Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 5

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194

USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 5

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On the 7th of April, 1834, the canal commissioners were directed by act of the Legislature, to survey the Inlet and report on the feasibility of removing obstructions therein at the bar and adapting it as an ap- pendage of the Erie Canal (in the language of the act). A collector's office was to be established at Ithaca. On the 2d of May, 1835, an act was passed making it the duty of the canal commissioners to dredge out the Inlet channel across the bar so that boats drawing five feet of water could pass. Under this act all property passing through the In- let from the Erie Canal was to pay a toll. In 1869 $15,000 were appro- priated by the State for dredging the Inlet, building a pier on the west side of the Inlet channel, etc., and in 1870, $1,000 were appropriated

RAILROADS.

for building a lighthouse. In 1871 an appropriation of $1,250 was made by the State to finish the work at the head of the lake, "under direction of William W. Wright, commissioner in charge."

The pier on the east side of the Inlet, being the main one, was built by Wm. Mott 2d, in 1836, at a cost of $10,000. It has since been en- larged at the head and otherwise improved.

RAILROADS .- The Ithaca and Owego Railroad was incorporated Jan- uary 28, 1828, and was the second railroad chartered in the State of New York. The first officers were Francis A. Bloodgood, president ; Richard Varick De Witt, treasurer; Ebenezer Mack, secretary; S. De- Witt Bloodgood, Andrew D. W. Bruyn, Cornelius P. Heermans, Myn- dert Van Schaick, James Pumpelly, and Alvah Beebe, directors. The flat strap rail was used, laid upon timbers running with the rail. The road was twenty-nine miles long and at the Ithaca end used two inclined planes to reach the flat from the hill above. These inclined planes were operated by horse power, a separate power for each plane. The upper one was 2, 225 feet long with a descent of one foot in twenty-one feet. The lower one was 1,733 feet long with a descent of one foot in four and 28-100ths feet, and the total descent on this was 405 feet. Cars were drawn on this road with horses from the date of its opening, in April 1834, to 1840, when an engine built in Schenectady was brought to Ithaca and placed in service. It was not equal to the required duty, and a train of cars to attend a mass meeting at Owego arrived there by efforts of the passengers pushing both the engine and the cars.

The engine was afterwards rebuilt at Schenectady and its weight and power largely increased. It proved too heavy for the bridges, and breaking through one, was so broken as not to be again used.

The original gauge of the road was six feet and was changed in Sep- tember, 1878, to four feet, eight inches. The State loaned its credit for the construction of this road to the amount of $300,000. There was, of course, default in interest, and on May 20, 1842, the property. was sold by the State comptroller under the default, and was bought in by Archibald McIntyre and others.

On the 18th of April, 1843, the Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad Company was incorporated. In 1849 the road was sold to New York parties and relaid with heavy rail. January 1, 1855, it was leased to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western road for ninety-nine years.

The Catskill and Ithaca Railroad was chartered April 28, 1828, with a capital of $1,500,000. No work was ever done under this charter.

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

The Ithaca and Auburn Railroad was chartered in May, 1836, but no work was done under the charter. The proposed route was up the south bank of Fall Creek to a point just east of Etna, and thence north- ward to Auburn.

The Auburn, Lake Ontario and New York Railroad was the succes- sor of the Ithaca and Auburn, and a large amount of work was done on it in 1850 and 1851. The road bed was partially graded from Au- burn to Asbury, and between the latter point and Fall Creek about two miles were finished. The route was to cross the creek on a high bridge nearly on a line with the present University reservoir and Cascadilla Creek near Dwyer's mill, thence direct to the present E. C. & N. depot. The heavy cut at Besemer's and the fill at Brookton, with the cut be- yond, so far as it extends, was the work of the old company. The E. C. & N. track is on the old grading from Ithaca depot south for about seven miles.

The Chemung and Ithaca Railroad was chartered in May, 1834, with a capital stock of $200.000. Its route was on the east side of the Inlet valley to Spencer. No work was done on the road.

The Ithaca and Athens Railroad Company was organized as the Ith- aca and Towanda Railroad in 1867, with a capital stock of $2,000, 000. The road was opened in 1871.

The Geneva and Ithaca Railroad Company was formed under the general railroad law in 1870, with a capital stock of $1,250,000. This road, with the Ithaca and Towanda, changed to the Ithaca and Athens, were consolidated April 10, 1874, and afterwards acquired by the Le- high Valley organization. This consolidated line is now known as the Geneva, Ithaca and Sayre Railroad.

The Ithaca and Cortland Railroad, organized under the general law, was opened for travel over nine miles of its length between Ithaca and Freeville in December, 1870; was opened to Cortland, twenty-one miles in all, in December, 1871; extended from Ithaca to Elmira and opened for travel in 1874. To form a through line the old Midland track was utilized from Cortland to De Ruyter, the link thence to Caz- enovia was built, and the Cazenovia and Canastota road used to reach the New York Central at the latter place. The name of the through road was made " Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad." After passing through a receivership and being sold, the property was acquired by Austin Corbin and his friends, and the name changed to the Elmira, Cortland and Northern. The line has been extended to Camden, on

RAILROADS.

the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg road. Its entire length from Elmira to Camden is 134 miles.

The Southern Central Railroad, organized under the general law, was opened for travel between Owego and Auburn in December, 1869. It was subsequently extended to the southwest to Sayre, Pa., and northward to Fairhaven on Lake Ontario. The line is now owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Company.

The Cayuga Railroad Company was organized in 1871, under the general law, for the purpose of constructing a road along the eastern shore of the lake between Ithaca and Cayuga Bridge. Work on the road was begun late in the same year. The rails were laid in the winter of 1872. In the spring of 1873 many miles of the road bed were washed out. The company was reorganized in 1874 as the Cayuga Lake Railroad Company ; the road was reconstructed, and trains began running in the fall. The road passed to control of the Lehigh Valley Company in 1877. In 1890 a branch was built from Union Springs to Auburn, which is now the main line, the branch to Cayuga Bridge being still in use.

The Midland Railroad, which reached Cortland from De Ruyter, utilized the track from there to Freeville, and thence built north to Scipio, when work was suspended in 1872. In 1880 the road was fin- ished to Auburn and operated until 1889, when it was sold and the rails between Freeville and Genoa were taken up. In 1890 the road was dismantled between Genoa and Dougall's, but was used from there to Auburn as an extension of the Cayuga Railroad in 1891, when the line between Union Springs and Auburn was constructed.

The Pennsylvania and Sodus Bay Railroad Company was organized under the general law to construct a road from a point in the town of Spencer where connection was to be made with the Ithaca and Athens road, through Newfield, Enfield, Ulysses, Covert, Ovid, Varick, to Seneca Falls. Rights of way were procured, the track graded, and many culverts and some bridges built. Towns on the route were bond- ed in its aid, but the enterprise was finally abandoned. There have been changes in ownership and law suits innumerable in regard to the property.

Six of the nine towns of Tompkins county issued bonds in aid of rail- roads as follows: Ithaca, $300,000, in aid of the Ithaca and Athens road, and $100,000 in aid of the Geneva and Ithaca road. Ithaca village, $100,000 in aid of the Ithaca and Cortland road. Lansing, $75,000 in

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

aid of the Midland road and the same amount in aid of the Cayuga Lake railway. Groton, $15,000 in aid of the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira road. Enfield, $25,000 in aid of the Pennsylvania and Sodus Bay road. Newfield, $52,000, and Ulysses, $75,000 for the same road. There now remains due as principal of these bonds the following sums:

Ithaca, for Ithaca and Athens road. $75,000 66 for the Ithaca and Geneva road 30,836.19

Ithaca city for the Ithaca and Cortland road 29,509.55

Groton

66 15,000

Enfield for the Pennslyvania and Sodus Bay road. 16,800

Newfield

Ulysses

66 45,800

54,200

At the termination of an extended lawsuit the bonds issued by the town of Lansing were declared invalid and ordered canceled.

CHAPTER VIII.

The First Newspaper in the County-Its Very Early Publication-Its History down to its Present Successor, the Ithaca Journal-Opening of the Telegraph Line to Ithaca-The Ithaca Chronicle-The Democrat and its Predecessors-The Weekly Ithacan-Newspapers of Trumansburgh-Other Publications.

LIKE the history of the newspaper press elsewhere, papers have been established in Tompkins county and succeeded; others, and very many of them, after a struggle for existence of brief or longer duration, sus- pended, and the hopes of a host of ambitious publishers disappeared with the close of their issues. The death roll of newspapers is a long one in every populous community.

The first newspaper attempted in Tompkins county was named The Seneca Republican, and its first issue appeared July 4. 1815, seventy- nine years ago, and nearly two years before the organization of the county. Jonathan Ingersoll was the publisher. In 1816 its name was changed to The Ithaca Journal and Mack & Shepherd purchased it. The paper was successively issued by Mack & Searing, Ebenezer Mack, and Mack & Morgan, until 1824, when William Andrus became part owner of the establishment and the paper was issued by Mack & An- drus. In 1827 the title was The Ithaca Journal, Literary Gazette and General Advertiser; but the paper survived the burden of such a name.

千葉にす

John H. Salkres

THE PRESS.

In the following year the name was shortened to The Ithaca Journal and Advertiser. In December, 1833, Mack & Andrus sold to Nathan Randall. In 1837 Randall sold to Mattison & Barnaby. Mattison sold his interest to L. S. Eddy, and Barnaby afterwards acquired the entire interest. In 1839, under an execution, the paper was sold to Alfred Wells. On the 1st of July, 1841, John H. Selkreg purchased a one-half interest, and Wells & Selkreg published the paper until 1853, when Selkreg became sole proprietor. In 1842 the name of the publication was again changed to The Ithaca Journal, which title it still holds. In July, 1870, the firm of Selkreg & Apgar was formed, and the Daily Journal appeared on July 1st of that year. This firm continued until 1876, when D. J. Apgar resold his interest to J. H. Selkreg. In 1877 the Ithaca Journal Association, a joint stock corporation, was formed, J. H. Selkreg, George E. Priest, Charles M. Benjamin and George W. Wood each owning one-fourth. In 1878 Selkreg purchased the interest of Wood, and in 1880 sold his whole share to Priest & Benjamin. The Journal Association was dissolved in 1891, and the Daily and Weekly Journal is now published by Priest & Benjamin. Three papers have been absorbed by the Journal, viz .: The Jeffersonian and Tompkins Times, established by Charles Robbins in 1835, was sold to George G. Freer in 1836, and merged into the Journal in 1837. The Flag of the Union, started by Jonathan B. Gosman in 1848, was absorbed by the Journal in 1849. The Ithacan, started by H. D. Cunningham and George C. Bragdon in 1868, was sold to the Journal in 1870.

The Ithaca Journal was a Jacksonian organ and continued in the Democratic column down to 1856. In 1848 it advocated the election of Van Buren as against Cass. In 1856, in July, it became Republican, supporting Fremont and Dayton, and has continued an ardent advocate of Republican principles since. The Journal now and for many years past has ranked among the prominent newspapers of the interior of the State.

In 1846 a telegraph line had been constructed and was in operation between Utica and New York-a part of the main line then in process of building towards Buffalo. A branch wire was operated to Ithaca, and for some months the Journal and the Chronicle published small broadside dailies, distributing them gratuitously. No charge was made for the reports received, and the type set for these dodgers (for they were little more than that) was used in the regular weekly issues of the two papers.

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

In 1820 David D. Spencer, who had just completed his apprentice- ship with L. H. Redfield in the office of the Syracuse Gazette and Register, associated himself with Mr. Stockton and began the publica- tion of the Ithaca Chronicle. In 1823 D. D. Spencer acquired Stock- ton's interest and then sold one-half of the establishment to T. S. Chatterton, who purchased the remainder in 1828. He changed the name of the paper to The Ithaca Republican, and again changed it to The Tompkins American; but he discontinued the publication in 1834.

In February, 1828, David D. and Anson Spencer began the publica- tion of The Ithaca Chronicle. Spence Spencer, son of David D., was at one period in the firm. In 1853, David D. Spencer dying, Anson Spencer became sole proprietor. In 1854 he sold the establishment to A. E. Barnaby & Co., who changed the name of the paper to The American Citizen. The paper again came into the hands of Anson Spencer.

Timothy Maloney began the publication of The Tompkins Democrat in the autumn of 1856, continuing it until his death in 1860. Samuel C. Clisbe then purchased the office and sold one half to Barnum R. Williams. Clisbe retired and the paper was consolidated with The Citizen (just mentioned), and the name changed to The Democrat in November, 1863. The business was conducted by Spencer & Williams until the summer of 1872, when Mr. Spencer again acquired the entire ownership and sold one-half to Ward Gregory, December 1, 1873. Mr. Spencer died July 26, 1876, and Mr. Gregory purchased Mr. Spencer's interest. On the 1st of March, 1889, George W. Apgar bought a one- half interest in the property. Mr. Gregory died May 30, 1889, and his widow retaining his interest, the firm remains unchanged. The Re- publican Chronicle advocated the election of Adams in 1824, and was the Whig organ up to 1854 in this county, when Barnaby & Co. made it the organ of the American party. This continued until 1860, and it then became and has since continued the Democratic organ of Tomp- kins county. It is ably edited and its sterling principles and firm adherence to the doctrines of its party give it a powerful influence.

The Weekly Ithacan is at the present time (1894) published by Lewis A. Clapp, son of Asahel Clapp, who died March 1, 1893. In May, 1856, H. D. Rumsey started the publication of Rumsey's Companion at Dryden. The name was soon changed to The Fireside Companion, and again a few months later to The Dryden News. In 1857 G. Z. House purchased the concern and changed the name of the paper to

THE PRESS.

The New York Confederacy. The paper was soon afterward discon- tinued. In July, 1858, Asahel Clapp resuscitated the publieation under the name of The Dryden Weekly News. He enlarged and improved it, and in April, 1871, in eonnection with Haines D. Cunningham and Edward D. Norton, the establishment was removed to Ithaca and the name of the paper changed to The Weekly Ithaean and Dryden News, with loeal editions for each village. After the lapse of about six months the firm was dissolved and Mr. Clapp became sole owner. In June, 1874, he sold the establishment to George Ketehum, who failed in 1875, and Mr. Clapp was compelled to foreelose his lien on the office and bid it in. Sinee that date the paper has been enlarged and im- proved and has attained a large eireulation. The Ithacan supported the Greenbackers in their day, but has made a consistent reeord for temperance ever sinee its establishment.

THE PRESS IN TRUMANSBURGH .- The best history of the newspapers of Trumansburgh is printed in a publieation devoted to the history of that village and published from the Free Press office in 1890. This publication, evideneing great research and labor in preparation, gives by far the most comprehensive history of the largest village in Tomp- kins eounty outside of Ithaea, covering also much of the history of the town of Ulysses and many other matters in which the inhabitants of that locality have an interest. The writer of this volume here aeknowl- edges the great help it has been to him in his task. We quote from its pages the following facts: The first newspaper in Trumansburgh was the Lake Light, an anti-Masonic paper, commeneed in 1827 by W. W. Phelps. The Light was extinguished in 1829 for want of support. The Anti-Masonic Sentinel was its successor, published by R. St. John, but it lived only about three months. In 1832 David Fairchild started The Advertiser. He suceeeded in his business and in 1837 sold his establishment to Palmer & Maxon; the latter soon afterward retired, and Mr. Palmer continued sole publisher. John Gray sueeeeded him, ehanging the title to The Trumansburgh Sun. Hawes & Hooker sue- cecded Gray, changing the name to The Gazette. Not succeeding, the establishment eame into the hands of John Creque, jr., who afterwards leased it to S. M. Day, who changed the name of the paper to The Trumansburgh Herald. Mr. Day was succeeded by W. K. Creque, who ealled the paper The Independent. Its publication eeased in 1852, and Corydon Fairchild, of Ovid, purchased the materials.

In November, 1860, A. P. Osborn started the Trumansburgh News, with Edward Himrod as associate editor. Himrod afterwards leased

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

the office of and continued the paper, but Osborn sold the plant to John McL. Thompson. A. O. Hicks and W. W. Pasko bought of Thomp- son, and were succeeded by J. W. Van Amie, and he by W. H. Cuff- man, who continued the publication until the office was destroyed by fire, February 22, 1864. On April 5, 1865, O. M. Wilson issued the first number of The Tompkins County Sentinel, the name of which was afterwards changed to The Trumansburgh Sentinel. February 13, 1879, he sold the paper to C. L. Adams, and January 1, 1894, he sold to Charles A. Vorhees, its present proprietor.

In 1873 A. F. Allen published The Advance, which was continued only three months. On the 7th of November Mr. Allen revived the Free Press and has successfully conducted it; it may now be properly styled an established newspaper.

The Dryden Herald was started at that village in 1871 by William Smith, who a few months later sold out to Osborn & Clark. In 1876 Ford & Strobridge acquired the establishment. It subsequently came into the hands of A. M. Ford, and is now successfully published by his sons, J. B. & W. A. Ford. The Herald is neutral in politics with Re- publican tendencies.

Other more or less ephemeral publications in this county have been The Tompkins Volunteer, which was started in Ithaca by H. C. Good- win in 1840. John Gray afterwards owned the establishment, and he sold to J. Hunt, jr., who issued the paper as The Tompkins Democrat. The plant was removed to Chenango county.

The Western Messenger was started by A. P. Searing in Ithaca in 1826 and continued about two years. Searing also started The Western Museum and Belles Lettres Repository in 1821, continuing it some two years.

James M. Miller published The Castigator in 1823. In this paper appeared the proclamations of the Moral Society, famous in olden Ithaca.

O. A. Bronson began the publication of The Philanthropist, a Uni- versalist organ, which lived about a year.

The Templar and Watchman, a temperance journal, was started by Orlando Lund, who sold an interest to Charles F. Williams. Subse- quently Lund sold to Myron S. Barnes, who with Williams continued the paper about two years.

Edgar St. John commenced the publication of a temperance weekly in 1845 and continued it about two years. It was printed in the Jour- nal office.

THE PRESS.

The Christian Doctrinal Advocate and Spiritual Monitor was started at Mott's Corners (now Brookton) in 1837. It was the organ of the Seventh-Day Baptists and secured a large circulation, principally in the Southern and Western States. The paper continued several years, when the office was removed elsewhere.

The Ithaca Daily Leader was started November 2, 1869, by William A. Burritt. It was a small sheet six and one-half by nine and one-half inches printed matter, two columns on a page. February 1, 1870, it appeared as a three-column sheet, and the pages enlarged to eight and one-half by eleven inches. It subsequently passed into the hands of H. D. Cunningham and E. D. Norton, by whom it was enlarged. It was published by them until December 31, 1872, when it was discon- tinued.

The Groton Balance was started in January, 1831, by H. P. Eels & Co., who issued it a few months, when it passed into the hands of E. S. Keeney, and its name changed to The Groton Democrat. It was discontinued in 1840.

The Groton Journal was established by H. C. Marsh, November 9, 1866. He continued its publication until January, 1872, when it was purchased by A. T. Lyon, who issued it until December 9 of the same year, when it was sold to L. N. Chapin, who sold it to W. H. Allen, who took possession July 17, 1879. He associated with him H. L. Wright. L. J. Townley, the present proprietor, came on the paper October 16, 1879, and established the Lansing department, when the name was changed to the Groton and Lansing Journal and did business as the Journal Printing Company. November 17, 1883, Mr. Townley purchased the establishment and associated with him H. L. Wright, under the firm name of Townley & Wright. December 1, 1885, Mr. Wright disposed of his interest to Mr. Townley, who has since pub- lished the paper. The Journal is a large folio, ably edited, and of great influence.

LANDMARKS OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.

CHAPTER IX.

History of Tompkins County Agricultural Society-Its First Officers-Insignifi- cance of Early Premiums Offered-Sales and Purchases of Property-History of the County Poor House-Statistics of its Present Condition-Masonic Societies in the County-Other Societies and Institutions.

THERE was an Agricultural Society in existence in this county at or soon after the organization in 1817, but no records are accessible in regard to its proceedings. In 1820 the annual meeting, as reported in the American Journal of March 22, was held on the 1st of March, when William T. Southworth was chosen chairman, and Platt Ketchum sec- retary. Officers were chosen for the ensuing year as follows: William T. Southworth, president; Alexander Bower, George Robertson, Peter Himrod, William Morrison and Job Allen, vice-presidents; Platt Ketchum, corresponding secretary; Jacob G. Dykeman, recording sec- retary; Luther Gere, treasurer; William R. Collins, auditor.

The sum of $186 was offered that year in premiums, and the fair was held on the last Tuesday in November at the Ithaca Hotel. Old resi- dents speak of the "show," as it was termed, as a great success. The fair closed with awards to successful exhibitors, after which a proces- sion was formed which marched to the Presbyterian Church, where a prayer was offered by Rev. William Wisner, and an oration delivered by William T. Southworth. The premiums awarded were then paid in specie at the close of the church exercises.

There are no attainable records in regard to this society after 1820 for a number of years. The fairs are, however, remembered, showing that their commencement was in 1839. Some authorities claim that the reorganization was in 1841, and another one in 1838. In 1855 the society purchased four blocks of land near the steamboat landing, and in 1857 another block, five in all, bounded on the west by Cascadilla Creek; on the north by Railroad avenue; on the east by Auburn street ; and on the south by Lewis street. On this tract was erected a two- story exhibition hall, fifty by one hundred feet in dimensions, and a trotting track laid out. In 1875 this property was sold to B. G. Jayne,

and forty-five acres bought west of Meadow street and south of Clinton

street, in the southwest part of the city. There a large number of buildings have been erected for exhibition and other purposes, and the society, in point of efficiency and resources, stands abreast with any county society in the State.

Abstract of receipts and disbursements of Tompkins County Agri- cultural Society for 1893:

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Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 5

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194