USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 22
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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
ate share. Lake commerce and the great milling industry of Oswego city did not materially suffer from the war, and during the succeeding years attained a magnitude that is not now readily realized. Building operations were extensive, mercantile business was greatly extended, and banks were multiplied. The agricultural interests of the county shared, also, in the general prosperity ; farmers realized high prices for their products, and many were led to purchase farms at prices which a few years later would have proved ruinous.
It was inevitable that such a state of affairs could not long continue. With the gradual contraction of currency, the decreasing demand for many kinds of products, with contemporaneous over production, and the fear of disaster through anticipated return to specie payment, there came a reaction which culminated in 1872-3, causing much financial distress and many business failures. But the same conditions that operated to sustain Oswego county in former periods of monetary stringency, and enabled it to promptly overcome its effects, were in existence now and contributed to a similar result. While there were some failures in the county, and many new undertakings were aban- doned or checked, there was less distress than in many other localities.
The improvements made in the harbor by the government during the ten years succeeding the close of the war consisted of repairs upon the lighthouse, which was substantially rebuilt in 1867 at an expense of $45,000, and repairs on the piers carried out with an appropriation of $45,000 made in 1864, with $25,000 appropriated in 1865, which con- tinued through two years. The next appropriation was $60,000, made in 1867, which sum was devoted to further repairs on the piers. In 1868 $20,000 was appropriated, and in 1869 $22,275. These sums, with $50,000 allotted in 1870, finished the extension of the lighthouse pier and thoroughly repaired the west pier. In the same year Major Bowen presented a plan for improving the outer harbor, which was approved by the Board of Engineers. It comprised the construction of a breakwater 5,800 feet long, nearly parallel with the west pier and 1, 100 feet in front of it, affording a safe harbor of 100 acres area. The estimated cost of this work was $1, 162,682. This plan was adopted by the Forty-first Congress in 1870, and an appropriation of $50,000 was made to begin work upon it. In 1871 Maj. J. M. Wilson assumed charge
213
RAILROADS.
of the undertaking and began work July 5, with an additional appropria- tion of $100,000, and finished 646 feet that season. A like sum was appropriated in 1872, which completed 1,700 feet of the pier and 1, 100 feet of superstructure. The following winter damaged the work con - siderably. The appropriation of 1873 was $100,000, with which 2,215 feet was finished. In 1874 the appropriation was $75,000, which was nearly all expended on repairs. Work was continued in 1875 with an appropriation of $90,000. The work was completed in July, 1882, at a cost of about $1,000,000.
Under act of the Legislature,' dated May 23, 1871, the State made an appropriation of $22,000 to rebuild the high dam, Oswego city ; $5,500 for removing the Horseshoe dam and cribs above, and $15,000 to raise low banks on river levels. These appropriations were supple- mented in the following year by one of $88,000 to complete the high dam, and $2,500 to extend the east wing of the Oswego Falls dam at Fulton.
During the period under consideration, and in response to the de- mands for extended transportation facilities, other railroads were built which have had a direct influence upon Oswego county. The Oswego and Rome Railroad Company, which had filed articles of incorporation in April, 1863, was built from Richland Station, through the village of Pulaski and towns of Mexico, New Haven and Scriba to Oswego, to which point it was finished in the autumn of 1865. Before the line was completed it was leased in perpetuity to the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad Company, and still remains part of that system, which is now under lease to the New York Central.
A still more important railroad undertaking was the construction of a line from Oswego to Jersey City, a distance of 325 miles. The organ- ization was effected January II, 1866, under the name of the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad Company. De Witt C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, was the chief moving spirit in the enterprise, and Oswego county capital was liberally employed in building the road. In this county it passes through the towns of Constantia, West Monroe, Hast- ings, Schroeppel, Volney and Scriba. It was opened to Central Square in October, 1869, and to Oswego in the following month. The line was finished to New York in 1872. It is now known as the New York, On- tario and Western Railway Company.
214
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
Contemporaneous with the building of the Midland Railroad, the Syracuse Northern Railroad Company was organized. The project of a railroad through the territory reached by this line had been discussed at intervals for twenty years previous to its organization. The com- pany was finally chartered in 1870, the survey promptly followed, and on the 18th of May of that year the work of construction began. The road was opened on the gth of November, 1871. Leaving Syracuse the line crosses Oneida River at Brewerton, and passes through the towns of Hastings. Parish, Mexico and Richland, connecting with the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg at Pulaski in the town of Richland. The road was operated by the original company until 1875, when it was sold on foreclosure to the R. W. & O. Company.
Articles of incorporation were filed March 17, 1868, for the Lake On- tario Shore Railroad, the line to extend westward from Oswego, through the towns of Oswego and Hannibal and thence to Lewiston. This road was begun in 1871. In 1874 the mortgage bonds of the company were foreclosed and road sold. The property was bid off by a new company, organized under the name of the Lake Ontario Rail- road Company, in February, 1875. This company was consolidated with the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg R. R. Company. A branch road, extending from Woodards, a station on the Syracuse Northern line a few miles north of Liverpool in Onondaga county, was built through Oswego county to Fulton on the east side of the river, where it connects with the N. Y., O. & W. R. R., and over that road gains an entrance into Oswego city. Previously, in March, 1869, the Oswego and Syracuse Railroad was leased to the D. L. & W. R. R. Company. The various lines operated by the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Company were leased in March, 1891, to the New York Central and H. R. R. R. Company.
Before the War of 1861, citizens of Oswego and the city authori- ties on several occasions made subscriptions or public appropriations to advance work on the harbor, which the dilatory or parsimonious action of the government had neglected, that commercial interests might not suffer. Extensive blasting and dredging in connection with pier and breakwater work has been prosecuted in the river and harbor from early years to the present time. Contracting firms, many of which
215
BONDING FOR RAILROADS.
have included leading citizens of Oswego, have generally had charge of this work. In 1852 the east side of the river, at the mouth, was blasted out by private enterprise, to admit vessels of twelve feet draft to the then existing warehouse elevators.
On the 20th of March, 1857, the Oswego Dock and Pier Company was incorporated, with Delos De Wolf,1 Hamilton Murray,2 Cheney Ames, Orville Robinson,3 and Alonzo H. Failing, as corporators. The company was given authority to charge for the use of piers built and land purchased by it.
In 1857 was also incorporated the Oswego Harbor Company by F. T. Carrington, A. P. Grant, E. B. Talcott, S. H. Lathrop and Luther Wright. These companies in later years were instrumental in the completion of the present harbor facilities of the place.
In harmony with the general measures of this State for the preserva - tion of fish, a law was passed May 1I, 1880, which authorized the State Superintendent of Public Works to build fishways in all the State dams in the Oswego, Oneida and Seneca Rivers. Five thousand dol- lars were appropriated for this purpose. The fishways were built but have not proved a marked success.
From 1866 to 1870 various acts were passed by the Legislature in- tended to facilitate the action of cities and towns which desired to aid in the construction of railroads, by subscribing for stock and issuing their bonds therefor. Under these acts, in the six years following 1868 bonds to the amount $2,013,500 were issued by Oswego county organizations to pay for stock of the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad Com- pany, the Syracuse Northern Railroad Company, the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad Company, and the Syracuse, Phoenix and Oswego Rail- road Company, which had been subscribed for by them. The following
1 Delos De Wolf was a native of Herkimer county, born February 16, 1811 ; came to Oswego in 1850 and with associates organized the City Bank of Oswego, of which he was the first cashier and later president. He became interested in the elevator and grain business; was one of the found- ers of the city water works ; was a trustee of the City Savings Bank and otherwise identified with the industrial affairs of the city. He died December 30, 1882.
2 Hamilton Murray was born in New York city in 1804, and was a graduate of Yale College. After following mercantile pursuits some years, he came to Oswego in 1846, where he was already a large owner of real property, and became active and efficient in promoting the material interests of the city. He aided in founding the City Bank and was president until 1865; was president of the County Agricultural Society ; a director of the Syracuse and Binghamton Railroad Company ; and held other positions of trust. He died December 30, 1866.
3 For sketch of Orville Robinson see Oswego city chapter.
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LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
table shows the towns which issued the bonds, and the amounts issued by each, and also the amount which remained unpaid in each case on the Ist day of January, 1895.
TOWNS.
AMOUNT ISSUED.
AMOUNT UNPAID.
JAN'Y I, 1895.
Constantia
$ 87,500.00
$ 12,000.00
Hannibal
60,000.00
6,000 00
Hannibal Village
6,000.00
Hastings
105,000.00
56,000.00
Oswego (Town)
30,000.00
3,000.00
Oswego (City)
1,100,000.00 704,000.00
Parish
35,000.00
31,000.00
Richland
80,000.00
68,000,00
Sandy Creek.
80,000.00
68,000.00
Scriba
20,000.00
4,666.67
Schroeppel
50,000.00
40,500.00
Phoenix (Village)
20,000.00
20,000.00
Volney .
300,000.00.
190,000.00
West Monroe
40,000.00.
$2,013,500.00
$1,203,166.67
Each of the companies above named became bankrupt in less than five years from its organization, and its road passed upon foreclosure to other parties, the stock proving a total loss.
The burden, which fell so unexpectedly upon the towns of the county, has been most honorably borne. The original bonds in all cases drew interest at seven per cent., and much the larger part ran twenty years before any part of the principal became due. The organizations above named have paid, as appears from the above table, $810,333.33 of prin- cipal, and have paid in addition interest to the amount of nearly three millions of dollars.
Oswego county may well feel proud of the manner in which her citi- zens have met their obligations, and of the credit they have established, which has enabled them to refund the above debts on the most favor- able terms, much the larger part of it at three and one half per cent., or a better rate than that obtained by the United States government on its last issue (February, 1895) of bonds.
Upon the question of the wisdom of municipalities taking stock in railroad enterprises which private capital will not build, it may be well to remember that the three companies, which had previously built rail-
217
CAUSES OF DECREASE IN COMMERCE.
roads in or through Oswego county (the Oswego and Syracuse, the Oswego and Rome, and Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg) had been financially successful from the start.
Within the past half dozen years there have been evidences of better business conditions throughout the county. The farmers are reason- ably prosperous; the dairying industry becomes annually more exten- sive and generally gives profitable returns; the growing of small fruits, the introduction of improved methods of land cultivation, and better grades of stock, are producing good results. At the same time the population of the county has declined in recent years. From 75,958 in 1860, the number of inhabitants increased to 77,941 in 1870; and in 1875, was 78,574. In 1880 it was 77,911, showing a slight decrease. The census of 1890 gives the population as 71,883, a decrease in the preceding ten years of 6,028. The population by the enumeration of 1892 was 70,970. Since 1892 the population is believed to have increased. In Oswego city enterprising men have determined that the great ad- vantages possessed by the place for the establishment of manufactures shall be made known to the world, and have adopted means to effect that object. The result already has amply repaid their labor, and sev- eral large industries have been permanently and successfully inaug- urated.
The most noteworthy feature of the history of Oswego county for the last twenty years is the decline of the commerce, milling and ele- vator business of Oswego city. In 1874 twelve large flouring mills, with a productive capacity of five thousand barrels a day, with elevators capable of storing one and a half million bushels of grain, and a fleet of over one hundred steam, and sailing vessels, either owned in Oswego, or which had their principal employment in its commerce, were in active and profitable operation. Now but two flouring mills and a single ele- vator remain, and the commerce of Oswego has shrunk to but a small part of its former volume. While other causes have operated to some extent, the principal reason for this decline is not far to find.
It is essential to the success of each of the above interests that Oswego should be able to share in the upper lake trade, and that can only be through the Welland Canal. : While the State of New York col- lected tolls for the use of its canals, Buffalo paid tolls upon 165 miles 28
.
-
218
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
more than Oswego, which offset the Welland Canal tolls paid by the latter. Under an amendment to the Constitution adopted in November, 1874, tolls upon the New York State canals were reduced in amount about two-thirds. Under another amendment, adopted in November, 1882, they were removed altogether. This left nothing, in the compe- tition with Buffalo for the upper lake trade, to offset the burden of the Welland Canal tolls. The effect was immediately apparent. Before 1874, about 10,000,000 bushels of western grain destined to New York for eastern and foreign markets, was received annually at Oswego, by way of the Welland Canal. From 1874 to 1882, the amount annually grew less. From 1882 to 1894 not a single cargo was received. The Welland Canal tolls were absolutely prohibitive.
In 1893 tolls were imposed upon Canadian vessels, passing through the Sault St. Marie Canal, unless the use of the Welland Canal, which had been made free of toll to vessels passing through with cargoes des- tined to Montreal or points on the St. Lawrence farther east, should be given to our citizens on terms equally favorable. As a consequence, the Welland Canal tolls on east bound cargoes were reduced one-half, the other half to be collected equally from cargoes destined to Ameri- can or Canadian ports. Under this reduction, during the season of navigation of 1894, a few cargoes (aggregating about 300,000 bushels) of western grain, destined for New York, the first for twelve years, were received at Oswego. With a free Welland Canal it is believed that the interests above referred to might regain and exceed their old proportions. But until a Niagara ship canal, or a free Welland Canal connects Lake Ontario with the upper lakes, such a result cannot be regarded as probable.
Before 1882 all Canadian produce which passed through the New York canals paid tolls. The tolls collected annually on such produce, which entered the State at the port of Oswego alone, exceeded the whole amount of tolls from every source received by the Welland Canal. To induce the Canadian government to allow the free use of the Welland Canal in exchange for the free use of the New York canals the Constitutional Convention of 1894 was asked to adopt the following as a part of the Canal Article of the Constitution it was engaged in framing :
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
"During the time that the Dominion of Canada continues to impose tolls on American products passing through the Welland Canal, but not after such imposition of tolls shall cease, the Legislature may pro- vide for the levying tolls on the products of said Dominion of Canada passing through any canal in this State."
The proposition received the unanimous approval of the Canal Com- mittee of the Convention; was adopted by the Convention in Com- mittee of the Whole; and would undoubtedly have been made a part of the Constitution; but at the last moment, upon remonstrances from parties who feared some personal interest might suffer should such tolls be imposed, the proposition was withdrawn by the member who had introduced it and had it in charge, and so a most promising oppor- tunity for benefiting the interests above referred to, and for regaining for Oswego its former commercial importance, was lost.
CHAPTER XIV.
Congressional Districts-Congressmen -- Presidential Electors-State Senators-As- semblymen-Sheriffs-County Traasurers -- County Clerks-Superintendents and Com- missioners of Common Schools-County officers, 1895 -- Court Houses and Public Buildings -- County Poorhouse and Farm-Old Settlers' Association-Agricultural Societies -Oswego County Agricultural Society-Oswego Agricultural Fair Associa- tion-Oswego Falls Agricultural Society-Sandy Creek, Richland, Orwell, and Boylston Agricultural Society -- Phoenix Agricultural Society-Town Agricultural Societies- Oswego County Bible Society.
The following list will convince the reader that Oswego county has been highly honored in the civil councils of the State and nation. When the names herein given of men who have been eminent in the various branches of civil government, are coupled with those given in a later chapter who rose to distinction at the bar or on the bench, the list is an honorable one.
In 1816 a part of Oswego county, with Oneida county, constituted the Sixteenth Congressional District of the State; and a part of the county, with Onondaga and Cortland, the Nineteenth District. Previous
220
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
to 1824 no member of Congress had been chosen from this county. At the election in 1824 Egbert Ten Eyck, of Jefferson county, received one of the certificates, but on contest his seat was awarded, in Decem- ber, 1825, to Gen. Daniel Hugunin, of Oswego, who held the office until March, 1827. He was succeeded by Rudolph Bunner, of Oswego, in the Congress of 1827-29. George Fisher, of Oswego, received a certificate for the next term (1829-31), but his seat on contest was awarded in December, 1829, to Silas Wright, jr., of St. Lawrence county, who, however, declined, and another St. Lawrence county man was elected the next spring. There was no one from Oswego county in the Congress of 1831-33.
By the law of 1832, Oneida and Oswego counties formed the Seven- teenth Congressional District, with two members. Those from Oswego county were as follows : Joel Turrill, Oswego, 1833-35, re-elected for 1835 37 ; Abraham P. Grant, Oswego, 1837.39; David P. Brewster, Oswego, 1839 41, re-elected for 1841-43.
By a law passed in September, 1842, Madison and Oswego counties constituted the Twenty. third Congressional District with one member. Those counties remained as one district (though with different numbers) until 1883, act of May 16, when Oswego, Cayuga, and Wayne counties were constituted the Twenty-seventh District. The representatives since 1843 have been as follows : Orville Robinson, Mexico, 1843-45 ; William J. Hough, Madison county, 1845 47; William Duer, Oswego, 1847-49, re-elected for 1849-51 ; Leander Babcock, Oswego, 1851-53 ; Gerrit Smith, Madison county, 1853.54, resigned November, 1854, and Henry C. Goodwin, Madison county, elected in place of Smith, 1854-55 ; Andrew Z. McCarty, Pulaski, 1855-57; Henry C. Good- win, Madison county, 1857-59; M. Lindley Lee, Fulton, 1859-61 ; William E. Lansing, Madison county, 1861-63 ; De Witt C. Littlejohn, Oswego, 1863-65 ; Sidney T. Holmes, Madison county, 1865-67 ; John C. Churchill, Oswego, 1867-69, re-elected for 1869-71; William E. Lansing, Madison county, 1871-73, re- elected for 1873-75 ; William H. Baker, Constantia, 1875-77, re-elected for 1877-79 ; Joseph W. Mason, Madison county, 1879-81, re-elected for 1881-83 ; Newton W. Nutting, Oswego, 1883-85 ; Sereno E. Payne, Cayuga county, 1885-87 ; Newton W. Nutting, Oswego, 1887-89, re-elected for 1889-91, resigned Novem-
221
COUNTY CIVIL LIST.
ber, 1889, and Sereno E. Payne, Cayuga county, elected in his place ; Sereno E. Payne, re-elected for 1891-93. By a law passed in April, 1892, Oswego, Jefferson, and Lewis counties compose the Twenty-fourth Congressional District. The only representative elected for this district is Charles A. Chickering, of Lewis county, 1893-95, re-elected for 1895-97
Presidential Electors from Oswego County .- Theophilus S. Morgan, of Oswego, 1832; Peter Pratt, of Mexico, 1840; Henry Potts, of Williamstown, 1844; Delos De Wolf, of Oswego, 1852; Daniel H. Marsh, of Oswego, 1856; Thomas Kingsford, of Oswego, 1864; John E. Lyon, of Oswego, 1872; Bartholomew Lynch, of Oswego, 1876; Charles North, of Oswego, 1880; James A. Clark, of Pulaski, 1884.
Presidential Electors at Large .- Delos De Wolf, of Oswego, 1868 ; John C. Churchill, of Oswego, 1880.
Henry Fitzhugh, of Oswego, was elected canal commissioner in No- vember, 185 1, for three years, and re elected, serving until December 31, 1857. Beman Brockway, of Pulaski, was appointed canal appraiser by the governor and Senate, March 22, 1865, and served until January 27, 1870. William F. Allen, then of New York, but previously and sub- sequently of Oswego, was elected State controller in November, 1867, and held the office from January 1, 1868, until June, 1870, when he was elected judge of the Court of Appeals. John Cochrane, formerly of Oswego, served as attorney-general in 1864-65. Gilson A. Dayton, of Mexico, was appointed canal auditor, April 6, 1871, and held the office three years. John A. Place, of Oswego, was appointed canal auditor, May 20, 1880, and held until the office was abolished, March 1, 1883.
State Senators .- There were no State senators from Oswego county until after the Constitution of 1821, under which this State was divided into eight senatorial districts. The Fifth District included Oswego county, with which were Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Madison and Her- kimer; the latter was taken off in 1836, transferred to the Fourth Dis- trict, and Otsego county annexed to the Fifth. Each district elected four senators for four years, one being elected each year. On the first election they necessarily drew for terms. In 1822 Alvin Bronson, of Oswego, was elected and drew a two years term, serving in 1823-24.
222
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
No senator was elected from this county after that until 1830. Alvin Bronson, Oswego, served 1830-33; Avery Skinner, Mexico, 1838-41 ; Enoch B. Talcott, Oswego, 1845-47, when his term was cut short by the Constitution of 1846.
By the Constitution of 1846, the State was divided into thirty two districts, from each of which a senator was elected. Under its provi- sions Madison and Oswego counties constituted the Twentieth Senato- rial District, which was represented as follows from this county : Thomas H. Bond, Oswego, 1848-49 ; Moses P. Hatch, Oswego, elected in place of Asahel Stone, of Madison, 1851; James Platt, Oswego, 1852-53; M. Lindley Lee, Fulton, 1856-57. By the apportionment act of 1857, Oswego county alone became the Twenty-first Senatorial District. The following were the senators : Cheney Ames, Oswego, 1858-59; Ad- drew S. Warner, Pulaski, 1860-61 ; Richard K. Sanford, Fulton, 1862- 63 ; Cheney Ames, Oswego, 1864-65 ; John J. Wolcott, Volney, 1866- 67. By the act of 1866, Oswego and Madison counties were again united as the Twenty first Senatorial District. The senators from this county were as follows: Abner C. Mattoon, Oswego, 1868-69 ; Will- iam Foster, Constantia, 1872-73 ; Benjamin Doolittle, Oswego, 1876- 77. By the act of 1879 Oswego and Jefferson counties became the Twenty - first Senatorial District. The only senator from Oswego county, under this apportionment, was George B. Sloan, who held the office for three terms, 1886 to 1891.
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