USA > New York > Erie County > Elma > History of the town of Elma, Erie County, N.Y. : 1620 to 1901 > Part 22
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Frank Slade, on July Sth, bought of E. Woodard a lot south of Woodard's house, and that summer built his house and barn.
George D. Briggs remodeled his barn and stables near the Big Buffalo Creek, arranged the old store building into a milk house, and commenced to bottle and send to Buffalo "Certified Milk.".
320 votes were polled at the election, November 5th, 1895.
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1896.
February of this year gave us forty-two inches of snow with high winds and badly drifted roads.
On March 29th, we had four separate and distinct thunder storms between nine and eleven o'clock a. m.
At the town meeting, March 10th, 373 votes were polled. See Chapter XXI, for officers elected at town meeting.
Robert C. Board of Buffalo, bought the Clark-Baker place, across the street from the church in Elma Village.
George D. Briggs, this year built two more silos at the west end of his cattle stables.
Alexander Sutton in May sold the goods in his store in Elma Centre to Frank Sutton and Charles Sommers and rented the store to them for one year.
Joseph Geyer leased of Alexander Sutton land for a blacksmith shop, between Sutton's store and Slade's coal office, in Elma Centre, and in the summer he built a shop and went to work, thus starting the first blacksmith shop in Elma centre.
Michael Greiss bought the mill property in Blossom, and in the summer rebuilt the gristmill, with cidermill attached.
Irving Schurr, on May 9th, bought of E. H. Dingman and J. Wagner a lot for blacksmith shop and residence at Jamison, between the Williams Road and the railroad, on Lot 39, that summer he built the shop and house.
Louis P. Reuther built a barn on the east side of the Main Street in Elma Village next to the creek.
Edgar L. Murlin, in August, bought the James Clark place in Elma Village, and on the east side of Main Street, across from Jerge Brothers' blacksmith shop.
Dr. Albert H. Briggs of Buffalo, celebrated his fifty-fourth birth- day on September 9th, 1896, by giving a "Clam Chowder" dinner to his many friends on the lawn in front of Wilbor B. Briggs' house in Elma Village. The large number (more than 100) of persons present greatly enjoyed the dinner and the sociable part, and all declared that the doctor was a full team as entertainer.
Harvey J. Hurd this summer overhauled and rebuilt the sawmill and gristmill in Elma Village and put in extensive water works machinery to supply his house and barns with water. He put a 400 barrel tank into the barn on the east side of the road, on top of the hill across from the schoolhouse, and connected that tank by pipes to a large force pump which was placed. under the grist- mill, the pump to be driven by water power, to force the water into the large tank. Then by other pipes, connections were made with the house, barns, garden and lawn, so they were all supplied with
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water. The tank being so elevated, he can, with a hose, throw water into and over any of his buildings. He also built a large ice house on the north bank of the millpond near the sawmill.
'Jacob Heim built a steam cidermill on his farm east of Jamison Station in the summer of 1896.
The Farmers' Alliance at Spring Brook collapsed this year. We had a large crop of apples this year.
The M. E. Church building in Spring Brook was this year altered and repaired, and was re-dedicated December 29th, 1896.
442 votes were polled at the election November 3d. Votes of Electoral College for McKinley, 271; for William J. Bryan, 176.
1897.
High wind, seventy-six miles per hour at 2 p. m. March 12th.
At the town meeting, March 9th, 528 votes were polled. The law having been changed as to the time Supervisors should com- mence to hold office, from their election at the March town meeting as heretofore, to January Ist after they were elected. James A. Woodard, although elected March 9th, 1897, could not take the office until January 1st, 1898. Consequently a vacancy existed in the office of Supervisor after March 9th. To fill this vacancy, the Town Board appointed John Luders, ex-Supervisor.
Charles Sommers sold his interest in the goods of Sutton & Som- mers store to Alexander and Frank Sutton in May 1897, and June 23d he bought the goods in Peter Grader's store and commenced on his own account in Grader's store.
The Catholic Church in Spring Brook was repainted this summer The building in Spring Brook known as "The Farmers' Alliance. Hall," was sold to Joseph Klass and moved from Esq. Ward's lot, on to the lot across the street from the brick store.
Harrison Tillou was this year appointed postmaster of Spring Brook postoffice, and moved the office from Barnett's store in October, to his justice's office opposite the Catholic church.
Ernst Bleeck was appointed postmaster of the Jamison Road postoffice and moved the postoffice from Dingman's store to Bleeck's on the north side of Jamison Road.
Andrew F. Slade on July 14th, bought of Eron Woodard's heirs a building lot on west side of the Bowen Road at Elma Center and near the so-called Armstrong house, and built a house that summer and moved in the fall.
Louis P. Reuther built a store and house combined on the east side of Main Street in Elma Village, at north end of the bridge across the creek and was that year appointed postmaster of the Elma postoffice.
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John McMullen's house in East Elma burned at noon, September 6th, 1897.
Warren Jackman was on September 30th appointed Attendance Officer for the town. Joseph Geyer on December 17th bought of the Woodard heirs a building lot on the west side of the Bowen Road at Elma Centre, south of Sutton's store.
There was a very small crop of apples this year, many of the farmers not having a bushel from their whole orchard.
1898.
On January 12th, 1898 there was a heavy thunder storm from 6 to 10 o'clock p. m., when one inch of water fell and was followed with snow and very high wind.
James McGiveron rented the Beck blacksmith shop in Spring Brook and commenced work in April.
Charles Thayer in the summer of this year built a barn on his lot in Spring Brook.
Louis P. Leuther in March, moved into his new store at the north end of the bridge in Elma Village.
George W. Hurd moved from Buffalo April 1st, on to his farm, Lot 85, on the south side of Bullis Road.
Joseph Geyer built a house and barn on his lot in Elma Centre, south of Sutton's store.
An English Sunday-school was organized at Elma Centre this summer, the school being held in the schoolhouse at the corner of the Bowen and Rice Roads.
Baker's saloon across the Street from the Union Church in Spring Brook was burned with contents on July 2d, 1898. It was im- mediately rebuilt.
Peter Burn's barn on the Jamison Road was struck by lightning and burned in July, 1898.
Dr. Albert H. Briggs of Buffalo, on September 9th, celebrated his fifty-sixth birthday by inviting his many friends to a Chowder dinner given on W. B. Briggs' lawn in Elma Village. As usual, it was a gathering which resulted in binding all together in social bonds of friendship.
Jerge Brothers in the fall of 1898 put up a new building in Elma Village, on the north side of their blacksmith shop, for a carriage, storage and paint shop.
The railroad company built a new station on the south side of Jamison Road in the summer of 1898.
There was a very light crop of apples in Elma this year.
James T. Hurd, Harvey J. Hurd and J. E. Briggs, each put up a new silo as an attachment to their cattle barns. The silos were
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each sixteen feet in diameter and twenty-four feet in height and were enclosed in a frame building, lined, papered and sided, so as to be nearly frost proof.
. Warren Jackman was on September 29th appointed by the Town Board, for a second term as Attendance Officer for the whole Town of Elma.
Mrs. Clara E. Gibson bought the north house built by George D. Briggs on the west side of the Bowen Road near the south line of Lot 58, with the building lot, and put in a tile drain from the west side of her house to the bank of Pond Brook, going across the road and through James T. Hurd's orchard and down the bank to the brook.
Burton H. Hurd in October bought the other house and lot next south of Mrs. Gibsons', and put in a tile drain to connect with Mrs. Gibsons' drain.
At the general election November Sth, 460 votes were polled in this town, and Theodore Roosevelt was elected Governor of the State by over 21,000 majority.
Alexander Rush sold the hotel property at southwest corner of Bowen and Bullis Roads to Matthias Nosbisch, November 16th, 1898, consideration $2,150.
From December 4th to 12th we had thirty-two inches of snow, with very high wind, changing from southeast to east, to northwest to west, southwest to north and north east, piling and drifting the snow so as to block railroad trains and country roads; and the streets in the southeast part of Buffalo were closed for several days, the street cars not moving.
1899.
Snow and blizzard on January 6th and 7th; again on January 21st, and again on January 26th and 27th : at 10 o'clock p. m. Jan- uary 27th, the wind was a seventy-two mile gale.
March 1st, Mrs. Emilie Ford bought of Alexander and Frank Sutton, the goods in their store in Elma Centre, renting the store for three years.
Total vote at the town meeting March 14th, 559. For officers elected see Chapter XXI.
By the terms of the new law, we, in Erie County are to hold town meetings biennially ; on the odd years, and all town officers elected will hold office for two years.
Myron H. Clark in April bought of the heirs of William Standart, deceased, the lands and appurtenances of the William Standart estate, on the east side of the Bowen Road and on the north side of the Bullis Road, being part of Lots 49, 54 and 59, except the east
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half of the south fifty acres of Lot 49. By the terms of the settle- ment, William Wesley Standart, one of the said heirs, is to have the said excepted twenty-five acres.
Robert C. Board put a new felt roof on his house across the street from the church in Elma Village.
Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Lee celebrated their silver wedding June 3d.
Mrs. Emilie Ford was appointed postmaster at Elma Centre postoffice July 19th.
The M. E. Church in Elma Village was re-painted in August.
Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo C. Bancroft celebrated their golden wedding September 12th.
Dr. Albert H. Briggs, for fifty-seventh birthday celebration, had a clam chowder party September 9th, on Wilbor B. Briggs' lawn in Elma village; 120 persons present and all had a fine time.
Solon Hines was on September 28th appointed Attendance Of- ficer for the whole town.
The hardest drought ever known in the Town of Elma was during the summer of 1899. Not a drop of water ran from Pond Brook into the Big Buffalo Creek from June 20th to September 26th; ex- cept a very little on July 10th, 11th and 12th. The drought was finally broken by a shower on September 18th. The three days of gentle, steady rain on September 24th, 25th and 26th, when two and one-half inches of water fell, was so gradual, and the ground was so dry, that not a drop of the water drained into the streams; so they showed no signs of rain, only what fell in the bed of the streams, until the morning of September 27th, and then only a little. Many farmers had to haul water from the nearest stream for their farm stock. Plowing for fall and winter grain was greatly delayed as the ground was so dry and hard that it was impossible on most farms to do any plowing.
A new stone abutment for the south end of the bridge across the creek in Elma Village was built in October by Philip Jerge, finished October 29th. Contract price $500.
The vote at the election November 6th, 1st district 213; 2d dis- trict 173. Total 386. A mad dog scare just before Christmas in Elma Village resulted in the killing of eight dogs; twenty more could be disposed of.
In November and December, Eli B. Northrup, owner of the gas well in Spring Brook, had pipe laid from the well to his house, with branches and connections to the residence of Joseph Klass, to Richard Barnett's store, the Odd Fellows Hall and to Eli B. North- rup's residence. On December 31st, the gas was turned on and these places were heated and lighted. These were the first gas- lights in Spring Brook.
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1900.
The mad dog scare, mentioned in the last part of 1899, continued through the holiday season and on January 1st, 1900, shows no abatement in Elma Village; the demand that other and more dogs which were reported to have been bitten, should be killed or kept in close confinement, is urged and demanded as security for human and animal life ; but some people seem to care more for their worth- less curs than they do for the lives and property of their neighbors.
For three days in January, 11th to 14th, all the trees were loaded with ice and snow which was removed by the thaw of 14th and 15th.
The fine sleighing for several days, also the ice and three inches of snow of January 11th was spoiled by the thaw of 17th and 18, which was followed by one and one-half inches of rain on the 20th, all together causing the highest water in the streams in the town for many years, but as there was no ice, but little damage resulted.
On January 15th, Burton H. Hurd had a barn raised on his lot on the west side of the Bowen Road, south from Elma Village; his building lot being on the line between Lots 58 and 59; his house is on Lot 58 and his barn on Lot 59.
At a meeting of the members and congregation of the Catholic society of Spring Brook, held in its church on Sunday, December 31st, 1899, notice was given that on Sunday, January 7th, 1900, the parsonage building, and the barn (old church building) on the northeast end of its church lot, would be sold to the highest bidder. The sale took place according to the said notice. Mr. Robert Wiley bought the house for $149; and it will be moved on to the lot on the north side of the Plank Road, and next south from the Thayer place (old Mouse Nest).
The barn, which was the first church building in the Town of Elma, and was used by the Catholic society as their church from 1850 to 1874, when it was moved to the east end of their lot and has since been used as a parsonage barn, was sold for $20; was taken down and moved on to land owned by William Fisher, being part of Lot 100, on the east side of the Blossom Road, south of the railroad.
Within the last few years, farmers have been putting up wind- mills for the purpose of pumping water to supply their farm stock. No mention has been heretofore made, and now on January 1st, 1900, we find among the names of the owners of these mills the following: Peter Heineman, 2, George Beidler, J. Eddy Briggs, Louis P. Reuther, George D. Briggs, James T. Hurd, Mrs. C. E. Gibson, Thomas Schneider, George W. Hurd, Henry E. Stitz, William F. Stitz, Henry W. Stitz, Henry Lexo, Col. E. Persons, Stephen Curtis, Irving Schurr, D. K. Adams, Borden Cole, Herbert Lathrop, William Conley, Henry Kihm, D. L. Wilson, and on the William M. Rice place, James Grace, Caleb Brown, Fred Maurer.
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On February 2d, the "Old Bear" came out, and as it was a bright day she saw her shadow and wisely went back to remain for six weeks. Winter soon set in again with renewed force, so that Febru- ary and March, 1900 pass into history as record breakers for heavy snow storms, with very high winds, roads made impassable, un- pleasant weather.
An epidemic of measles prevailed in the town from January 1st into May, causing several of the schools to close which will account for the small attendance of pupils during the school year.
The mad dog scare, mentioned on January 1st, continued until May, and as a result a goodly number of dogs were put out of the way, but enough remained to make the dog nuisance in the town so great, as at times to severely tax the patience of decent, order- loving citizens.
On March 1st, Charles Clough hired Irving Schurr's shop at Jamison Road and commenced work as blacksmith.
In April, the Patrick Cassady place on the Thompson Road at East Elma was sold to Willard F. Hines.
Sylvester Rush in April bought of Jacob Miller the thirty acre lot on northeast corner of Lot 53, being the southwest corner of the Bowen and Rice Roads.
May 4th, Charles Stetson with his family moved from Buffalo into Mrs. Standart's house, on the east side of the Bowen Road south of Elma Village.
May 14th, the grass has started so that farmers are turning their stock out to pasture. A few gardens are made and some early potatoes are planted.
Henry E. Bancroft was appointed to take the United States census in the town on the west side of the Bowen Road, and George Heim to take the census on the east side of that road. For result see Chapter XXI.
The Republican National Convention met in Philadelphia and on June 20th adopted a platform, of which the main features are: " That American authority is to be maintained in the Philippines, with ·the largest measure of self-government, consistent with the welfare of the inhabitants; the pledge to give Cuba independence will be kept; increased shipping favored; to reduce war taxes: to build, own and control the Isthmian Canal; and the extension of our foreign trade; pledge to the principles of the gold standard, and opposed to the free and unlimited coinage of silver without the sup- port of the leading commercial countries of the world; favor co- operation of capital to meet new conditions and to extend our foreign trade, but condemn combinations to restrict business, to erect monopolies, or to control prices; and favor legislation to pre-
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vent abuses, protect and promote competition and secure the rights of producers, laborers and all who are engaged in industry and commerce.
June 21st, the Convention by unanimous vote, named William McKinley as its candidate for the Presidency by a vote of 929- one delegate not voting; the Convention then named Theodore Roosevelt, Governor of New York, as candidate for Vice-President.
The Prohibition party held its National Convention in Chicago, June 27th. The platform presents the liquor traffic, as being so- cially, morally, financially and politically wrong, and the licensed liquor traffic is and ought to be the overwhelming issue in American politics. On June 28th, John G. Woolley of Illinois, was nominated as the candidate for President, and Henry B. Metcalf for Vice- President.
The Democratic Party held its National Convention in Kansas City on July 4th. On July 5th, the platform was adopted. It de- clared against "Imperialism" as the leading issue; against Militarism and Trusts; adopted the Chicago platform of 1896 and declared for free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver on the ratio of 16 to 1, by this government without regard to any other nation. William J. Bryan was the unanimous choice of the convention as its candidate for President; and the next day Adlai Stephenson was chosen as candidate for Vice-President.
The silver Republicans in convention in Kansas City, endorsed Bryan and Stephenson.
The Populist Convention decided to accept of Bryan and Stephen- son.
Mr. Bryan in accepting the nomination in Indianapolis, August 3d, said : "If I am elected I shall convene Congress in extraordinary session, as soon as I am inaugurated and recommend an immediate declaration of the nation's purpose on the Philippine question. First, to establish a stable government in the Philippines, just as we are now establishing a stable government in the island of Cuba.
Second, to give independence to the Filipinos just as we have promised to give independence to the Cubans.
Third, to protect the Filipinos from outside interference, while they work out their destiny, just as we have protected the Repub- lics of Central and South America, and are by the Monroe doctrine . pledged to protect Cuba.
July 4th, 1900, was observed by the Elma people as has been their custom for many years by a gathering in the park. This was an old-fashioned basket picnic, and about 150 persons joined in the dinner and social part of the program.
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John Miller's barn on the Woodard Road was struck by lightning and burned, with all the crops and farm tools, at 5 o'clock p. m. July 10th.
The hay crop is very small, owing to the droughts of last year, and of May and June of this year.
A larger acreage of land is under the plow this year, and more acres put into oats, potatoes and corn, especially fodder corn, than in any previous year.
Myron H. Clark, owner of the property at the northeast corner of the Bullis and Bowen Roads, on August 3d took down the frame of the barn which was built by George Standart in 1843, and as the timber was mostly pine and in a good state of preservation, he used it in building a barn twenty rods north, and near to the brick house which was built by William Standart in 1853.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, early in the year began to look for a way by which that company could gain an entrance into Buffalo. The W. N. Y. & P. Railroad seemed to be the most de- sirable and negotiations were commenced and carried on between the two companies until arrangements were completed and on August 1st, 1900, the Pennsylvania Company took possession of the road and of all the rolling stock and property of the W. N. Y. & P. R. R. Company; and from that date it will be known as a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
The schoolhouse in Blossom, (District No. 8), having been con- demned by the School Commissioner as not suitable for school pur- poses, the residents of that school district, at a special meeting held in the schoolhouse in July, voted to build a new house, and after several meetings, the old house, after the seats were taken out, was sold to Alois Dusch for $49, and was by Dusch moved across the. street, and at a later meeting the contract to build the new house, 30x40, with 14 foot posts to have two rooms, was let to Jacob Weil & Co., the contract price being $2,175, to be completed by November 20th, the building to occupy the old site on the south of Main Street in Blossom Village.
Charles H. Sweet's store at the corner of the Northrup and Aurora Roads in the Village of Spring Brook, burned at 6 o'clock p. m., August 23d; building and goods destroyed, only some household furniture in the wing of the building saved, partially insured. This wipes out the first building in Spring Brook built as a store by E. G. Kent in 1850.
Along in July, posters, hand-bills and circulars were put up and circulated throughout this and adjoining towns, announcing that "on Saturday, July 28th, there would be a grand circus and hippo- drome on "Bonny Brook," (Mr. R. Porter Lee's place), with music by the band, a grand parade, wild animals, chariot races,
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wild west riding and shooting and other attractions that would put the "Traveling Circus" in the shade."
To prepare for this, the Elma boys, with a little outside help, worked and practiced daily and nightly.
July 28th was an ideal circus day-fair weather, gentle breeze, temperature just right and everything was ready on time. At 2 o'clock p. m. people began to gather at the grounds, and at 3 o'clock, the time set for the performance to begin, more than 300 persons were there, most of them having visited the side shows. Every part of the program was perfectly rendered-not a slip nor jar; and at the evening performance more than 400 persons enjoyed the entertainment, which by general assent was declared to be better than had been promised.
This effort proved so satisfactory that it was decided to have another " circus " next year.
On Monday, September 17th, a certificate of the incorporation of the "Elma Circus," a club organized for social purposes, was filed with the County Clerk in this County.
The directors are: James T. Hurd, R. Porter Lee, George D. Briggs, Robert C. Board, Myron H. Clark, John R. Lee, Burton H. Hurd, Ernest C. Crane and Charles S. Gibson.
The tornado which struck Galveston, Texas, September 8th, continuing for thirty hours, with wind eighty-four to ninety-six miles per hour, making a wreck of that city, with loss of life, as reported from 11,000 to 14,000, and property loss estimated at $25,000,000, reached this part of the country Tuesday evening, September 11th, the wind increasing until 5 o'clock a. m. September 12th, at times a seventy-eight mile gale; causing throughout the path of the storm great destruction of fruit and buildings.
The Government breakwater at Buffalo was damaged $20,000; the Pan-American buildings damaged $100,000. The Buffalo signal office reported it as the worst September storm on record. The destruction of fruit was about all the damage in the Town of Elma.
Dr. Albert H. Briggs celebrated his fifty-eighth birthday by in- viting his many friends to a clam chowder dinner, to be given on the lawn in front of Wilbor B. Briggs' house in Elma Village. Ta- bles were spread for 250, and as the day was pleasant, (September 8th), the friends enjoyed the repast and the occasion, so that a vote of thanks was given with three royal cheers for the doctor, and he was invited to repeat the whole thing at his next birthday.
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