USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 57
USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 57
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The publie schools began with Distriet No. 1, in the first ward, near the present Jefferson school, and Principal Edward Smith has described succeeding progress in the city. In 1848 the four wards had ten sehools and twenty-two teachers, with salaries varying from fifteen dollars to fifty dollars per month. Prineipal W. W. Newman alone had the latter. A high school department in 1854 was under Principal Charles C. Roundy. This had several removals before it was established on West Genesee street in 1869. Before that time sehools began to assume names, and by 1895 there were twen- ty-five of these ward schools, beside the truant and high schools. There were then three hnudred and thirty-six teachers. The ward schools are now thirty- three, with five hundred and eleven teachers in all' eity public schools. To the ward sehools may be added six others under the board of education.
Keble school was ably maintained for many years by Miss Mary Jack- son, and the Goodyear-Burlingame and other schools are doing good work.
In 1867 Syracuse voted an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars for a university here, if four hundred thousand dollars endowment
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
were added to this. A Methodist Episcopal convention took hold of this in 1870, and recommended the raising of five hundred thousand dollars by that denomination. Provisional trustees were elected, and a charter was secured. In January, 1871, pledges reached four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, and the city issued bonds for one hundred thousand dollars, April 24. Gifts of real estate followed, and the College of Liberal Arts was opened in the Myers block, September 1, 1871, remaining there till the Hall of Lan- guages was dedicated in May, 1873. The Medical College was established in December, 1871, commencing work the next year. The College of Fine Arts, established in June, 1873, was opened in September.
In 1886 the Holden Memorial Observatory was built, and the next year the Von Ranke Library was presented. The Crouse Memorial College for Women followed these gifts, and other later equipments will be described elsewhere. The additions have been on a grand scale in the last few years. The chancellors have been Daniel Steele, 1871-72; Alexander Winchell, 1872-74; E. O. Haven, 1874-80; Charles N .- Sims, 1881-93; James R. Day, present chan- cellor. In the number of students it ranks high. Though controlled by Meth- odists it claims to be non-seetarian, and has a liberal attendance of others.
Of the original faculty Rev. Wellesley P. Coddington alone keeps his place. The charter is dated March 25. 1870, and provides for forty-one trus- tees. Of these twenty-seven represent the Methodist Episcopal conferences of the state of New York; nine are trustees at large, of whom only three are to be Methodists; three are chosen by the graduates; the Chancellor represents the faculty, and some state officers are trustees ex-officio, giving the denomi- nation a safe working representation of three-fourths. Beside its libraries the university has fine cabinets of various kinds, and is justly proud of its athletic organizations. Its situation is fine and its grounds ample.
The system is that of co-education, and its musical and art advantages draw many young ladies to its halls, while large numbers of Syracuse people may be seen at the frequent musical recitals. The presence of a trained body of professional men has had a marked influence on the city, and the increas- ing number of its fine and conspicuous buildings adds to its seenie effects. In architecture, drawing, modeling and painting, creditable work is eon- stautly done, and laboratory work and engineering have special attention.
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CHAPTER LVI.
ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.
This has been briefly mentioned, but a few of its striking features may be added as seen in the eity. Following up a suggestion of a Centennial cele- bration of the erection of the county for June 6, 1904, proper committees were appointed to take matters in charge. A loan exhibition was provided, and a grand procession organized, with suitable addresses and other things. Beside this a week's entertainment of tableaux, ete., at the Wieting opera house was arranged, and this, with the procession, appealed to spectacular tastes. The day was favorable, and the city was crowded to see the former.
There were eight divisions promptly in motion at 10 a. m., under Colonel II. N. Burhans, marshal of the day. The first included war veterans, military companies and G. A. R. posts. Major T. H. Poole was a director of the His- torical Association, but he left his carriage to march with his old companions, his empty sleeve attesting his bravery. The second comprised city officers and those of the Historieal Association, and several societies. The third was of Catholic organizations of the city. The fourth, Odd Fellows, St. John's Cadets, etc. The fifth, Knights of Pythias. The sixth, the fire department. The seventh, eyeling and athletic associations. The eighth, historical and industrial floats, a fine feature of the parade.
One float had a fac-simile of the old Mansion House. Another bore seven veteran supervisors, with antique mahogany table and chairs. One had a block house, another a canal boat, another a canoe with an Indian family. Ephraim Webster, with his flat boat and Indian friends furnished another. Five floats showed features of salt making. The American Express Company was well represented, as well as many other industries. The Solvay Process and the Syracuse Chilled Plow companies had fine floats, the latter showing "Sowing grain 1794." Hiawatha of course appeared in his white canoe. Mayor Jaeob Amos's float had twenty young people representing statuary, with the Goddess of Liberty over all. The procession passed a given point in two hours and ten minutes, countermarching on West Onondaga street, which added much to the interest and effect.
The historical tableaux were directed by Mrs. Charles E. Fitch, aided by Henry J. Ormsbee. The first was the reception of Hiawatha by the Iro- quois at Onondaga lake. The second was his farewell and ascent heavenward in his white eanoe. Next eame Le Moyne with the Onondagas at the salt springs, with the singing of hymns, and features more picturesque than his- torie. Between the tableaux came singing by leading vocalists of Syracuse, a fine feature of the occasion.
"Salt Boiling in Early Times" showed Comfort Tyler, Asa Danforth and Indians making salt in 1788, with an old-fashioned kettle. A painting then showed the old store of Thomas Mccarthy in 1805, and the new one of D.
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MeCarthy & Company in 1894. This was followed by an old-fashioned singing school, which ended with "Polly, put the Kettle on." This was funny enough. but the elimas of fun was in the quilting party at Onondaga Hollow, sup- posed to be in 1820. and Mrs. Delia Colvin Hatch was the life of this. La Fayette's reception followed. Then came a primary singing school, and the Fayetteville school which President Cleveland attended in 1845. This was under Miss Eliza Cole, his former teacher.
The Jerry Resene of 1853 followed. and then the Syracuse Musical lu- stitute of 1849, mostly the old members. The Burning of Wieting Block in 1856 was quite effective and realistic, old-fashioned fire apparatus being used. Three war seenes by old soldiers succeeded; the first heing the presentation of colors and departure of troops: the second a bivouae of veterans with eamp songs; the third the return of the troops. As far as possible pioneers were represented by their descendants; in the later tableaux some actors had shared in the historie events.
A medal was struck on this occasion; the obverse being an Indian group and log house, with legend: "The Commemoration of the Hundredth Anni- versary of the County of Onondaga, March 5. 1794." Reverse, map of the military tract ; legend: "The Bounty of the State of New York to the Sol- diers of the American Revolution." This was provided by William Kirk- patrick.
KANOONO KARNIVAL.
In the fall of 1904. Mayor Fobes suggested the plan of giving wider inter- est to State Fair week by four nights of spectacular parades of a varied ehar- aeter, part of which might be legendary or historic. The proposal found favor. The Chamber of Commerce took hold of it with enthusiasm, and ont of this eame the Mystie Krewe, based on the Iroquois League. A syllabus was adopted, designs seenred and floats built, and in September, 1905. the first series of entertainments was given, an annual series following. It is needless to deseribe all these, but as the first was distinetly local in character. as regards the historie floats. this may be taken as representing the rest. The electrical displays have always been good, and the customary military and eivie parades fine, but the floats manned by the Mystic Krewe were in- tended to be the culminating feature.
After the manner of the Mardi Gras a king and queen are annually chosen and received in a stately way; usually with a water pageant. The term Kanoono was selected as a name for the carnival. being that of the city and bay of New York, and thence applied to the state. The Mohawks now define this fresh water basin. It might be derived from one of two early Mohawk words: Gannonna, to guard, as though soldiers were on duty; and Gannona, bottom of the water. as in the present definition. The last suits best a well watered land.
In accordance with Mayor Fohes' suggestion the Hiawatha of Onondaga was chosen for the general subjeet, with a few historie floats added. A dozen
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floats were devoted to the Indian sage. 1. Hiawatha's Advent. He lands from his white canoe, and greets two hunters, who become his companions. 2. Opening the Rivers. He fights with and destroys a great serpent. 3. Re- storing Fruits. The three overcome the enchantress who guards the trees. 4. The Fight with the Great Mosquito. The terrible monster is slain. 5. The Arrow-maker and his Daughter. Hiawatha and Minnehaha meet. 6. The Benefactor. He distributes nuts, grain and fruits. 7. The Maker of Wampum. Two Indian spies curiously watch Hiawatha as he makes and strings shell beads. 8. The Oneidas. or People of the Stone. Hiawatha visits them as they gather around the great boulder or Oneida Stone. 9. Hiawatha finds the Eel Clan. They are among the rushes. 10. Death of Iliawatha's Daughter. She is crushed by the great white bird. 11. The First Atocarho. The messengers come to the terrible chief. 12. Hiawatha's Departure. Ile ascends in his white eanoe.
All this is legendary with some historie basis. The remaining floats had purely historie themes. 1. Le Moyne at Onondaga. His address to the Indians in 1654, at Onondaga. 2. First Boiling of Salt. The missionary and Indians are engaged in this. 3. The Sick Frenehmen. An incident of the French colony at Onondaga lake. 4. Count Frontenac at Onondaga. 1696. He is carried through the woods in a chair. 17. The Moravians at Onondaga. An incident of 1750. 18. General Herkimer at Oriskany. The wounded general is giving orders. 19. American Troops in Onondaga Valley, 1779. A group is crossing the creek. 20. Ephraim Webster's Trading House. lle deals out goods to the Indians after the Revolution.
Later parades have had less of local color, but some have been of great beauty and interest. There has been no abatement of zeal, nor any of pleas- ure in the results. and every year sees some new feature. The real value of this plan for pleasing and instrueting partially appears in the increased attendance at the state fair, and in the successful efforts to put it on a better basis. That it pleases young and old, the crowded streets testify. These are not the least part of the show, every person possible attending and in the greatest good humor.
The "Mystie Krewe," by which this is managed, is an adjunct of the Chamber of Commerce, and on the alert for matters of public interest. Its latest projeet was the presentation of a garrison flag to the city at the cele- bration of Washington's birthday, 1908, and this was carried out with fine effect. The Mystic Krewe is also a reformer of spelling. and has a well arranged Kavern, not in the style of the cave-dwellers of old, but a place whence arises the primitive American incense of tobacco, "volumed and vast, and rolling far." There may be seen veterans who have saved their scalps, but lost their scalp locks, old lawyers with feathers rising from their heads, instead of quills behind their ears; representatives of every club but the war club; young clerks and old merchants, alike eager for the trader's profits, but polite and persuasive as becomes their calling.
The Krewe represents the Five Nations, and "Lo. the poor Indian." finds a new importance in teaching the white man how to sing and dance.
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There is a frequent rivalry to see which can secure most captives for adoption. Now the Oneidas are ahead, and now the Onondagas; now the Senecas, and now the Cayugas. Then the real Onondagas, of our first families. take a hand. adopt some leading pale face, and give him a resonant name. For two hundred and fifty years past this honor has occasionally come from the Onondagas to those for whom they have some special regard. The early Jesuits and Mora- vians, later missionaries and teachers, leading pioneers, interpreters and offi- eers, the first Mayor of Syracuse and later friends of the Indians, have had this honor, for some good reason. The latest recipient is the President of the Mystic Krewe, Joseph A. Griffin, who was adopted in full form in the Onon- daga council house.
As showing popular estimation of all this the following is quoted from a recent Harper's Weekly :
"Do not let them tell you that an American town cannot enter into the carnival spirit, and still preserve her graciousness and a certain underlying sense of decorum. Tell those seoffers to go to Syracuse during State Fair week. They will see a demonstration of the contrary-Salina street ablaze with incandescent beauty, and with row upon row of eager citizens. The street is cleaned off for a broad strip of stone carpet down the center of the thor- oughfare, and over this carpet rolls float after float, typifying the nations of the world, and Mr. Syracuse and Mrs. Syracuse, Master Syracuse and Miss Syracuse stand open-eyed in pleasure, and go home very late at night on trol- ley ears that are crowded as are trolley cars in very big cities, convinced that there may be other towns, but that the City of Syracuse is unique. . . . A stanch eivie pride is the skeleton construction that supports this city of the classic name; it is a construction that admits of an infinite growth being placed upon it-and Syracuse stands ready for infinite growth."
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LAST TWENTY YEARS OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
By FRANKLIN H. CHASE.
CHAPTER LVII.
SYRACUSE'S GREATEST CHANGES.
To the man who has not the gift of a statistical mind nor a mental grasp upon measurements, the changes in Syracuse limits in the last twenty years are more expressive and impressive when given descriptively. To the north the city line has been pushed from a point where the Geddes street line touched the creek in the salt marsh lands to and including the lake shore and entting the quarter of the lake nearest the city; to the west the line has been moved from Geddes street to take in the old village of Geddes; to the south the city line which ent at Castle and Salina streets, has been moved to within half a mile of the old Seneca turnpike at the Valley, taking in successively the old village of Danforth and the later village of Elmwood, while upon the east there have been few changes in the city line except those made neces- sary by north and south extensions. Syracuse did not burst its boundaries all at once, but the changes were many and gradual, the latest being the passage of the bill in 1907 which took the Huntley tract npon the Salina side, going into effect January 1. 1908. The act which annexed Geddes to Syracuse was passed May 17, 1856, and that of Danforth on June 15, 1886, the latter place coming in on the third Tuesday of February, 1887.
With the changes of the farm lots of twenty years ago into the handsom- est residence sections of the city today, have also come many changes of opinion as to street names and, indeed, the street configuration of several im- portant parts of the city. West Onondaga street, from the Cirele at Delaware street west, was Lincoln avenue, while the present Lincoln avenue was known as Johnson street. Bellevue avenue, quite decidedly "way ont in the coun- try." was known as South street, and in truth all south was the old Vivus W. Smith farm and west of Geddes street in this section was also productive farming land. "Happy Cal" Wagner, the minstrel, owning one of the well known farms ont on South street when it was only a country road. Up
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Geddes street to the foot of the hill was a short branch one-horse car line, connecting with the old Fifth Ward belt line, which ran up Gifford street to Niagara, through the horse car barns to Holland, to Delaware, to Geddes and to Gifford streets again. There were no conductors on that line, one of the first and most successful in the city, the passengers putting their fares in the poor boxes at the end of the cars, and making their own change from en- velopes furnished by the driver.
In this same section South avenne was known as South Onondaga street ; the western end of Midland avenue was called Rust street, while Massena street was Ontario street. being separated and lost from the northern end of Ontario street by three solidly built up blocks between. The change of the famous old Mulberry and Lock streets into South and North State streets is fairly modern, but the calling of Williams and Chestnut streets North and South Cronse avenues, and Spruce street Walnut avenue dates back to the '80s. Comstock avenue was mostly a picture on a map twenty years ago, which also showed a park called Monument Park at the intersection of the avenue and East Adams street, with no monument or park ever appearing except on the map. Lexington avenue was the eastern end of East Genesee street, while the present route of East Genesee street ran off toward the old Syracuse Driv- ing Park under the name of East avenue. The streets east and south are prac- tically all new ones of the past two decades.
When Church street lost its churches and was changed into a business street, the residents evidently thought it was time to change the name and it became West Willow street. There have been many other interesting changes in this locality, the most important being Judson avenue into Park avenue and the opening into one of the city's most beautiful parkways of land originally laid out into building lots. Liberty street had the prosaic name of Smith street, while Greene street has dropped the "e" and therefore the significance of its naming. To the south, crossing Salina street, was Ridgeway street, which afterward became East Kennedy street to conform with the street west, and which was practically the southern limit of the suburb of Danforth, so far as there were buildings erected. There were no streets laid out between Ridgeway and the Colvin road in the early '80s, not even upon a map.
The story of the absorption of farms into city lands may not differ from that of other progressive cities, but Syracuse had a boom in that line which, while disastrous during the hard times of 1893 and some years later, finally reached a healthy tone that has been steadily sustained. In the summer of 1889 Barnum's circus was seen upon the Tallman Park property, where the old Onondaga fair and races were held, and in less than four years that entire traet was covered with homes. That was one of the most rapid spurts in home building in the city's history to that period. The building up of the Kirk tract, the Comstock property on University hill, Burt traet on Cortland avenue, Bellevue Heights and other places, are just a few instances of the city's phenomenal spreading out. It was Lyman C. Smith's purchase of the Stolp property on Bellevue Highlands on October 3, 1894, that aided mate-
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rially in attracting attention to that section, which was just above the large Palmer tract, already opened. Not until the Bellevue ear line was completed in 1907, however, were these two tracts completely opened. M. A. Graves and E. L. Loomis, by their purchase of the Comstock tract on University hill, on October 16, 1894, made much more rapid progress in the building up of that section. Some contrasts can be guaged from the selling prices of 1887. when lots on South Crouse avenue went for twenty-five dollars a front fout; on Irving street for twenty dollars; on West Onondaga street at seventy-five dollars a foot ; James street, best locations, one hundred and twenty-five dol- lars to one hundred and fifty dollars, and South Salina street, just south of Jefferson, three hundred dollars.
The village of Eastwood, a busy manufacturing suburb, was incorporated April 16, 1895. The bill to annex Elmwood to the city was sent to Albany on March 2, 1899, and it became a law with Governor Roosevelt's signature on April 19 following. On March 10, 1899, Governor Roosevelt also signed the bill for the bridge at Rich street across the creek, while in that year the North Side citizens were busy with schemes for extending Butternut street across the Oswego canal with a hoist bridge, holding a meeting for that purpose on February 18, 1899. It was several years later before the bridge was erected.
The boulevard upon the west shore of Onondaga lake, extending from Geddes street diagonally to Hiawatha avenue, where an artistic toll-gate and keeper's house was erected, and thence to Long Branch upon the outlet, was the work of private capital, and was opened upon August 7, 1894. For years it was a favorite drive until the raising of the dams in Sencca river raised the level of the water in the lake, causing annual overflows which wearied the boulevard association in the work of repair. Since 1902 only the city end of the boulevard was kept in order. During the years of bievele popularity a cinder path was constructed along the track, and for several years the boulevard was lighted its entire length.
When the Syracuse, Lakeside & Baldwinsville electric railway was laid. it was with a curve upon Hiawatha avenue and an angle to Liberty street. On the northeast of this angle at Hiawatha avenue and Liberty street. upon the flat marsh lands, was built Lakeside Athletic field, opened in 1900, and count- ing more failures in athletics and spectacular affairs than any similar park in the city. In 1905 and 1906, after Star Park, at the junction of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western tracks and Salina street, was filled in and turned into building lots, the Lakeside field was used for State League ball games. Ath- letie games, fireworks and shooting tournaments were frequently hell there. but seldom were the grand stands, which would seat ten thousand people. wholly occupied. In the fall of 1906, when the University campus oval was given over to new buildings and the Stadium not yet completed. the Lake- side park was used for the football season, the ill-luck of the park still appar- ently pursuing it. for in the Syracuse Colgate game of October 20, 1906. a section of the "bleacher" stands fell injuring many and eausing the death of Rev. C. J. Donigan.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ONONDAGA COUNTY
The transformation of Clinton Square from a cobbled and littered public market to the park site of a stately and beautiful Soldiers' and Sailors' monu- ment, the most artistic and expensive memorial erected by the county, was not without bitter contest. Since village days the square was used for mar- ket and paeket dock purposes, the latter use still surviving to some extent. The old square had a central stone flagging walk, either side being paved with cobble stones. Farmers with garden truck and peddlers with many wares backed their wagons to this walk, and from early morning until late after- noon bartered their stocks every day in the year except Sunday, a late Satur- day night making up for the day of rest. The market crowd always varied with the weather and the date. In summer and just prior to the holidays the market frequently overflowed to the north sidewalk of the square and extended into nearby streets. Objectors, because of the bucolic aspect and the comment of visitors, were ably seconded by merchants in farm truck in the endeavor to have the publie market removed. The first effort was made during the MeGuire administration. The completion of the new Clinton street hoist bridge on September 2, 1894, replacing an overhead strneture, with the subsequent change in the fronts of the Jerry Rescue and Clinton blocks, started the controversy for the removal of the market.
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