USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Memorial history of Syracuse, N.Y. : from its settlement to the present time > Part 20
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Two other meetings were held in March in relation to the better gov- ernment of the city, and approving of the charter amendments in this regard.
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PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
The salary of the Chief was fixed at $Soo; that of the Justice at $1,200; and of policemen at $600. With these changes, and the appointment of good men, the city entered upon a period of greater peace and quietude. Thomas Davis was then Chief.
Early in the year 1857 the Chief reported that there were about 500 places in the city where liquor was sold on Sundays, and proclaimed that he should enforce the laws against this traffic. One of the local papers soon afterward congratulated the community on the excellent condition of the city under the existing police force and Justice Thompson's administration.
During the war period there was not much change in the police force calling for particular mention. There were occasional appointments of spe- cials for the better control of the rougher elements at some particular times, but as a rule the force as it then existed, and under its very creditable man- agement, was sufficient to preserve the peace of the city, even though it was an important recruiting station and rendezvous of the Union army.
In Mayor William D. Stewart's inaugural address of 1867 he recom- mended doubling the numerical strength of the police force. Fred Schug then occupied the position of Chief, and he was succeeded by Thomas Davis.
The organization of the police force upon its present basis was effected in pursuance of an Act of Legislature passed February 15, 1869. The act provided for the election in that year of four Police Commissioners, two of whom should be elected by ballot, and the two receiving severally the next highest number of votes to those declared elected should be appointed by the Common Council. Two of these officials were to hold their offices until March, 1871, and two until March, 1873. After that the term of the office was made four years, two to be elected in each year.
This Board was empowered to appoint not to exceed thirty policemen to enter on their duties April 1, 1867 ; also to appoint such further number as they might deem best, on request of the Common Council, not exceed- ing thirty-four, and also such special policemen as necessary, not exceeding in number the regular force, nor to serve for more than ten days. Compen- sation for the regular force was fixed at $65 per month, and the appoint- ment of a Chief, a Captain of the Night Watch, and four detectives by the Board, provided for with all necessary general regulations for the govern- ment of the force.
On the 7th of May, 1869, the City Charter was amended so that the Mayor should have power to appoint special policemen to act as night watchmen.
On April 15, 1870, the police law was amended, the pay of the force being increased to $75 per month, and that of the Captain of the Night Watch to $100 per monthi.
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
On the 2d of June, 1876, the Police Commissioners were given power, by an amendment to the charter, to issue subpoenas for witnesses in exam - ining members of the police force on charges against them.
May 17, 1879, the police law was again amended, increasing the numer- ical limit of the force to forty-two men, and the pay to the members to $75 per month, and the number of detectives to seven.
On the 21st of June, ISSI, other amendments to the law of 1869 were made, the principal changes being the transfer to the Mayor of appointment of Police Cominissioners, and giving him the power of removal for any cause deemed sufficient to himself. In case of the removal of any member of the force by the Commissioners, they were required to make and trans- mit to the Common Council a statement in writing of their reasons for such removal.
In the Act of 1885, for the revision and consolidation of the several acts in relation to the city of Syracuse and aniending the charter, several minor changes were made in the regulations governing the police force. The maximum limit of the pay of the Chief was fixed at $150 per month, and the Chief was made Clerk of the Board of Commissioners. The members of the force were given all of the common law and statutory powers of con - stables, except for the service of civil processes. Under the law first men- tioned (1869) the Police Department of Syracuse was organized.
Thomas Davis, then a patrolman, was made Chief in June and held the office until his death, January 8, 1880. He was succeeded by James Har- vey, promoted from detective, January 23, ISSO, and removed September 27, 1881. On the 21st of October, 1881, Alexander McCall, then a detect- ive, was appointed Chief, and held the office until May 3, 1882, when he was removed, and Charles R. Wright, the present Chief, was appointed to the office. The patrolmen on the force March 29, 1869, were as follows: John Ennis, Patrick Kiernan, Orson B. Sunderlin, William Hewitt, John J. Her- ron, Jacob Eckle, Thomas Johnson, Alonzo B. Wylum, George Schattle, Jacob Oswald, Victor Matty, Henry Reilly, Leristan Adkins, Jolin W.Coles, William B. Patterson, Dennis Cawley, Henry Sheerer, Edward Deady, John F. Case, R. H. Sevenoaks, Jacob Houck, Luke D. Seeley, Abraham Prettie, Thomas J. Behan, George S. Wilsey, James Byrnes, John Ryan, Richard J. Wright, James Harvey, Alexander McCall. Of these the following are still on the force : Orson Sunderlin, John Ennis, Patrick Kiernan, William Hew- itt, and James Harvey.
In May, 1890, a Police Electric Alarm system was introduced, at a cost of $12,450, which, with the patrol wagon, introduced in the summer of 1885, places the department upon a plane of efficiency that is not excelled in any similar city in the country.
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PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
It is only simple justice to credit a large share of the great improve- ments made in this department of the city government during the past ten years, to Chief Charles R. Wright. He was a member of the Board of Police Commissioners from February, 1879, to August, 1881, before his appoint- ment as Chief, during which period, and ever since, he has made the proper control of his department a constant study.
The term of office of the Police Commissioners is four years. Two are appointed every two years. The strength of the police force at the present time is seventy-four policemen, two patrol drivers, one barnman, and the operator of the signal plant. The salary list for the present fiscal year is $71,460.
The succession of Police Justices of Syracuse is as follows: Richard Woolworth was the first Justice, and served for one term, when he was suc- ceeded by -- Hickok. In 1853 Sylvester House was placed in the office, and continued to 1860, when L. L. Alexander was elected. He served one term of four years, and was succeeded by George Stevens. His single teim closed in 1868, when he was succeeded by Henry Gifford. Patrick Corbett was then elected, and served until 1872, when a turn of the political wheel again placed L. L. Alexander in the office, which he held until Jan- uary, 1877, when Thomas Mulholland, the present Justice, was elected, and has held the office ever since-a period of about twenty years.
The first Chief of Police was Sylvester House, and the second Robert Richardson Davis. Thomas Mulholland was then made Chief during the two years of Charles Andrews's administration as Mayor, and was succeeded under Mayor Bookstaver, in 1863, by Thomas Davis. Norman C. Otis was given the place under Mayor A. C. Powell, in 1864, and was succeeded by Fred Schug, under William D. Stewart, in 1865, but he was displaced after a short term by Thomas Davis, who served the remainder of Mayor Stew- art's three terms, down to 1868. Thomas Mulholland was then again made Chief, and held the position until the re-organization of the force in 1869, when he was succeeded by Thomas Davis, who continued until his death, January 8, 1880. On the 23d of that month James Harvey was appointed, but was removed September 27, 1881, and was succeeded by Alexander McCall. He was removed May 3, 1882, and was immediately succeeded by Charles R. Wright, who has since administered the office.
BOARDS OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
First Board. - Elected February, ISog: Peter Burns, George P. Ilier, Garrett Doyle, George A. Ostrander.
Second Board. - February, 1871 : Charles P. Clark, George P. Hier, Garrett Doyle, George .A. Ostrander.
Third Board. - February, 1873: Charles P. Clark, F. W. Deesz, Garrett Doyle, William Baumgras.
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
Fourth Board. - February, 1875: William Baumgras, F. W. Deesz, Daniel Gere, Robert McCarthy.
Fifth Board. - November, 1876: Wilham Baungias, F. W. Deesa (resigned), Orrin Welch (appointed), Daniel Gere, Robert MeCarthy.
Sixth Board. - February, 1577: Robert McCarthy, Orrin Welch, Daniel Gere, Jacob Knapp.
Seventh Board. - March, 1878: Robert McCarthy, John Moore vice Orrin Welch (deceased), Daniel Gere, Jacob Knapp.
Eighth Board. - February, 1879: Daniel Gere, Charles R. Wright, Jacob Knapp, John Moore. Ninth Board .-- February, ISSI : Daniel Gere, Charles R. Wright, Jacob Knapp, Thomas Murphy. Tenth Board. - Appointed August, 18SI: John R. Whitlock, John D. Gray, Charles Schlos- ser, Edward D. Lewis.
Eleventh Board. - May, ISS2: J. 1 ;; Ackerman, William B. Kik, jr., Rhody Mara, Thurston W. Brewster.
Twelfth Beard .- March, 1883: William B. Kirk, jr., Thurston W. Brewster, J. D. Ackerman. Rhody Mara.
Thirteenth Bourd .- October, ISS4: J. D. Ackerman, Bruce S. Aldrich, T. D. Brewster, Rhody Mara.
Fourteenth Board. - March, 1885: T. W. Brewster, Bruce S. Aldrich, Daniel O'Brien, Nicho- las Latterner.
Fifteenth Board. - April, 1885: Nicholas Latterner, David K. McCarthy, Bruce S. Aldrich, Daniel O'Brien.
Sixteenth Board. - January, 1886: Nicholas Latterner, James 11. Doolittle, Bruce S. Aldrich, Daniel O'Brien.
Seventeenth Board .- February, 1887: Darwin L. Pickard, William B. Kirk, Charles Schlosser, Patrick Slattery. Mr. Pickard resigned in February, and the other members were removed. The new Board appointed was as follows ; Dwight H. Bruce, John W. Vale, Edward I). Lewis, Anton V. Altmann.
Eighteenth Board. - November, 1857: Dwight H. Bruce, John W. Vale, Edward D. Lewis, Auton V. Altmann.
Nineteenth Board. - ISSS: Same as above. April 3d D. H. Bruce resigned, and May 9th George E. Dana was appointed to fill vacancy.
Twentieth Board .- June 11, ISSS: John W. Vale resigned, and Philip S. Ryder was appointed to fill vacancy, leaving the Board as follows : Edward D. Lewis, Anton V. Altmann, Philip S. Ryder, and George E. Dana.
Twenty-first Board. - March, 1889: Same as above.
Twenty-second Board. - March, 1891: Henry Lyon, George E. Dana, Edward D. Lewis, Charles Listinan.
SEMI-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
Syracuse City Water Works .-- Among the first to advocate a system of water works for supplying the village of Syracuse was Capt. Oliver Teall, who was the first Superintendent of the middle division of the Eric Canal upon its opening in 1820. Captain Teall had taken a contract on the canal during its construction, and had removed from Manlius to the Lodi locks as early as 1819. He became largely interested in land in that vicinity, and erected mills at Lodi, having the right of the surplus water of the canal at that point, which right he retained till it was finally resumed by the State. In connection with Messrs. Aaron Burt and Harvey Baldwin, Mr. Teall became an enterprising and wealthy land owner in that part of the city now included in the Eighth ward, formerly Lodi, but incorporated in the village of Syracuse in 1835. (Laws 1835, Chap. 160.)
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PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
Asearly as 1821 the subject of water works in the village had been brought before the Legislature. The first act, entitled " An Act to supply the village of Syracuse with wholesome water," was passed March 27, 1821. It granted the people of Syracuse the right to use sufficient water for sup- plying the village from any of the springs on adjacent lands belonging to the State, and provided for the election of three trustees, at an election to be held at the house of Sterling Cossitt, innkeeper in said village, on the first Monday in May, 1821, who should have power to transact all business relat- ing to the water works, and to carry into effect the provisions of said act. It does not appear that the provisions of said act were ever carried into effect, or that anything was done under it towards supplying the few inhab- itauts then in the village with water. Probably the enterprise would not have paid at that stage of population. The villagers, however, wished to obtain the right and to keep it against a time of need, for the middle divis - ion of the canal was then open, and all were anticipating a marvelous growth into the proportions of a city.
The act incorporating the village, passed April 13, 1825, vested all the rights, property, and powers of the trustees of the water works in the village corporation, and the hypothetical water works were placed under the con- trol of the trustees of said village till 1829. During this period it does not appear that the trustees did anything practical towards supplying the village with water. On the 23d of April, 1829, an act was passed authorizing the trustees of the village to convey to Oliver Teall, his heirs and assigns, all the rights, property, and powers of the trustees of the village, as vested in said village by the act of incorporation, for a term of twenty years, and said Oliver Teall was invested with all the rights and powers granted by the original act of the year 1821. This act also prescribed the amount that Mr. Teall should charge the citizens for water, viz .: a private family a sum not exceeding five dollars a year, a boarding-house ten dollars, and a tavern ten dollars. In case Mr. Teall failed to exercise the rights and powers granted him by this act within one year from the date there- of, they were to revert again to the trustees of the village; which they did, and were again conveyed to the said Oliver Teall, his heirs and assigns, for a period of thirty-five years, by an act passed April 22, 1834. Noth- ing was further done till March 29, 1842, at which time an amendment to the former acts was passed, allowing Mr. Teall to charge ten dollars a year for supplying water to a private family, twenty dollars to a boarding-house, and forty dollars to a tavern or hotel. Under this amendment Mr. Teall began the construction of his water works. The first wooden pipes or pump logs were laid in 1842, or early in 1843, and brought water to the village from the springs situated at the foot of the hill above Lodi street,
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
on Blocks No. 404 and No. 504. Subsequently Messrs. Ira Seymour and Aaron Burt were associated with Mr. Teall in the water works, the firm being Teall, Seymour & Burt till 1849.
On the 15th of April, 1849, the present water works company was incorporated by special act of the Legislature, under the name and style of the Syracuse City Water Works Company. The original incorporators were Oliver Teall, Ira Seymour, John Wilkinson, Hamilton White, and Robert Furman. The act of incorporation was amended April 8, 1851, requiring the company to supply water on certain terms to the Common Council of the city for extinguishing fires and other purposes. Again, it was amended March 22, 1853, so as to allow the company to increase their capital stock from $60,000 to such an amount as the Directors might deem advisable, not exceeding $150,000, such increased stock to be divided into shares of $50 each. The third amendment, passed February 6, 1855, con- ferred upon the Board of Directors the power to establish rules and regula- tious for the use of water from their works, so as to preserve the same from waste, and to impose such penalties as they should see proper for the viola- tion of said rules and regulations, not exceeding in any case the sum of fifty dollars. Other amendments were passed in 1864, 1865, and 1877.
In 1849 the company constructed a system of water works described as follows : The springs in the valley of Furnace Brook, in the town of Onondaga, were selected for the supply of water. The water was conducted from these springs by aqueducts to a large stone well, about eighty rods distant from each, which was seventeen feet deep and constructed of sub- stantial masonry. The well was on Lot 89, in the town of Onondaga. From this well there was a main culvert or aqueduct laid towards the head of the Cinder road (West Onondaga street), and terminating on the high ground. The length of this aqueduct was about a mile, and it was constructed of masonry two feet square inside. At the termination was a large open res- ervoir, capable of holding 3,000,000 gallons of water, from which the water wasconducted down the hill through brick culverts and stoned wells toa point where a log aqueduct of nine inches bore conveyed it through Onondaga street to Fayette Park, and thence to the railroad in Lock street, where it connected with the aqueducts before laid.
In 1853 the first iron pipe was laid-852 rods, extending to Salina, around Fayette Park, and in James street. A reservoir of 107 feet head above the Erie Canal at Salina street, and of 1,500,000 gallons capacity, was also constructed during 1853 The large reservoir on Onondaga Ifill was com- menced in 1862, and finished in 1865. During this latter year an additional distributing reservoir was constructed on Lot No. 89, town of Onondaga.
Without attempting to follow the history of these works more in detail,
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PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
we may say that the Syracuse City Water Works are located southwest of the city, in the town of Onondaga, the water being obtained from springs, from Furnace Brook, and from Onondaga Creek. The main reservoir is at Onondaga Hill, covering nineteen acres, forty feet deep. There are two dis- tributing reservoirs-one of 165 feet head and the other of 117 feet head, above the level of the canal at Salina street. The lower (117 feet head) is supplied by springs, and in dry weather by water pumped from Onondaga Creek at the pump works. Two pumps are employed, viz. : two Dean pumps of 3,000,000 gallons capacity each, and a Worthington duplex en- gine of 10,000,000 gallons capacity daily. These pumps are connected with the reservoir by a 30-inch cast-iron pipe. The water reaches the city by gravity pressure, the mains connecting with the reservoirs being respect- ively ten inches, twelve inches, and twenty-four inches in diameter. For fire purposes, steam engines being employed, the water is supplied by hy- drants at the street corners, and in some instances at the middle of the blocks.
It may be assumed that by the time this book appears before the public the water works will have passed to the ownership and control of the city, pursuant to an act of the Legislature passed in 1890, which provided for such ownership, and authorized the appointment of a Board of Water Com- missioners. This Board consists of Henry J. Mowry, Peter B. McLennan, J. B. Brooks, W. H. Warner, W. K. Niver, Charles Hubbard. E. N. West- cott is Secretary. A commission consisting of William Kernan, of Utica ; George Dunn, of Binghamton ; and C. J. Ryan, of New York, appointed to appraise the value of the company's plant preparatory to its going into possession of the city, will hear evidence for an appraisal, and on the rendi- tion of its findings the city will take possession. Skaneateles Lake is the source of supply, and the Water Board is authorized to expend $3,000,000 in establishing a plant for the city. Such will be the end of a controversy which has lasted five years and been the cause of much public agitation.
Syracuse Gas Light Company .- This company was incorporated Febru- ary 5, 1849, with the following officers : Moses D. Burnet, President ; Joseph F. Sabine, Secretary ; P.W. Fobes, Treasurer. Immediate steps were taken for the erection of gas works and for laying pipes, and within the year gas was manufactured and ready for consumers. The price at the first was made $2.50 per thousand feet to the city, and $3.00 to individuals. These figures have been gradually reduced, until now it is furnished at $1.30 and $1.40 respectively. The second incumbent of the office of President of the com- pany was James Lynch, who held it until 1821, when E. W. Leavenworth was elected. He continued in the position until his death, in 1887, and was succeeded by Alfred A. Howlett. At various times in its history the com-
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
pany has been confronted with threatened opposition by proposed rival or- ganizations, and has occasionally come into conflict with the city authorities on the question of prices; but no other company has ever secured a foot- hold sufficient to warrant the beginning of actual operations, while as a rule the prices of gas have been as low and the quality of the article as good in Syracuse as in other similar cities. About sixty miles of pipe are now laid in the city. The present officers of the company are as follows : Alfred A. Howlett, President ; , Vice- President; H. N. Babcock, Secre- tary and Treasurer ; A. C. Wood, Superintendent since January, 1863; J. H. Tuffs, Assistant Superintendent ; Austin Rust, Book-keeper.
The Electric Light and Power Co .- This company was organized June 4, 1884. Previous to that date, in 1883, the Thomson . Houston Electric Light Company had exhibited twenty five arc lights in the city, and early in 1884 they established a plant here. But capitalists were then sceptical, and great difficulty was experienced in convincing them that it was a good investment. When the present company was organized only $17,000 of the $100,000 capital stock was taken in the city, the Thomson- Houston people holding the remainder. The first officers of the present company were WV. T. Hamilton, President; W. Allen Butler, Vice-President; J. M. Ward, Secretary and Treasurer ; F. H. Leonard, jr., General Manager. The original capital was increased to $150,000 in April, 1886, and to $300,000 March 28, 1888.
The company now has in use 700 arc lights, 500 of which are for street and other puplic purposes, and the remainder for private use. There are now in use about 4,300 incandescent lights, with 3,000 poles and 150 miles of wire, and thirty-five men are in the employ of the company. There were at first two 30-light dynamos in use in the shoe factory on Pearl street ; but in May, 1885, the plant was removed to the building on Fulton street, which was erected for the purpose ; the building is 60 x 130 feet. Eight steel boilers of 200 horse-power each are now in use, made by the Phoenix foundry. Fourteen dynamos are running, ten of which are of fifty arc lights each, and four for incandescent lights, three of them with a capacity of 1, 100 lights each, and one of 1,300 lights. The engines in use comprise one of 800 horse-power and one of 400 (both Corliss engines), a 50-horse Straight Line and two 50-horse Porter engines Only one accident has ever occurred in connection with the plant, and that was thought to be suicidal, by a per- son entering the power-house and coming in contact with the dynamos, causing his death.
The present officers of the company are as follows : Jolin Dunn, jr., Presi- dent; W. Allen Butler, Vice-President ; M. C. Palmer, Treasurer; John C. Keeffe, Secretary ; A. P. Seymour, Superintendent.
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PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
The Western Union Telegraph .- The first line of telegraph was operated in this country between Baltimore and Washington in 1844. and on the 16th of July, 1845, an association was formed in Utica for the construction of a line to be called the " Springfield, Albany, and Buffalo Telegraph Line." The trustees of the company were Theodore S Faxton, John Butterfield, Hiram Greenman, Henry Wells, and Crawford Livingston. The capital of the company was $200,000, with the right to increase it to $250,000. Of this, $100,000 was to be issued to the patentees as the consideration for the patent. The eastern terminus of the line was afterward changed from Springfield to New York, and in September, 1845, a line was built from Utica to the fair grounds near that city, merely to interest the public in the enterprise, as great crowds were anticipated at the fair. In the next month O. S. Wood built a line from Buffalo to Lockport, which was the first line in the country opened for commercial business. Meanwhile the State was canvassed for another line by Mr. Faxton, and a fair subscription secured. On the list were John Wilkinson, L. H. Redfield, S. S. Weaver, and Ham- ilton White, of Syracuse. The line from Albany to Utica was finished in January, 1846, and on the 3d of July was completed through to Buffalo, by the New York, Albany, and Buffalo Telegraph Company. The Syracuse office was opened May Ist, in a room upstairs in the old railroad depot, or " car house," as it was tlien called, in what is now Vanderbilt Square, and which was torn down by the railroad company one Sunday morning in 1869 to give cccupancy to the present station. The line was popularly called the " Morse line," from the fact that the Morse instruments were used. The first operator was M. W. Partridge, and the first messenger Ed- ward C. Fellows, son of Deacon A. L. Fellows. He subsequently became prominent in railroad management, and died in California. The office at one time occupied a room on the third floor of the building known as the " Arcade," situated about on the site of Dey Brothers & Company's stores. From this place it was removed to a rear room on the second floor of the Malcolm Block, where it was located when John D. Stone assumed the management of it in March, 1848, In 1855 the office was transferred to the store more recently occupied by the Messrs. Wynkoops, booksellers, and two years later to the building in which it is now and has since been located. Sidney B. Gifford entered the office as a messenger May 15, 1850, and rose step by step until he became chief operator, and December 1, 1864, he was appointed Superintendent of the Fifth Eastern District, which comprises a large area of country in this and several other States, and many thousand miles of wire and a vast number of offices. He has won his present position by merit, and it is not too much to say of him that the company has no more capable and conscientious man in its service. Mr.
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