Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 36

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > New York > Orleans County > Landmarks of Orleans County, New York > Part 36

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1880. - President, Edward Posson ; trustees, Alfred Dawson, Graham H. Hill, Edward Davey, Charles H. Hedley, Michael Cooper, Oscar K. Johnson ; clerk, Myron S. Newell ; treasurer, E. Chapin Bennett ; attorney, Henry A. Childs; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1881 .- President, Edward Posson; trustees, Alfred Dawson, Graham H. Hill, James, Chapman, Charles H. Hedley, Michael Cooper, Oscar K. Johnson; clerk, Myron S. Newell; treasurer, E. Chapin Bennett ; attorney, Henry A. Childs; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1882 .-- President, Edward Posson ; trustees, James Chapman, Alfred Dawson, Graham H. Hill, Oscar K. Johnson, Charles H. Hedley, Isaac Landauer ; clerk, Myron S. Newell ; treasurer, E. Chapin Bennett; attorney, Henry A. Childs ; chief of policee Edmund Fuller.

1883 .- President, George W. Frary ; trustees, Graham H. Hill, James Chapman, Michael Griffin, Isaac Landauer, Oscar K. Johnson, John R. Weld; clerk, Myron S. Newell; treasurer, E. Chapin Bennett; attorney, Henry A. Childs ; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1884 .-- President, George W. Frary ; trustees, Michael Griffin, Graham H. Hill, James Chapman, John R. Weld, Isaac Landauer, William Comerford ; clerk, Myron S. Newell; treasurer, Homer J. Luther; attorney, Edmund L. Pitts; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

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1885 .-- President, Nelson McCormick ; Trustees, Soloman H. Goodman, David Mc- Donald, James Chapman, Fred L. Downs, Michael Griffin. William Comerford; clerk, Myron S. Newell ; treasurer, Homer J. Luther; attorney, Edmund L. Pitts; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1886 .- President, Oscar K. Johnson; trustees, George A. Beach, Fred L. Downs, James Chapman, William Callaghan, Soloman H. Goodman, William Comerford ; clerk, Frank J. Kearney ; treasurer, Homer J. Luther; attorney, Edmund L. Pitts; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1887 .- President, Oscar K. Johnson ; trustees, Lawrence Brennan, George A. Beach, Fred L. Downs, William Comerford, William Callaghan, Soloman H. Goodman ; clerk, Frank J. Kearney ; treasurer, Earl W. Card; attorney, Edmund L. Pitts; chief of police, Edmund Fuller.

1888 .- President, O. K. Johnson; trustees, Robert Nichol, Joseph Stork, William Comerford, William Callaghan, George A. Beach, Lawrence Brennan; treasurer, George A. Newell ; clerk, F. J. Kearney ; attorney, E. L. Pitts ; chief of police, Ed- mund Fuller.

1889 .-- President, Albert J. Hill ; trustees, William Callaghan, James M. Frary, Robert Nichol, Joseph Stork, Lawrence Brennan, William Comerford; clerk, F. J. Kearney ; treasurer, George A. Newell; attorney, E. L. Pitts ; chief of police, E. Fuller.

1890 .-- President, Albert J. Hill; trustees, William Comerford, Charles A. Gorman, James M. Frary, Robert Nichol, William Callaghan, Joseph Stork ; clerk, F. J. Kearney ; treasurer, George A. Newell ; attorney, E. L. Pitts ; chief of police, E. Fuller.

1891 .- President, Albert J. Hill ; trustees, William Comerford, Robert W. Nichol, James M. Frary, J. D. Brennan, Charles A. Gorman, William Callaghan ; clerk, F. J. Kearney ; treasurer, George A. Newell; attorney, E. L. Pitts ; chief of police, E. Fuller.

1892 .-- President, Fred L. Downs ; trustees, William Comerford, Charles A. Gorman, R. W. Nichol, John D. Brennan, Edward Maloney, Fred C. Wilson; clerk, F. J. Kearney ; treasurer, George A. Newell ; attorney, E. L. Pitts; chief of police, E. Fuller.

1893 .-- President, Fred L. Downs ; trustees, William Comerford, Charles A. Gorman, R. W. Nichol, John D. Brennan, Edward MaloLey, Fred C. Wilson; clerk, J. W. Cooper ; treasurer, George A. Newell ; artorney, E. L. Pitts ; chief of police, E. Fuller.

1894 .-- President. Fred L. Downs; trustees, William Rands, Joe Brook, William Comerford, Charles A. Gorman, Fred C. Wilson, Edward Maloney ; clerk, J. W. Cooper ; attorney, Irving L'Hommedieu ; treasurer, George A. Newell ; collector, Edmund Ful- ler ; street commissioner, George E. Allen ; assessors, Reuben S, Castle, Michael Walsh, Roswell W. Post ; police justice. Morgan L. Brainard; chief of police, Peter Arnold,; board of health, I. H. Geballe, president; F. E, Colborn, secretary ; D. F. Butts, treas- urer ; health officer, Dr. F. W. Scott.

There was not even an informal fire organization in Medina till after the incorporation of the village in 1832. The canal and the race af- forded an abundant supply of water for the extinguishment of fires, but buckets constituted the only means for utilizing this water. On August 16, 1832, some six months after the village was incorporated, a fire

And & Downs

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company was organized with the following members : Rufus Ingersoll, Simeon Downs, Frederick Comstock, M. S. Harrington, Eleazer Thomas, John Parsons, Leander Woodruff, Marcena W. Clark, William Hotchkiss, jr., Richard Martin, Simeon Bathgate, Alexander Clum, James E. Evans, A. W. Eddy, M. P. Hopkins, Henry Phelps, Sylvanus Coan, Uri D. Moore, David Dudley and George Willoughby. Of this company John Parsons was chosen foreman, Simeon Bathgate, assistant foreman, and James E. Evans, secretary. This company was equipped with one of the primitive crank engines which was necessary to supply with water by buckets passed from hand to hand along lines of men. It was called the Mercury, and were it now in existence it would be an interesting relic of olden times. In 1835 a larger and better engine, called the Neptune, was purchased. The next engine procured was the Cataract, afterward known as the Frary engine. At times for want of systematic organization, the leadership fell on a few, among whom were John Parsons, S. G. Purdy and E. M. Card. The foremen of the original company, after Mr. Parsons, were Andrew Ellicott, M. W. Clark, George Bathgate and others. For a long time engines were supplied with water directly from the canal or race, but after some years a water main with hydrants was placed in Shelby street through the business part of the village. This main was supplied with water when neces- sary by pumps driven by the power in Becker's flouring mill, near the railroad. In 1874 the pumps were changed to the Bignall works, and the mains were extended on Center street to Orient street on the east and Catherine street on the west. By the use of these pumps and mains water could be thrown directly from hydrants on fires in their immediate vicinity, or supplied to engines at some distance through hose.

In 1880 the fire department of Medina was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, and the control of it was vested in a Board of Trus- tees, for which the act made provision. As at present constituted the department consists of the following companies :

Alert Hose Company, first organized in 1859, and reorganized in 1875. Officers : President, I. L'Hommedieu ; vice-president, F. T. Gates; secretary, M. L. Brainard ; treasurer, M. L. Brainard ; fore- man, C. F. Hurd ; Ist assistant, Fred H. Meade.

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Citizens' Hook and Ladder Company (successor to the Dawson Hook and Ladder Company, which was organized in 1877 and disbanded). Officers: President, George L. Owens; vice-president, J. W. Cooper ; secretary, M. B. Sutter ; treasurer, Thomas O'Malley ; foreman, J. D. Brennan; Ist assistant, Thomas Owens; 2d assistant, John B. Gri- fith.

Gorman Hose Company .- Officers: President, Michael Kearney ; vice-president, Myron Chase; secretary, Thomas F. Owens; treas- urer, Thomas F. Owens; foreman, Owen Boyland ; Ist assistant, H. Nurenberg ; 2d assistant, Fred Ryan. .

Protective Hose Company .- Officers : President, John Keebler ; vice-president, B. L. Servoss ; secretary, Charles Fletcher ; treasurer, Arthur Cheney ; foreman, William Dewey; Ist assistant, H. M. See- ley. This company is the successor of the Protective Company which had charge of a chemical engine, organized in 1877 and disbanded when the new water works were established. The Frary Engine Company, successor of the old Cataract Company, was also disband- ed when the water works were completed.

The chief engineers of the department have been, as nearly as can be determined, prior to 1880, Simeon Bathgate, John Parsons, S. G. Pur- dy, E. M. Card, E. A. Bowen, and probably others. Since 1880 they have been Myron S. Newell, Thomas Hale, Edward Hanlon, Fred M. Ives, Fred C. Ryan, Michael Kearney, The present assistant chief is T. O'Malley ; fire wardens, R. W. Nichol, F. R. Downs, C. N. Hood.

Many years since a small gas plant was constructed by William Bent near the canal, a short distance south from the foot of Pearl street. Mains were laid for the supply of gas along Shelby street, but not else- where at first. Some years later a stock company was formed, the works were purchased and enlarged, and the mains were extended so as to supply gas to most of the principal streets of the village. Gas was supplied from these works during more than fifteen years, in which time changes occurred in the company and a serious explosion took place at the works. In 1890 the plant was sold to the Medina Gas Light Company. The same year works were erected by the Medina Electric Light Company for the purpose of supplying the village with electric light. In April, 1891, the two companies were consolidated

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under the name of the Medina Gas and Electric Light Company, the control of which, by a transfer of a majority of the stock, passed into the hands of New York parties in April, 1894, the new officers being A. L. Fennessy, president ; J. F. Moffett, vice-president ; C. E. Fen- nessy, secretary. William R. Curry is local manager. The electric plant is equipped with one incandescent and two arc light dynamos and two engines and two boilers of 100 horse power each. There are about sixteen miles of wire used in the arc direct system, supplying fifty-eight lamps, and ten miles in the incandescent alternating system, using some 800 lights. The plant occupies a modern fire-proof building just north of the railroad, between Shelby and Church streets. The gas plant has a capacity of about 40,000 cubic feet of gas every twenty-four hours, though it is not necessary to reach that amount. There are some four miles of mains and nearly 150 consumers. The electrical plant has over 100 patrons.

Water Works .- The lack of an ample supply of pure water for domes- tic and fire extinguishing purposes was felt in Medina many years before the present works were established. The village had suffered from several disastrous fires, one on September 19, 1869, causing a loss of about $100,000; another December 26, 1870, destroying the Presby- terian church and other property, besides numerous others, and public- spirited citizens finally determined to inaugurate a better condition of . affairs in this respect. A public meeting was called July 15, 1889, to consider the subject and decide upon the most feasible plans. On October 14 of that year a meeting was held at which authority was voted to the trustees to contract with parties for water works, and on the 17th of the same month John J. Neagle, of Washington, D. C., and Frederick Collin, James H. Costello, P. H. Dempsey, Lewis M. Smith, John B. Stanchfield, and P. J. Neagle, of Elmira, submitted a proposal to organize a company with a capital of $70,000, and establish water works for the village, to be supplied from wells or springs in the south- west part of the village. This application was granted, but the action was rescinded on November 25. Resolutions were afterwards adopted to publish in the local newspapers proposals for bids to establish a water system, bids to be delivered to E. L. Pitts on December 17, the works to be built according to contract and specifications on file in his office.

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Several bids were offered, among them that of Bassett Brothers, of Buffalo, who proposed to build the works, put in eighty hydrants, and supply the village for $3,000 annually. Their bid was accepted, and work was begun by driving wells and experimenting, continuing through the summer of 1890, without satisfactory results. They then proposed taking water from Fish Creek and were granted an extension of time to complete the works. After further abortive experiments, their time was again extended to the spring of 1891 ; but the unsatisfactory outlook for the whole enterprise led to its transfer to the Medina Water Works Company, as it is at present organized, and on February 3, 1892, the Board of Trustees resolved to contract with this company, cancelling the former action. The company were to take the water supply from the Ross farm near Knowlesville, and this source of supply was approved March 18, 1892. The plant was promptly established, including a large standpipe on the high ground in the southwest part of the village, the streets laid with pipe, hydrants set and every facility provided to give the people a splendid supply of pure water and the authorities an ample supply under sufficient pressure to extinguish fires at any point in the village. The officers of the company are : William F. Ross, president ; Thomas A. Smyth, vice-president ; James L. Bruff, secretary ; Charles F. Pond, treasurer.

Drainage .- It may be safely said that no village in the State similar in size to Medina is better drained. This desirable result has been accomplished quite recently ; indeed, the work is still in progress. The first Sewer Commission was selected at a meeting held August 16, 1889, to act under provisions of the general law. This commission was com- posed of Graham H. Hill, one year; Roswell W. Post, two years; William U. Lee, three years; Morton A. Bowen, four years; A. L. Swett, five years. The commission employed Olin C. Gillette to map the village, showing the lines of the old sewers and all the proposed new ones. This map was approved December 14, 1889, and sent to the State Board of Health, by which it was approved April 9, 1890. After the adoption of resolutions locating sewers on all the principal streets of the village, work was begun on their construction, and is not yet wholly finished. The drainage is into Oak Orchard Creek and under such conditions as to make it a perfect system. The Board of Sewer

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Commissioners in 1894 is as follows : M. A. Bowen, president ; Thomas Cleary, C. S. Hoag, Roswell W. Post, Darwin Fuller ; Edward Posson, clerk.

Public Houses,-One of the earliest taverns in Medina was the Me- dina House, which was built by Otis Turner, who kept it many years. It stood about on the site of the present Union Bank. Another promi- nent early hostelry was the Eagle Hotel, built in 1838, on the corner of Canal and Main streets, south of the present White's Hotel. It was burned in the winter of 1841-42. At a very early date, probably in 1828, a wooden hotel was built where Ives' produce warehouse now stands. It was begun by the father of Grant Decker, and was kept by various persons before it was finally burned.

The building that is now White's Hotel was originally without the tower and was occupied by three stores. H. N. Bancroft erected the tower and changed it into a hotel, naming it the Bancroft House. H. N. Hopkins kept the house some years and in 1886 it was purchased by A. H. White, the present proprietor.

The present Hart House was built by Jacob Gorton, who kept it sev- eral years, and upon his failure the property passed to E. Kirk Hart. H. N. Hopkins became its manager and continued to February, 1892, when W. Babcock & Son took it. Under their management it has been refitted and is kept as a first-class hotel. There are several other pub- lic houses in the village besides these.

The Medina Driving Paik Association was organized in 1871. The first officers were M. Harmon, president; N. T. Healy, secretary ; S. Tucker, treasurer. Grounds were laid out about one mile west of the village, and for some years the association flourished, but it finally dis- banded. The property is now owned by James McCargo.

BANKS IN MEDINA .- John M. Kennan, who had been a banker in Lockport, came to Medina in 1854 and organized the Medina Bank, which was chartered under the laws of the State of New York. This was conducted, with varying success, till 1861, when it failed. Soon after the establishment of the national banking system the First Na- tional Bank of Medina was organized, but after an existence of a few years it also failed, and its depositors lost heavily. Prior to the failure of the Medina Bank Mr. Kennan had withdrawn from it, and before the

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incorporation of the National Bank he organized the Union Bank of Medina, with an authorized capital of $100,000. William W. Potter was the first president of this bank. He died in 1871 and was suc- ceeded by John M. Kennan who, some five years later was succeeded by William H. Watson. After the death of Mr. Watson, in 1888, Hon. E. L. Pitts became the president. The career of the bank to the pres- ent time has been successful. The present officers of the bank are : George A. Newell, president; Homer Luther, cashier ; Harry F. Wel- ton, assistant cashier. The capital is now $50,000 and the surplus the same amount. It is a State bank.

In 1880 Earl W. Card & Co. established a private bank in Medina. Its business was conducted in the second story of a building on the east side of Shelby street till the summer of 1890, when the firm re- moved to their present quarters in the first story of the McKnight block. This institution is, in the present year (1894), being changed to a national bank, under the name of the Medina National Bank, with the following officers: E. W. Card, president; Watson F. Barry, first vice-president ; J. W. Card, second vice-president ; B. D. Timmerman, cashier. The capital is $50,000.

Mercantile .- From its first inception Medina has contained mercantile establishments conducted by men of enterprise and progress. One of the first of these, if not the first merchant in the place, was Sylvanus Coann, who accumulated wealth in his business. Agur Clark and Botsford Fairman were long associated in successful trade, and Richard Yarrington also. On the corner now occupied by Landauer & Co., where has always been located a leading store, Asel Woodruff carried on business in 1829. William Baker was a merchant there a long time, as was also A. W. Newell, father of George A. Newell ; he began busi- ness where the Eagle Hotel burned. Heath, Gillette & Bennett suc- ceeded at that location, and were followed by Landauer & Marshall, and that firm by Mr. Landauer. Fairman & Wiswell were early merchants in hardware; and Wiswell & Hulburd were traders in that line early ; James Otto, also, who came here from Batavia, and was located where the Boston store is now. At the present time the village of Medina has among her business men a number of firms and individuals whose establishments are conducted upon modern lines and whose success is commensurate with their efforts.

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Water power, mills, and manufactories .- At the time of the construc- tion of the canal the State authorized the building of a dam across Oak Orchard Creek and a race from it to the canal for a feeder. It was afterward found that the elevation of this was not sufficient, the banks of the canal having been raised, and it was abandoned. Some relics of this dam are still to be seen. In 1825 David E. Evans entered into a contract with the State for the construction of a dam farther up the creek. This was built and it is still standing. A race conveys the water from this pond to the canal; and it is utilized for driving the machinery of many mills and manufactories.

At about the same time the State built a dam across Tonawanda Creek, below Indian Falls in Genesee county, and excavated a race from this dam to Oak Orchard Creek, about four miles distant. This was for the purpose of diverting so much of the water from Tonawanda Creek as should be necessary to furnish a sufficient supply for the canal at all times. It was found that this dam was some three feet higher than was necessary, and that consequently a large area was, in times of high water, overflowed. It was therefore contemplated to destroy this dam altogether. It was found, however, that at the time this dam was constructed the State had entered into a contract with the Holland Land Company, by the terms of which the latter conveyed to the former a large tract of land in consideration of the improvement which the turning of this water into Oak Orchard Creek would make in the water power of that creek as it passed through Orleans county. A legal controversy followed, and the State abandoned the project of re- moving this dam. It was, however, made three feet lower to prevent the overflow of lands which had been complained of, and thus it has continued till the present time.

The first mill for which the water from the race which Evans ex- cavated was utilized was a stone flouring mill built by Mr. Evans. The foundations were laid in 1825, and it was completed in 1826. John Ryan was the master mason, Simeon Bathgate the millwright, and Captain Samuel F. Gear the carpenter. From this mill a raceway was excavated to the canal. This raceway had a sufficient breadth and depth to float boats to the mill, which had an elevator for taking grain from the boats. This mill became the property of William R. Gwinn,

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and was operated by him many years. It was finally purchased by T. W. Swan, A. M. Ives, and Elisha S. Whalen, and soon afterward, in 1859, was burned.

Just south from the site of this mill, and close to the railroad, on the east side of Shelby street, an oil mill was built in 1862, and was con- ducted for some years by Richard Becker, who converted it into a grist- mill, and it was burned in 1873.

The stone mill near Race alley, north from East Center street, was built by Mr. Gwinn in 1830. The contractor was John Ryan. It was afterwards owned by Levan Merritt, Simeon Bathgate, Robert Hill, Wilcox & Alcorn, John Alcorn alone, and by him was sold to B. A. Gilbert about 1863. He operated it until 1887, when he sold to O. K. Johnson, who now operates it.

A wool carding and cloth-dressing mill was built at an early date on the east side of Orient street, just north from the railroad, and it was afterward, during some years, conducted by Daniel Starr. With the decline of domestic manufactures in the country, this establishment went out of use ; was changed to a custom flouring mill, and was operated by Mr. Starr. It was purchased by A. A. Lowber, who ad- ded to it a kiln for drying corn. Mr. Lowber sold it to A. S. De Lano, who enlarged it and converted it into a merchant and custom flouring mill. It was burned some years since. William A. Wetmore built a pail factory on the site of it, and this was also burned. The site is now occupied by one of the departments of Maher Brothers' lounge factory.

In an early day a saw mill was built on the south bank of the canal near the aqueduct. It was for many years supplied with logs from the canal, as well as from the surrounding country. It was owned and used by William Hedley. It was burned about 1877, and in place of it was erected a stone planing mill. Adjoining this Mr. Hedley built a custom flour mill. This was burned in 1884, but was repaired and used as a machine shop.

About 1826 Justus Ingersoll built a large brick tannery on the south side of East Center street, just west from Oak Orchard Creek. It was afterward converted into a flouring mill by T. S. Wilcox & Co., and was burned in 1858. In 1880 William A. Wetmore built a custom flouring mill on the same site. This was burned in 1883, and in the

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same year C. S. Hoag built another on the same site and conducted it, both as a stone and a roller mill.

The Medina Falls Mill was built in 1840 by Botsford Fairman and T. R. Austin. They conducted it till 1846, when it became the prop- erty of Mr. Fairman, alone. In 1848 John R. Weld came to Medina, and in 1853, in company with Asa P. Stanford, purchased the mill. L. A. G. B. Grant became a partner in 1854, R. L. Hill in 1867, and the style of the firm was changed to Weld & Hill in 1868. Mr. Hill died in 1871, leaving his interest in the business to his sons, A. J. and G. H. Hill. In the summer of 1872 the mill was burned, and in the winter of 1872-73 was rebuilt with seven runs of stones. G. H. Hill withdrew from the firm some years since, but the firm name continued the same. In 1882 the roller process was adopted. The firm received the award for farina at the centennial exhibition in 1876. From fifty to seventy thousand barrels of flour have been annually manufactured at this mill, the firm making their own barrels.

Nixon's brewery and distillery was built in 1826 by Joseph Nixon. It stood east of Orient street and near the foot of Starr street. It was a substantial stone building, and the brewery and distillery were in different parts of it. It was twice burned and rebuilt. Distilling was finally abandoned and the distillery part was converted into a wood turning shop. In connection with this was at one time a large wooden building, in the lower part of which Mr. Nixon kept a store, and the upper stories were used for storage. Just south from this brewery, fronting on Orient street, Mr. Nixon built a long stone structure di- vided into eight tenements, each with a basement opening to the east. This was for the residence of his employees and others. It was known as " The Nunnery," though many of the dwellers there were anything but religious recluses. But little of this quaint old structure remains.

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Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 36

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084