USA > New York > Erie County > Our county and its people : a descriptive work on Erie County, New York, Volume I > Part 48
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Another and still more important road which opened the gates of the great coal mine region began operations in 1873. This was the Buffalo, New York and Pittsburg road, over which coal was brought direct from the mines. The opening of this line was of paramount importance to this section and it soon became an influential factor in the present im- mense coal traffic of the city and county. Mammoth coal trestles soon arose at various points and the trade in the indispensable fuel rapidly increased. Other railroads that were destined to wield a vast influence soon came into the city and are noticed a little further on.
The population of Erie county in 1870 was 178,699; it was increased during the next five years to 197,902. In 1880 it reached 219,884, showing an increase of about 20,000 in each of the two semi-decades. The population of the city in 1870 was 117,714; in 1875 it was 134, 557, and in 1880 it was 155,134. A comparison of the increase in the city with the total increase in the county shows that in the first five years in question about 17,000 of the 20,000 gross increase was in the city; while in the second five years there was even a larger percentage of in- crease to be credited to the city. During a few years prior to 1880 a
1 The total cost of land for the parks up to October, 1897, is $863,857.24; total issue of bonds, $2,106,946.31; appropriations, $2,317,046.84; construction and maintenance, $3,309,058.01. The six parks and the park approaches contain an area of about 930 acres. Besides the park and park- ways proper there are twenty-two small triangles under control of the park commissioners.
2 Between August 25, 1879, and June 2, 1893, bonds to the amount of $752,000 were issued by the city to redeem the bonds originally issued for this stock ; these bonds remain unpaid.
420
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
greater degree of public spirit was noticeable in Buffalo, and the fore- most citizens awakened to the possibilities of their city. A spirit of local pride soon pervaded the whole community, and croakers and proph- ets of evil were no longer heard on the street corners. From that time to the present no city in the United States has advanced with more rapid strides than Buffalo. With a population of 155,134 in 1880 it sprung upward to 255,664 in 1890, and to 278,727 in 1892. The five years since the last named date show a farther in- crease, as indicated by conservative estimates based upon the annual directory canvass, sufficient to bring the number up to nearly 400,000. In the county at large the increase between 1880 and 1890 was from 219,884 to 322,981, while the canvass of 1892 gives the population as 347,328. No words could speak more eloquently of prosperity than these figures relating to the city, and as far as statistics are accessible, every department of business life-manufacturing, mercantile, real estate operations, building, lake and railroad commerce-advanced pro- portionately and through the same influences that so rapidly swelled the population.
The tonnage of the vessels arriving and clearing from the port of Buffalo increased from 5,935,746 in 1880 to 7,566,415 in 1890, while in 1896 the figures reach 11,304,607. The number of vessels in 1880 was 10,308; in 1896, 11,332. Every one is familiar with the enterprise ex- hibited by the great transportation companies in recent years in the construction of fleets of large iron and steel vessels which now ply the lakes to empty the storehouses of the West into the elevators of Buf- falo, making it the greatest grain depot in the world.1 In 1880 there were received in the port 1,056,346 barrels of flour; in 1890, 6,214, 982 barrels, and in 1896, 10,396,431 barrels. In the same years the num- ber of bushels of wheat received was respectively 39,611,132, 24, 876, - 147 (increased to 75,584, 443 in 1891), and 54,158, 729.
The amount of grain and flax seed handled by the Western Elevat- ing Association was 161,470, 745 bushels in 1896, as compared with 121,- 225,497 bushels in 1895; 96, 956, 551 bushels in 1894; 135, 604, 634 bush- els in 1893; 123,397,718 bushels in 1892; 130,253,138 bushels in 1891, 90,063,533 bushels in 1890; 91,791,318 bushels in 1889; 73,234,562 bushels in 1888; 85,015,957 bushels in 1887; 72, 678, 096 bushels in 1886; 51,717,551 bushels in 1885; 57,123,601 bushels in 1884; 64,436,804
1 The tonnage of iron and steel vessels built on the lakes increased in the ten years from 1887 to 1896, inclusive, from 6,077.99 to 81,423.59.
421
FROM 1870 TO 1897.
bushels in 1883; 50,954,815 bushels in 1882; about 50,000,000 in 1881, and 99,000,000 bushels in 1880. Increase in 1896 over 1895 of 40,245, - 248 bushels.
Railroad extension kept fully abreast of other material growth. In 1880 the already powerful Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company received a charter authorizing the construction of a road from Bing- hamton to Buffalo, to provide another outlet for its coal product. The company secured a contract with the New York Central Company under which the latter was to accept coal shipped over the freight lines west of Syracuse, the objective depot being Buffalo. That was the real foundation of the now enormous hard coal traffic of the city. The line of road was completed in 1883. To accommodate its shipments arriving in Buffalo a branch line was constructed from the old Niagara Falls station down to the foot of Erie street, where land was acquired for the erection of the then largest coal trestle in the world, with storage capacity of 100,000 tons. Outside the city limits at Cheek- towaga is the stocking coal trestle of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, with a capacity of over 100,000 tons storage. At the same place the Lehigh has its trestles and stocking plant of 175,000 tons storage capacity, and a transfer trestle for loading box-cars, with a capacity of 100 cars daily. At the same point the Erie has a stocking plant, with storage capacity of 100,000 tons. The Reading has at the foot of Georgia street, in the city, a large trestle and pocket for the convenience of the retail trade, and in connection with their docks, with a capacity of 2,000 tons. The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg has terminals on Ganson and Michigan streets, fronting on the Blackwell Canal, with a water frontage of 1,100 feet; also a town delivery yard, with a hoisting plant for loading and coaling vessels.
Fifty- four years have passed since the first record was made of the receipts of anthracite coal at Buffalo. In 1842 only 900 net tons were reported ; in 1852, 23,000 net tons; in 1862, 132,500 net tons; in 1872, 521,000 net tons; in 1892, 4,804, 700 net tons. Before 1882 statistics of the bituminous receipts are missing, but in that year only 65,000 net tons were received by railroads and lake; ten years after, viz., 1892, 2,680,470 net tons were reported. In 1875 there were shipped from Buffalo, by lake, 541,812 tons of coal; in 1890, 2,079, 702, and in 1896, 2,400,148 tons.
The coal stocking plants and shipping docks in Buffalo represent a total valuation of about $16,000,000. The following table shows the coal imports, in tons, since 1890:
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Year.
Anthracite.
Bituminous.
1890
4,349,690
1,344,467
1891
4,507,804
2,405,084
1892
4,804,700
2,680,470
1893
4,770,546 2,896,614
1894
4,272,130
2,280,470
1895
4,764,038
2,727,584
1896
4,588,061
2,661,840
In 1882 the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad was com- pleted. In the same year the New York Central laid its tracks along the terrace and down the river shore to unite with the old main tracks beyond the city limits, giving that road direct western connections. The Buffalo, Pittsburg & Western Railroad Company was formed in January, 1881, by a consolidation of the Buffalo & Pittsburg Company (organized in September, 1880, for the purpose of building a road from Buffalo to near Brocton, Chautauqua county) with several other lines principally in Pennsylvania. In February, 1883, the road in question and the Oil City and Chicago, and the Olean and Salamanca roads were consolidated with the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia.
Again, in 1882-83 the Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad Company (successor of the Rochester & State Line Company) built a line of road from Buffalo to Ashford, Cattaraugus county, by way of East Ham- burg, West Falls, Colden, and Springville. This became later an im- portant feeder from the coal regions and was a great convenience to the inhabitants of a part of Erie county that had not previously had railroad communication with other localities. Meanwhile the Lehigh Valley road (as then known) began extensive operations, sending its coal at that time over the tracks of other companies, and all contribut- ing to make Buffalo the greatest railroad center in the United States. The New York, West Shore & Buffalo Railroad was opened through for traffic in January, 1884, but being a rival of the New York Central, which became its purchaser, it has had no marked influence. Twenty- seven great railroad corporations1 now operate roads entering Buffalo and more than 250 passenger trains enter and leave the city daily, while the yard facilities are the greatest in the world.
1 The following is a list of the railroads centering in Buffalo :
1. The New York Central & Hudson River; the main line, four tracks. 2. Niagara Falls & Lewiston branch. 3. Buffalo & Lockport. 4. Belt Line, Buffalo City. 5. Niagara Falls & Canan- daigua branch. 6. Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg. 7. Erie; main line, two tracks. 8. Niagara Falls & Suspension Bridge branch. 9. International Bridge branch. 10. Lockport branch. 11. Buffalo & Southwestern and New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Division. 12. West Shore, two
423
FROM 1870 TO 1897.
Several of the large railroad corporations have established their own steamship lines, and although it is a seeming paradox, the enormous development of the railroad interest was one of the principal causes of the revival of lake commerce. Vessels that formerly brought down grain and frequently returned in ballast were laden both ways, carry- ing westward cargoes of iron and coal. The same influence that caused the rapid development of the coal business had a similar effect upon the iron industry. Ore docks were constructed by the Lehigh Valley Company, the New York, Lake Erie & Western Company, the New York Central, and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Com- pany, and the ore receipts in the port by lake increased from 197,000 tons in 1892 to 545,101 tons in 1896.
By virtue of its situation, the early establishment of adequate stock yards, and the great railroad facilities described, Buffalo has become one of the largest cattle markets in the world. While changes in the volume of this business during the last decade have not been especially marked, there has been an enormous development during the past forty years. For example, the live stock trade of 1857 included 108,203 head of cattle, 117,068 hogs, and 307,549 sheep. Ten years later the number of cattle was 257,872; of hogs, 239,943; of sheep, 697,440. In 1877 the figures are, cattle, 569,915; hogs, 1,128,770; sheep, 763,600. In 1896 the figures are, cattle, 945,274; hogs, 3,900,- 450; sheep, 2,664,200.
While Buffalo has never been in a paramount degree a manufac- turing city, it was inevitable that with this vast inflowing tide of prosperity, hundreds of industries should spring into existence, many of which are of great importance. From the comparatively limited number of manufacturing establishments of 1870 they have increased until there are now about 3,500, employing about 100,000 operatives. With the installation of unlimited electric power from Niagara Falls, to be supplied at a price lower than can be obtained in any other city
tracks. 13. Reading & Lehigh Valley system. 14. Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; main line, two tracks and branches. 15. Western New York & Pennsylvania, Buffalo Division; Emporium and other branches. 16. Pittsburg Division, Pittsburgh branch. 17. Connecting Terminal. 18. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern; main line, two tracks and branches. 19. New York, Chicago & St. Louis, "Nickel Plate." 20. Grand Trunk of Cananda; main line, via Niagara Falls, Sus- pension Bridge and branches. 21. Chicago & Grand Trunk, and Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwau- kee. 22. Buffalo & Goderich, and other branches, via International Bridge. 23. Michigan Central and branches; main line enters Buffalo via Canada over the International and Cantilever bridges. 24. Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo. 25. Niargara City branch. 26. Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg, and branches. 27. Northern Central, via N. Y. C. & H. R., at Canandaigua, N. Y., and Erie at Elmira, N. Y.
424
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
in the country outside of Niagara Falls, it is clear that the future in this respect is bright.
To protect and facilitate the vast lake commerce of the port, im-
e dasın
S
L
BREAKWATER
SAND-CATCH PIER
RUBBLE
WATCHED SHORE ARLO
MOUND
VALLET.
E
BREAKWATER R
-
TIMBER CRIB BREAKWATER
Map of
BUFFALO HARBOR,N.Y.
Showing Extensions
of the
BREAK WATER AND SAND-CATCH PIER under the dracilon af
portant and cost- ly improve- ments have been made and are now in process of construction in the harbor. In 1868 a de- tached break- water was pro- vided for, to be situated beyond the lighthouse, to extend south 4,000 feet; in 1874 it was de- termined to fur- ther extend this breakwater to a length of 7,600 feet; the final extension of this distance was
constructed in
E
1893. A shore arm to this breakwater was built in 1874-75. In 1886 plans
were approved Major T.W.Bynote, Corps of Engineers, UL.5) for replacing Scale of Pork. the superstruc- ture, as fast as it became decayed, with concrete; nearly 4,000 feet have been thus replaced up to the present time. In 1895 a new and very important harbor improvement was projected. This, in brief, consists of the
425
FROM 1870 TO 1897,
abandonment of the shore arm before mentioned, and the extension of the breakwater from its present southern end to Stony Point. The estimated cost of this work is about $4,200,000, the appropriation for. which has been made by the Federal government and the work is under way. The accompanying map shows the harbor as it will appear after the new breakwater is completed. The total sum expended by the United States in improvements in the harbor up to July 1, 1897, is $2,722,733.15.
It will be correctly inferred that renewed activity in real estate and building operations accompanied the revival of material growth and prosperity in other directions just described. In fact, in almost no other respect were indications of the beginning of a new era in the industrial life of Buffalo more clearly apparent. Prices of real estate advanced and property in many sections of the city was sold and im- proved. Especially was this true in respect to outlying districts where many large tracts were bought by enterprising men or companies, laid out in lots and streets, and covered with high class residences, which found ready buyers at greatly advanced prices. Business blocks of great cost were erected with surprising frequency and filled with the multiplying stores and offices. Previous to the period under considera- tion modern architecture in the city was little understood and found few builders who were ready to adopt it; but within the past fifteen years a striking change has taken place in this respect, both in dwellings and business buildings. In evidence of this change, attention need be called only to such splendid structures as the Erie County Savings Bank building, the Guaranty building, Ellicott Square, the Real Estate Exchange, the Merchants' Exchange, the Mooney-Brisbane building, the building of the German Insurance Company, the Buffalo Library building, the D. S. Morgan building, the Iroquois Hotel, the new building of the Evening News, and others of less note.
The outcome of this abnormal activity in real estate operations was, however, disastrous. A speculative project was inaugurated and energetically pursued during the period from about 1888 to 1893, not alone in Buffalo, but in many other large cities, the unfortunate con- sequences of which were similar in almost every instance. Under the spur of ambitious enterprise a fever of speculation in real estate was induced, prices were forced far beyond actual values, and the city of Buffalo is still suffering from the inevitable reaction. It should not be inferred that this class of speculation was confined to the city of
54
426
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Buffalo, or to Erie county, or to any other limited region. It grew upon the proceeds of its own operation and it was a foregone conclu- sion that it would spread, as it certainly did, throughout the north, east and west, and involved not alone suburban property, but farm lands of all kinds.
The general plan of these operations under which the existing con- dition in the real estate market was reached may be briefly outlined. A speculative purchaser would buy a suburban farm, or other large tract of land, without intention of materially improving it, but wholly for speculative purposes. If he paid say $100 an acre for the land he would, through the medium of extravagant and frequently insincere advertising and personal argument, set forth the various desirable features of his property-its elgible situation for homes, or for manu- facturing purposes, its healthfulness, etc .- and thus find a purchaser, or purchasers, at, perhaps, $200 an acre. These new buyers would, by similar and still more energetic methods, extol and magnify the prospective value of the property before the public, until another syn- dicate could be found who would take over the purchase at another large advance. In many instances such tracts of land were surveyed into lots and streets and the beginning of improvements made; these lots could be offered singly at apparently very low prices and yet at such figures that the gross sum received for an acre would be, perhaps, ten times the amount of the original purchase price. Many of these tracts and lots were sold to people who were lacking in business experi- ence, and who were as a rule without means to make improvements; the inducements to such people to buy were long-time payments, sometimes without interest on the balance unpaid, and eloquent repre- sentations that they could thus soon own homes of their own. The result of such transactions could be foreseen by prudent men.
The real estate operations in and around Buffalo, of which the fore- going presents an unprejudiced example, were numerous-far too numerous for the public welfare. While the forced inflation of prices continued in any particular case, the speculators themselves reaped profits, but they were the only persons who did; the disastrous conclu- sion was inevitable and the final buyers found themselves, when the the bubble burst, just where their predecessors were in 1836-37. When the tide turned people began to awaken to the fact that they had acquired lands at prices far above actual value, everybody directly interested attempted to sell out, with the natural consequence that
427
FROM 1870 TO 1897.
prices went down with far greater rapidity than they had risen ; buyers were frightened and the entire business came to a standstill.
While real estate centrally located in the city, and improved with residence or business buildings, was not to a very great extent involved in these mushroom transactions, it was unavoidable that the downfall, when it came in 1893, should reflect to some degree upon all other real estate of whatever stable value, as well as upon many other lines of business. Recovery from these depressing conditions may be said to have begun, but such recovery will necessarily be slow and there will be ample time in which men may study the lessons taught by such un- warranted operations, and learn that the steady, conservative progress which Buffalo has made during by far the greater part of its municipal existence, is the only safe, permanent and, in the end, profitable one.
In this connection may properly be noticed the organization of the Buffalo Real Estate Exchange on January 23, 1885, as the Real Estate and Brokers' Board, limited, and was incorporated January 18, 1887. It was reincorporated April 12, 1892, with its present title and with Henry Hill, president; Walter G. Hopkins, vice-president; George H. Sickels, secretary; Timothy J. Mahoney, treasurer. The splendid building occupied by the Exchange and by hundreds of offices, on Pear street, was erected in 1895-96, at a cost of about $460,000. The Ex- change is accomplishing much good in the real estate business of the city.
The immigration into the city and county necessary to create the great increase in population to which reference has been made in pre- vious pages, has been of a widely diverse character. While at the present time a majority of the inhabitants are, of course, of English nationality, the reader has already learned that, mingled with this ma- jority is a very large German element of citizenship, which enters prominently into all business activities and exerts a marked influence in the political field and the municipal government. Another con- spicuous element of the community is the Polish.
The advent in Buffalo of people of this nationality began shortly be- fore 1870, and by the year 1874 there were about 150 families in the city. Constant employment and good wages, compared to what they had received in their native land, induced them to stay and to send for their relatives and friends, and by 1885 a conspicuous colony had firmly engrafted itself on the east side. This colony now numbers about 55,- 000 persons. Unlike their brethren in other cities in the United States,
428
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
the Poles of Buffalo have kept largely together, forming a settlement of their own, with churches, schools, and other institutions conducive to their welfare and preservative of their national characteristics. So thorough have they been in this respect that they are almost distinct- ively a people by themselves, having little in common, except in busi- ness connections, with the vast interests of the city at large.
This Polish element came from the Polands in Prussia and Russia and from Austria, and in their new home cling tenaciously to the religion, habits, and mode of life which prevail in the old country. They are mainly laborers; few of them have engaged in business, ex- cept as the demands of their own people have created the oppor- tunity. They are fairly industrious, law-abiding, and charitable; many of them own property, especially their own homes, which are generally modest in character and largely built in one style. Nearly all business in their settlement is carried on by them; their merchants (kupiecs), dealers, etc., are enterprising, and some of them have valu- able properties. Most of the Polish population are immigrants, and a large number of them can speak nothing but their native language, in which their religious services, school exercises, and dealings with one another are chiefly conducted. In religion they are principally Roman Catholics.
It is important to note that in point of Polish population Buffalo is second among the cities of this country, Chicago coming first, Detroit third, Milwaukee fourth, Cleveland fifth, and Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York next. Among the prominent early Poles in Buffalo were Michael Szanichrowicz and John Odojewski, two of the organizers of the first Polish society, St. Stanislaus; Theodore Berent, one of the first appointed to read the gospel in Polish in St. Michael's chapel; and Jacob Johnson, the first teacher of English in their schools.
St. Stanislaus church (Polish Roman Catholic) was incorporated in June, 1873, with about fifty members, and the same year a frame edifice was built on the corner of Peckham and Townsend streets. The first pastor was Rev. John Pitass,1 who is still in charge; the leading lay members were John Hordich and Joseph I. Kaujwski. On May 27,
1 Very Rev. John Pitass is the dean of the Polish colony in Buffalo, and the leader of his peo- ple in Western New York. For more than a quarter of a century he has labored with untiring zeal to advance the moral and spiritual welfare of not only his own congregation, but of his race, and no man is regarded by his followers with more veneration. He stands pre-eminently at the head of a distinctive element in the city's population, and represents all that is noble among his people in matters of religion and education.
429
FROM 1870 TO 1897.
1883, the corner stone of the present stone church was laid on an ad- joining lot on Peckham street; the structure was completed in 1886. The old wooden church was converted into a parochial school, and later another large school house was built of brick on Peckham street. This is the largest Polish church in the city, having over 6,000 com- municants, and about 2,000 scholars in its parochial school. St. Adel- bert's church (Polish Roman Catholic) comes next in date of organiza- tion and in size, having about 525 parochial scholars and between 600 and 700 families. Its first edifice was a wooden building; later a brick church was built; that burned, and in 1890 the present structure on the corner of Stanislaus street and Rother avenue was erected. Each of these churches has a cemetery at Pine Hill. The other Polish Roman Catholic churches in Buffalo are St. Casimir's, at the corner of Clinton and Beer streets; the Church of the Assumption, at Black Rock; St. John Kanty's church, at Broadway and Swinburne street, built about 1892; and Church of the Transfiguration, built of brick in 1896-97. Each of these churches maintains a parochial school. There is also the Holy Mother of Rosary church, an independent body, on Sobieski street, near Sycamore, which has a cemetery on Walden avenue.
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