USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > Settlement in the West : sketches of Rochester with incidental notices of western New-York > Part 35
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The first cargo of wheat brought to Rochester from Ohio was in 1831-a consignment for Hervey Ely, brought by the old Hudson and Erie Line, an arrival worthy of notice as connected with the grain trade.
Owners or Agents of the Transportation Lines at Rochester.
Clinton Line-John Allen & Co.
Pilot Line, Trader's Line, Erie 5 American Hiram Wright & Co.
and Ohio Line, Eagle Line, { Trans. Co. 3 United States Line, and Troy and Erie Line-W. D. Griffith & Co. Merchants' Line-Hector Hunter.
Washington Line-L. Barker.
New-York and Ohio Line, and National Line-Jas. Chappell & Co. New-York and Michigan Line-P. P. Peck & Co.
Troy and Ohio Line-Rufus Meech.
356*
SKETCHES OF ROCHESTER, ETC.
Boston, Albany, and Canal Line-H. Wright.
New-York and Buffalo Line-Campbell, Peters & Co. Commercial Line, Telegraph , Western Line, Transportation Line & Trans. Co. S Northrop and Pease. New-York and Detroit Line-Ezra Carpenter. Troy and Michigan Line-Tilley and Sidney Allen. Union Line-Hiram Nash & Co. Rochester Line --
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MANUFACTURES AND OTHER BUSINESS OF ROCHESTER
Preliminary Notice .- Early Millers of the Genesee.
The extent and excellence of the Rochester flour manufacture hav- ing already rendered our city widely celebrated, some curiosity may be felt to ascertain the origin and progress of a branch of business exerci- sing such an important influence on the wheat-growing interests of Western New-York and the adjoining regions, as well as on the market for breadstuffs throughout the country.
The progress of improvement may be pretty accurately conjectured from the history of milling operations in and around Rochester.
We have already stated sundry particulars of the gift from the In- dians to Phelps and Gorham of a tract twelve by twenty-four miles for a millyard ; that one hundred acres of that tract were bestowed by Phelps and Gorham upon "Indian Allen" on condition that a mill should be erected by him to accommodate the few settlers then moving into this region ; that the business of the country proving insufficient for its support, the mill became ruinous, and the title of the land passed from Allen, through the Pulteney estate, to those gentlemen who, in 1812, surveyed the lot into a village plot, under the name of Rochester. In connexion with this recapitulation, we may say that, when the In- dians beheld the mill erected by Allen, and reflected on the quantity of land bestowed for a millyard, they expressed their surprise, but did not recall the gift. " Quo-ah !" was their long-drawn exclamation of as- tonishment at the diminutive size of the building that required for a "yard" the extensive tract secured from them by Mr. Phelps for the purpose ; and their other interjection, Kauskonchicos ! which is said to be the Seneca word for waterfall, became ever after the Indian name for Mr. Phelps .*
The " White Woman," well known to the early settlers of the Genesee country, related many incidents connected with "Indian Al- len," throwing light on the condition of this region when that personage erected the first gristmill in these parts. We may in another page quote from her history some particulars concerning his operations, af- ter we shall have noticed the statement of an intelligent English trav- eller respecting the condition of the mill built by Allen, as it was oc- cupied by Col. Fish (Allen's successor) in 1800. After mentioning
* " The kindness and good faith with which Mr. Phelps, like the celebrated Wm. Penn, always conducted his intercourse with the Indians, did not fail to secure their confidence and affection, in token of which they adopted both him and his son (Oliver L. Phelps) as honorary members of their national councils."-Peck's Rochester Di- rectory, 1827.
VIEWS ON THE GENESEE IN ROCHESTER.
The Main or Middle Falls, 96 feet perpendicular. Second View-taken from a curve in the east bank, a few rods north of the "Genesee Falls Mills" of Orrin E. and George A. Gibbs-looking southward up the stream towards the new Market and Main Bridge. The Rochester and Auburn Railroad Bridge will cross a few rods above these falle naar whare Sum Patch made his last iumn.
*357
EARLY MILLERS OF THE GENESEE.
that there was no barn or shelter wherein he could then stable his horse on the tract where Rochester now stands, Mr. Maude says,
" The Main or Middle Falls are ninety-six feet in height. The Lower Falls are fifty-four feet,* being, in fact, two falls, forming a pair of steps. Col. Fish remembers these falls united in one pitch, which makes them differ essentially from the Middle Falls, for in one case the rock wears away at the top, and in the other at the bottom. I have no memo- randum of the height of the Upper Fall at Fish's mill ; it is, however, the most inconsiderable. [This refers to the first fall or rapid near the site of the present canal aqueduct, Fish's or Allen's mill having occupied the site of the present red mill (built by Rochester and Montgomery) between the mills of Thomas Keinpshall and the City Mills of Joseph Strong.] Some day, perhaps, all the falls will be united in one, like that of Niagara. Rattlesnakes are frequently seen at these falls. I now ascended the bank at the Middle Falls, which bank is in some places perpendicular, and joined my servant, who had been waiting two hours, and had began to fear some accident had befallen me. In a few minutes I joined Col. Fish at the mill. This mill was built in 1789 bv a Mr. Allen, called Indian Allen from his long residence among the aborigines of this country, who, on condition of building a mill, had a tract of one hundred acres adjoining given to him by Mr. Phelps, the mill to remain Allen's property.
" The gristmill is very ill constructed ; it is erected too near the bed of the river, and the race is so improperly managed that it is dry in summer, and liable to back water in winter. It contains but one pair of stones, made from the stone of a neighbouring quarry, and which is found to be very suitable for this purpose. This mill is not at present able to grind more than ten bushels a day ; were it in good order, it would grind sixty. This was the first mill erected in the Genesee country. It was not only resorted to by the inhabitants of Bradloe, Caledonia, Genesee Landing, &c., but by those living as far distant as Canandarqua, nearly thirty miles eastward. It is now [1798] almost entirely neglected, in consequence of being so much out of repair; and the settlers on the west side of the river are obliged to resort to the mill at Rundicut, which from Bradloe is at least eighteen miles, besides having a river to cross.
"The sawmill built by Allen is already ruined [1798]. Indian Allen, soon after the erection of these mills, sold the property to Mr. Ogden, of Newark, New-Jersey, who resold it to Captain Williamson, the present possessor. Captain Williamson, perceiving the value of this
* This error about the height of the Lower Falls can only be excused by the fact that even at a later day, and in a more important case, misapprehension was so prevalent that even Mr. Jesse Hawley, in his early calculations about the passage of the Erie Canal through this region, spoke of these falls not more accurately. The explanation is made in justice 10 Mr. Maude, who is yet living in England; for his Journal, published in London in 1826, bears evidence of a very careful as well as amiable spirit in its author. Should this page ever meet his view, he may, perhaps, with an account of the present condition of this region before him, pardon us for men- tioning the amusement which we derived from the annunciation that the journal of his tour through this then wilderness was published as a guide lo travellers visiting the Falls of Niagara ! With the exception of the "eternal rush of waters," there is in- deed little in all this region which has not widely changed its aspect.
* Col. Fish must have perpetrated a " fish story" upon the traveller. This alleged great and sudden change could not have taken place as reported .- See Geological Sketches-" Retrocession of the Falls," &o.
358*
SKETCHES OF ROCHESTER, ETC.
property, proposes to build a new and much larger mill a few feet higher than the present one. [Captain Williamson, as agent of the Pulteney estate, sold this mill-lot to Rochester, Carroll, and Fitzhugh, in 1802.] It will be then out of the way of ice and back water ; and, by taking the race from a more favourable part of the river, where, in the driest sea- sons, the channel has six feet water close along shore, it will have a neverfailing supply of water ; and as, in consequence of the falls, there must be a portage at this place, the race is to serve the purpose of a canal, not only to float logs to the sawmills, but for the river-craft to discharge and take in their lading. As Col. Fish, the miller, had not those accommodations which I expected, not even a stable, I was obliged to proceed to Mr. King's, at the Genesee Landing, where I got a good meal on wild-pigeons, &c. Mr. King is the only respectable settler in this township (No. 1. short range), in which there are at present twelve families, four of whom have established themselves at the Landing". [now called Hanford's Landing].
So much for the " first impressions" of men and manners hereabout forty years ago, as described by the intelligent European above men- tioned. That traveller is probably yet living, as it is but recently that a copy of his " Journal" of a visit to Niagara, printed in London in 1826, from notes made about 1800, was presented by him to the Rochester Atheneum. The present condition of the country which he described, doubtless with much fidelity, would now present to him an aspect altered as it were by enchantment.
The " Allen mill" having become ruinous, an effort was made by Charles Harford in 1807 to remedy the inconvenience experienced through a considerable section of country for want of milling facilities. A small mill was then erected on the site of what have since been known as the Phenix mills (formerly owned by Francis and Mathew Brown, Jr., now occupied by Joseph Field). The contrast between Harford's gristmill and the excellent flouring establishments for which Rochester is now celebrated will probably excuse a brief descrip- tion of its peculiarities by one of the "early settlers." Among the notes for which I am indebted to Mr. Edwin Scrantom, it is stated that " the main wheel was a tubwheel ; in the top was inserted a piece of iron called the spindle, and the stone that run rested upon it, so that, in raising and lowering the stone to grind coarse or fine, the whole wheel (which was a monster), with the stone upon it, had to be raised with the bottom timbers. This was done with a monstrous lever which run the whole length of the mill, tapering to near the end, which was man- aged by a leathern strap put twice around and fastened to the timbers at one end, while at the other end hung a huge stone. The bolt was carried from a screw made on the shaft under the stone, into which a wooden cogged wheel was geared, in manner similar to an old pair of swifts. The ground meal, as it ran from the stone, fell upon a horizon- tal strap about six inches wide, and ran over a wheel at the far end of the bolt. This strap ran in a box on the upper side, and, as it went over the wheel, the meal was emptied into a spout and carried into the bolt. In grinding corn this spout was removed, and the meal fell into a box made for the purpose. The bolt, however, had to go constantly, as the science of millmaking here had not reached that very important improvement of throwing out of gear such machinery as is not wanted running. But that was to me then a charming mill ! It rumbled and
MAIN
BUFFALO ST
Anderson S.
VIEWS ON THE GENESEE IN ROCHESTER.
Plan of the New Aqueduct, 848 feet long, now building (1838) on the south side of the old structure, viewed from the Moin Reidra
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*359
EARLY MILLERS OF THE GENESEE.
rattled like thunder, and afforded much amusement to the boys, who, like myself, formerly assisted in the ponderous operation of ' hoisting the gate.' The gate hoisted with a lever similar to the one that raised the stone ; a bag of heavy weights was hung to it, and then it was a half hour's job for a man to hoist it alone ! When once hoisted, it was not shut again till night, the stones being let together to stop the mill between grists !" The primitive simplicity of this mill was in accordance with the rude improvements of the time.
Now for a few words concerning that " Indian Allen" whose name has been used occasionally in these sketches of the " olden time." His proper name was Ebenezer Allen ; and he was one of those tory blood- hounds who leagued with the savages in perpetrating atrocities upon his countrymen during the revolutionary war. A single instance is suf- ficiently illustrative of his sanguinary career. While prowling with his Indian allies in the Susquehanna Valley, he surprised the inmates of a dwelling by bursting suddenly upon them in their beds. The father, springing up to defend his family, was killed by one blow of Allen's tomahawk. The head of the murdered man was thrown at his feeble wife, from whose arms the infant was torn and dashed to death before her eyes ! " It has been said, though I will not relate it for a certain- ty," said the White Woman, " that, after perpetrating these murders, he opened the fire and buried the quivering corpse of the infant beneath the embers! And I have often heard him speak of the transac- tions with that family as the foulest crimes he ever committed." Allen came to the Genesee country in the latter part of the revolu- tionary war ; and his operations betokened that his character combined the lasciviousness of a Turk with the bloodthirstiness of a savage. The White Woman furnished his biography in a chapter,* the cap- tion of which is alone sufficient to supply a tolerably correct outline of his movements along the Genesee. We quote that caption, merely adding some explanatory words :- " Life of Ebenezer Allen, a tory-he comes to Gardow, where the White Woman lived among the Senecas with her husband the chief Hiokatoo, about forty miles south of Ro- chester-his intimacy with a Nanticoke squaw-her husband's jealousy and cruelty towards her-Hiokatoo's interference-Allen supports the Nanticoke-purchases goods at Philadelphia, and brings them up the Susquehanna and Tioga, and thence to the Genesee River-stops the Indian war, or rather prevents the Indians from renewing hostilities soon after the revolution, by clandestinely taking one of their wampum belts
* The work here referred to was prepared in 1823 by James E. Seaver, of Genesee county, under the direction of Daniel W. Bannister and other gentlemen who were anxious to collect and preserve many historical facts which were vividly impressed on her memory, before the pressure of years and sorrow (and an eveniful life was hers !) should have impaired the accuracy of her recollection. The book is entitled, " A Narrative of the Life of Mary Jemison, who was taken by the Indians in the year 1755, when only about twelve years of age, and has continued to reside among tbem to the present time-containing an account of the murder of her father and his family -her troubles with her sons, who were killed in feuds among themselves or with others- barbarities of the Indians in the French and revolutionary war-the life of Hiokatoo, her last husband-liis exploits against the Cherokees, Catawbas, and other southern Indians-and many historical facts never before published. Carefully taken from her own words, November 29, 1823," &c. The book was published in 1824 by James D. Bemis, of Canandaigua-one of the earliest printers and booksellers in the Genesee country, and who for many years published the Ontario Repository. Peter Jemison, the young Indian who lately died in the U. S. Navy (an assistant surgeon), was a grandson of Mrs. J., commonly known as the " White Woman."
360*
SKETCHES OF ROCHESTER, ETC.
to an American officer, and assuring him that the Indians were friendly -his troubles with the Indians, who, though they observed the good faith implied by their wampum, persecuted him for a while for taking such a liberty-he is taken and carried to Quebec by the British, who held Fort Niagara till 1795-is acquitted of the alleged offence in the wampum affair, in which the British at Niagara evinced a privity to the designs of the Indians by capturing and attempting to punish him for his inter- ference-he marries a squaw-goes to Philadelphia-returns to Genesee with a store of goods, which he bartered with the Indians for ginseng and furs-goes to farming-moves down the stream now called Allen's Creek, after him, on which Scotsville is now situated, near its junction with Genesee River-builds mills at the falls where Rochester now is -drowns a Dutchman while going down in a canoe with mill-irons- marries a white wife-kills an old man, and takes his young wife for a concubine-moves back to Mount Morris-marries a third wife, and gets another concubine-receives a tract of land from the Indians for the benefit of his children-sends his children to other states for educa- tion-disposes of the land at Mount Morris-moves to Grand River, in Canada, where the British gave him a tract of land-an account of his cruelties," &c. "At the great treaty at Big-tree," near Geneseo, in 1797, says the same authority, " one of Allen's daughters claimed the land which he had sold to Robert Morris," as it was designed by the Indians for their benefit. "The claim was examined and decided against her, in favor of Ogden, Trumbull, and Rogers, who were the creditors of Robert Morris. - Allen died at the Delaware town on the river De Trench, in 1814," adds the aged chronicler, "and left two white widows and one squaw, with a number of children, to la- ment his loss." He had left some of his women behind when he re- moved from Genesee River to Canada. Such were the life and times of THE FIRST MILLER OF THE GENESEE-such the personage who, by building a small and temporary mill to grind the grists of the then few settlers in this region, acquired title to the Hundred-acre Tract or Mill Lot, which, more than twenty years afterward, was planned for a village under the narne of Rochester.
Flour Trade of Rochester.
" Some of the Rochester mills," says the Traveller's Guide, published by Davidson of Saratoga, " are on a scale of magnitude unsurpassed in the world ; all are considered first rate in the perfection of their machinery ; and so effective is the whole flouring apparatus, that there are several single runs of stone which can grind (and the machinery connected therewith bolt and pack) one hundred barrels of flour per day." Although such feats may be done by extra exertion, we care less for the reputa- tion resulting from them than we do for the quality and aggregate quan- tity of the flour passing through our mills." Such is the character and extensive demand for the article, that, besides the quantity shipped for foreign countries, the Rochester brands may be seen commonly at Que- bec and Washington ; at Montreal and New-York ; at Hartford, Con- cord, and Bangor; at Boston, Charleston, and New-Orleans ; from Passamaquoddy to the Gulf of Mexico.
There are now within the City of Rochester twenty mills (exclusive of gristmills), with upward of ninety runs of stone. These mills are
CLINTON LINK
ROCHESTER
Young b.
And Mois S.
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Thomas Kempshall. The new Aqueduct starts from the west bank, close to the old Aqueduct, south side of these mille
CASH fa WHEAT
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SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Hervey Ely. The old Aqueduct strikes the cast bank at the north side of these mills-the new Aqueduct will
W. WHITNEY & CO
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Warham Whitney & Co. (John Williams), on Brown's Race, with rear on the river, north of the Middle or Main Hallo
CITY MILLE
CITY MILLS.
H.B. WIL
CASH &
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The "City Mills" of Joseph Strong, a few rods north of the west end of the Aqueduct, rear on the river. front on Child's Basin.
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CASH For WHEAT
CHAS J. HILL.
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Charles I. Hill. east side of the river of the first atan of the T
1 11
VENEERING MILL.
CASH A. WHEAT
A WHIPPLE & Co
HOOKER &CO
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Ira P. Thurber & Co. (George A. Avery and Philip Thurber), lately bought of Hooker & Co., at the first step of the Lower Falls, in the Fifth Ward
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CITYGRISTMILL
CITY
CASHFORWHEAT
GRIST-MILL
THL. ACHILLES.
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mill of Henry L. Achilles, partly for flouring and grists. Front ou Brown's race, rear on the river. and built of wand
CANH FT WHEAT.
ARTERSCN DAVERY.
FLOUR
AVERY
J.W. ORR.c.
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Edwin and Elias Avery-front on Brown's Race, rear on the river, below the Main or Middle Falls-rear wall 144 feet high.
NEW-YORK MILLS
STI TOF WHEAT
MACK & PATER SON
CASH For WIIDAT
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The " New-York Mills" of I. F. Mack and T. J. Paterson : front on Brown's Race, rear on the river, below the Main or Middle Falls-rear wall about 108 feet high.
THOMAS EMERSON.
MEECH RICE & C!
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The "Crescent Mills" of Thomas Emerson : front on Water-street, rear on the river, a few rods north of the east end of the Annorunt
S. O. SMITH.
NEW-YOR
RICHARD RICHARDSON
CATCH A. WHEAT.
...
F . LOWE!
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Richard Richardson : front on Brown's Race, rear on the river, a few rods north of the Main Falls.
J. FIELD.
H.B. WILLIAMS & Cª
CASH for WHEAT
CASH for WBEAT
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The "Eagle Mills" of Henry B. Williams & Co. (E. S. Beach and John H. Beach): front on Brown's Race, rear on the river,
SPECIMENS OF ROCHESTER MANUFACTORIES.
The mills of Elbert W. Scrantom : front on Water-street, rear on the east side of the river, between the Aqueduct and Main Bridge.
*361
FLOUR TRADE.
capable of manufacturing five thousand barrels of flour daily, and, when in full operation, require about twenty thousand bushels of wheat daily. The immense consumption of the raw material occasioned by such an extensive manufacture furnishes to the rich wheat-growing region around Rochester a ready market, while it draws considerable supplies from the shores of Erie and Ontario. Besides the wheat drawn from the surrounding country and from Ohio, some of the Rochester millers im- ported from Canada, under heavy duties, about 200,000 bushels in 1836. In the year ending on the Ist of August, 1835, eighteen mills with sev- enty-eight runs manufactured about 460,000 bbls. flour ; and the annual product, with the late improvements, will not, probably, in seasons of fer- tility, &c., fall far short of six hundred thousand barrels. The avidity with which mill property has been sought, and the additions made to it during the last three years, indicate clearly the strong confidence of our citizens in its permanent worth.
The attention excited abroad to the grain and flour trade of Roches- ter has occasioned on our part particular inquiry into its origin and prog- ress. We hope to be pardoned for the liberty we take in acknowledging indebtedness to one of our oldest residents and most enterprising mer- chant-millers for the facts imbodied in the following notes on the his- tory of our staple manufacture. HERVEY ELY is the gentleman alluded to. The value attached to the history of the grain trade of the Baltic, &c., indicates that there are many others than political economists who may be interested to mark the progress of the grain and flour trade in the heart of the wheat-growing region of Western New-York.
Notes on the Rochester Flour Trade.
Some of the flouring establishments are situate directly upon the nav- igable waters of the Erie Canal, with machinery so adjusted that car- goes of a thousand bushels of wheat are elevated to a height of fifty feet and weighed in an hour and a half. The boats, without changing position, in a similar brief period receive cargoes of flour ; and thus, at some mills, but three hours are consumed in unloading a cargo of wheat and stowing away a cargo of flour. This, with the facts before stated respecting the manufacture of the article, may convey some idea of the admirable machinery of the Rochester flouring establishments.
It is worthy of remark, that ten of the largest and most perfect of these flouring-mills, which may safely challenge comparison with any simi- lar establishments on earth for power, strength, and effective operation, were erected under the direction of ROBERT M. DALZELL, of this city, who has exhibited unrivalled skill and untiring zeal in this department of mechanics. If the architect of palaces be worthy of notice in history, it cannot be improper, in an account of Rochester, to render justice to the scientific mechanic whose skill has largely contributed to the ce- lebrity of its staple manufacture.
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