USA > New York > Genesee County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Genesee County, New York, v. 1 > Part 34
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many foreign countries. The present plant covers about five and a half acres. Numerous improvements thereto have been made from time to time, among the latest being the new office building erected in 1897. An average of one hundred hands is employed the year around. It is a notable fact that the company has never shut down in its history, excepting for a few days in the summer of each year for the purpose of making the necessary repairs. Its employes are for the most part thoroughly skilled workmen.
The Batavia Preserving Company is an institution which could flour- ish in few places as it does in the geographical centre of Western New York, the most famous fruit-growing country in the world. The en- terprise was established originally in 1829 by John Pierson, who began canning fruits and vegetables for the market, at Bushville. Though supplied with all the necessary appliances, lack of proper attention to the details of the business rendered it pecuniarily unsuccessful at the beginning. In 18SI the establishment became the property of the Bank of Batavia, which for one year conducted the business at Bushville. The following year it was purchased by Sprague, Warner & Co. of Chicago, who a year afterward removed it to the village of Batavia, where a marvelous development of the business was begun. So great was the increase in the demand for the product of the establishment that the erection of more commodious and convenient buildings was necessary. Into these the industry was removed in May, 1888. The business still growing at a wonderful rate, the present company was incorporated in 1891, and placed under the management of C. H. Fran- cis. To day the company controls three factories-at Batavia, Middle- port and Brockport, N. Y., located in the heart of what undoubtedly is the finest fruit and vegatable growing section of the world. The Batavia factory has a floor area of over fifty thousand square feet, and the other factories are nearly as large, and of similar character. The Batavia factory is run exclusively, during the season, upon green peas and sweet corn, using the production of hundreds of acres of the best farming lands in Genesee county. Nowhere in the world are better vegetables grown than in Western New York, and nowhere are they better prepared for the trade with more skill and care than in the fac- tories operated by this company. Each of the factories devotes itself only to such products as can best be raised in that locality and market- ed at their doors in best condition. Thus the factory at Brockport packs small fruits, tomatoes, string beans and apples; while the plant
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THE VILLAGE OF BATAVIA.
at Middleport is devoted to peaches, pears, squash, etc. The company also cans Bahama pineapples, baked beans, jams, jellies, preserves and ernshed fruits, fruit syrups and juices for soda-fountains. Chicken and turkey are also canned in large quantities. The industry naturally is closely identified with the prosperity of the rural sections of Genesee county and Western New York.
The Genesee County Bank, of Batavia, was organized April 4, 1879, as the Genesee County National Bank, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, and the following officers: President, Solomon Masse, vice-president, Dean Richmond, jr. ; cashier, William F. Merriman; directors, Solomon Masse, Dean Richmond, jr., Dr. H. S. Hutchins, Charles R. Gould, Henry Craft, William C. Watson, William F. Merri- man, J. C. Guiteau, Edwin Darrow, H. A. Huntington, and F. C. Lathrop. December 31, 1884, the bank surrendred its charter to the federal government and was reorganized as a State bank. At its an- nual meeting January 14, 1890, the bank voted to go into voluntary liquidation, and is still engaged in closing up its business. The officers of the bank have been :
Presidents .-- Solomon Masse, April 4, 1879, to July 14, 1885; Royal T. Howard, July 14, 1885, to September 10, 1894; H. A. Huntington, September 10, 1891, to date.
L'ice-Presidents. - Dean Richmond, jr., April 4, 1879, to January 12, ISS ?; Dr. H. S. Hutchins, January 12, 1882, to January 9, 1883; Will- iam C. Watson, January 9, 1883, to date.
Cashiers .-- William F. Merriman, April 4, 1879, to June 2, 1880; Charles R. Gould, June 22, 1880, to August 28, 1882; Jerome L. Bige- low, August 28, 1882, to January 18, 1884; John W. Smith, January 18, 1884, to date.
An institution which has proven a great boon to a large number of inhabitants of Batavia is the Genesee County Permanent Loan and Building Association, which was organized April 15, 1879. Organiza- tion was perfected by the election of the following officers:
President, Wilber Smith; vice-president, Charles H. Howard; secre- tary, Frederick M. Sheffield ; treasurer, Frank S. Wood; attorney, Saf- ford E. North; directors-three years, Royal T. Howard, Charles H. Howard, Dr. Horace S. Hutchins; two years, George Wiard, Wilber Smith, Lucien R. Bailey; one year, Theron F. Woodward, James R. Mitchell, Charles Houghton.
The capital of the association consists of shares of one hundred and
310
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
twenty-five dollars each, payable in weekly installments of twenty -five cents for each share. The charter provides that the number of shares outstanding at any one time shall not exceed five thousand.
Wilber Smith was succeeded as president in 1881 by George Wiard, who has served continuously in that office since that time. Hon. Saf- ford E. North has served as attorney for the association continuously since its organization. The officers of the association in 1896 were: President, George Wiard: vice-president, M. B. Adams; secretary, W. G. Pollard; treasurer. J. W. Pratt; attorney, Safford E. North; direc- tors, George Wiard, M. B. Adams, J. W. Pratt, Safford E. North, W. W. Lewis, G. S. Griswold, John P. Casey, F. W. Board and George J. Austin.
On the 4th day of August. 1880, General Garfield, then the Republi- can nominee for the presidency, passed through Batavia. Although at a very early hour in the morning General Garfield was dressed and ap- peared at the rear platform of the car where he spoke a few words to the large crowd which had assembled. He introduced Gen. Benjamin Harrison who spoke about three minutes, when the train moved away. Batavia thus had the unusual distinction of having within its borders at the same time two men destined to become president.
The only time Grover Cleveland ever appeared in public at Batavia was during the famous grape sugar trial in 1880. He was one of the attorneys for the plantiff. Hon. Loran L. Lewis of Buffalo, who has since won distinction as a justice of the Supreme Court, was the lead- ing counsel for the plaintiff. He examined most of the witnesses, opened the case to the jury and summed it up with the masterly skill for which he is justly famed. Associated with him were Mr. Cleveland and Addison G. Rice of the Buffalo bar and Hon. George Bowen of Ba- tavia. The defendants were represented by Sherman S. Rogers and Franklin D. Locke of Buffalo and William G. Watson of Batavia. The title of the case was John L. Alberger against the Buffalo Grape Sugar Company, Cicero J. Hamlin and William Hamlin. Hon. Albert Haight presided. The trial began November 30 and on the 10th of December the jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff for $247, 125; this was by all odds the largest verdict ever rendered in Genesee county and one of the largest verdicts ever rendered by a jury in this State. No appeal was ever taken and the judgment was promptly paid with costs.
This case, in some respects the most remarkable ever tried in Gene-
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311
THE VILLAGE OF BATAVIA.
see county, originated in Erie county, the venue being laid there. A trial at Buffalo resulted in a disagreement of the jury; the place of trial was removed to Genesee county on the ground that the case had at- tracted so much attention in Erie county that an impartial jury could not be obtained. A struck jury was ordered, the only one ever drawn in Genesee county. Forty-eight prominent citizens were selected by the county clerk as provided by law, and from this number eleven jut- rors were obtained, the panel was then exhausted and William Carpen- ter, who happened to be sitting in the court room, was drawn as a talesman. The jurors were as follows: Perry Randall, foreman; El- bert Townsend, Miles B. Adams, Henry P. Ellenwood, Edward A. Brown, Sherman Reed, Joseph F. Stutterd, Robert S. Fargo, David C. Holmes, Richard Pearson, Ancil D. Mills and William Carpenter.
Mr. Cleveland's firin were not the attorneys of record in the case. He acted as advisory counsel throughout the trial and conducted the direct examination of Williams, the plaintiff's principal witness, and who was understood to be the real party in interest.
The E. N. Rowell Company, manufacturers of paper boxes at Bata- via, was originally instituted in 1881. It is an offshoot of one estab- lished before 1860 at Utica, N. Y., by Dr. A. S. Palmer, who made his own pill boxes with implements of his own invention. After Dr. Palmer's death the business was carried on by his children until 1SS1, when it was removed to Batavia. The business increased rapidly, and in 1890 a stock company was incorporated by Edward N. Rowell, the former sole owner of the business, Edward G. Buell and William W. Dorman. The factory is located in a three-story brick building located on Ellicott street, at its junction with Main, where about one hundred and twenty-five persons are employed. The present officers of the company are: President and treasurer, Edward N. Rowell; vice-presi- dent, Edward G. Buell; secretary, C. H. Ruprecht.
The Batavia Club was founded July 28, 1882, with nine directors, as follows: Lucien R. Bailey, Daniel W. Tomlinson, John Holley Bradish, Arthur E. Clark, Frank S. Wood, Augustus N. Cowdin, John H. Ward, A. T. Miller and W. L. Otis. Daniel W. Tomlinson was elected the first president, J. H. Bradish vice-president, A. T. Miller secretary, Frank S. Wood treasurer, and Lucien R. Bailey, W. L. Otis and Arthur E. Clark house committee. January 4, 1883, the club took possession of its first quarters, located on East Main street near Dellinger's opera house. This building was destroyed by fire February 16, 1886, and
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
April 17 following the club removed to the building it now occupies, on the northeast corner of East Main and Bank streets, formerly occu- pied by the Bank of Genesee. The club was incorporated April :, 1888, and soon afterward purchased the building it occupies.
The Batavia Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1833 to manufacture the Post sewing machines, by Lucien R. Bailey, H. I. Glowacki, Columbus Buell, C. J. Ferrin, jr., and C. H. Howard. The Batavia Sewing Machine Company was organized in 1884 to succeed the first-named company. No machines were ever manufactured and the company soon ceased to exist.
Upton Post No. 209, Grand Army of the Republic, so named in honor of General Emory Upton, was organized October 25, 1882, under general orders from department headquarters, dated October 14, 1882. The officers who instituted the post were as follows: H. S. Stanbach, Post 9, commander; L. S. Oatman, Post 9, senior vice-commander; C. S. King, Post 219, junior vice-commander; A. G. Rykert, Post ?19. adjutant; L. F. Allen, Post 219, quartermaster; A. J. Lorish, Post 219, chaplain; Jacob U. Creque, Post 226, officer of the day; G. S. Farwell, Post 220, officer of the guard; E. N. Havens, Post 9, inside sentinel; E. A. Halcomb, Post 219, sergeant major; Julius Baker, Post 219, quartermaster sergeant. The charter members of the post were as follows:
W. J. Reedy, W. H. Raymond, George Thayer, John O. Griffis, O. C. Parker. Morris McMuHlen, C. R. Nichols. Peter Thomas, L. L. Crosby, Russell Crosby, Tim- othy Lynch, Lucius R. Bailey, Henry C. Fish, Charles A. Sloan, Irving D. South- worth, William Radley, B. M. Chesley, George W. Mather, George H. Wheeler. Daniel W. Griffis, William H. Hunn, Edward F. Moulton, Peter Welker, James F. Bennett, Oscar D. Hammond, Charles Lilly, John K. Giddings, James Conway, Frank Fanning, William Squires.
The post had for its first corps of officers the following comrades:
Commander, W. J. Reedy ; senior vice-commander, W. H. Raymond; junior vice- commander, George Thayer; quartermaster, John O. Griftis; officer of the day, O. C. Parker; officer of the guard, Morris McMullin ; chaplain, C. R. Nichols; adjutant, Peter Thomas: sergeant major, L. L. Crosby; quartermaster sergeant, Russell Crosby At the first meeting of the post the following comrades were mustered in as members of the post: Edson J. Winslow, Edwin J. Fox, Edward C. Peck, George McGregor, Charles McGregor, Burr Kenyon, William Gay, Fred. Kelpenberg.
Following is a complete list of the commanders and adjutants of Upton Post from the date of its organization to the present time:
Commanders .- 1953-1885, William J. Reedy: 1886, Timothy Lynch; 1987, W. J.
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THE VILLAGE OF BATAVIA.
Reedy; 1888, Whiting C. Woolsey; 1889, Edward A. Perrin; 1890, John Thomas; 1-91. Frank M. Jameson; 1892-1893, John Thomas; 1894, D. W. Griffis; 1895-1596. George W. Stanley; 1997, George H. Wheeler; 1898, Addison G. Negus.
Adjutants .- 1583-1885, Peter Thomas; 1886-1888, L. L. Crosby: 1889-1894, Anson M. Weed; 1895-1897, Addison G. Negus.
The names of the members of the post at the present date, with their residences and the names of the commands with which they served during the Civil war, are:
Ahl, Henry
Batavia.
Co. D, 15th H.A.
Austin, N. J.
Albion
Co. D, 9th Cav.
Barton, Isaac R
Batavia
Co. F, 42d Ohio Vol.
Buell. Melvin
Batavia
Bat. L, 1st N. Y.
Bowe, E. A.
Batavia
3d 76th N. Y. Vol.
Burns, James M.
Batavia
Co, C, 4th H.A.
B :: mingham, M.
Batavia
Co. G, 129th N. V. Vol.
Bloss, E. L.
Batavia
Co. H, 85th N. Y. Vol.
Burroughs, Wm. A
Pembroke
Co. G, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Braley, Wm.
Elba
Co. 1, 81st N. Y. Vol.
Conrad, Jacob
Alexander
Co. G, 160th N. Y. Vol.
Colville, W. L.
Batavia
Co. L, 2d N. Y. Cav.
Crosby, L. L.
Batavia
U. S. Signal Corps.
Crosby, R.
Elba
Co. H, 129th N. Y. Vol.
Conway, James
Batavia
Co. K, 12th N. Y. Vol, and Co.
L, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Colt, J. B.
Batavia Co. A, 9th N. Y. Cav.
Collins, John
Batavia Co. M, 8th N. Y. H. A.
Capel, Robert
Elba
Co. D, 49th N. Y. Vol.
Clark, Livingston
Batavia
Co. I, 12th N. Y. Vol.
Collins, Albert G.
Batavia
Co. I, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Cooper, James A
Batavia Co. F, 110th N. V. Vol.
Crocker, George
Bethany
Co. I., Sth N. V. H. A.
Churchill, R. E.
Batavia
Co. K. 10th N. Y. Vol.
Dolbeer, Charles
Batavia
2.4th N. Y. Battery.
Dewey, C. F.
Batavia
Co. A. 90th N. Y. Vol.
Durfey, Charles
Batavia
Co. G, 184th N. V. Vol.
Daffy, John
Batavia Co. C, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Edwards, C. D.
Batavia
Co. A, 140th N. Y. Vol.
Elliott, Edwin R.
East Pembroke
Co. E. 110th N. V. Vol.
Follett, E. .
Batavia.
Co. K, 12th N. V. Vol.
Foster, J. P.
Rochester
Co. A, 9th H. A.
Foley, Tim
Batavia
Co. A, 11th N. Y. Vol.
Ford, George
Batavia
Co. G, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Farnsworth, S. W.
Oakfield
Co B. Ist N. Y. Dragoons.
Griffis, J. O.
Batavia
22d N. Y. Battery and Pd N. Y. I. A. Co. C, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Griffis, D. W
Batavia
314
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Giddings, John K.
Batavia
Co. C, 44th N. Y. Vol.
Gardiner, J. A.
Batavia
Co. F, W. Va. Vol.
Gardiner, W. C.
Batavia
Co. D, 26th N. Y. Vol.
Greene, J. ().
Alexander
Co. A, 3d N. Y. Cav.
Gibhart, C.
Elba
Co. 1, 8th N. Y. H. A.
Hunn, William H
Elba
Co. I, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Holloran, M.
Batavia
Co. 1, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Hammond, O. D.
Batavia
Co. G, 160th N. Y. Vol.
Hoyt, J. H.
Elba
Co. I, 8th N. Y. H. A.
Hayes, M.
Batavia
Co. C, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Hundredmark, G. F.
Oakfield
Co. A, 105th N. V. Vol.
Hough, C. W
Batavia
Co. E, 138th N. V. Vol.
Jones, I. M.
Batavia
Co. M, 8th H. A.
Jameson, F. M.
Batavia
Co. G, 110th N. Y. Vol.
Kelley, John
Batavia
Co. H. 24th N. Y. Vol.
Kelley, Seneca
Auburn
Co. A, 89th N. Y. Vol.
Kendall, W. C.
Batavia
Co. G, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Kenyon, E.
Batavia
Co. G, 8th N. Y. H. A.
Kinell, Charles
Batavia
114th N. Y. Vol.
Lynch, T.
Batavia
Co. E., 100th N. Y. Vol.
Lock, W. G.
Batavia
14th N. Y. Vol.
Lesler, Peter
Pembroke
25th N. Y. Ind. Batt.
Lefler, G. W.
Batavia
Co. G, 50th N. Y. Vol. Eng.
Lincoln, F. M.
Batavia
Co. K, 12th N. V. Voi.
Moulton, A. H.
Alexander
22d Ind. Batt.
Muntz, John
Batavia
Co. G, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Moulton, E. F.
Batavia
U. S. Signal Corps.
McPhail, John
Batavia
Co. B, 100th N. Y. Vol.
Mahoney, Cain
Batavia
Co. G, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Myers, John
Batavia
Co. D, 49th N. Y. V.
Negus. A. G
Batavia
Co. G. 9th Hawkins Zouaves.
Nash, F.
Batavia
Co. B. 93d N. V. Vol.
Odion, R. C.
Batavia
Co. E, 105th N. V. Vol.
Osgood, A. W.
Batavia
Co. G. 23d N. Y. Vol.
Perrin, E. A
Batavia
Co. F, 4th N. Y. II. A.
Power, F.
Batavia
Seaman on " Juniata."
Prescott. F.
Batavia
Co. 1, 3d R. Corps.
Putnam, J. H.
Batavia
Co. A, 76th N. V. Vol.
Quance, Willard
Batavia
Co. F, 94th N. Y. Vol.
Raymond, W. H.
Elba
Co. H, 129th N. V. Vol.
Radley, Wilham
Batavia
Co. I, Sth N. Y. H. A.
Rolfe, Lucius
Batavia
Co. E, 105th N. Y. Vol.
Robinson, W. N.
Batavia
Co. A, 1st N. Y. Infantry.
Reed, J. E.
Batavia
Co. B, 164th Ohio N. G.
Robbins, F. J.
Bethany
26th N. Y. Batt.
Russell, C. M.
Batavia
Co. II, 38th N. Y. Vol.
Stanley, G. W.
Batavia
Co. D, 2d N. Y. Cav.
315
THE VILLAGE OF BATAVIA.
Stanley, L. B.
Batavia
Co. I, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Southworth, I. D.
Batavia
25th N. Y. Ind. Batt.
Squiers, W.
Batavia 25th N. Y. Ind. Batt.
Scheer, George
Batavia
Co. B, 9th Ohio Vol.
Sennate, R.
Batavia
Co. G, 26th N. Y. Vol.
Smith, J.
Batavia
Co. C, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Staveley, J.
Batavia
E. V. C. N. Y.
Thayer, G. W.
Indian Falls
Co. F, 28th N. V. V. M. 2 M. R.
Travis, L.
Batavia
Co. D, 3d Mich. Inf.
Taylor, Thomas
Batavia
Co. B, 10th N. Y. Cav.
Toll, Simon J.
Bethany
Co. B, 1st Iowa Cav.
Thomas, john
Batavia
Co. G, Sth N. V. H. A.
Thomas, Peter
Batavia
Co. E, 19th N. Y. Vol.
Tarbox, H. F.
Batavia
Co. C, 105th N. Y. Vol.
Tripp, A. J.
Oakfield
Co. E, 201 N. V. H. A.
Tournier, George M
Batavia
Co. G, 3d Light Art.
Thomas, Edward A.
Batavia
Landsmsn, ship . Shenango.
Welch, Pat
Batavia
Co. F, 105th N. Y. Inf.
Welch, William
Alexander
.Co. M, 9th Il. Art.
Wheeler, G. H.
Batavia
K, 19th N. V. V. & F, 5th N.
Y. V. C.
Welker. Peter
Elba
Co. MI, 8th N. Y. H. Art.
Winslow, E.
Batavia
Co. H, 129th N. V. Vol.
Woolsey, W. C.
Batavia
Co. I, 96th Ill. Vol.
Weed, A. M.
Batavia
Co. L, 50 N. Y. Vol. Eng.
Wright, C. M
Batavia
Co. C, Sth N. V. H. Art.
Ward, E.
Bergen
22d N. Y. Ind. Batt.
Whitney, C. M.
Ray, N. Y.
Co. G, 8th N. Y. H. Art.
Wagner, F.
Batavia
Co. C, 151st N. Y. Vol.
Zurhorst, A. F
Alabama
Co. G, 21st N. Y. Cav.
The Batavia Carriage Wheel Company is the outgrowth of the in- dustry founded on a modest scale in 188 by A. M. Colt, James R. Colt and Moses E. True, for the manufacture of clamps, saw handles and hardware specialties. In 1885 John M. Sweet became identified with the original firm. styled Colt Brothers & True, and the energies of these gentlemen were then directed more particularly to the man- ufacture of the celebrated Sweet carriage wheels. The works were then located on Exchange place. They were destroyed by fire in 188?, soon after which the present stock company was incorporated and a new plant built on Walnut street, adjoining the tracks of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The buildings and ma- chinery cost upwards of forty thousand dollars.
The trade of the Batavia Carriage Wheel Company has steadily de- veloped until to-day it extends throughout the entire United States and
316
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
into many foreign lands. Its product includes carriage wheels of every description, its specialty in recent years being wheels with rub- ber tires. Besides these it manufactures Sweet's concealed band, the Kenney band, and the Sarven & Warner patent and plain wood hub wheels. The concern has contributed very largely to the industrial development of Batavia. Its officers are: President, Frank Richard- son; vice-president, W. C. Gardiner; secretary, William W. Leaven- worth; treasurer, A. M. Colt; superintendent, John M. Sweet.
The. Johnston Harvester Company for seventeen years has been closely identified with the welfare and progress of the village of Ba- tavia. As the iron industry has made Pittsburg famous, as the collar industry has made Troy famous, as the knit goods industry has made Fall River and Cohoes famous, so has this great industry known as the Johnston Harvester Company made the name of Batavia famous throughout not only the United States but many foreign countries.
This concern is not only the most important in Batavia, but it is one of the most noted of its kind in the world, and its establishment in Batavia has been instrumental, more than any other single agency, in directing attention to this thriving industrial centre. This mammoth concern had its inception in a small machinery manufacturing firm, originally instituted in Brockport, N. Y., by Fitch, Barry & Co., more than half a century ago. It was in this early factory, in 1847, that the McCormick reapers, now celebrated the world over, were constructed. In 1850 this firm became Ganson, Huntley & Co., and in 1853 Huntley, Bowman & Co. In 1868 Samuel Johnston, Byron E. Huntley and others entered into a co-partnership under the firm name of Johnston, Huntley & Co., for the purpose of continuing and enlarging the busi- ness being carried on at Brockport. Mr. Huntley was the principal member of the firm, which at first devoted its energies principally to the manufacture of the "Johnston Sweepstakes." In 1871 the com - pany was incorporated under its present style, with Mr. Johnston as president and Mr. Huntley as secretary and treasurer. A few years later the manufacture of the old machine was abandoned and the con- struction of the now celebrated Johnston harvester was begun. In 1844 Mr. Johnston withdrew from the corporation and left Mr. Hunt- ley still at its head, though the name of the company remained un- changed.
In June, 1852. while the company was enjoying a prosperous and rapidly increasing business, the works at Brockport were destroyed by
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Byron E. Huutte? )
317
THE VILLAGE OF BATAVIA.
fire. When the company began to consider the question of rebuilding. it was decided to locate the new plant in a place offering better trans- portation facilities than those which had been enjoyed at Brockport, and Batavia was selected as the site for the greatly enlarged and im- proved manufactory which it was determined to build. Accordingly the present mammoth plant, which has been enlarged and improved from time to time, was constructed and occupied, and within an incon- ceivably short time after the burning of the plant at Brockport, oper- ations in the present magnificent lot of factories were resumed, with an increased number of employes and new and improved machinery. Commodious as the present buildings are, they have proved entirely in- adequate to meet the requirements of the constantly increasing busi- ness of the company, and extensive additions to the plant have recently been made.
The works of the Johnston Harvester Company occupy a traet of about seventeen acres of land principally between and south of the lines of the New York Central and Hudson River and the Erie railroads, each building being especially designed and adapted for its particular part of the work. Probably no other plant in America is arranged in a more systematic and orderly manner or more independent of outside assistance. Side tracks connect the works with the railways running through the village. Over six hundred persons, a large proportion of whom are skilled workmen, are regularly employed. The output of the company's plant consists exclusively of harvesting machinery, disk implements, and sugar beet cultivating and harvesting machinery. The principal machines manufactured are mowers, binders, reapers, rakes, headers, disk harrows, disk cultivators, corn harvesters, beet cultivators, and beet harvesters, and toppers. The company has dis- tributing warehouses for its products at twenty of the leading com- mercial centres of the United States, and sales agencies at all points throughout the agricultural sections of the country, with a European office at Paris, France. The officers of the company are: President, Byron E. Huntley; vice-president and treasurer; E. W. Atwater: sec- retary, L. D. Collins; superintendent, G. A. Farrall. E. J. Mockford, who had been vice president, retired from the company December 1, 1898.
The Richmond Memorial Library was erected in los? by Mrs. Mary E. Richmond, widow of Dean Richmond, as a memorial to her son, Dean Richmond, jr., who died in 1885. The building, a handsome
1
318
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
fireproof structure, is located on the west side of Ross street, nearly opposite the high school. Its front is of light gray Fredonia sandstone and red Albion stone, a combination as picturesque and suitable as any that could possibly be planned. The style of architecture is Romanesque. The building cost about thirty-five thousand dollars. It was completed and presented to the village March 12, 1889. It has a capacity of 40. . 000 volumes, though the number of volumes on the shelves now is be- tween 11,000 and 12,000 only.
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