said boundaries shall be a corporation by the name of the eity of Rome, and as such may sue and be sued, eomplain and defend in any eonrt, make and use a common seal, and alter it at pleasure; and may receive by gift, grant, devise, bequest, or purehase, and hold and convey, such real or personal property as the purposes of the eorpora- tion may require.
"¿ 2. (As amended by ¿ 6, chapter 576, Laws of 1875.) The said eity shall be divided into five wards respectively, as follows, namely : " First Ward .- All that portion of said eity bounded as follows, viz .: Beginning at a point at the intersection of James and Dominick Streets, in the eity of Rome; running thenee along the centre of
COL. E. B.ARMSTRONG.
RESIDENCE or E.B. ARMSTRONG, ROME, N. Y.
LITH. BY L. H. EVERTS PHILA.PA.
PHOTO, BY HOVEY
PHINEAS ABBE.
PHOTO. SY BACON.
MRS.MARY ABBE
RESIDENCE OF GEO. ABBE, ROME, ONEIDA COUNTY, N. Y.
LITH. BY L. H. EVERTS. PHILA. PA.
387
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
James Street to the intersection thereof with the Wright Settlement Road, near the Ridge Mills; thence along the centre of the Wright Settlement Road and the Watson Hollow Road to the line of said city and town of Floyd; thence running along said southerly line to the centre of the Mohawk River; thence running np# said river, and the centre thereof, to said Dominick Street; thence running along the centre of said Dominick Street to the place of beginning, shall com- prise the First Ward.
" Second Ward .- All that part of said city bounded as follows, viz. : Lying south of the First Ward and east of a line commencing at the intersection of said James and Dominick Streets, and running along the centre of said James Street and the Madison Plank-Road to the intersection of said plank-road with the road to Verona Village at the Oncida County Poor-House, and thence along the centre of said Verona Road to the city line, shall comprise the Second Ward.
" Third Ward .- All that part of said city described as follows, viz. : Lying westerly of the Second Ward and southerly of a line commencing at the intersection of said James and Dominick Streets, and running along the centre of said Dominick Street, prolonged along the centre of the highway to the junction of the Rome and Taberg and former Rome and Oswego Plank-Roads; thence running along the centre of said last-named road to the city line, shall comprise the Third Ward.
" Fourth Ward .- All that part of said city described as follows, viz. : Lying northerly of the Third Ward and westerly of a line commencing at the centre of said Dominick Street and George Street in the former village of Rome; running thence up the centre of said George Street to Thomas Street in said village; thence running along the centre of said Thomas Street to the Cemetery Road so called ; thence along the line in the centre of said Cemetery Road prolonged to the line of said city and the town of Lee, near the house of William II. Smith, at Lee Line, so called, shall comprise the Fourth Ward.
" Fifth Ward .- All that part of said city described as follows, viz. : Lying eisterly of the Fourth Ward, westerly of the First Ward, and northerly of the centre of Dominick Street, shall comprise the Fifth Ward."
The first city election was held March 1, 1870, and the following officers were elected, viz. : Mayor, Calvert Com- stock ; Recorder, Stephen Van Dresar; Collector, Joseph Kapfer; Assessors, N. Hyde Leffingwell, George Hauck, David D. Morton ; Justices of the Peace, George W. Davis, James H. Southworth ; Constables, Thomas C. Wilds, Daniel Petrie, Daniel Krebs, James E. Hibbard; First Ward Officers : Supervisor, Henry O. Southworth ; Alder- inen, George Merrill, George P. Russ, John Shortall ; In- spectors of Election, Charles F. Greene, George II. Bro- dock, Henry W. Pell. Second Ward Officers : Supervisor, John Singleton ; Aldermen, Martin Toepp, James Hagerty, Harmon Oeinck : Inspeetors of Election, Ilarrison H. Hartwell, Stephen Van Dresar, William MePherson. Third Ward Officers: Supervisor, John Reifert ; Alder- men, John De Ryther, Peter Connor, Christian Nestle, Sr. ; Inspectors of Election, Louis Roth, James Corcoran, Jona- than Talcott. Fourth Ward Officers : Supervisors, James Stevens ; Aldermen, Cyrus Hayden, William Parker, Wil- liam HI. Davies; Inspectors of Election, Giles K. Brown, Wm. W. Smith, Wm. R. Olney. Fifth Ward Officers : Supervisor, Alfred Ethridge; Aldermen, A. P. Tuller, William Jackson, Glen Petrie ; Inspectors of Election, L. E. Elmer, Edward II. Shelley, Alva Whedon.
The aldermen are elected for one, two, and three years. In the following list of city officers from 1871 to 1878, in- clusive, only the newly-elected aldermen are given for cach year.
1871 .- Mayor, George Merrill. First Ward : Super- visor, H. O. Southworth ; Alderman, John Shortall. Sec-
ond Ward : Supervisor, George Barnard; Alderman, An- drew Effler. Third Ward: Supervisor, John Reifert; Alderman, Christian Nestle. Fourth Ward : Supervisor, Daniel Hager ; Alderman, Walter Lamb. Fifth Ward : Supervisor, Alfred Ethridge ; Alderman, Jerome Graves.
1872 .- Mayor, George Merrill. First Ward : Super- visor, HI. O. Southworth ; Aldermen, Frank S. Midlam, George P. Russ; Second Ward, Supervisor, George Bar- nard ; Alderman, Andrew J. Sink. Third Ward : Super- visor, James D. Corcoran ; Alderman, Dennis J. Griffin. Fourth Ward: Supervisor, D. Hager; Alderman, G. G. Armstrong. Fifth Ward : Supervisor, A. Ethridge; Al- derman, William Jackson.
1873 .- Mayor, George Merrill. First Ward : Super- visor, N. H. Leffingwell ; Alderman, D. L. Ketcham. Second Ward: Supervisor, George Barnard ; Alderman, George P. Goodier. Third Ward : Supervisor, J. D. Cor- coran ; Alderman, Peter Quinn. Fourth Ward : Super- visor, George W. G. Kinney ; Alderman, Alfred Sandford.
1874 .- Mayor, George Merrill. First Ward : Supervisor, N. H. Leffingwell ; Alderman, Richard W. Jones. Second Ward : Supervisor, George Barnard ; Alderman, Laurence Bower. Third Ward : Supervisor, J. D. Corcoran ; Alder- man, Joseph Kapfer. Fourth Ward: Supervisor, E. Tiff- any ; Alderman, Samuel M. Cole. Fifth Ward: Supervisor, G. W. G. Kinney ; Alderman, Cyrus D. Prescott.
1875 .- Mayor, Samuel B. Stevens. First Ward : Su- pervisor, N. II. Leffingwell. Alderman, F. B. Beers. Sec- ond Ward : Supervisor, George Barnard ; Alderman, John Kelley. Third Ward : Supervisor, J. D. Corcoran ; Alder- man, M. M. Burlison. Fourth Ward : Supervisor, E. Tiffany ; Alderman, J. L. Mudge. Fifth Ward : Super- visor, G. W. G. Kinney ; Alderman, R. T. Walker.
1876 .- Mayor, S. B. Stevens. First Ward : Supervisor, N. H. Leffingwell; Alderman, John Shortall. Second Ward : Supervisor, Lawrence Gaheen ; Alderman, Peter Cole. Third Ward : Supervisor, J. D. Corcoran ; Alder- man, William Shanley. Fourth Ward : Supervisor, E. Tiffany ; Alderman, F. E. Mitchell. Fifth Ward : Super- visor, G. W. G. Kinney ; Alderman, Don P. McHarg.
1877 .- Mayor, Edward L. Stevens. First Ward : Su- pervisor, N. H. Leffingwell ; Alderman, John Grosvenor. Second Ward : Supervisor, L. Gaheen ; Alderman, John Foy. Third Ward: Supervisor, W. J. Cramond; Alder- man, Thomas Casey. Fourth Ward : Supervisor, Homer T. Fowler; Alderman, Samuel Millington. Fifth Ward: Super- visor, G. W. G. Kinney ; Alderman, Henry M. Lawton.
1878 .- Mayor, Edward L. Stevens; Recorder, James Parks; Justice of the Peace, George W. Davis; Constables, George Lawlor, Martin Toepp, Daniel Petrie, David W. Healt. First Ward : Supervisor, N. H. Leffingwell ; Al- dermen, Franklin B. Beers, John Shortall, John Grosvenor; Assessor, Henry M. Crumb ; Collector, Lawrence Casey ; Commissioner of Highways, D. C. Carpenter; Inspectors of Election, W. D. Reese, HI. P. Mallery, Harrison Ilan- nahs. Second Ward : Supervisor, L. Gahcen ; Aldermen, Isaac Singleton, Peter Cole, John Foy ; Assessor, M. II. Tennant ; Collector, Fred Rostizer ; Commissioner of High- ways, James P. Root ; Inspectors of Election, H. II. Sey- mour, Frederick Schroth, Martin Hyde. Third Ward :
$ Down.
388
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Supervisor, Wilson Smith ; Aldermen, L. E. Seymour, William Shanley, Thomas Casey ; Assessor, Patrick Caul- field ; Collector, John H. Behan ; Commissioner of High- ways, Chauneey A. Thayer; Inspectors of Election, Timo- thy Curtain, Jr., John F. Kehoe, George Vogt. Fourth Ward : Supervisor, Homer T. Fowler; Aldermen, William H. Davies, F. E. Mitchell, S. Millington ; Assessor, Hiram B. Lorin ; Collector, Richard R. Edwards; Commissioner of Highways, John Hyde; Inspectors of Election, Louis E. Dunning, Judson R. Ward, John Vroman. Fifth Ward : Supervisor, David G. Evans ; Alderman, Jerome Graves, D. P. MeHarg, H. M. Lawton ; Assessor, Henry G. Wright ; Collector, Hanley H. Glines ; Commissioner of Highways, Joseph F. Wilcox ; Inspectors of Election, Gustavus M. Palmer, Lebbeus E. Elmer, Adam K. Adams.
R. E. Sutton, M.D., has held the position of city cham- berlain since the place became a city in 1870.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
How carly the village possessed apparatus for extinguish- ing fires is not now known, although it must have been as early as 1812-15. We find recorded in the old village records, that on the 21st of April, 1825, "at a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of the village of Rome at the court-house, pursuant to public notice legally given, it was ' Resolved, That the village purchase a new engine,' " and a tax of $900 and collector's fees was voted to be raised to make said purchase, and pay for the manufacture of such ladders, fire-hooks, fire-buekets, etc., as were neces- sary, and to build a new engine-house, repair the town well, etc. On the 6th of June, 1825, the trustees appointed twenty persons to serve as a regular fire company, and by- laws were adopted for their observanec. The company organized the following Wednesday. Previous to this time the inhabitants had been required to furnish themselves with buckets, etc., to aid in extinguishing fires, and strict regulations were passed by the village fathers respecting the duties of the citizens in case of fire.
Fire Company No. 2 was formed in May, 1827, and consisted of fourteen members, to which twelve more were added August 21 of the same year. The hand-engine procured in 1825 was purchased in New York, and cost, aside from transportation, etc., the sum of $400. The Rome fire department was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature passed April 12, 1855. In 1866 a steam fire- engine, manufactured by Cole Brothers, of Pawtucket, R. I., was purchased at a cost of $4000; the tender cost $700, and the hose purchased with it, $3767.89. The old hand-engine and the old hose were repaired the same year. In 1867 a second steamer was purchased of the same com- pany. The department in 1878 consisted of the following six companies, named in the order of their organization :
General Gansevoort Engine Company, No. 1 .- 40 members ; Delos Wright, foreman.
Stryker Hose Company, No. 1 .- 40 members; Milo Burns, foreman.
Fort Stanwix Engine Company, No. 2 .- 40 members ; Morris Dec, foreman.
Etna Ilose Company, No. 2 .- 40 members; Wendell Neiss, foreman.
Washington Hose Company, No. 3 .- 40 members; Lewis Getbehead, foreman.
Mohawk Hose Company, No. 4 .- 40 members ; George Slosson, foreman.
The department officers are: Chief Engineer, David G. Evans ; First Assistant Engineer, Edward Rail ; Second Assistant Engineer, George Earheart.
There is also a board of directors, composed of two members from each company, who have general charge of the department, attend to the receipt and disbursement of moneys, etc. There are about 3000 feet of good, service- able hose on hand, part rubber and part leather. The fires for the past two or three years have been comparatively few, and in no case have the flames spread from the build- ings in which they originated. The efficiency of the water- works renders it unnecessary to use the steamers except in case of accident. The place has suffered from several very heavy fires, the first of any note occurring, in 1844, on the south side of Dominiek Street. On the 22d of February of that year all the buildings were destroyed between the present sites of the First National and Central National Banks. On the same ground the present block was imme- diately erected by Henry Tibbitts. In the third story of the new building was "Tibbitts' Hall," an important place in the Rome of " those days." From 1848 to 1850 the courts were held there, while Rome was without a court-house.
The 6th of January, 1846, will long be remembered by the citizens of the place as the day on which occurred the " great fire." This disastrous conflagration was caused by a small fire breaking forth in a shoe-shop, which was kept up-stairs in the west end of the " checkered building," on the north side of Dominick Street. All the property from the " American" corner to the old Bank of Rome was destroyed. The next morning, on the " American" block property and near the alley, George Fox was instantly killed by a brick which fell from a chimney and struck him upon the head. The present " American Block" was erected the same year by Jesse Matteson and S. W. Mudge, and the " Empire Block," also the same year, by Simon Matteson. During that year and the next the burnt dis- triet was partially rebuilt. Among the buildings erected was the hotel now known as the " Willett House," built in 1847 by Dr. H. H. Pope. The balance of the property on the ground swept by that fire has been erected since. The present elegant brick edifice on the corner of Dominick and Washington Streets, known as the "McHarg Block," has been recently built and fitted up for stores, offices, halls, etc., by D. P. McHarg, and is the finest business block in the city.
On Sunday, July 29, 1866, a disastrous fire occurred in Rome, destroying the fine brick block on James Street, north of Stone Alley, known as the " Elm Row," involving a loss of $150,000 to $200,000. This fire was supposed to have been of incendiary origin, and broke out in the stage barn in the rear of the " Willett House." The rear portions of that building, the " American Block," and others were several times on fire. Aid was sent from Utica and Syracuse in the shape of two steamers from the former place and one steamer and two hose companies from the latter. Several persons were severely injured during the
389
HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
conflagration, and one fireman was killed. Since that time Rome has suffered but little from fire.
ROME CITY WATER-WORKS.
The present system of water-works in Rome was estab- lished in 1872. George Merrill, at that time mayor of the city, visited some of the principal cities in the Union and examined their water systems, and finally the commis- sioners adopted the machinery made at Watertown, N. Y., as being the cheapest, most durable, and most powerful of any which had come under their inspection. Two pumps are in use, made on the horizontal, double-action plan, and have a capacity of 84 gallons per revolution, with a foree of 535 horse-power. The daily average of water pumped is 900,000 gallons, while, if necessary, the amount ean be raised to 1,200,000. The water-pressure has been tested as high as 160 pounds to the square ineh ; with this foree the hose belonging to the city would burst in pieces. The usual pressure is 50 pounds at the works, or 60 at the city, the fall in the intervening distance, and the advantage of a straight pipe, raising it 10 pounds ; 100 pounds per square inch is the highest ever used. The pumps are run entirely by water-power, the dam being six feet in height. A short raceway is used, and a turbine-wheel with surface eapable of taking 1840 inches of water. The average daily run is fourteen hours, the pumps not being kept in operation Sundays nor nights, except in ease of necessity. The water is elevated 65 feet into a eireular reservoir 21 feet in depth and 297 in diameter, having a capacity for 9,000,000 gallons. This reservoir is kept constantly full. There are in the city about 13 miles of water-mains and a few over 100 hydrants. The original cost of the works, or the amount for which bonds were issued, was $160,000; this has been increased to about $172,000 at the present date (July, 1878). Not more than twenty-five dollars have been laid out for repairs. Until the winter of 1877-78 telegraphie signals were established between the city and the water- works ; but the telephone has since been introduced, and works very satisfactorily. William N. Mott, a man of much experience with machinery, is chief engineer, and has his residence at Ridge Mills, where the works are lo- eated. The general superintendent is Charles T. Hayden, with the office at Rome. The members of the Water Board are Mayor E. L. Stevens, B. J. Beach, G. V. Sel- den, John J. Parry, Theodore Comstock. The system has proved very effective here, and although numerous alarms of fire have been given in the city, the force of the streamis from the hydrants is such that flames are speedily extin- guished.
THE ROME GASLIGIIT COMPANY
was organized in 1852. Its present officers are: President, Enoch B. Armstrong; Superintendent, J. D. Higgins ; Treasurer, F. H. Thomas. The capital amounts to $35,- 000, in shares of $100 each. There are about 8 miles of gas-mains and 75 street-lamps. The coal used, principally the Youghiogheny, amounts to from 400 to 500 tons an- nually.
ROME CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
The old cemetery, deeded by Dominick Lynch to the trustees of the village of Rome in 1823, and bounded east
by James Street, north by Bloomfield, west by Washing- ton, and south by an alley, in the course of years became filled with the earthily remains of the citizens, and it was found necessary to enlarge it or lay out another in some other locality. Accordingly the " Rome Cemetery Associ- ation" was organized August 7, 1851, by the election of trustees, "and its incorporation was immediately after com- pleted in the manner prescribed by the general law of the State authorizing and regulating the incorporation of rural cemetery associations; but it was not until a year later, and after a careful examination of every piece of ground sug- gested as suitable, that the present site was selected as being, in view of all considerations of distance, elevation, character of soil, convenience and safety of access, price, and capability for improvement, the best that could be ob- tained in the neighborhood of the village. The means with which to purchase and improve the ground were pro- cured by a subscription in the form of a contract between the subscribers and the association, providing that all sums subscribed should be regarded as loans to be repaid with interest whenever, after the debt to be contracted for the purchase of the site should be paid, the receipts of the asso- ciation should enable it to make such repayment, and that each subscriber might apply any part of his subscription to the purchase of a lot in the eemetery for himself, and should be allowed a deduction of twenty per cent. from the estab- lished price for so much as should be paid by his subscrip- tion. The available subscriptions amounted to $3600."*
Twenty-five acres of land were purchased from the farm of Thomas Williams, at a cost of $2313.50, and Howard Daniels, of New York, was employed to lay out and im- prove the cemetery. July 19, 1853, the grounds were dedicated, with appropriate religious services, and a portion of them brought into use. The present appearance of this cemetery is most beautiful, and it is a eredit to the enterprise and taste of the citizens of Rome. It is located at the head of Thomas Street, and now contains about thirty acres. The present officers are the following persons, viz. : Trustees, Edward Huntington, A. H. Brainerd, John Stryker, B. J. Beach, G. N. Bissell, M. C. West, A. P. Tuller, J. D. Ely, L. E. Elmer, Francis Ethridge, Thomas G. Nock, James S. Dyett ; President, G. N. Bissell ; Vice-President, Thomas G. Noek ; Treasurer, Samuel Wardwell ; Secretary, L. E. Elmer ; Superintendent, Lysander Cole.
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