USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 19
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Third Ward .- The third ward shall include all that part of said city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the point of intersection of the cen- ter line of the Niagara river with the center line of said Elm street produced west- erly; thence down stream following center line or thread of said Niagara river to its point of intersection with the center line of Niagara avenue in the present village of Suspension Bridge produced westerly; thence easterly on said produced center line of Niagara avenue and said center line of Niagara avenue to its point of intersection with the center line of Sugar street (so called); thence southeasterly along said cen- ter line of Sugar street to its point of intersection with the center line of Porter road
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(so called); thence easterly along said center line of said Porter road and said center line produced easterly to its point of intersection with the easterly boundary line of said city; thence sou therly along said easterly boundary lince to its point of inter- section with said center line of La Salle street, produced easterly; thence westerly along said produced center line of La Salle street, said center line of La Salle street and said center line produced westerly, to its point of intersection with the center line of said Portage road; thence sontheasterly along said center line of said Portage road to its point of intersection with the center line of said Elm street produced easterly ; thence westerly along said produced center line of Elm street, said center line of Elm street and said center line produced westerly, to the place of beginning.
Fourth Ward .- The fourth ward shall include all that part of said city lying with- in the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the point of intersection of the center line of the Niagara river with the center line of said Niagara avenue produced westerly ; thence easterly on said produced center line of Niagara avenue and said center line of Niagara avenue to its point of intersection with the center line of Sugar street (so called); thence southeasterly along said center line of said Sugar street to its point of intersection with the center line of the Porter road (so called); thence easterly along said center line of said Porter road and said center line produced easterly, to its point of intersection with the easterly boundary line of said city; thence northerly along said easterly boundary line to its point of intersection with the north- erly line of the Lockport road (so called); thence southwesterly along said northerly line of said Lockport road to its point of intersection with the easterly line of said Sugar street; thence northwesterly along said easterly line of Sugar street to the northerly boundary line of said city; thence westerly along said northerly boundary line to its point of intersection with the center line of the Niagara river; thence up stream following the center line or thread of said Niagara river to the point of be- ginning.
The act dissolved the village corporations of Suspension Bridge, which is included within the described boundaries, and Niagara Falls, and all their rights and property passed to the city corporation. The elective officers provided for in the act are a mayor, a police justice, a city treasurer, three assessors, an overseer of the poor, four constables, and three justices of the peace ; these all to be elected by the city at large. In each ward there are elected two aldermen and one super- visor.
The city charter as it now stands provides for the appointment of a board of public works who have control of the construction of sewers, paving, the erection of public buildings, bridges, culverts and reservoirs, and control and management of the water supply, etc. The mayor is ex officio president of the board and the city clerk is clerk of the board. The city engineer is required to perform such service as the board re- quires. The members of this board receive no pay for their services.
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The charter also provides for the appointment of a board of police commissioners, who in a general way have full control of the city police department. This board receives no pay for services.
Following is a list of the mayors of the city and their terms of service: George W. Wright, 1892-3; M. B. Butler, 1893-4; David Phillips, 1894-5 ; Arthur Schoellkopf, 1895-6; Arthur C. Hastings, 1896-7.
The first city clerk was Lewis P. Dayton, who continued in office until February 4, 1895, when S. F. Arkush, the present incumbent, was appointed.
Following is a list of the aldermen for each year :
1892-93 .- First ward, J. Mahoney, A. F. Allen; Second ward, William Campbell, F. E. Smith; Third ward, J. E. Noblett, J. C. Stricker ; Fourth ward, F. E, Eames, M. P. Maloney.
1893-94 .- First ward, J. Mahoney, J. B. Mckinney; Second ward, William Camp- bell, J. V. Banks; Third and Fourth wards, same as in first term.
1894-95 .- First ward, James Mahoney, J. W. Canavan; Second ward, F. C. Belden, Thomas O'Reilly; Third ward, John Wagner, Frederick Hartmann; Fourth ward, M. P. Maloney, J. J. Mahoney.
1895-96 .- First ward, J. Mahoney, Lawrence Van Cleef; Second ward, Thomas O'Reilly, A. J. Wattengel; Third ward, John Wagner, John R. Dickson; Fourth ward, M. P. Maloney, Joseph Willis.
1896-97 .- First ward, J. Mahoney and James W. Canavan; Second ward, Thomas O'Reilly and Andrew J. Wattengel; Third ward, Frederick Hartmann and John Wagner; Fourth ward, Joseph Willis and Michael P. Maloney.
1897-98 .- First ward, Lawrence Van Cleef, J. Mahoney; Second ward, Thomas O'Reilly, A. J. Wattengel; Third ward, John R. Dickson, John Wagner; Fourth ward, M. P. Maloney, Joseph Willis.
City treasurer, C. T. Canavan ; attorney, Morris Cohn, jr. ; engineer, W. W. Read; police justice, John B. Mckinney ; assessors, Konrad Fink, Henry J. Delmage, James W. Buckley ; superintendent of streets, John P. Callahan.
Following is a list of supervisors of the town of Niagara and city of Niagara Falls, with years of their service, excepting for years 1835 and 1838, the records of which are not accessible :
Town .- For 1812, Silas Hopkins; 1813, Ebenezer Hovey; 1814, James Field; 1815, George Burger; 1816, Silas Hopkins; 1817, James Field; 1818, Parkhurst Whitney; 1819, Gad Pierce; 1820, James Field; 1821, Augustus Porter (resigned and James Field appointed to fill vacancy); 1822, Augustus Porter; 1823-25, Alexander Dickerson; 1826, Samuel De Veaux (resigned. David Chapman chosen); 1827-30, Henry W. Clark; 1831-34, N. M. Ward; 1836, Henry W. Clark (resigned and Will-
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iam Bradner chosen to fill vacancy); 1837, Parkhurst Whitney; 1838, Henry W. Clark; 1840, Albert H. Porter ; 1841-43, P. Whitney; 1844-1845, P. B. Porter; 1846, N. W. Robinson; 1847, 1848, P. B. Porter; 1849, George W. Holley; 1850, P. D. Bach- man : 18 1, Samuel De Veaux; 1852, Parkhurst Whitney; 1853, 1854, Augustus S. Porter; 1855, 1856, Parkhurst Whitney; 1857-60 James F. Trott; 1861, Henry W. Clark; 1862, James F. Trott ; 1863, 1864, William S. Watson; 1865-68, H. N. Griffith ; 1869-71, H. F. Pierce; 1872-74, James B. King; 1875, O. W. Cutler; 1876-78, T. V. Welch; 1878-82, Samuel B. Eshelman; 1883, W. J. Mackay; 1884-86, J. Binkley; 1887-90, H. H. Sheldon; 1891, A. J. Porter ; 1893-94, W. W. Tompkins: 1895-98, H. S. Tompkins.
City .- 1892, First ward Julius Krakoski; Second ward, Andrew J. Wattengel; Third ward, George Haeberle; Fourth ward, Thomas Gaskin. 1893, First ward, Edward E. Russell; Second ward, A. J. Wattengel; Third ward, George Haeberle; Fourth ward, Adam Kammerer. 1894-95, First ward, E. E. Russell; Second ward, W. H. Woodbury; Third ward, George Haeberle; Fourth ward, James Hogan. 1896-97, First ward, E. E. Russell; Second ward, John S. Reardon; Third ward, Daniel Zeiger: Fourth ward, James Hogan.
As the fame of the cataract of Niagara Falls spread and population throughout the country increased, the number of visitors gained from year to year. In view of this fact, enterprising men conceived and car- ried out plans for both adding to the attractions of the locality and incidentally making money themselves. One of the earliest of these projects was long known as Biddle's Stairs, which were erected at the precipitous end of Goat Island, between the American and the Horse- shoe fall, by Nicholas Biddle in 1829. The perpendicular height of the bank at this point is 185 feet, about 100 feet of which is descended by a series of steps from the level of the island, and the remaining distance by the staircase, which is secured to the rock by large bolts.
In 1833 Judge Augustus Porter built the Terrapin Tower, which stood on the rock at the very brink of the Canadian fall. While not very lofty it afforded a magnificent view of the grand scenery surround- ing it. The tower was in use until 1843, when it was believed to be un- safe and was taken down by its owners.
The elevator at the whirlpool rapids was built for its owners in 1869, by Prof. A. A. Smith, at a cost of $20,000. Two cars are provided, in which are seats, the cars being lifted and lowered by power supplied by a water wheel which is located at the foot of the river bank. The de- scent by the elevator to the reception room below is about 192 feet, and from there a walk leads to the water's edge. The descent at this point was formerly made by a long winding staircase.
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The Goat Island bridge was first built of wood in 1817. It was swept away in the spring of 1818 and replaced by another wooden structure in the same year. The present iron bridge was built in 1856 and is 360 feet long.
The first Maid of the Mist steamboat was built for the Bellevue Land Company and launched just below the falls July 14, 1844. This was successfully taken through the whirlpool rapids on July 5, 1861, and for several years did service on the St. Lawrence River. In 1884 a new Maid of the Mist was built and in 1892 still another of the same name was launched. The Maid of the Mist Steamboat Company was reor- ganized in February, 1892, with a capital of $50,000. Hans Nielson is president ; Michael Ryan, treasurer, and Frank Le Blonde, manager.
The new Suspension bridge, as it is called in distinction from the older one which has been described, was opened to the public January I, 1869, by a stock company. It is a carriage and foot bridge and toll is collected for all travel across it. It is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, 1,268 feet between the centers of the towers, and cost about $250,000. This bridge was rebuilt and again opened for traffic, June 1, 1888, with double its original capacity, by two com- panies-the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company, of which C. H. Smyth is president, J. M. Bostwick, treasurer, and F. De W. Smith, secretary; and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company of Canada, of which Thomas R. Merritt is president, secretary and treas- urer.
SCHOOLS .- It has already been stated that the first school in this town was opened in 1807. The law establishing the common school system of this State was passed June 19, 1812. The amount of money raised in this town for schools was necessarily small for a num- ber of years ; it was only $24 in 1818. The amount was gradually in- creased and the number of schools correspondingly. There were only thirty-seven children taught in 1820. The first school districts were created in 1816, when there were five. In 1860 there were seven ; at the present time there are five, with a school house in each. The county is divided into the first and second school commissioner's dis- tricts ; this town with Hartland, Newfane, Lewiston, Porter, Somerset and Wilson, constituting the second district. A school house was first
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erected by public tax in 1844 ; it stood near Cayuga Creek. Previous to that date the few school houses were built of logs. This new struc- ture was used the first night after its completion by Rev. John Cannon, of Niagara Falls, for a religious meeting. The school was opened the next morning by Miss Louisa Danforth. The first school house in the Young neighborhood was built in 1824 by Samuel and Christian Young and others; Daniel Smith was the first teacher there. In 1827 the first building had evidently outlived its usefulness for that purpose, for the school was then taught in the cooper shop of Christian Young. In the same year a log school house was built on land of Samuel Young on the Military road. Subsequent to 1840 this was replaced by a stone building. The present school house in that district was built in 1867.
Little is definitely known of the first schools in the village of Niagara Falls. The place simply constituted one of the districts of the town for many years. The earlier school houses were finally superseded by the well known stone buildings of the village. The one on Third street, recently demolished to make room for the new brick structure, was completed for use in 1852, at a cost of $4,000 ; at that time about 300 scholars were in attendance in the village. Two years later accom- modations were required for nearly 700 and plans were laid before the trustees for enlarging the building at a cost of $8,000. The sum was promptly voted for the purpose. The stone school building on Fifth street, now the High School of the city, was completed before 1855, and in 1888 was enlarged to its present dimensions. A local news- paper in the spring of 1863, contained the following :
Our schools have acquired a high character and it is the policy of the board to have it maintained by employing none but competent teachers, and otherwise pro- moting the efficiency of the schools.
William Pool was at that time president of the board. It is entirely proper to state here that the schools of Niagara Falls have for half a century been kept in advance of those of many other similar places, through the unflagging efforts and progressive ideas of the citizens hav- ing them in charge. Among the most devoted servants of the people in connection with the schools is the venerable James F. Trott,1 who
1 James F. Trott, President of the Board of Education, was born in Boston, Mass., March :5, 1815. He was educated in the Boston public schools. He came to Niagara Falls in 1841. After a
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has been prominent in this connection many years. William Pool also served as an energetic member of the Board of Education about twenty years and resigned in June, 1892.
Previous to the incorporation of the city in 1892 the village com - prised two districts, Nos. 2 and 7. On the 29th of March, 1892, the trustees then residing within the limits of the new city met and adopted the following :
WHEREAS, School district No. 1 of the town of Niagara has become divided by the city line established by the city charter, and the school building being outside of the city boundaries ;
Resolved, That Mr. Vogt, one of the old trustees of said district residing inside of the city limits be and hereby is authorized to make arrangements with the trus- tees of said district for the continuation of the attendance of the children remaining inside of the city limits who have attended said school, until a board of education has been duly organized for the city.
Similar arrangements were made with the trustees of district No. 3 and N. L. Benham was appointed superintendent until the organization of a new board. The Board of Education first appointed and confirmed under the city charter consisted of James F. Trott, Hans Neilson, Charles B. Gaskill, James E. Rock, O. R. Sackett, Richard Hartigan, M. B. Butler, J. C. Lammerts, and Joseph C. Gruhler. This board continued N. L. Benham as superintendent of schools, and he has ever since filled this responsible position in a thoroughly efficient and satisfactory man- ner. A resolution was adopted by the board July 29, 1892, as follows:
Resolved, That the academic department of the Union schools of the former villages of Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge be maintained as at present, until such time as the growth of the city shall require a Central High School.
In 1892 the school building at Suspension Bridge received an addi-
residence of two years, he removed to New York city, and from there to Galena, Ill., and Belle- vue, Ia. In the fall of 1845 he removed to Niagara Falls, and became one of the firm of Whitney, Jerauld & Co., proprietors of the Cataract House, of which firm he remained a member for forty- one years, until the State Reservation was formed. In October, 1848, he was elected one of the trustees of school district No. 2 of the town of Niagara, and continued in office until 1855, when the Union Free School District was formed. He was then elected one of the six original mem- bers of the Board of Education. He continued a member of such board by successive election, until 1892, when the city of Niagara Falls was incorporated. In that year he was appointed by the mayor as a member of the City Board of Education, and reappointed in 1895, thus making a continuous term of forty-eight years of service. He has been president of the board most of the time since 1855. The efficiency of the schools has depended upon his efforts. He has lived to see the schools grow from a small beginning to a city system. Most of his life in this place has been devoted to the cause of education, and he may justly be called "the father of our schools." -[Report of Superintendent, 1896.
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tion which doubled its capacity. The need of increased and better school accommodations was soon felt, and in 1894 a handsome and commodious structure was erected on Sugar street, at a cost of $25,- 000. Within a few years still larger accommodations were found neces- sary for the rapidly increasing attendance ; this led to the erection of two new modern school buildings, one of which is situated on the site of the old Third street stone building, which had been demolished, and the other on the corner of Whitney avenue and Eighteenth street. The cost of the first named structure is $12,000, and of the other $17,000. For the building of these new school houses bonds have been issued by the city to the amount of $32,500.
The high school at the Falls was founded in 1885 and that at the Bridge in 1889. In 1892 the two high schools were consoli- dated into one high school department, with two divisions, one of which is conducted in the Fifth street building, and the other at the Bridge. These are known as the Fifth Street High School and the Cleveland Avenue High School. Each has a principal, R. A. Taylor occupying this position in the Fifth Street School, with nine- teen teachers under him; T. B. Lovell is principal of the Cleveland Avenue School, with twenty-two teachers under him. A penman- ship and commercial department is maintained with William J. Downey, supervisor. A music department, under Lydia B. Thomp- son, with Katharine F. Johnson, supervisor of drawing. Norman E. Osgood is principal of the Pine Avenue School, with four assistants ; Eunice M. Shaw, principal of the Third Street School, with five assist- ants ; Kate F. Hanrahan, principal of the Sugar Street School, with two assistants.
On November, 30, 1894, Thomas V. Welch, Hans Neilson, Eugene Laurier, with the president of the Board of Education and the mayor ex-officio, were constituted a board of trustees of the Free Public Library. The books of the two former libraries at the Falls and the Bridge were turned over to this board, and additions are gradually being made. There are now about 4,000 volumes in the library. The present trustees are James F. Trott, Hans Neilson, Peter A. Porter, Thomas V. Welch, and the mayor ex-officio. N. L. Benham is librarian and Adele B. Barnum, assistant
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Following are the several Boards of Education since the appointment of the first one before named :
1893-94 .- Joseph C. Gruhler, J. M. Hancock, J. Elmer Passage, James E. Rock, James F. Trott, Charles B. Gaskill, Richard Hartigan, Hans Neilson, O. R. Sackett.
1894-95 .- James F. Trott, president, Hans Neilson, Daniel Durnin, Joseph C. Gruhler, James E. Rock, John Elmer Passage, Charles B. Gaskill, Eugene Laurier, J. M. Hancock.
1895-96 .- Daniel Durnin, C. B. Gaskill, Hans Neilson, J. Elmer Passage, James E. Rock, James F. Trott, Joseph C. Gruhler, Eugene Laurier, J. M. Hancock.
1896-97 .- Daniel Durnin, Hans Neilson, Eugene Laurier, James F. Trott, C. B. Gaskill, James E. Rock, Joseph C. Gruhler, J. Elmer Passage, Eugene Cary.
1897-98 .- Eugene Cary, Joseph C. Gruhler, Hans Neilson, J. Elmer Passage, James E. Rock, George G. Shepard, John H. Timons, James F. Trott, C. B. Gaskill.
The last report of Superintendent Benham shows the school popula- tion of the city to be 3,409, and the enrollment in the public schools of pupils between the ages of five and eighteen years, 2,694. The total number of buildings is six, with 2,335 sittings. The number of pupils attending the High School is 249. The expenditure for the schools for 1895-6 was about $51,000. Four kindergarten schools are maintained and one evening school.
De Veaux College .- This old and well known educational institution was founded by Samuel De Veaux and endowed under his will made August 3, 1852. In that will, after making suitable provision for rela- tives and others, he left the remainder of his large estate, amounting to $174,652.52, to Bishop De Lancey, Rev. Dr. William Shelton, Peter A. Porter, and Richard H. Woodruff, as trustees, "for the purpose of establishing, founding and maintaining a benevolent institution, to receive and support orphans and destitute children ; to train them up to industry; to teach them trades and professions; to give them a mental and manual, and a social and religious education." It was also provided that the institution should be under the fostering care of the Protestant Episcopal church, and it was placed in charge of the Con- vention of the Diocese of Western New York, with the earnest request that the convention would take it under its care as a dependency of the church.
De Veaux College was incorporated April 15, 1853 ; the erection of the buildings was commenced in 1855 and they were completed in 1857. The school was opened in March, 1857, with Rev. Henry Greg-
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ory, president of the institution ; Rev. Israel Foote, professor, and Ed- mund S. Wells, tutor. Elijah Ford, of Buffalo, while acting as agent for the trustees, increased the fund to about $187,000 in 1856. The college domain consists of 364 acres, and extends half a mile along the most picturesque part of Niagara River, and is devoted to the immedi- ate use of the institution. The college building is beautifully situated, spacious, well ventilated, is warmed by steam and lighted by gas, has ample bathing facilities; it contains a chapel, study and recitation rooms, library and reading rooms, dormitories, common room and a gymnasium.
THE STATE RESERVATION .- The reservation by the State of New York of certain lands around Niagara Falls for the free use of the public had its origin in 1869, when the subject was discussed by Frederic S. Church, the well known artist, Frederick Law Olmsted, Hon. William Dorsheimer, H. H. Richardson, and others of less note; but no definite action was taken until several years later when, at the suggestion of Mr. Church, William H. Hurlburt communicated with the Earl of Dufferin, then governor-general of Canada, in relation to the creation of an inter- national park on both sides of the falls. As a result of this the earl called general attention to the subject in a speech before the Ontario Society of Artists on September 26, 1878. In that speech he advo- cated the measure and stated that he had, a few weeks earlier, met Governor Robinson, and called his attention to the great desirability of establishing such a park.
The credit for taking the first practical step in the matter belongs to Governor Robinson, who strongly advocated it in his message to the Legislature January 9, 1879, and recommended the appointment of a commission to act with a similar one which he hoped would be ap- pointed by the Canadian authorities. This recommendation was re- ferred to the Commissioners of the State Survey and Frederick Law Olmsted, with authority to make an examination and ascertain "how far the private holding of lands about Niagara Falls had worked to public disadvantage through the defacements of the scenery, to deter- mine the character of such defacements, to estimate the tendency to greater injury, and lastly to consider whether the proposed action by the State is necessary to arrest the process of destruction and restore to the scenery its orignal character."
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The Commissioners of the State Survey recommended the extin- guishment of the private title in so much land as should be regarded as absolutely necessary for the purpose, and that the State should, by pur- chase, acquire a title to such land and hold it in trust for the public for- ever. The report further stated " that the scenery of Niagara Falls has been greatly injured ; that the process of injury is continuous and ac- celerating ; and that, if not arrested, it must in time be utterly destruct- ive of its value ; " that " there is no American soil from which the Falls can be contemplated except at the pleasure of a private owner, and under such conditions as he may choose to impose; none upon which the most outrageous caprices of taste may not be indulged, or the most offensive interpolations forced upon the landscape."
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