Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 41

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410

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John B. Edwards was for many years president of this institution, and continued in that capacity until January, 1895, when old age com-

Water Works Company. He was collector of the port from 1889 to 1893, and is prominently iden- tified with the banking interests of the city. His father, Silas Lyman, who came to the Black River country in 1796, became a captain in the war of 1812 and subsequently a colonel in the militia. Many of his ancestors were conspicuous in the early colonial wars,

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pelled him to decline a re-election. The present officers are as fol- lows :

President, Alanson S. Page; vice-presidents, Mannister Worts and Benjamin S. Stone; attorney, S. M. Coon; secretary, Alonzo H. Failing ; treasurer, Joseph B. Lathrop; trustees, Ozro M. Bond, Lawrence Clancy, S. M. Coon, Daniel L. Couch, John B. Ed- wards, Alonzo H. Failing, Oren F. Gaylord, W. T. Henderson, James F. Herrick, Joseph B. Lathrop, Henry D. McCaffrey, Alanson S. Page, Benjamin S. Stone, Charles A. Tanner, Benjamin C. Turner, and Mannister Worts.

On January 1, 1895, the bank had a surplus of $100,054.12 and assets $904,350.92.

The Bank of Oswego was established in 1871, with a capital of $100, - 000. Its officers were Philo Remington, president, and Stephen H. Lathrop, cashier. It continued in existence until February 19, 1879, when it went into liquidation.

Oswego was made a port of entry in 1803. Before the war of 1812 the collector's office was kept in various places in First street, below Cayuga, but mostly in William Dolloway's store, corner of West Cayuga and First streets. After this Nathan Sage moved it to his dwelling on West First street, on the site of the Doolittle House John Grant, jr., kept it on West Seneca street between First and Water, after which it was moved to the foot of West Seneca street, and thence to the Burckle building in Water street ; here it remained until Col- lector Robinson moved it into the Government Building, October 5, 1858. This commodious and substantial fire- proof structure was erected in 1857, on West Oneida street between First and Second. It is a three-story stone building, 58 by 86 feet in size, and is occupied by the post-office, first floor ; the customs officials, second floor ; and the U. S. court room and weather signal station, third floor.

The following persons have held the position of collector of customs since the establishment of the district :

Joel Burt, March 3, 1803, to June 11, 1811; Nathan Sage, June 12, 1811, to May 31, 1826; John Grant, jr., June 1, 1826, to April 30, 1834; George H. McWhorter, May 1, 1834, to August 1, 1841; Thomas H. Bond, August 2, 1841, to May 23, 1843 ; George H. McWhorter, May 24, 1843, to June 4, 1849; Jacob Richardson, June 5, 1849, to May 22, 1853; Enoch B. Talcott, May 28, 1853, to March 31, 1858; Orville Robinson, April 1, 1858, to March 31, 1860; John B. Higgins, April 1, 1860, to September 30, 1861 ; Charles A. Perkins, October 1, 1861, to August 31, 1864 ; Andrew Van Dyck, September 1, 1864, to March 31,; 1869 ; Charles C. P. Clark, April 1, 1869, to April 30,

Lomio C.

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OSWEGO AS A VILLAGE AND CITY.

1871; Elias Root, May 1, 1871, to July 9, 1877; Daniel G. Fort, July 10, 1877, to January 13, 1882; John J. Lamoree, January 14, 1882, to July 31, 1885; Isaac B. Poucher, July 31, 1885, to July, 1889; Henry H. Lyman, July, 1889, to December, 1893; W. J. Bulger, December, 1893, present incumbent.

Post office .- Oswego was without a regular post- office until October 7, 1806. Whatever mail reached the few residents here prior to that date was brought by occasional travelers or by military messengers. October 7, 1806, Joel Burt, an uncle of B. B. Burt of Oswego, was appointed postmaster of the village, and continued in the office until January 24, 1815. He was also collector of the port at the same time. He was succeeded in 1815 by William Dolloway, who was followed on January 17, 1816, by Capt. Nathan Sage, the pioneer of Redfield (see history of that town), who held the office until June 22, 1825, and also served a part of the time as collector. The postmasters of Oswego since 1825 have been as follows :

Jobn Grant, jr., to January 10, 1831 ; Samuel Hawley, to September 24, 1839; John H. Lord, to September 27, 1841 ; James Cochrane to July 21, 1845; David P. Brews- ter, to 1849; Robert H. Martin, from January to May, 1849; Cheney Ames, to 1853; Samuel R. Beardsley, to 1858; Alfred B. Getty, to 1861 ; Henry Fitzhugh, to 1865; Amos J. Cowles, to 1866; Samuel R. Taylor, to 1867; David W. Irwin, to 1869; George Hugunin, to 1873; John A. Place, to 1877; Cheney Ames, to 1881; Charles R. Parkinson, to 1876; John A. Barry, to 1890; John A. Place, 1890 to 1894; Louis C. Rowe, to present time.

The office very early was located in William Dolloway's store on the east side of West First street between Cayuga and Seneca streets. Upon the completion of the first brick building in the place, on the corner of West First and Seneca streets, it was moved there; this burned in 1833, and the office was removed to a story and a half wooden building on the west side of Water street. When the Market Hall was completed in 1837 it was removed thither and remained there until 1858, when it was taken to its present quarters in the government building.1

The Board of Trade .- In the industrial and commercial development of Oswego, two business organizations have been largely influential. The first of these was the Board of Trade, which had its inception at a meeting held for the purpose at the Welland House, September 27,

1 Upon the retirement of Postmaster-General John Wanamaker he wrote John A. Place a let- ter, expressing the highest appreciation of his services in the Oswego post-office during the ad- ministration of President Harrison. Mr. Place is a native of Oswego and a man of high character.

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1848, at which L. B. Crocker, James Platt, D. C. Littlejohn, Joel B. Penfield, and Gilbert Mollison were appointed a committee on organi- zation. On October 2, the board was duly organized with these officers : Alvin Bronson, president; George Seeley, vice-president; Reid P. Whitney. treasurer ; James Platt, Sylvester Doolittle, Joel B Penfield, Moses Merick, Lucius B. Crocker, William Lewis, jr., and Myron Par- dee, directors. The object of the board was the promotion of equitable principles in trade, the correction of abuses, and the protection of rights and advancement of the mercantile classes. The presidents since the organization have been as follows :

Alvin Bronson, 1848-49; James Platt, 1850; D. C. Littlejohn, 1851-53; James Platt, 1854; Frederick T. Carrington, 1855; William Lewis, 1856; Alvin Bronson, 1857; Frederick T. Carrington, 1858; Oscar H. Hastings, 1859-60; W. I. Preston, 1861-62; George B. Sloan, 1863; Frederick B. Lathrop, 1864 ; Gilbert Mollison, 1865- 66; A. H. Failing, 1867; Cheney Ames, 1868; Robert F. Sage, 1869; John K. Post, 1870; Benjaman Hagaman, 1871; W. D. Smith, 1872; Daniel L. Couch, 1873 ; Theo- dore Irwin, 1874; Isaac G. Jenkins, 1875; William R. Hosmer, 1876 ; John Dunn, 1877; Gilbert Mollison, 1878; O. H. Brown, 1879; Thomas Matthews, 1880; Daniel L. Couch, 1881; C. W. Pardee, 1882-84; J. Irving Weed, 1885-86 ; Robert Downey, . 1887; Dudley M. Irwin, 1888-91 ; Robert G. Post, 1892-94.

The Business Men's Associatiom .- This association was organized April 21, 1892, as the result of a temporary meeting called by Mayor Allen a few days previously. The first Board of Managers consisted of W. D. Allen, John D. Higgins, Charles A. Tanner. James Dowdle, O. S. Osterhout, R. J. Oliphant, John T. Mott, John Keefe, B. C. Frost, H. D. McCaffrey, T. E. O'Keefe, C. H. Bond, J. F. Herrick, Niel Gray, J. D. Macfarlane, and Robert S. Sloan. Max B. Richardson served continuously as president of the association until 1895, when he resigned and was succeeded by Charles A. Tanner. The other officers at its organization were H. A. Wilcox, vice-president ; Laurence Clancy, treasurer; Frank P. Farrell, recording secretary ; Owen McNally, financial secretary. These officers remain the same except the recording secretary, who is T. F. Gleason. The board of managers for 1894 con- sists of W. D. Allen, James Dowdle, H. D. McCaffrey, John McGraw, C. H. Bond, J. H. Cooper, P. W. Cullinan, Ambrose Paine, F. L. Smith, W. J. Bulger, C. A. Tanner, O. S. Osterhout, John T. Mott, James F. Herrick, John Keefe, Niel Gray, John D. Higgins, F. P. Far- rell, James D. Henderson, and Sidney Van Auken.

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OSWEGO AS A VILLAGE AND CITY.

The object of the association is to foster the present business institu- tions of Oswego, and to induce new enterprises to locate in or near the city. It has been successful in bringing to the place, among other industries, the Diamond Match factory, the Silver Metal Manufacturing Co., and the Tonkin Boiler and Engine works.

The Fire Department .- The facilities for extinguishing fires in Oswego were for many years limited in extent and ineffectual in their use. Previous to the incorporation of the village in 1828, while there may have been and probably was some organization among the citizens to effect combined action at conflagrations, records in relation thereto are wholly absent. The usual outfit of buckets, ladders, and other crude appurtenances were in possession of the various house owners at an early day, and attempts were made to enforce regulations for their use.

In 1828, the year the village was incorporated, the following persons were appointed fire wardens : Henry Eagle, Francis Rood, Thomas Ambler, and William I. Kniffen. Various quaint regulations were made governing the village officials in relation to fire matters which have been preserved as follows :

The fire wardens were provided with a badge of office, consisting of a staff seven feet long, painted red, with the words "fire-warden" upon each of them. The fire-wardens were directed to attend every fire with their badges of office, and attend to the forming of lines and other necessary measures. Trustees present at a fire were also directed to wear white bands around their hats. If any contumacious individual should refuse to obey the orders of either fire-warden or a trustee, it was ordered that he should be fined two dollars. Each citizen was required to have a fire-bucket for every two fireplaces or stoves in his house, to be kept hanging at the front of his build- ing, with his name painted upon them, and in case of fire every man was required to take his buckets thither, under penalty of two dollars fine. Police constables were re- quired to be present at all fires, to protect property. The fire-wardens were required to make quarterly examinations of chimneys, fireplaces and ovens, and order their re- pair when needed. Lest, however, these regulations should not produce the desired effect, a fire company was raised, consisting at first of thirty, and afterwards of fifty, members.1

In a notice in a local newspaper under date of January, 1830, E. W. Clarke, clerk, notified all who had not complied with the ordinance relative to fire buckets to do so before February 25. On the day pre- vious to that date notice was given to "the fire company to meet for

1 Condensed from Oswego Village Records, pp. 246, 247,

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exercise at J. Raynor's tavern once each month thereafter at 4 P. M." This notice was signed by W. G. Adkins, captain, and J. G. Case, clerk. No engine had yet been purchased by the village, and it would seem that the citizens were awaiting the coming of a destructive fire to spur them into action in that direction. The fire of course came. Sometime in August, 1833, a few buildings were burned, after which a local paper made the very reasonable inquiry, "Why has not the new engine been ob- tained ?" Before the close of that year the Board of Trustees ordered "a first-class engine " from New York, which was received about the Ist of December, 1833.

It is impossible and unnecessary to follow the proceedings of the early fire companies prior to the organization of the regular department. They kept up their organization and performed such service as they were able at the few fires that occurred.

On April 12, 1842, an act was passed by the Legislature providing for the incorporation of a fire department in Oswego. The first fire wardens were Eli W. Warner, Luther Wetherby, Timothy Pitkin, Sam- uel Hascy, Daniel McCarty, James McNair, John Fayette, Joseph C. Wellington, Joseph L. Wilber,1 and Alpheus Steward. It was pro- vided that each company organized should have twenty-four members. The result was the formation of several companies for the department, one of which was a hose company, organized in 1842 and attached to Engine No. I. There was already in existence at least one hook and ladder company, and a new engine had recently been purchased of Lewis Selye. In 1843 the Board of Trustees voted a specified sun annually to each organization-$30 to each engine company and $10 to each hook and ladder company.

In 1850 the department consisted of seven companies, 424 men, five engines, four hose carts, 1, 300 feet of hose, two hook and ladder trucks, nine ladders, six hooks, twelve axes, and twelve fire buckets. The de- partment comprised Engine Co. No. 1, 91 men ; Engine Co. No. 2, 92 men (then in service two years); No. 3, 72 men (in service three years, with a Button engine); No. 4, 82 men (with a much worn engine built

1 Joseph L. Wilber came to Oswego about 1829 with his brothers, Benjamin and Herman, and engaged in the shoe and leather business. About 1836 he built the Wilber block on the corner of East First and Bridge streets. He died in April, 1879, and was at that time one of the oldest mer- chants in the city.

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in 1834); No. 5, 32 men (the oldest company in the department); and two hook and ladder companies. John McNair was chief engineer. June 21, 1850, the Common Council authorized the erection of the Cataract engine house at a cost of $874. During this year a local paper states that " the city has a splendid fire department." In January, 1851, a new engine was purchased for Engine Co. No. 2. Adin Allard was chief engineer. On April 1, 1852, Ontario Engine Co. No. 2 disbanded and their engine and equipment were transferred to Washing- ton Engine Co. No. 5.

On April 12, 1855, the fire department was reincorporated with John Dynan, Matthew Soulon, Richard Tobin, Lawrence Johnson, John C. Hugunin, John Comes, James Ryan, James Malone, Volney K. Burr, Sylvester G. Abbott, Nathan Robbins, and William Stewart as fire wardens. It was thus placed upon a new and more effective basis, and for many years ably filled all the requirements of a volunteer organiza- tion. It does not appear, however, that any new equipment was pur- chased prior to 1860, when, on June 19, the Fire Commissioners were authorized to contract for a Button engine for Cataract Co. No. 4, at not to exceed $1,325. The destructive conflagration of 1853, and the fire of December 3, 1860, which consumed the Washington block on West First street north of the post-office, and much other property, entailing a loss of nearly $48,000, had taught property owners that better equipment was necessary for the safety of the city. A call was therefore made for a steamer, but no purchase was effected.

In 1860 the department consisted of Ontario Engine Co., No. 1, 93 men ; Champion, No. 2, 89 men; Niagara, No. 3, 83 men; Cataract, No. 4, 97 men ; Rescue, No. 5, 109 men ; Hook and Ladder, No. 1, 130 men ; Hook and Ladder, No. 2, 242 men; chief and two assistants ; total, 546 men.

The first steamer was purchased in 1867, in February of which year a committee was appointed consisting of J. M. Barrow, Samuel Lippen- cott, and Charles Parker to investigate and report a suitable engine for the department. They reported in favor of a second-class Pawtucket engine at a cost of $4,250. At this time the department consisted of Ontario Engine Co., No. 1, 80 men ; Union, No. 2, 84 men ; Niagara, No. 3, 40 men; Cataract, No. 4, 92 men ; Rescue, No. 5, 88 men ;

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Victory, No. 6, 66 men; Hook and Ladder, No. 1, 26 men ; and Hook and Ladder, No. 2, 37 men. April 3, 1869, the Legislature amended the act of 1855, authorizing the department to hold real estate to the value of $100,000 instead of $20,000 as theretofore.

The year 1876 marked an important era in the history of fire protec- tion in Oswego. The old and honored volunteer firemen were super- seded by a paid department, and the present system was put in opera- tion. In this connection it is eminently proper to allude to the organ- ization which was passing out of existence. To it nearly every able- bodied citizen at one time or another had belonged, rendering it efficient service on all needed occasions. Many were their deeds of daring heroism.' An honorable discharge exempting the recipient from further service was coveted as a prize-mark of laudable ambition. Among the old chiefs were Moses P. Hatch (first chief, 1837), Lewis Sickles, Nathan Robbins, Reuben G. Wellington, John NcNair, John E. Lee, Adin Allard, C. G. Curry, T. M. Wilson (1853, great fire), Thomas Tifft, William Hancock, Albert F. Smith John Statts, George Watson, and Charles C. Mattoon. For the benefit of the members of the old volun- teer fire department a relief fund was established, which is now controll- ed by the Fire Council.

The present Fire Department was incorporated May 20, 1876, with Bradley B. Burt, Thomas Dobbie, Edward Mitchell, and David M. Gorseline as Fire Commissioners. They were empowered to " organize fire companies, and appoint a sufficient number of able-bodied men, and reputable inhabitants of Oswego, firemen." At the first meeting B. B. Burt was made chairman and H. H. Harmon was chosen clerk pro tem. George W. Warsop appointed chief engineer and P. M. Cunningham and J. Mitchell assistants. J. C. Cooley was made clerk, but three months later was succeeded by George N. Burt, who was followed by Frederick Griggs, who in turn gave place to the present clerk, Frederick A. Sweet- land. Mr. Warsop served as chief engineer during a period of fourteen years, and to him is largely due the high degree of efficiency and thor- ough organization of the department. He was succeeded in June, 1890, by Robert G. Blackburn,1 the present chief.

I Robert G. Blackburn was born in Oswego in 1851 and joined the old volunteer firemen in January, 1869. In November, 1876, he joined the paid department as a substitute and February 20, 1877, was appointed a reguiar call man,

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OSWEGO AS A VILLAGE AND CITY.

In 1878 a fire alarm system with thirty boxes was placed in opera- tion at a cost of $3,500. In 1891 a Gamewell four-circuit repeater was added at an expense of $1,050. The system now comprises thirty - seven boxes. The present (1894) officers of the department are as follows :

Board of Fire Commissioners (appointed by the mayor) : Nelson S. Stone, chairman ; John E. Fitzgerald, Samuel Bull, and Frank Mosher ; Fire Council : William A. Poucher, Bradley B. Burt, Boardman C. Frost, Max B. Richardson, William Hancock, and George W. Warsop; chief engineer, Robert G. Blackburn ; assistant engineer, John Nacey.

The department is constituted and equipped as follows : Steamer No. I, Walter Robinson, foreman ; West Second street between Bridge and Oneida; Button engine, purchased in 1886, cost $4,400; hose wagon, cost $375 ; extra hose reel. Chemical No. 2, Michael O'Gor- man, foreman; East Second street between Bridge and Oneida ; for- merly Steamer Co. No. 2 ; changed to present name about 1886; chem- ical engine, cost $1, 100, and Silsby steamer, cost $4,200. Steamer No. 3, Robert Wright, acting foreman ; corner of East Sixth and Bridge streets ; Silsby steamer purchased in 1881, cost $4,200 (stored at No. I's engine house) ; hose reel, cost $700; extra hose reel, cost $700; Silsby steamer, purchased in 1882, cost $4,200. Hook and Ladder, No. 1, William Williams, foreman; West Second street between Bridge and Cayuga ; two trucks, costing $3,250 and $2,200. The department owns and keeps one team of horses at each engine house, one horse for the chief, and hires four horses for emergencies. It is also equipped with about 6,500 feet of hose which cost. $6,000.

The Police Department .- The police system of Oswego began with the appointment under the village charter of 1828 of two police consta- bles, one on each side of the river. Under a charter amendment of 1836 this number was increased to two on each side of the river, and provision was also made for two police justices. The law of April 29, 1844, provided for the appointment of an officer called "the police justice of the village of Oswego;" to be appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate, and to hold office four years; the salary to be not less than $200 nor more than $400. In the second year this salary was to be paid by the towns of Oswego and Scriba, twelve parts by Oswego and eleven parts by Scriba.

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By the act of incorporating the city in 1848 the mayor and Common Council were given authority to appoint four police constables, with necessary night watchmen. By virtue of this authority a force consist- ing of four men was appointed. The charter amendment of March 9, 1855, abolished the existing police system and provided for the appoint- ment of a chief and eight policemen ; the appointments to be made by the Council by ballot, and the salary to be fixed annually by the Council. The charter amendment of February 28, 1861, provided for an increase of the force and empowered the mayor to appoint extra police. The act of April 16, 1870, provided for the election of four police commissioners, two to reside on each side of the river. Two years later (May II, 1872) this act was amended and it was made man- datory upon the commissioners to appoint from twelve to sixteen police- men. This regulation is still in force.

The chiefs of the Oswego police have been as follows :

Nehemiah Dodge (marshal), 1848 to 1851 inclusive ; Portius Parsons, 1852 ; Nehe- miah Dodge, 1852 to 1854 inclusive ; Henry Stowell (chief), 1855-56 ; Volney Sayles, 1857-58; James Ells, 1859-60; Stephen Reid, 1861-62; Rufus Hawkins, 1863; Walter Read, 1864; Chester Penfield, 1865; Rodolphus D. S. Tyler, 1866; Nathaniel A. Wright. 1867-68; Nathan S. Lee, 1869-71; Joel A. Baker,1 1872 to 1885 inclusive ; James Doyle 1886 to the present time.

The Oswego Water Works Company was incorporated on the 4th of May, 1863, but work on the construction of its plant was not com- menced until the spring of 1867. The original incorporators of the company were Thomas Kingsford, De Witt C. Littlejohn, Delos De Wolf, Samuel B. Johnson, Hamilton Murray, Theodore Irwin, Cheney Ames, John B. Edwards, and Abner C. Mattoon, who also constituted the first Board of Directors. The capital stock was $75,000, which was divided into shares of $100 each.

The company was reorganized in 1867, and its capital increased to $229,500, and in November, 1867, the system as then contemplated was completed, and consisted of a pumping station with one set of

1 Joel A. Baker was a native of Scriba. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, 147th Reg- iment, and served until the organization was mustered out, and took part in every battle in which the regiment participated. Returning home he taught school for a time, and in 1866 was nominated by the Democrats for supervisor and elected, gaining a re-election in the following year. Soon after his second election he was appointed under-sheriff and filled that position until June, 1871, when he was appointed chief of police.

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ÔSWEGO AS A VILLAGE AND CITY.

pumps of 2,000,000 gallons capacity per day, located at the High Dam on the river two miles south of the City Hall; two filtering and distrib- uting reservoirs of 20,000,000 gallons capacity ; and about sixteen miles of mains, upon which were 100 fire hydrants, for the supply of which' the city was to pay $20,000 annually. Hon. William J. McAlpin was the chief engineer, John McNair was resident engineer, and James Mc- Donald was the builder of the works. The first board of directors under the new organization, elected February 16, 1867, consisted of Delos De Wolf, D. C. Littlejohn, John B. Edwards, Thomas Kingsford, A. C. Mattoon, Samuel B. Johnson, Theodore Irwin, Cheney Ames and Daniel G. Fort, with Delos De Wolf as president and Mr. Fort as sec- retary and treasurer. In 1883 Thomas S. Mott assumed control of the company, and after his election as president continued to hold that office until his death in 1891. Under his able management the com- pany brought its plant to its present efficient condition, which is more than double the original capacity. It now has two pumping stations equipped with the most modern water wheels and with pumps of over 5,000,000 gallons daily capacity ; reservoirs with modern filters; forty- five miles of mains, 244 fire hydrants, and twenty drinking fountains ; and the average daily consumption of water is over 2,500,000 gallons. The Board of Directors for 1894 consists of John T. Mott, president ; Elliott B. Mott, vice-president and treasurer; Henry H. Lyman, secre- tary ; and Thomson Kingsford, Theodore Irwin, George B. Sloan, J. D. W. Case, Edgar D. Johnson and Henry L. Wright. Thomas H. Ben- nett is superintendent.

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Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 41

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1410

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410