Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I, Part 41

Author: White, Truman C
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] : Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > New York > Erie County > Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I > Part 41

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When in 1840 the receipts of grain by lake at this port had reached the figures before given, it became a serious question with commercial men in the city how to provide adequate facilities for handling and storing the vast quantities that it was foreseen would in future years find their way hither by water or rail. It was quite clear at that compara- tively early date, though many were slow in recognizing the fact, that Buffalo was the key to the commercial situation as far as concerned grain transportation from the west. How much of the wealth and im- portance of the Buffalo of to-day are due to that fact is well known.

The 2,000, 000 bushels, approximately, received and shipped eastward in 1841 were not handled in Buffalo harbor without much delay and arduous labor. The grain was lifted from the holds of vessels in bar- rels with a tackle, weighed in a hopper with scales swung over the hatchways and then carried into storehouses on the backs of laborers. A day's work with a complement of hands was the transfer of 1,800 to 2,000 bushels, and even this was accomplished only in fair weather. It was this state of affairs that gave to Buffalo the honor of being the birthplace of the first steam grain elevator in the world. The elevator and conveyor principle was invented by Oliver Evans before the be- ginning of the present century, and in 18411 Joseph Dart, who was then in business in Buffalo, conceived the idea of applying the principle, through the aid of steam power, to the transfer of grain from vessels.

trict in Congress. In 1853 he was elected State treasurer. In 1858 he was again elected to Con- gress and re-elected in 1860, serving four years on the Committee of Ways and Means. He was prominent in the organization of the Republican party and foremost in the campaign which elected Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. During the trying period of the war, when it became neces- sary to change the entire currency system and provide enormous resources for the government, Mr. Spaulding drew the legal tender act and the national currency bank bill, which became laws and gave him the title of " father of the greenback." For many years he was eminent as author- ity on financial affairs. In promoting the public institutions of Buffalo and advancing its general welfare, Mr. Spaulding was always among the foremost. His death took place May 5, 1897.

1 Mahlon Kingman, then a forwarding merchant in Buffalo, made an attempt, a few years earlier, to operate a crude elevator by horse-power, but it resulted in failure. Lewis F. Allen and a Mr. Lord constructed an elevator to be operated by water power in 1840 at Black Rock; it had two marine legs, one of which was on the river side and the other in the harbor. The eleva- tor was comparatively successful.

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FROM 1840 TO THE CIVIL WAR.

In the face of many obstacles and discouraged by the usual predictions of failure vouchsafed to the inventor, Mr. Dart began in the fall of 1842 the erection of an elevator building on the bank of Buffalo Creek at its junction with the Evans Canal, on the site of the great Bennett eleva- tor. In comparison with the immense structures of the present day this pioneer elevator was most insignificant ; its capacity was only 55, - 000 bushels, but this was doubled three years later and a second marine leg added. The machinery was designed by Robert Dunbar, who per- formed similar service in many of the later Buffalo elevators. The first vessel unloaded by the new method was the schooner Philadelphia, Capt. Charles Rogers; she was laden with 4,515 bushels of wheat, con- signed to H. M. Kinne and George Davis. The first cargo of corn un- loaded was from the South American, Capt. A. Bradley, 3, 145 bushels, June 22, 1843. During its first season this first elevator unloaded 229, - 260 bushels of grain.

The elevator system, on Mr. Dart's plan, was successful from the beginning. Within a month from the completion of the first elevator one of the leading forwarders, who had previously insisted that he and his neighbors would not pay the high rates demanded for steam elevat- ing, offered Mr. Dart1 double his regular rates for accommodation in an emergency. In the early days of the steam elevator it was believed that not more than about 8,000 bushels per day could be raised from a vessel and correctly weighed. The first Dart elevator had buckets holding about two quarts each, set twenty eight inches apart; with this arrangement about 1,000 bushels an hour could be elevated. A little later he placed the buckets twenty-two inches apart and still later six- teen inches, until he thus reached a capacity of 1,800 to 2,000 bushels an hour. But that encouraging degree of success appears insignificant to the observer of to-day, who may stand beside a vessel loaded with more than 300,000 bushels of grain, and within twelve hours see it all safely stored in the bins of an elevator with a capacity of 300,000 bushels. 2

1 Joseph Dart died September 27, 1879, aged eighty years.

2 The second elevator was not built until 1847, when the Evans was erected; it was burned in 1863, rebuilt at once, and again burned in 1864 and rebuilt. The elevator interest continued to in- crease with the growth of the grain trade and soon competition became active and rates were re- duced. This ruinous policy was substantially stopped by the organization in 1859 of the Western Elevator Company (now the Western Elevating Association), which is still in existence, controll- ing and directing the vast system of elevators in the port. William Wells 1 was the first presi-

1 William Wells was born in Buffalo in 1806 and was a son of Joseph Wells, who settled in the

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE,

In this connection it is worthy of notice that the first propeller en- tered Buffalo harbor in 1842. She was the Vandalia, built in the previous year at Oswego, and was the first vessel of the kind on the

dent of the company and held the office three years, to be succeeded by P. B. Sternberg, and he by James C. Harrison. In 1866 William H. Abell1 took the position, and with the exception of two years, during which A. G. Williams held it, was president until the year 1884, when he was succeeded by Charles A. Bloomer, and he by George F. Sowerby in 1890. P. G. Cook has been secretary of the association since 1880. While the Western Elevating Association is in one sense a monopoly with the power and the inclination to enforce uniform and reasonably remunerative rates, it is probable that the entire grain shipping interest has, as a whole, been benefited by its general policy. It has been freely criticised in other parts of the State and attempts have been made, particularly in the winter of 1882-83, to secure legislation for the control and regulation of the business through other means; these attempts have thus far failed. At the present time 3,500,000 bushels of grain can be received and transferred in one day by the combined elevators of Buffalo. Following is a list of all elevators ever built in this harbor :

Dart, built 1842, enlarged 1846, burned about 1863.

Evans, built 1847, burned in 1863 and rebuilt; burned 1864 and rebuilt; capacity, 400,000 bushels.

Watson, built 1862, capacity 600,000 bushels; in use.

Merchants' (tower), built 1862; capacity 30,000 bushels.

Reed, built 1847, burned and rebuilt 1859-62, and again burned 1874.

Wilkeson, built 1861, burned September 9, 1862, and rebuilt; capacity 350,000 bushels; in use.

Bennett, built 1864, capacity 800,000 bushels; in use.

Coburn, built 1861; burned September 9, 1862, rebuilt as C. J. Wells in 1863; capacity, 550,000 bushels; in use.

Richmond, built 1863; capacity 250,000 bushels; in use.

Hatch, built 1848; burned and rebuilt as the Marine; capacity, 650,000 bushels.

Lyon, built 1881 on site of Main Street elevator, which was burned in 1865, and rebuilt as the Hazard in 1867; now unused.

Excelsior, built 1862, and burned in 1876.

Sturges, built 1862; burned July 30, 1866, and rebuilt in 1867; capacity, 300,000 bushels; in use.

City A, originally built in 1846; burned November 8, 1859, and rebuilt; capacity, 600,000. City

B, capacity, 800,000 bushels; both in use.

Swiftsure, built about 1840; became Sterling's in 1847 and rebuilt in 1862; unused.

Sternberg A, built before 1847; burned and rebuilt 1862; unused. Sternberg B, built 1861 and burned 1883.

Commercial, built 1879; burned February 3, 1882.

Wheeler (formerly Wells), built 1861; capacity, 350,000 bushels; in use.

Niagara A, built 1867; capacity, 800,000 bushels. Niagara B, built 1881, on site of the New York and Erie, which was built in 1862; capacity, 1,200,000 bushels. Niagara C, capacity, 200,000 bushels; in use.

Tifft (formerly Plympton), built 1868; capacity, 350,000 bushels.

Hollister, built 1847; burned May 22, 1853.

village in 1802. As a young man William Wells was in the employ of Joseph Dart and later as- sisted in building the first elevator. From that time until his death he was prominently identified with the elevator business. The late Chandler J. Wells and Aldrich Wells were brothers of Will- iam; the former was long interested in building and operating elevators.

1 William Hawks Abell was born in Bennington. Vt., January 29, 1814, in which year his parents removed to Fredonia, N. Y. After spending about four years in Texas he settled perma- nently in Buffalo, where he was employed temporarily in the bank of Oliver Lee & Co., and as freight clerk for the Buffalo and Attica Railroad Company. After two years in the latter capacity he engaged for himself in the storage business, in which in connection with commission, trans- portation and elevator business, he continued until near his death. He was a man of excellent character and highly respected.

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FROM 1840 TO THE CIVIL WAR.

lakes. She was built under an arrangement made by Josiah T. Mar- shall;1 of Oswego, and Capt. James Van Cleve with John Ericsson, the inventor, who patented this method of propelling vessels. When the Vandalia arrived in Buffalo, Captain Van Cleve (who had acquired some kind of an interest in Ericsson's patent) made a contract with Robert Hollister,2 under which the latter built two propellers in 1842-3; these were the Hercules and the Samson. From this time onward the build- ing of this style of vessel increased rapidly, while the construction of side-wheel craft as rapidly declined. 3

In the political field Erie county still had a large Whig majority and the Anti-Masonic movement was almost extinct. In 1842 Millard Fill- more declined re-election to Congress and William A. Mosely, of Buf- falo, succeeded him. In 1844 Mr. Fillmore received the nomination for governor, but was defeated.

In 1845 the population of Erie county was 78, 635, an increase of about 16,000 since 1840. In the city there were 29,773 against 18,213 in 1840. The era of prosperity had begun. Money was in circulation amply sufficient for public needs. Most farmers had nearly or quite

Exchange, built 1863; capacity, 500,000 bushels; in use.

Erie, built 1879; burned August 23, 1882, and rebuilt 1883; capacity, 720,000 bushels; in use.

Empire, built 1861, and burned.

Ohio Basin, built 1863-4; burned about 1866.

Buffalo, built 1846, burned about 1870.

Connecting Terminal, built 1882; capacity, 950,000 bushels; in use.

Union, built and now in use with capacity of 130,000 bushels.

Coatsworth, built 1863; capacity, 650,000 bushels; in use.

Besides the foregoing elevators there are now in use the following: The Brown, capacity, 250,000 bushels; Buffalo Lake Shore Transfer, capacity, 90,000 bushels; Coatsworth, capacity, 650,- 000 bushels; Dakota, capacity, 850,000 bushels; Eastern, capacity, 1,500,000 bushels; Erie Canal, burned early in 1897 and rebuilt with capacity of 140,000 bushels; Frontier, capacity 650,000 bushels; Husted, capacity, 75,000 bushels; International (at Black Rock), capacity, 650,000 bushels; Kellogg, capacity, 600,000 bushels; National, capacity, 65,000 bushels; National and Globe Mills, capacity, 100,- 000 bushels; Ontario, capacity, 450,000 bushels; Queen City A, B and C, capacity, 450,000 bushels; Union, capacity, 130,000 bushels; Export, capacity, 300,000 bushels; Great Northern, built of steel, capacity, 2,500,000 bushels; Electric, capacity not yet estimated; all of the last three mentioned will be completed in 1897.

. Not mentioned in the foregoing list are the Schreck, the William Wells and the Erie Basin, unused; and the following that have been burned: Corn Dock, September 17, 1865; Grain Dock, in 1861; Wadsworth, June 14, 1878; Excelsior, Hazard, Kinne & Wadham, and Rust & Co.

The total storage capacity of all the Buffalo elevators, exclusive of eight floating elevators and six transfer towers, is upwards of 20,000,000 bushels.

1 Josiah T. Marshall died in Buffalo November 23, 1875, aged seventy-two years.

2 Robert Hollister was one of the Hollister brothers, well known shipbuilders; he died in Buffalo September 23, 1877.

3 In 1847 there were in commission on the lakes sixty-four steamboats and only twenty-one propellers. In 1861 there were seventy-one of the former vessels and one hundred and eighty- two of the latter.

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

paid for their land, had greatly improved their buildings, and were gradually producing a greater variety of crops and increasing their stock. Improvement in the villages of the county was not so marked, for Buffalo continued to absorb the greater part of the business of the county. In the winter of 1844 the Buffalo Board of Trade was organ- ized for the purpose of promoting all local business interests, aiding shippers and other commericial operators, and advancing the public in- terests of the city. R. H. Heywood, who was prominent in the project, offered to provide a suitable room for meetings of the board and the transaction of its business, and a meeting was held on January 16 in the office of Joy & Webster (then in the Webster block); at that meeting the desirability of such an organization was advocated by various persons and a committee was appointed consisting of J. L. Kimberly,1 S. Purdy, Philo Durfee, R. C. Palmer. and William Will- iams to prepare a constitution and by-laws. These were reported and adopted at the second meeting, held January 30, 1844. At a later meet- ing, March 11, R. H. Heywood was chosen president of the board; George B. Webster, first vice-president; William Williams, second vice president; Philo Durfee, A. H. Caryl, James Hollister, H. M. Kinne, J. C. Evans, Sidney Shepard, N. Hayden, J. L. Kimberly and George Palmer, directors; John R. Lee, treasurer; Giles K Coats, secretary. In fulfillment of his pledge, Mr. Heywood, in the fall of that year and spring of 1845, erected a building corner of Hanover and Prime streets and called it the Merchants' Exchange. On the 10th of March, 1845, the above named officers were re-elected. The new build- ing was occupied by the board June 5, 1845. This institution accom- plished a vast amount of good in the city in various directions. Re- forms have been inaugurated through its influence which have resulted in great benefit to commercial affairs; in the equalization and regula- tion of freight rates from the West; in securing a reduction of canal tolls in 1870; in obtaining legislation making the canal free in 1882; in aiding the government during the war of the Rebellion, and in sup- porting all measures for the establishment of public improvements in the city, the Board of Trade, during its active career, was zealous and influential.2

1 John L. Kimberly was born in Derby, Conn., January 30, 1799; he settled in Black Rock in 1817 and in Buffalo in 1827. He was a pioneer in boat building and forwarding, was a founder of the Buffalo City Bank, and many years trustee of the Buffalo Savings Bank. He died December 21, 1884.

2 At a meeting held April 17, 1880, resolutions were adopted in favor of the erection of a new

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FROM 1840 TO THE CIVIL WAR.

From its exposed situation at the eastern foot of Lake Erie and with a level area extending around its southern and eastern sides, Buffalo is

building by the board for its own use. The matter was further advanced by various committees during the next two years and in May, 1882, a call was issued for competitive plans for the new structure to be erected on the corner of Seneca and Pearl streets. In competition with fifteen others, Milton E. Beebe, of Buffalo, furnished plans that were acceptable and work on the build- ing was at once commenced ; it was completed and ready for occupancy in the fall of 1883. The Board of Trade still continues its organization, but since the institution of the Merchants' Ex- change, has confined itself to such matters as come within its province as owner of the land and building in which the Exchange has its quarters, which are valued at $295,000. The Board of Trade stock amounts to $185,000, more than one-half of which is owned by the Merchants' Ex- change. In short, since 1882 the Board of Trade has ceased to be an institution devoted to the commercial interests of the city. The presidents of the board have been as follows :

March 10, 1846, R. H. Heywood; March 13, 1847, Henry Daw; March 13, 1848, Philo Durfee; March 13, 1849, George B. Walbridge; March 13, 1850, H. E. Howard; March 8, 1852, S. H. Fish; March 13, 1853, Samuel J. Holley; March 13. 1854, H. Niles; March 12, 1855, G. S. Hazard (again elected in March, 1857, in April, 1862, 1863, 1864); May 6, 1856, M. S. Hawley; April 12, 1858, J. R. Bentley; April 12, 1859, A. Sherwood; April 12, 1860, C. J. Mann; April 16, 1861, J. Parker; April 11, 1865, S. H. Fish; April 11, 1866, P. S. Marsh; April 9, 1867, P. S. Marsh; April 15, 1868, J. H. Vought; April 13, 1869, S. S. Guthrie; 1 April 13, 1870, Charles G. Curtis; April 13, 1871, James G. Sawyer; April 13, 1872, Alfred P. Wright; April 13, 1873, Charles G. Sweet; April 13, 1874, E. P. Dorr; April 13, 1875, Cyrus Clarke; April 13, 1877, Alonzo Richmond; April 13, 1878, William H. Abell; April 13, 1879, Jewett M. ' Richmond;2 April 13, 1880, George Sandrock; April 13, 1881, John B. Manning; 3 1882-84, Jacob F. Schoellkopf; 4 1885-86, Jewett M. Richmond; 1887, Albert J. Wright; 1888, William Meadows; 1889,

1 S. S. Guthrie was long a prominent business man of Buffalo, and a native of Putnam, Ohio. He acquired a knowledge of mercantile business in his father's store and later was in business with him and his brother, Waldo, in Putnam. He settled in Buffalo in 1851 as a member of the commission firm of Buckinghams & Guthrie and continued in that business either with partners or alone until 1874, when he was appointed general agent of the Erie Railroad. He was also a director of that company and president of the Union Steamboat Company and the Union Dry Dock Company.

2 Jewett M. Richmond was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., December 9, 1830. His young manhood was passed in serving as clerk for various persons near his home and as a partner with two brothers and two other men in the salt and flour business. This firm was a strong one and had branches in Syracuse, Salina, Oswego, Buffalo and Chicago. , In 1860 he formed a partnership with H. A. Richmond, son of Dean Richmond, under the style of J. M. Richmond & Co., and be- gan a grain, commission, storage and elevating business in Buffalo. In 1863-64 he built the Rich- mond elevator. In 1867 he was elected president of the Marine Bank of Buffalo, and in 1871 was chosen president of the Buffalo and Jamestown Railroad. He retired from active business in 1881 and thereafter devoted his time to his large real estate interests. He built the Richmond block, corner of Seneca and Ellicott streets, in 1884.

3 John B. Mannning was of Irish descent and born in Albany July 13, 1833. He served as page in the Assembly and the Senate from 1845 to about 1850, gaining a thorough knowledge of State politics. In 1860-61 he acted as Albany correspondent of the Brooklyn Eagle. Abandoning the political career that was clearly open to him, he settled in Buffalo and soon was largely engaged in the malting and commission business. He was elected mayor of Buffalo when Grover Cleve- land was elected governor and was defeated for the same office in the fall of 1883. He was prom- inently identified with the building of the Merchants' Exchange.

4 Jacob F. Schoellkopf has for many years been numbered among the leading German busi- ness men of Buffalo. He was born in 1819 and after serving as clerk in his father's store two years he came to America in 1841 and to Buffalo in 1844, where he began the leather business in a small way. Within the next ten years he was a leader in this industry, owning alone or in company with others several large tanneries. In 1871 he first became interested in the milling business, in which he still continues both at Buffalo and Niagara Falls. He has held prominent offices in sev- eral banks and has amassed a large fortune.

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swept by high winds during many months of the year. While these are in some respects an evil, there is no doubt that they contribute to the healthfulness of the locality. On the 8th of October, 1844, the city was visited by a remarkable and destructive gale accompanied by an unprecedented overflow of the lake. A strong northeast wind prevailed through the day and to about 11 o'clock in the evening, when it shifted to the southwest and west, soon rising to a terrific gale, which contin- ued through the night. The waters of the lake, which had been driven back by the northeast wind, were blown down upon the city, causing a rise of two feet higher than ever known before or since. The damage to shipping and buildings was immense and, what is far more deplor- able, from thirty to forty lives were lost, mostly by drowning. About one-third of the stone pier was washed out, wharves were wrecked and the flats east of Main and south of Seneca streets were covered with stranded scows and canal boats, lumber and other débris; the brig Ashland was thrown upon the south pier; the steamer G. Dole was tossed high and dry into Ohio street, while a little farther up lay the Bunker Hill; the Columbus lay near Michigan street above high water mark, and the United States steamer Albert was stranded below the pier. Numerous buildings in the city were demolished or badly dam- aged, and cellars were filled with water, while the small houses and shanties of poor people near the lake were washed away. The total damage was estimated at about $200,000. Two girls were drowned in the basement of a tavern at 95 Main street, and eight persons were drowned near the Wilkeson foundry. The disaster spread gloom throughout the city, which was only partially relieved by generous aid that was bestowed upon the sufferers. 2

Edward Eames; 1890, William M. Sloan; 1891-92, John N. Scatcherd; 1893, George Clinton; 1894-96, Robert R. Hefford; 1897, Alonzo R. James. William Thurstone has been secretary of the board since 1863.

The Merchants' Exchange was chartered in the spring of 1882, with somewhat broader powers and purposes than the Board of Trade. James N. Scatcherd was elected president of the Ex- change; Eric L. Hedstrom, vice-president; Charles A. Sweet, treasurer; William Thurstone, secretary; the latter still serves in the same capacity. The presidents have been as follows: 1883, James N. Scatcherd; 1 1884-85, Eric L. Hedstrom; 1886, Albert J. Wright; 1887, James R. Smith; 1888, Robert B. Adam; 1889, John C. Graves; 1890, Peter C. Doyle; 1891-92, John N. Scatcherd; 1893, George Clinton; 1894-96, Robert R. Hefford; 1897, Alonzo R. James.

1 James N. Scatcherd was born in Wyton, Ont., December 4, 1824, and died January 18, 1895. He settled in Buffalo in 1852, representing a large lumber business, and became its successor; about 1880 he took his son John into partnership. He was president of the Water Board, and vice-president of the Third National Bank.

2 Contrary to widely-prevalent belief, Buffalo does not suffer frequently from destructive winds or storms, while its climate is more equable and several degrees milder than in most other

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FROM 1840 TO THE CIVIL WAR.

In April, 1846, the Buffalo Literary and Scientific Academy, founded in April, 1832, and later merged in the institution that became the University of Buffalo, closed its existence as a corporation under authority of the Legislature. Heman B. Potter was appointed receiver. On May 11 of the same year the University of Buffalo was incorpo- ated by act of the Legislature, with capital stock of $100,000. The in- corporators named in the act were Albert H. Tracy, Millard Fillmore, Joseph G. Masten, Thomas M. Foote, Isaac Sherman, Nathan K. Hall, Gaius B. Rich, Ira A. Blossom, James S. Wadsworth, William A. Bird, George W. Clinton, George R. Babcock, George C. White, Aaron D. Patchen and James Hollister. This institution is further described in Chapter XXIX.

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Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I, Part 41

Author: White, Truman C Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] : Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1014

Author: White, Truman C
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] : Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1014