USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 66
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 66
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In 1897 the historical association took the initiative and carried to a suc- cessful conclusion the celebration of the semi-eentennial of the incorporation of Syracuse as a city, holding in the Wieting Opera House, from October 12 to 16 inclusive, a series of historie tableaux in which the members of the asso- ciation and pupils of the Syracuse High School took part. Upon the death on May 18, 1900, of William Kirkpatrick, who for thirty-six years had been a director of the association and for four years its president, it was found that he had made the society residnary legatee of his estate, for the purpose of obtaining a fire-proof building to be dedicated to the uses of the association. This legacy brought to the association close upon sixty thousand dollars in money and property, including the Kirkpatrick library. Mrs. Elizabeth G. Kelley of Chicago. a life member of the association and a former resident of this county, was another benefactor of the association, who remembered it in her will, making the society a residuary legatee with four other publie insti- tutions. This legaey, provided to be invested and the income used for the purposes of historical work, amounted to about forty-five thousand dollars. Mrs. Kelley died on September 4. 1904.
With the funds from the Kirkpatrick estate the association purchased the handsome building of the Central New York Telephone and Telegraph Com- pany at three hundred and eleven Montgomery street, which had grown too small for the rapidly expanding telephone work. This building was recon- structed. its five floors being done over for assembly hall, museums, library, Kirkpatrick memorial room and offices, and upon December 14, 1906, was dedi- cated. being the first building in Onondaga devoted exclusively to historieal
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purposes. Former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Charles Andrews gave the dedicatory address, and the association was at that time the recipient from Mrs. Margaret Tredwell Smith of the silver service given Carroll E. Smith by the Associated Press, and of the silver service presented to Joshua Forman upon his return to Syracuse, from the Leavenworth heirs.
It was during the presidency of Hon. A. Judd Northrup that the new building was acquired, the other officers at that time being Franklin II. Chase, Recording Secretary ; Mrs. L. Leonora Goodrich, Librarian; William James, Corresponding Secretary; IIon. Charles P. Clark, Treasurer; Salem Hyde and Mrs. Frances Cheney Pahner, Vice-Presidents, and Hon. Charles Andrews, Rev. William M. Beauchamp. John D. Barrow of Skaneateles, Henry R. Cooper, George G. Fryer, Miss Frances P. Gifford, General J. Dean Hawley, Hon. Theo- dore E. Hancock, Miss Florence M. Keene, T. Jefferson Leach, Mrs. Ina Bagg Marrell, Mrs. Frances W. Marlette, Edward A. Powell, John M. Strong, IIon. Charles L. Stone, Charles W. Snow and Osgood V. Tracy. Directors. Upon the death of Mr. Clark, Mr. Snow was named treasurer, and Dr. John Van Duyn succeeded Mr. Barrow in the directorship upon Mr. Barrow's death, and IIon. Dwight H. Bruce succeeded Mr. Clark.
Besides these officers, the association has had many workers who have given material aid in the preservation of records of the history of the county, many attaining literary prominence. Among those who have done this work in a substantial way are Miss Virginia L. Jones, Louis Dow Seisco, Mrs. Sarah Sumner Teall, Hon. Carroll E. Smith, Patrick HI. Agan, Mrs. Mary E. Wieting- Johnson, Major Theodore L. Poole, M. W. Hanchett, Richard R. Slocum. John T. Roberts, Mrs. Fannie M. Hamilton, Miss Mary J. Jackson, Hon. Dwight H. Bruce, Mrs. Mary E. Bagg, George J. Gardner, James L. Bagg, James Geddes, Elias W. Leavenworth, Thomas G. Alvord, William A. Sweet, H. Wadsworth Clark, Hon. Charles E. Fitch, Lewis II. Redfield, IIon. Andrew D. White, Rev. S. R. Calthrop. Rev. Albert Cusick, Rev. John F. Mullany, Prof. William II. Mace, Dr. Charles W. Hargitt, Mrs. Louise L. Fitch, Dr. Ernst Held, Mrs. Mar- tha Thomson Held, George K. Knapp, Mrs. Mary T. Leavenworth, Mrs. Anna Bagg Halliday, William W. Newman, Prof. Philip F. Schneider, Silas F. Smith, Stanley G. Smith and Rev. Herbert S. Coddington.
The most important celebration of an historic event was the county's centennial, celebrated first upon the hundredth anniversary of the day the county was created. March 5, 1894, and then continued during a more propitious season, the week of June 6 following. The year 1894 might properly be called a year of celebrations of historic events. so frequent were the occasions when events were commemorated in city and towns. At sunrise on March 5 a salute of thirty-eight guns. one for each town and ward in the county, was fired by Sergeant Melligan of the Forty-first Separate Company. At noon, at the same place. there was a salute of a gun for every county in the state, for the State and for the Union, which also was the signal for the ringing of all the bells in the city and the blowing of all whistles for half an hour. At the Wieting Opera House, at 2 o'clock, under the auspices of the Onondaga Histori- .
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cal Association, the exercises were held to commemorate the centennial, attended by citizens of the city and county and delegates from neighboring county historical societies. President William Kirkpatrick of the historical association, weleomed the audience, Bishop F. D. Huntington offered prayer and Ilon. Carroll E. Smith was made chairman of the meeting, which was addressed by Thomas G. Alvord, Justice George N. Kennedy, Colonel John M. Strong, IIon. Luke Ranney, Hon. Robert MeCarthy, Hon. Frank Hiscock and Lawrence T. Jones. Upon the program was also an original song, "The Children of Onondaga," with the words by Louise Lawrence Fitch. Upon that same day centennial exercises were held in the public schools. In many of the churches on May 28 historical sermons were given, in response to the request of the historical association.
In the towns there were several celebrations held. The town of Onondaga, with its sister towns of Marcellus, Geddes, Camillus and Otiseo, held the first on May 25. . There was a parade followed by exercises at the Presbyter- ian Church, at which Richard R. Slocum was chairman. Hamlet Worker was president of the day, and the speakers included John T. Roberts, Dr. Wil- liam M. Beauchamp, Joel Northrup of Marcellus, Dr. Israel Parsons, Miles T. Frisbie, Mrs. Caroline Bridgeman Clark, Colonel John M. Strong. Fannie A. Parsons, Cyrus D. Avery, R. R. Slocum, Mrs. Elizabeth Snyder Roberts, Robert MeCarthy. A. D. Ellis and W. W. Newman. At an overflow meeting at the Methodist Church Rev. B. F. Barker presided, and both Mr. Barker and Mrs. Harriet Hamilton Wilkie presented papers. A loan exhibition of relies in the historie Odd Fellows' Hall was also one of the interesting features.
In spite of the rain the towns of Manlius, Pompey and Dewitt had the next centennial celebration upon May 30, 1894, at Manlius. The exercises were held in the Methodist Church, E. U. Scoville being president of the day. The speakers were Rev. Theodore Babcock, H. K. Edwards and W. W. Van Broek- lin, with the singing of an original song written by Cordelia Young Wil- lard.
The centennial spirit brought ont not only an important celebration of Lysander and Van Buren at Baldwinsville, but, on May 17 and 18, a play called "Ephraim Webster Up to Date." was produced in true carnival spirit. May 30 the public celebration took place in Baldwinsville.
After a month of almost incessant rain, the skies cleared for the great celebration of the entire county on June 6. The city's buildings and parks were generously decorated, business was generally suspended and homes were thrown open to thousands of Onondagans who returned to join in the fitting recognition of the county's birth anniversary. With parade, public meet- ings, reminiscence sessions, camp fires, relic exhibitions and historic tableaux the period was commemorated. The day began with a sunrise salute of one hundred guns. At 10 o'clock was held the parade which brought together all military and fraternal organizations, fire departments of the county, relics of the old days and floats which told in tableaux and decorations of the ancient times and their evolution. Colonel Henry N. Burhans was Grand Marshal of
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the parade, in which it was estimated that four thousand people participated. with Colonel John G. Butler as Adjutant and J. Emmett Wells Chief of Staff.
The public meeting to tell in song and story of the achievements of Onon- daga, and give the prophecy of the future, was held in the State Armory, the largest available anditorium in the city, which proved much too small for all who wished to attend. President William Kirkpatrick of the Onondaga His- torical Association, presided. the vice-presidents being the supervisors of the towns and wards. The speakers at the centennial mass meeting were Harriet May Mills, Rev. Irene Earll, George Barrow of Skaneateles, Theodore MI. Pome- roy of Auburn, Marvin Crouse. William H. Seward of Auburn, Carroll E. Smith and Theodore L. Poole, while original poems were read by Virginia L. Jones and William R. Jillson, and an original song by Annie C. Maltbie was sung by the Centennial Quartette.
At the State Armory, on the evening of June 6, was held the Old Set- tlers' Camp Fire. Again the capacity of the large auditorium was tested to hear the stories of the past. Thomas G. Alvord was the chairman of the meet- ing, and its speakers included Charles E. Fitch, Rev. John F. Mullany, William A. Beach and John S. Kenyon, with an original poem by Colonel Dewitt Sprague of Washington, D. C.
Beginning on Thursday evening, June 7, and continuing twice on Friday, twice on Saturday and again on Monday evening, there was held in the Wieting Opera House the remarkable series of tableaux representative of scenes in Onondaga's history, given under the auspices of the Onondaga Historical Asso- ciation. Mrs. Louise Lawrence Fitch was the general manager and Henry J. Ormsbee the stage manager, the participants being drawn from the descendants of the early families, members of the Onondaga Historical Asso- viation, old soldiers and representatives of many societies. The tableaux included the legend of Hiawatha, a Jesuit Mission scene and pioneer salt boiling. The other scenes were in the nature of vivacious acts to which were given truthful and picturesque surroundings. There was an old-fashioned singing sehool, a quilting party at Onondaga in 1820, the reception of General Lafayette, primary singing class in costume, school scene in Fayetteville in 1845 with Grover Cleveland as a boy, the scene of the Jerry Resene in 1853. the burning of the Wieting in 1856, and the war scenes in two parts, depicting the farewell and return of the troops.
Centennial week also had a loan exhibition of historic relies, which was held in the Wieting Block. The Onondaga Historical Association had a bronze medal strnek in honor of the centennial, and there were many souvenirs of the event circulated.
The week of October 10, 1897, Syracuse celebrated its golden jubilee or fiftieth aniversary as a city. The semi-centennial celebration was opened with a union religious meeting in the new Wieting Opera House, on Sunday even- ing, October 10. Rt. Rev. F. D. Huntington presided. and the principal
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SCENE ON THE OUTLET.
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speakers were Rev. S. R. Calthrop, Rabbi Adolph Guttman, Rev. J. E. C. Sawyer and Rev. George B. Spalding, D. D. The semi-centennial ode was read by Rev. James B. Kenyon. The following evening, in the Alhambra, a civic mass meeting was held. William Kirkpatrick was chairman of this meeting, and besides Mr. Kirkpatrick the speakers included former Senator Frank Hiscock, Hon. Charles E. Fitch Robert MeCarthy and Mayor James K. McGuire.
Upon Tuesday, October 12, there was a great military, fraternal and civic parade in honor of the city's fiftieth birthday anniversary. The Grand Marshal was William A. Sweet, with Colonel John G. Butler Chief of Staff. The officers of the celebration were James M. Lynch, president; A. Morris Smart, treasurer; N. H. Chapman, secretary, and II. J. Ormsbee, managing director. A feature of the day was a gigantic flag formed by school children upon a stand in Clinton Square.
Beginning upon Tuesday evening and continuing through the week, a series of historie tableaux, giving scenes in the early history of the city and country, were presented at the Wieting Opera House, the programs being varied from night to night, and all under the auspices of the Onondaga His- torieal Association. The program Tuesday night was as follows: Cham- plain's Expedition in 1615; Van Sehoick's Expedition to the Country of the Six Nations in 1779; Governor Clinton's Reception in 1820; the First Trustee .; of the Village of Syracuse in 1827 ; Donation to Dr. J. Watson Adams ; the Tip- peeanoe Ball. and the War Seene. On Wednesday afternoon this program was repeated. and on that evening the following program presented : Mayor Baldwin's Prophecy in 1847; the First Mayor in 1848; Reception to Joshua Forman: the Cobleigh in 1858; Evolution of Syracuse and War Seene. On Thursday night the High School Congress was a valuable assistant in the scenes. which were of the Mayflower or Pilgrims at Plymouth; Benjamin Franklin's Dream ; the Signing of the Declaration of Independence; the Mak- ing of the American Flag and the Inauguration of Washington. The Tuesday program was repeated on Friday and that for Wednesday on Saturday.
There have been several celebrations of lesser note, but of importance when the interest aroused is considered. The salt centennial was observed by the Onondaga Historical Association on June 21, 1897. At Onondaga Val- ley on August 10, 1898. a centennial celebration was held. Upon December 14, 1900, the Onondaga Historical Association celebrated the seventy-fifth anni- versary of Syracuse, the village having been created in 1825.
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CHAPTER LXIII.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND MANY EVENTS.
That the spirit of the fathers needed but an awakening was the sure evi- denee of Onondaga's contribution both in lives and service to the brief Span- ish-American war, which in 1898 was the soul-stirring event, especially for young manhood in Syracuse. It was on February 15 that the blowing up of the Maine aroused every American from the lethargy of mere discussion. principally the members of the Forty-first Separate Company, so long the important State military organization in Syraense, members of which were among the best known young men of the eity. Upon April 12 war was deelared. and before another month had passed the Forty-first company had offered its services to the country, been accepted and was upon its way to Camp Blaek. Other companies followed and the record of Onondaga is one of willing sacrifice to every demand. and, while the deaths of other Onon- dagans in the regular army had the glory of battle fields in Cuba and the Philippines, there was nevertheless the honor of giving life for the country among those volunteers, so many of whom were the needless vietims of fever- strieken eamps.
It was on April 26. 1898. that the Forty-first company offered its services to the government, and three days later was ordered out, starting for Camp Black at Hempstead. L. I., after a farewell from all Syracuse which was heart- felt and enthusiastie, on May 1. the fateful day when other Syraeuse boys were fighting with Dewey in the battle of Manilla Bay. The Forty-first arrived at Camp Black on May 2, and was designated as Company C. Third New York Volunteers. In eamp Company C was honored with more special details than any other company, and to the Third Regiment fell more special details than any other division, standing high in the estimation of General Davis, whose division it was. The Forty-first was the company under Cap- tain John G. Butler. the veteran of the Civil War, hale and hearty at sixty-five. leading with the spring and agility of nearly forty years before. Captain Butler served until the mustering out of the regiment on November 30, 1898. Frank J. Miller was the First Lieutenant during the same period. his subse- quent serviee being First Lieutenant in the Forty-first Regiment, United States Volunteer Infantry. From May 1 to June 20 James B. Mitchell was Seeond Lieutenant, when he became First Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant, and on July 24 he was discharged to accept the appointment as Second Lieutenant of the Fourth Artillery. Harry C. Pieree succeeded Lieutenant Mitehell.
The departure of the Forty-first seemed but the needed signal for the others. The recruiting of the One Hundred and Forty-first Separate Company began in five days, on May, 5, and on May 21 was mustered into serviee. The
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officers of the Two Hundred and Third Regiment arrived here preparatory to recruiting that regiment on July 6, and Company A of the Two Hundred and Third left for Camp Black on July 15, the recruiting for the Two Hundred and Third being finished on July 21. Under the provisions of the general orders of June 27 two battalions of the regiment were organized at the Armory of the Forty-first company here, and one battalion in New York. The regi- inent left Camp Black September 11, and arrived at Camp Meade, near Middle- town, Pa., the next morning. On October 2 the camp was moved to Cone- wago, Pa., November 11 the regiment left camp and embarked for Greenville, S. C., established eamp near that place, calling it Camp Witherill, and remained there until mustered out on March 25, 1899. The Syracusans included John B. Tuek, Captain, Company A; George L. Baldwin, First Lieutenant, Company A, and Alexander D. Jenney, Company A. On December 13 Lieutenant Baldwin beeamne Captain of Company F. and on October 27 Alexander D. Jenney was made First Lieutenant of Company G. George N. Cheney was Captain of Com- pany L, with Austin J. Me Mahon Second Lieutenant.
Events which followed the departure of the Forty-first sounded the war note closer at home. On June 26, 1898. Trooper Gustave A. Kolbe, Troop K. First Cavalry, was killed in the battle of Las Guasimas, and then Syraeusans were sent after his body, a committee being named on July 26 to make arrange- ments for a public funeral in this city. Trooper Kolbe's body was received here on August 26 and on August 28 was held one of the largest military fun- erals ever seen in the city, this event with the reception in September of the home-coming Forty-first being the principal local events during the war.
The mortuary list was a long and sad one, considering the brevity of the war, from April 12 until the signing of the treaty on August 12. Private Andrew Thornton. Company B. Ninth Infantry, died in the theater in San- tiago, July 29. Private John J. Kurtz, Company C. Third New York, died at Fort Myer. Virginia, August 9. Private John Barnum, Seventy-first New York Volunteers, died at Camp Wickoff, Montauk Point, August 17, and Lneius C. Barry at Fort Myer September 1. Upon September 4 were held the funer- als of Barry of Company C. Fred C. Thomas. Company D, Third New York. and Joseph P. Greminger, Ninth United States Infantry. Sergeant J. Edward Durston, Company A, Two Hundred and Third New York Volunteers, died on September 17, and two days later occurred the death of Sergeant Major Clarence E. Brayton of the Third New York, striking sadness to many hearts as he was one of the most popular of the city's younger social set. On Sep- tember 23, Frank N. Parker, Company I. Two Hundred and Third, died at Camp Black, and the deaths of Privates Adelbert C. Nellis and John R. . Plumpton, Company E, Two Hundred and Third, followed on October 17 and 20 respectively. On January 2 Daniel F. Roonan of the Two Hundred and Third, died of pneumonia at Camp Witherill.
Upon September 3 the Third New York Volunteers was ordered to be mustered out. The regiment had been slated to go to the Philippines and also to reinforee General Miles in Porto Rico, but interference was said to have
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altered both plans. The Third left Camp Meade on September 12, and on the 13th the Forty-first Separate Company, or Company C., was welcomed by more than twenty thousand Syracusans as the first home. Both uni- formed civie and military organizations joined in the parade, and Mayor James K. McGuire made a short speech of welcome. In the evening the women of the many organizations which had done such efficient work in the making of "comfort bags" for the boys in camp and soldiers in Cuba, gave a banquet at the armory in honor of the returned company.
Many individual members had achieved honors, however, during the brief period. James Brady Mitchell, who went out as second lieutenant of the com- pany, after work as engineer on the staff of General Davis, tried the examina- tions for a lieutenaney in the regular army and ranked second in the list of civil appointees. John C. Melligan, who left as quartermaster sergeant, was promoted to a second lieutenancy in the Two Hundred and Second regiment and went to Camp Meade. and on January 11, 1899, was made captain of Cont- pany C, Two Hundred and First New York Volunteers. Clarence E. Bray- ton was appointed sergeant-mayor and won many praises. John Shaefer acted as regimental quartermaster-sergeant with soldierly ability. Dr. H. C. Baum left with the Forty-first as a private, and became surgeon of the Second Regiment, New York Volunteers. Other men from the Forty-first were appointed on the hospital corps and the assignments all went to show the calibre of the men who volunteered. On November 30, Company C of the Third New York was formally mustered out of service.
General Shafter was in Syraense on September 23, 1898, for a brief stop. It was on November 5 that the Two Hundred and Third was designated as one of the regiments to go to Havana with the army of occupation, and on the 16th arrived at Greenville. South Carolina. Fred W. Field received his pro- motion to a second lientenaney in the Two Hundred and Third on December 1. Changes of plans came swiftly in those days, and on February 20. 1899, the Two Hundred and First. Two Hundred and Second and Two Hundred and Third regiments were ordered to be mustered out. The Two Hundred and Third boys were welcomed home on March 27 following.
Election day. 1898, came when many of the soldiers were in eamp and provision was made for the taking of their votes in camp. On December 13 the package of votes of the Syracusans was received here and opened. Decem- ber 20 the One Hundred and Forty-first company was ordered mustered ont.
In almost every important battle of the Spanish-American war there were Syracusans engaged. and in the fight at Manilla on March 25, 1899. it was ' found from the lists that no less than fifteen Syraensans fought with the reg- ular army. On January 31, 1899, Syraeusans and the relatives of Syracusans who took a conspicuous part in the Spanish-American war, were honored by President MeKinley. Harvey W. Miller being the recipient of especial honors by the President on February 3. Captain Andrew Kretschner was the first
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Syracusan to receive a pension because of disabilities on March 31, 1899. On July 3, 1902, the Ninth Infantry reached Syracuse from the Philippines and was royally received.
Among the many important military items since the Spanish-American war were the mustering of Troop D into the National Guard on April 26, 1904, giving Syraense a mounted company, and the election of Colonel Henry N. Bur- hans as Department Commander of the G. A. R., on June 16, 1904. During the rebuilding of the State Armory, the old Court House building was occu- pied for militia purposes.
Among the many famous visitors here in campaign addresses, have been Colonel Theodore Roosevelt on October 27, 1898, and David B. HTill on Novem- ber 4, 1898. Sir Edwin Arnold lectured at Plymouth Church on November 17. 1891. and Edward Everett Hale at the same place on April 11, 1892. Wil- liam J. Bryan came here August 26, 1896. Alexander Guilmant of Paris, the famous organist and composer, was heard in a concert at St. Mary's church on -January 16. 1898.
In 1902 the city entertained two distinguished foreign guests. Upon March 5 the brief stop of Prince Henry of Battenberg was made the occasion of a fete and reception, a special medal being struck off to present to the visitor. Upon one side was the seal of the city. and upon the reverse the following: "Presented to His Royal Highness. Prince Henry of Prussia, with the Free- dom of the City : Syracuse, N. Y., U. S. A., March 5th, 1902." Copies of this medal were given members of the committee of reception. Admiral Evans of the United States Navy accompanied the foreign visitor. A longer visit was that of the Crown Prince of Siam, who was the guest of Lyman C. Smith on November 3.
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