USA > New York > Niagara County > Souvenir history of Niagara County, New York : commemorative of the 25th anniversary of the Pioneer Association of Niagara County > Part 34
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and winter of 1824. The first term of court was held therein in January, 1825.
When it was first built, and for many years thereafter, it was used for both a jail and court house, the lower floor containing the cells, and it was not until 1844, or thereafter, that an addition was erected. The cells were arranged in rows on both sides of the main hall.
In the year 1825 the bar of Niagara County was com- posed of the following: John Birdsall, William Hotchkiss, Z. H. Colvin, J. F. Mason, Bates Cooke, Hiram Gardiner, Elias Ransom, Sebirde Dodge, Theodore Chapin, Harvey Leonard and Augustus Porter.
Within the memory of the "oldest inhabitant" the subjoined were the county Judges who held court there: Silas Hopkins, Robert Fleming, Nathan Dayton, Washing- ton Hunt, Elias Ransom, Jonathan D. Woods, Hiram Gardi- ner, Levi F. Bowen, Alfred Holmes, George D. Lamont, Frank Brundage, Cyrus E. Davis, Alvah K. Potter and David Millar.
Within its walls have echoed decisions which affected the life of the Masonic fraternity, and many have listened to the forensic eloquence of such men as Washing- ton Hunt, Hiram Gardiner, John C. Spencer of Utica; Wil- liam S. Farrell, George D. Lamont, M. M. Southworth, Al- fred Holmes, James Franklin Fitts, Henry A. Carter, Daniel S. Dickenson, Sanford Church, Abraham Stewart, John L. Bush, Abijah H. Moss, John L. Curtenius, Sherburne B. Piper, Cyrus A. Davis, Charles H. Piper, S. Eli Cook and William L. Marcy, afterwards Governor of the State, and who presided at the trial of Eli Bruce and others for the ab- duction of Morgan. This was undoubtedly the most in- teresting and famous case ever tried in Niagara County. Elias Ransom, Jr., who was then District Attorney, assisted by John C. Spencer, of Utica, conducted the prosecution.
Another case, but little less known than the one above described, but which nearly involved this country in a war with Great Britain, was that of Alexander McLeod, whom, it was alleged, "cut out" the side wheel steamer "Caroline" at Schlosser landing, in December, 1837, and after setting her on fire, sent it over the falls of Niagara. McLeod was arrested on a charge of murdering Captain Durfree, the commander of the "Caroline," but was acquitted.
The old court room, as first constructed, was on the second floor, and the bench was on the south side and faced to the north. That was the bench on which Judge Marcy sat in the famous Morgan-Masonic trial, when he fortunate- ly, or unfortunately, tore his trousers. At that early day, Judges literally sat upon a bench instead of chairs. The projecting nail which did the business was no doubt lost some time in the early Forties when the old court room was reconstructed and enlarged, and the bench placed at the east end of the room, fronting the west.
There were but a few murder cases tried in the old court house. The first conviction was that of Douglas, for killing Cunningham. His attorneys were Washington Hunt and Henry A. Carter ; Prosecuting Attorney, Alfred Holmes. Douglas was convicted and hung in the old jail in Novem- ber, 1842, being the only man ever sentenced and hung in the county. Another case somewhat celebrated was the trial of Claudius L. Lloyd for the murder of- -Thody in 1862. He was defended by William S. Farnell. M. M. Southworth was the District Attorney. Lloyd was con- victed and sentenced by the court to be confined in Auburn prison (as was the law at that time) for one year, then to be returned to Niagara County and to be hung. Before the
171
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
PETER H. M'PARLIN.
FRANK M. BREDELL.
R. NATHANIEL ROBERTS.
MICHAEL S. NILAND.
F. C. CARR.
GEORGE P. PENFOLD.
172
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
expiration of the year, the Governor, Horatio Seymour, commuted the sentence to imprisonment for life. Subse- quently it was commuted to fifteen years, and then again to four years.
Development of Lockport.
Mr. Wilber carriers his record through the year 1850, from which point the recollection of many of our citizens will trace the trend of events. Since that time the city has undergone a gradual and solid development that has been caused by the increase in the manufacturing operations of our citizens.
POWER.
Eight thousand horse power is the force developed by the surplus descent of water, the fall of which must be accommodated in some other way than through the bed of the canal. Four thousand horse power is developed along the raceway and the tunnel and four thousand more is utilized from the overflow through Eighteen-Mile Creek and power from which is utilized all along its course until it winds its way into Lake Ontario.
It is claimed that power from Niagara Falls, which is dispensed freely at Lockport, is obtained in Lockport at as low a cost as at the City of Niagara Falls. Consequently, it will be seen, that between the power from the overflow at the locks and from electricity transmitted from Niagara there is cheap and ample power in the City of the Locks for all her industries.
HYDRAULIC POWER COMPANY.
The Hydraulic Power Company was organized in its present form in 1857. Previous to its organization the power was owned by various parties. When the canal was put through, the officials leased to the firm of Kennedy & Hatch the surplus water discharged from above the locks to the level below. This lease passed through different hands until it came into possession of Governor Washington Hunt, with whom ex-Governor and Senator William L. Marcy was subsequently interested. These notable men organized the Hydraulic Power Company. They acquired full possession of the lease, put in more capital and developed the power through the race to its full extent. Previously there was only a little ditch four feet deep, which froze solidly in winter. They then proceeded to secure tenants, and their improvements and efforts all along the line resulted in con- siderable development to the city. The administration of the company, while highly advantageous for Lockport, was not a payingventure for the company and paid no divi- dents for twenty-five years.
The stock of the company is divided into 1,520 shares, of which the city owns 100, which were left to the corpora- tion by Governor Hunt. On the race the Electric Com- pany uses some 300 horse power at the new Dickinson building as auxiliary to the power they get from Niagara Falls. The other holders of power from the Hydraulic Company, further down the race, are Grigg Brothers, Thompson Milling Company, Trevor Manufacturing Com- pany, Boston & Lockport Block Works and the Franklin Mills Company. The Franklin Mills are supplying the Em- pire Manufacturing Company and are lighting a few other plants with their dynamo. On the tunnel, on the other side of the canal, there are three companies supplied with power by the arrangement with the Hydraulic Company, the Holly Company, the Richmond Manufacturing Company and
the Lockport Pulp Company. The city is also supplied with power to run the city's pumping station.
OTHER WATER RIGHTS.
It should be remembered that there were some minor rights that were not acquired by the Hydraulic Power Com- pany. These were held by Norman & Evans, in regular descent from Lyman A. Spalding, ancestor of Mr. Evans. These rights were for power along the box race, which has now been done away with, though the power has been turned over to Charles E. Dickinson, whose new building sets right above the abandoned race and gets the first touch of power of any establishment on the present race. The firm of Norman & Evans get from Mr. Dickinson the proper re- turn in electric power, which they supply to their customers as under the old arrangement.
The following firms secure power from Eighteen Mile Creek, on the other side of the canal, the right to which they individually acquired years ago, the Hydraulic Com- pany never having possessed any title to power on the creek: Traders' Paper Company, Lockport Paper Com- pany, Niagara Paper Company, Westerman & Company, the United Indurated Fiber Company and the Cowles Aluminum & Electric Smelting Company. The Fiber Company only operate their pulp mill by water power.
THE MILLING INDUSTRY.
The milling industry was naturally the earliest of any importance that flourished in Lockport. Otis Hathaway operated a mill about 1824 on Eighteen-Mile Creek, where it passes under the Erie Canal. In 1826 Lyman A. Spalding built his seven story mill. It was burned in 1840 and Mr. Spalding built another on the site, larger than the first. N. H. Wolf purchased the mill in 1857 and it was burned the following year. The "new" Spalding mill was erected in 1858, and after passing through various hands it finally came in possession of Thornton & Chester and finally of George T. Chester. The mill subsequently burned again and the fine "electrical building" of today was erected on the site by Charles E. Dickinson.
The present Thompson mill has a history. Edward Bissell erected a mill on the present site in 1828. In 1837 it was sold to C. G. Jones, and afterward to W. P. Daniels, Douglas & Jackson, and others. In 1853 it was burned to the ground. In the following year the present large build- ing was erected on the ruins. In 1868 Saxton & Thompson purchased it for $50,000 and afterward enlarged and im- proved it. The officers of the Thompson Milling Company, who are the present owners of the business, are as follows : George B. Thompson, President ; A. L. Draper, Vice Presi- dent; Arthur T. Poole, Secretary and H. M. Witbeck, Treasurer.
The building that houses the "Franklin Mills" was erected in 1833 and was used as a cotton factory until 1841, at which time Washington Hunt became the sole owner. The Niagara Manufacturing Company bought it the next year and continued its operation as a cotton factory until 1854. B. C. Moore, Washington Hunt and Henry Wal- bridge afterward purchased the building and converted it into a flouring mill. In 1864 Hiram Finch took the man- agement and subsequently the ownership and increased the capacity to 500 barrels daily. In 1872 the property was conveyed to A. S. Beverly, N. P. Currier, J. Carl Jackson and William S. Camp. Charles E. Dickinson is the present President and Treasurer and Edward H. Boynton, Secre- tary.
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
123
SAMUEL H. PETTIT.
HON. JOHN A. MERRITT.
WILLIAM HOOPER.
HON. JOHN HI. CLARK.
CHARLES W. HATCH.
JOHN R. BAYLISS.
EDWARD G. PARKER.
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The mill now operated by Grigg Brothers was built in 1863 by David Cope.
THREE LUSTY PIONEERS.
W. W. and F. N. Trevor and Jesse Peterson are the pioneer manufacturers of Lockport living today. W. W. Trevor started in the business that is now carried on by the Trevor Manufacturing Company about 1865. This in- dustry had been established by Joseph B. and George S. Trevor in 1858, when the building now occupied by the company was erected. George S. retired about the year 1865, his interest being purchased by his brother, William W. A few years afterward Joseph B. Trevor died and Francis N. Trevor assumed his interest. William W. Trevor is President of the Company and F. N. Trevor, Sec- retary and Treasurer. This business, both in the personnel of the prorprietors and the character of the output, has been
consisting of M. H. Tarbox and Jesse Peterson. Later Mr. Peterson sold his interest and the Boston & Lockport Block Company was formed, of which Albert D. Bossom is Presi- dent; Frank Gebbie, Vice President; M. H. Tarbox, Secre- tary and Treasurer. Elbert D. Whitney is manager at the Lockport factory.
Several years ago three of the heads of departments of the Boston & Lockport Block Company organized the West- ern Block Company, with a factory on lower Market Street, which they have enlarged within a year. Robert Madden is President and Superintendent; William E. Shaw, Vice President and Secretary and E. J. McGrath, Treasurer.
UNITED INDURATED FIBRE COMBANY.
The site of the first paper mill in Lockport was the present pulp works of the United Indurated Fibre Company,
GILBERT PETERSON.
JESSE PETERSON.
JESSE DUDLEY PETERSON.
more permanent than that of any other manufacturing plant in Lockport. The Trevor brothers have been together nearly thirty-five years in active business life and they pro- duce many of the devices that were burned out in earlier days. The saw works now operated by William Cocker were established in 1869 by William Cocker and W. W, and F. N. Trevor, under the firm name of Cocker & Trevor. These saws are used on the machinery turned out by the Trevor Company. Although the partnership has been dis- solved and Mr. Cocker operates the business alone, a good part of the product is now used on the Trevor machines.
TACKLE BLOCKS.
Forty two years ago William W. Trevor began to manufacture labels in a portion of the building now operated by the Trevor Manufacturing Company. He continued to pursue this business for five years, when in 1864 it was merged into the business of Trevor & Penfield, who started, in a building on the site of the present City Hall, to manu- facture tackle blocks. Mr. Trevor sold out his interest a year or two later to E. A. Martin, who, with C. R. Penfield, organized the firm of Penfield, Martin & Gaskill. This firm was succeeded in 1874 by M. H. Tarbox & Company,
which was operated by A. F. Brown. After a time this mill was dismantled and turned into a pulp mill, which is now the pulp mill of the United Indurated Fibre Company and connected with their extensive plant. After his withdrawal from the block business, Jesse Peterson began to interest himself actively in the manufacture of fibre ware, and used this pulp mill to supply his raw material. In 1886 the United Indurated Fibre Company was organized by Jesse Peterson, Henry G. Cordley and Charles E. Folger. In 1893 the present company was incorporated under the same name and the great plant of the company was built, where 250 hands are constantly employed. The present company is a consolidation of some half dozen concerns that were lo- cated in various sections of the country and receptacles of all kinds are made from wood pulp and from "fibrotta" stock. The present officers of the company are Jesse Peter- son, President and General Manager; Alonzo N. Burbank, Vice President; Henry G. Gordley, Secretary ; James E. Hayes, Treasurer; Charles E. Folger, Assistant Treasurer. William H. Baker, a skilled designer, and Cyrus D. Ormis- ton, Superintendent and Inventor, are among the com- pany's valued officers.
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
175
RD
FRED R. OLIVER.
R. F. PIERSON.
GEORGE W. POUND.
REV. G. FUCHS.
CHARLES A. WARREN.
9
WILLIAM BUCHANAN,
C. E ERNEST.
176
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
THE PAPER MILLS.
Neil Brothers & Brooks was the title of another firm engaged in the manufacture of straw wrapping paper years ago on the site of the present Niagara mill. They were burned out, but rebuilt and afterward failed. Willis H. Howes, then an official with the Lockport Paper Company, conceived the idea of organizing a company to continue the paper business on different lines, and interesting a number of citizens organized the Niagara Paper Company to manu- facture high grade cover papers and similar products. Francis N. Trevor is the President ; Hon. John A. Merritt, Secretary and Treasurer ; Willis H. Howes, Manager.
The Lockport Paper Company was incorporated in 1884 with Charles Keep, President; W. H. Howes, Secre- tary and Wallace I. Keep, Treasurer. The plant was en- larged in 1893. George G. Moss is now President and Wal- lace I. Keep Secretary and Treasurer.
The organization of the Traders' Paper Company is the most important recent event in the local industrial field. It was incorporated in 1895 with a capital of $300,000. Box boards constitute the principal product. A large sulphite mill has been built in addition to the plant proper and some 300 hands are employed. This plant has been merged into the United Box Board & Paper Company, with a capital of $30,000,000. James A. Roberts, former President of the Traders', is the President of the Consolidated Company ; Augustus H. Ivins, former Manager of the Traders', is the General Manager of the United Company and Eugene M. Ashley, of Lockport, is Counsel. The Lockport Pulp Com- pany, which was controlley by the Traders' Company, has also been merged into the new company.
THE HOLLY SHOPS.
The Holly Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1859 with $20,000 capital, which has been increased from time to time to $1,000,000. The original stockholders were T. T. Flagler, Charles Keep, Silas H. Marks, L. F. Bowen, Washington Hunt, G. W. Bowen and Birdsall Holly. Dur- ing the entire period of its incorporation the company has constantly manufactured pumps and pumping engines. The "Holly system" of water supply and fire protection for cities and village is the invention of Birdsall Holly, whose purpose in planning Lockport works was to provide fire protec- tion without the use of portable engines. Success in that led to the combination of domestic supply with fire protec- tion through the same system of pipes, by the addition of suitable pumping apparatus and regulators. The feasibility of the combined service was first demonstrated in the Au- burn, New York, water works, in 1866, and now it is in suc- cessful operation in over 470 cities and towns.
The Holly Company, which has since been merged into the International Pump Company, is officered as follows : Hon. T. E. Ellsworth, President ; E. C. Lufkin, Vice Presi- dent and General Manager; N. M. Clark, Secretary; Max Nathan, Treasurer.
EXHAUST STEAM HEATING PURPOSES.
The American District Steam Company was organized in 1881. Their present business consists principally of the use of exhaust steam from electric and other power stations for heating purposes through underground steam mains. The company employ some 100 hands at their plants in Lockport and North Tonawanda. The present officers are Isaac H. Babcock, President ; W. D. Hall, Treasurer ; Charles R. Bishop, Secretary and General Manager. The present building of the company on the east side of Elm Street in Lockport was erected about three years ago. Their large
mill at North Tonawanda has been recently completed.
THE CANNING BUSINESS.
The canning business of Lockport was founded in 1872-3, by Frank Gebbie, on the present site of the "linen mill." In 1880, the business was moved to "Lower Town." In 1877, a copartnership was formed, consisting of Frank Gebbie, M. P. B. and M. R. Cooke and Z. W. More, under the name of "The Niagara Preserving Company." M. P. B. Cooke moved from Camden, New York, to Lockport, June 7,1877, and was followed two years later by his brother, M. R., and Z. W. More. The business, with greatly enlarged facilities, was much extended. This firm manufactured its own cans and its trade was with wholesale grocers in the largest cities from Liverpool and London to San Francisco. It also handled all the corn packed in the large factories of Stephen McCall and Junius Wood, of Camden, New York, and all the stave and heading business of East Lockport. Ten years later (1887), the firm, when in a most prosperous con- dition, dissolved by limitation. Z. W. More went to Den- ver, Colorado; M. P. B. Cooke took the stave and heading mills, while Frank Gebbie and M. R. Cooke, under the old name, continued the preserving and packing business until 1890, when they sold out to the Erie Preserving Company, and M. P. B. Cooke, in 1889, sold the stave and heading mills to Joseph W. Little.
THE STAVE MILL.
The stave mill has quite a history, extending as far back as 1840, it being probably the first plant of the kind west of Rochester. Joseph W. Little and his son, Alfred M., have operated the mill since Mr. Cooke sold out the business in 1899. The company was reorganized in 1902 as the Ni- agara Stave Company, with the Messrs. Little as the active executive officers. Joseph W. Little has served as Super- visor for several terms.
GLASS BLOWING.
Among the oldest industries in the city is the business of the Lockport Glass works, which was established in a small way in 1840 by Messrs. Hildreth, Marks, Keep and Hitchins. After passing through several hands A. J. Mans- field acquired control and the business is now operated by A. J. Mansfield & Company.
The Lockport Glass Company was established in Aug- ust, 1900, in a fine new plant in the west end of the city. W. W. Storrs is President ; C. G. Sutliff, Vice President and J. Milton Woodward, Secretary and Treasurer. With these two good sized plants in town the glass industry is a consid- erable one.
BRASS BEDS-COTTON BATTING-FOUNDRIES-SHIRTS-ETC.
The Oliver bed factory is one of our comparatively new industries, established in 1893 by John, William, Thomas and George Oliver. They employ some 300 hands. Thomas Oliver, of this firm, is a former Mayor of Lockport.
The manufacture of cotton batting was begun in Lock- port in 1870 by George M. Hamlin and there are now three factories of the kind here. The Lockport Cotton Batting Company have lately moved into a new factory on Mul- berry Street, and the Niagara Cotton Batting Company have built a new home at the west end of town. The New York Cotton Batting Company is located on Market Street.
The foundries of Daniel G. McKim, Gardner Foundry Company, Hall Iron Works, Drew Foundry Company and the Bramley Brothers are in active operation, the two former dating back for many years. Daniel McKim, father of Daniel G. McKim, was an early manufacturer of school furniture, which is still made in his son's establishment. The
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
JOSEPH DONNELLY.
STACEY D. BEHE.
W. W. CAMPBELL.
D. ELWOOD JEFFERY.
J. L, SHELDON, JR.
ROY II. ERNEST.
A. EDMUND LEE.
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
elder McKim was the inventor of a number of improvements in school furniture.
The shirt industry is represented in Lockport by three concerns employing in the aggregate about 200 hands, Dum- ville & Company, D. R. Sillesky & Company, and the Tothill Shirt Company.
FIELD FORCE PUMP COMPANY.
The Field Force Pump Company was organized by Jason Collier, William P. Field and Harrison S. Chapman about 1880. Messrs. Collier and Field have passed away. The present officers of the company are C. A. Barnes, Presi- dent ; L. T. Barnes, Vice President ; Harrison S. Chapman, Secretary, Treasurer and Manager. The company will build a new factory this fall where South Bristol crosses the Erie tracks. The Field Force pumps for spraying fruit trees are sold all over the country, the business having grown greatly because of the increase of the practice by fruit grow- ers of spraying their orchards.
OTHER IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES.
The Empire Manufacturing Company was started by Edwin W. Carey, in 1883, and was joined by Tiras A. Hall the following year. The product is cotton hose, belting and elastic surgical goods. The company now occupy a new factory built in 1899.
The Merritt Manufacturing Company was organized by I. E. Merritt in 1882 to succeed T. R. Bailey and a Mr. Vail in the production of wood working machinery. The com- pany are building a new factory corner of Michigan Avenue and South Niagara Street, whither they will move their business from their Market Street location.
The business of the Richmond Manufacturing Com- pany was begun in 1869 by James Richmond, who was suc- ceeded by his nephew, William Richmond, in 1874. The company produce machinery for use in flouring mills. Mr. Richmond served a term as Collector of Customs at Sus- pension Bridge under President Cleveland.
Among the other industries of the city are those con- ducted by the Cowles Electric Smelting and Aluminum Com- pany; Norman & Evans, makers of derricks, dredges and merry-go-rounds ; E. H. Ferree, maker of aluminum goods.
The business of Westerman & Company was established in 1880 under the style of Westerman, Fletcher & Company. Several years later DeWitt Bruce succeeded Mr. Fletcher, on the death of the latter, and the firm took the style of Westerman, Bruce & Company. James Westerman died and Mr. Bruce retired in 1884, when Calvin G. Sutliff be- came manager of the business. George Westerman retired in 1890, since which time the entire management has de- volved on Mr. Sutliff, who is one of our former Mayors. The firm make a high grade of refined iron and employ over 100 hands.
The Niagara Textile Company has been in operation scarcely three years, employing 65 hands making Union huck towels, which are distributed to all parts of the Union. Charles A. Hoag is President of the company; W. A. Wil- liams, Vice President; W. T. Ransom, Secretary and Treas- urer.
Evans & Liddle are large manufacturers of brooms; Byron V. Covert & Company and Shaeffer, Bunce & Com- pany of automobiles ; I. A. Bronson & Son of carriages; the Lockport Basket Works of fruit baskets ; Joseph W. Turner and DeWitt C. Graham of wooden boxes and Morgan Brothers of boats.
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