The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 162

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098

USA > New York > Jefferson County > The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894 > Part 162

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Carthage is justly proud of her schools, which in efficiency are not outranked by

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any in the county. The present organization is as follows :

J. L. Norton, President of the Board; L. G. Peck, Clerk; J. S. Edwards, E. Villars, L. D. Thompson, Trustees; M. F. Perry, Principal, with 10 assistant teachers. The present attendance, including non-resident pupils, is nearly 400.

FIRES AT CARTHAGE.

Carthage has been repeatedly scourged by fires, and in one memorable instance the ravages of this destructive element attained proportions that were appalling.

The first notable fire occurred July 15, 1861. It originated in a store occupied by J. T. Walsh on State street, directly on the angle of the street on the northwest side. The fire extended from Dr. West's store (now H. Grennel's hotel and restaurant), on the south- east side, to Gallagher & Hooker's block, and from O'Leary's block to Mechanic street on the opposite side. This fire nearly destroyed the business portion of the village. About 20 buildings were burned in all, including the Baptist church. four dwellings and nine occupied stores. The loss was estimated at $60,000 ; insurance, $34,000. Without doubt the most severe loss to the village through the burning of any single structure was that of the cotton factory, erected in 1849 by Hiram McCollom. This extensive and valuable building was des- troyed on the night of January 6, 1856.

December 22, 1861, a fire took place in the vicinity of the State bridge, which burned the Rice house, directly on the river bank ; also the store in which Hiram McCollom car- ried on business for many years, and the three-story building occupied by Reuben Rice, on River street. The Masonic lodge was situated in the upper story of this build- ing.

In May, 1872, fire broke out in a building known as "Beer's Hotel," situated on the northwest side of State street, some distance below the Levis House. T. S. Robert's store, Abel Nutting's shoe shop, L. Guyot's harness shop, Hopkins & Robert's store, D. D. Whittaker's block, a meat market with dwelling overhead, Hubbard's tin shop, and blacksmith shop, occupied by R. Commins, were destroyed.

On Saturday night, December 12, 1874, a fire broke out in the large livery harn of Volney Warren, just in the rear of McCol- lom's block, which was attended with most distressing consequences. The rear end of the second story was occupied by the family as a dwelling. Among those who were sleeping when the alarm was given was Vol- ney's father, Levi Warren. Whether he was at any time conscious of his danger cannot be certainly known. His charred remains were found in the morning. Although somewhat advanced iu years he was still active and useful. He was a man respected and es- teemed in the community. Volney Warren was terribly burned at the same time, and

had an extremely narrow escape from the fate which overtook his unfortunate father.

The morning of October 20, 1884, was bright and pleasant, a rather brisk wind blowing from the southwest, which as the fornoon advanced, increased in force. Almost directly across the river from the Union Free School building in West Carthage, a row of manufacturing establishments then stood (and now stand, having been re-built), deriving their power from a long flume ex- tending from the State dam. At 11:10 A. M. an alarm of fire proceeded from one of these buildings, which proved to be the sash and blind factory of P. L. & C. E. Eaton. The building burned rapidly, and the tub factory next north, owned by Harvey Farrar, was soon in flames. Meyer, Ross & Co.'s furni- ture factory came next in order, after which the fire was confined in the large pile of hem- lock bark owned by the Revell tannery. Not dreaming of danger to the village on the east side from this source, the Carthage fire de- partment had turned out at the first alarm, and gone over to the assistance of their western neighbors. It was not long, how- ever, before they were called back in a much greater hurry than when they first set out across the water. The wind had increased in force and was now blowing strongly. Rains had not been of frequent occurrence ; the ground was thickly strewn with leaves; and it would seem, everything considered, as if a more favorable condition of things for the spread of a great conflagration could hardly he found, and so it proved. The river is broad at the spot where the first fire occurred, but, as if directed by some malign power, a storm of fire from the burned and burning buildings swept across the chasm, springing at once into vigorous action, wherever finding lodgment in the fated ter- ritory on the eastern side.

There has been some controversy as to where the first lodgment of the flames and de- struction of buildings took place on the Carthage side. The account given by the re- porter of the Watertown Times places it at Guyot and Furnace islands, which were then covered with mills and manufactories, to- gether with vast quantities of lumber and other inflammable material. These were all swept away as clean as if they had never had existence, but the fact is, as the writer saw it, the fire did not start at any one place, but at many places, and those both near and wide apart.

The single steamer and fire department of the village were now powerless to stay the hurricane of flames, and word was tele- graphed to Watertown for help. A few minutes after 1 P. M. Chief Cole arrived on a special train with 30 trained men in charge of steamer No. 2, and 1,000 feet of hose. They had made the run (18 miles) in 25 minutes. Shortly after the incoming of the Watertown firemen, the Lowville department, with its excellent LaFrance steamer, also ar- rived. To add to the alarm and distress,

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the wind suddenly veered toward the north, and for a while it seemed as though no earthly power could save from destruction the brick block and other buildings comprising the business portion of the village on State street. The flames had now broken out on West street, in the upper part of the village. The steamers were wide apart, the water supply had given out, and they were apparently powerless. But a great change in the aspect of affairs soon became apparent. Chief Cole had assumed control. He placed the Carthage steamer at the foot of State street, taking water from the river ; the Watertown engine in the center of State street received the water from the Carthage steamer, and soon two powerful streams were engaged in sup- pressing the flames. In the meantime the Lowville department was busily and success- fully engaged in staying the spread of the flames in the northeasterly part of the village. Under this excellent management affairs soon began to assume a more hopeful aspect, and at 5 o'clock the fire was under control. Boonville department also came.

City Surveyor Hodgkins, of Watertown, surveyed the ruins and gave as a result that they covered just 70 acres. The boun- daries were as follows: North by Fulton street ; on the south by State and West streets ; on the east by Clinton street and the cemetery : and on the west by the east side of Mechanic and River streets.

There were 157 structures burned, about 100 of which were homes. The aggregate loss has been variously estimated, at from $500,000 to $750,000; but it is difficult to esti- mate with any degree of certainty. Many had no insurance, while many others were only partly insured. The school buildings were all burned, also the Episcopal, Presbyterian and Baptist churches, together with the parson- ages belonging to each. The Disciples Church also burned, the society owning no parsonage.

This was by far the most disastrous fire that ever occurred in the county. An appeal, issued in behalf of the homeless and impoverished people of the ruined village, met with a swift response from abroad; the amount of money received from all sources was about $28,000. Governor Flower con- tributed $5,000. Of goods of all kinds, pro- visions, etc., a fair estimate would not place the value below $5,000. The amount of in- surance aggregated $166,050, divided among 15 separate companies. The blow was a terrible one, but with the passing away of the first great shock, life-long habits of in- dustry and perseverance asserted their power, and the work of reconstruction was begun.

On Sunday evening, July 24, 1892, a fire broke out in J. W. Brace's veneering mill, on Guyot's Island, which bid fair for a while to cause a repetition of the holocaust of 1884. This fire destroyed J. W. Brace's veneering works, store house and office, J. V. Guyot's grist-mill, Minor Guyot's carding-

mill, and A. Kesler's saw-mill. The loss was estimated at $54,000; insurance, $10,- 600.

December 16, 1892, a fire started in the Hubbard Block, on State street, which con- sumed everything on the south side from the Bones block to Mechanic street, consum- ing six blocks. The loss was $53,000; in- surance, $27,750. With one exception, the burned buildings were all of wood. The territory . is now covered with first-class structures of stone and brick, among which is the splendid Strickland building, on the corner of State and Mechanic streets, shown elsewhere, which would be considered an ornament to any town in the State.

ISLANDS.

GUYOT ISLAND. - Bazille Guyot, from whom this island took its name, came to this town from Troyes, France, in 1816. In company with Louis Bryant he built the machinery, bellows, etc, for a forge erected that year. Guyot also built a saw-mill for James LeRay, on this island. Having bought the island, he built the grist-mill in 1833. The property remains in the hands of his sons, J. Victor and Frederick. This spot has been the scene of active operation since the earliest settlement of the village. Almost every branch of manufacturing known to the history of the village, has been carried on upon these islands and their immediate vicinity, in order to utilize the superior water-power. There was a nail works built upon Guyot's Island in 1828. A forge on the island was burnt the same year it was erected. The old historic blast-furnace was connected with the Island, but not entirely situated upon it. Its erection and the in- dustries which followed, undoubtedly gave the first business impetus to the place.

In 1819 the furnace was built by Mr. Le- Ray and got into operation in 1820, where A. Kesler's saw-mill is situated. A refin- ing forge, with two additional flues was also built, under the supervision of Claudius Quillard. The furnace finally passed into the hands of Joseph C. Budd and William Bones. Budd & Bones made pig-iron, pot- ash kettles, stoves, etc. They also conducted a store, known throughout the country as the "Company Store." They carried on this business until 1846, when operations ceased. In 1863 Cole and Allen came from Pennsyl- vania, rebuilt and repaired it, and finally be- gan business in 1865. In 1870 it passed into the hands of the Carthage Iron Company, a stock company with $60,000 capital. The great conflagration of 1884 swept away this old landmark, around which cluster many memories of native Carthagenians.

TANNERY ISLAND .- Perhaps no spot within the village has been the scene of more active operations, and which, beginning at a very early period, have been fraught with more importance to the interests of the place, than this. In 1830 Walter Nim- ocks and Allen Peck built a tannery on this

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island, The building remains to the pres- ent day.

Nimocks & Peck were in partnership five years. They then sold to Ellis & Farring- ton. In 1841 Orlin Holcomb purchased the interest of Ellis & Farrington. The business was carried on under the title of Holcomb & Spencer.

Want of space compels us to be very brief in delineating further operations upon Tan- nery Island. The property fell into the hands of Major Dickerman in 1854, and he conducted it for 20 years. Then followed the great flood of 1861, which inflicted dam- mage amounting to $50,000. That was a blow from which Major Dickerman never re- covered. He died in Carthage in 1873, and the tanning business in that village has diminished from year to year. Mr. Bran- augh has been an extensive operator in tan- ning and in leather, but it is believed that he has now permanently retired ; also Thomas Revelle. The property is now occupied by Duffy & Connelly in the manufacture of dif- ferent kinds of furniture, etc.

Over 20 years since, a mineral spring was discovered on Tannery Island by Hoyt & Dickerman at a depth of 275 feet. It re- sembles the water of Massena springs.

FURNACE ISLAND became the scene of active business in 1845, when James P. Hodgkins erected a foundry which was in- tended for casting large machinery for Hiram McCollom, who was about to build a rolling- mill and nail-works. Mr. Hodgkins carried on the business until 1852. Mr. Seth A. King was engineer of the nail-works and rolling-mill.

This island, like nearly all of the indus- tries developed first and last in Carthage, has had its ups and downs. The furnace and machine business there is now in the hands of two practical men, Ryther & Pringle, who manufacture all kinds of machinery, and they appear to be successful. There is a new concern In the same line of work, fur- ther down the river, who make a specialty of paper mill machinery, Messrs. Wendler & Co., who have put in the best machinery possible to be had, have greatly enlarged their building and have come to stay.

HIRAM MC COLLOM.

A sketch of the village of Carthage would be incomplete without mention being made of this indomitable man. During the more than 40 years in which he transacted business in Carthage, it is safe to say that no name was more familiarly known in Northern New York than his. For many years, during what may be termed the active period of his life, it would be impossible to name an enterprise of local importance in which he was not in some manner connected.

His first entrance upon his long and re- markable business career in Carthage, was in 1831, or very close to that period. Pre- vious to this he kept a small store in Den- mark, Lewis county.

The expected completion to Carthage of the Black River Canal, of which work he was an able and strenuous advocate, afforded inducements which a man of his enterprise would by no means ignore. He probably considered his principal business to be that of a merchant. In addition to this, however, he entered largely into other fields of enterprise. According to an article in the Carthagenian, his fine brick blocks, three stories in height, and covering an area of 100 feet by 40, was completed in 1839.

From the starting of that paper, in 1839, until its removal to Gouverneur, he was the principal owner of the only printing press in Carthage.

He carried on a tin shop and also kept half a score of men employed manufacturing boots and shoes. In 1846 he put in oper- ation an extensive nail factory and rolling mill ; in 1849-50 he ereeted, upon the site now occupied by Spicer's pulp-works, a magnificent brick building, intended for a cotton factory, which was consumed by fire. In connection with the nail works, he owned and operated the refining forges, built long before, and of which mention has already been made. In 1852 he started the Bank of Carthage.

During the long period of his activity, the number directly provided with employment in the various fields kept open by his enterprise, and those indirectly dependent upon or bene- fited thereby, numbered well into the hun- dreds. His operations carried him into busi- ness relations of some sort in almost every town within a radius of a hundred miles. He was an zealous member of and worker in the church, first in the Methodist Episco- pal and afterwards in the Presbyterian. He never missed a school meeting or was too busy to attend upon any important public matter which came before the people of the village for consideration.

He died October 2, 1876, in his 72d year. He married, for his second wife, Mary E. Gilbert, who survived him over 15 years, a most estimable lady.

SOCIETIES.

The first meeting for the organization of a Masonic Lodge in the village of Carthage, was held July 11, 1826 .. The officers elected were: Eli West, M .; Thomas Brayton, S. W .; N. Starks, J. W. The present Lodge, No. 158, was organized in 1850. The officers for 1894 are L. D. Thompson, W. M .; L. E. Bossuot, S. W .; Dr. C. F. Adams, J. W .; M. S. Wilder, treas .; S. D. Hunt, secy .; W. S. Corlis, S. D .; A. Gossman, J. D .; F. R. Smith, S. M. C .; W. J. G. Potter, J. M. C .; F. L. Hall, marshall ; Rev. E. F. Hard, chap- lain ; G. F. Weaver, tiler ; James Pringle, J. L. Norton, Wm. Hunt, trustees.

CARTHAGE CHAPTER, No. 259, R. A.M., was organized February 7, 1872, J. L. Norton, first High Priest. The present officers are : J. L. Norton, M. E. H. P .; Dr. C. F. Adams, E. K .; M. Gleason, E. S .; James Pringle, C.

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of H .; W. C. Sherwood, P. S .; F. II. Seck- ner, R. A. C .; James H. Forhes, M. of 3d V .; W. J. G. Potter, M. of 2d V .; A. Gossman, M. of 1st V .; H. Houghton, treas .; S. D. Hunt, secy .; Rev. E. F. Hard, chaplain ; G. F. Weaver, tiler.

CARTHAGE LODGE, No. 365, I. O. O. F., was incorporated May 28, 1888. The present officers are: Melvin Pierce, N. G .; Walter Wrape, V. G .; Charles Brownell, rec. sec .; Jesse Gay, P. S .; A. F. Balcome, treas. They have 137 members.

JUNIOR TEMPLE, Excelsior Temple, No. 252 .- Regular meetings every Friday even- ing at 7:00.

SONS OF VETERANS, Gen. D. B. White Camp, No. 2 .- Regular meetings every Wed- nesday evening at 7:30 in the G. A. R. Hall.

ROYAL ARCANUM, Carthage Council, No. 748 .- Regular meetings first and third Wed- nesdays in each month in the I. O. O. F. hall.

PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY, Carthage Grange, No. 79 .- P. H. Castles, Master. Regular meetings second and fourth Saturdays each month at 2 o'clock P. M.

THE CARTHAGE SAVINGS, LOAN AND BUILDING ASSOCIATION was incorporated January 7, 1889. The present officers are : C. E. Francis, president ; Fred L. Hall, vice- president ; W. W. Sweet, secretary ; Mark S. Wilder, treasurer; H. M. Mosher, M. C. Paul, C. E. VanSlyke, E. M. Merrill and C. J. Clark, trustees ; V. K. Kellogg, attorney.

E. B. STEEL POST was organized in May, 1882. The Post is in a prosperous condition, although its ranks are surely diminishing from year to year. They have a pleasant room for meeting. Their camp fires are very inter- esting. The following are the members, their names being copied from the records : H. J. Welch, E. M. Merrill, James H. Walsh, William O'Horo. D. W. Ash, F. H. Seckner, V. L. Farr, H. C. Cook, Patrick Finley, Peter McQuillen, H. N. Canfield, Martin Leach, John Brewer, L. E. Bossuot, Dan Everett, George Segovis, Henry Kling- ner, J. M. Wait, Fred Bennett, Sam Brani- gan, A. B. Hurlbut, David Kelley, Charles Mosher. G. W. Arnold, C. W. Frazier, David Perigo, Francis Rose, G. W. Parmen- ter, Michael Doyle, Henry Woodrow, Wehs- ter Hewitt, John McIntyre, P. J. Corcoran, Conrad Zecher, Amos F. Allen, H. J. Erwin, George Covey, T. E. Wilkinson, F. P. Carter, John M. Gates, Charles Draper, George W. Earl, James Hart, Seth R. Will- ard, Myron Manzer, James Olley, Hugh Roberts, Levi Wood, David L. Covey, Walter A. Horr, Alfred Gates, John Varley, C. H. Townsend, W. G. Darling, George D. Hewitt, W. R. Hill, John A. Meister, F. A. Sherer, H. B. Hammand, P. W. Lyman, O. L. Cutler, John W. Clark, E. Short, S. D. Hunt (commander), George R. Farr, W. A. Campbell, M. A. Kendall, E. Macomber, H. N. Lanphear, Julius K. Gates, R. C. Lovejoy, John Gillett, John Peltier, I. Russell, L. Lampson, Chester Mitchell, Lor- enzo Sweet, Louis LaMont, W. W. Sanders,

A. Van Brocklin, W. H. White, Ervin C. Barker, James H. Palmer, M. A. Weaver, George Merry, W. Covey, E. Townsend, George Britland, B. Thayer, T. J. Markey, G. Johnson, James Ryan, V. A. Hall, Charles Sorrow, Angus Valor, Lewis Longtin, N. W. Lanphear, M. Corcoran, Charles Blanchard, W. L. Putnam, R. Saunders, J. S. Rood, W. A. Gamble, J. P. Holmes, T. Dawson, Z. M. Rounds, C. G. Slater, R. Van Patten, F. C. Caswell, F. L. Rockwood, W. H. Williams, James A. Beaman, John Lewis.

CHURCHES OF CARTHAGE.

ST. JAMES CHURCH (Roman Catholic) .- The first church erected in Carthage was built by the Catholic society in 1819, at a cost of $2,000, upon a lot of three acres, given by Mr. LeRay, who also contributed largely towards its erection. The timbers for the building were cut near the church. A society was formed July 20, 1821, with Claudius S. Quillard, Edward Galvin, John Finley, James and Vincent LeRay, John Daley and James Walsh, as the first trus- tees. In 1864, under the supervision of Rev. M. Barry, the present church edifice was commenced, and services held the next year. The present priest is Rev. Joseph Morrison, O. S. A., and his assistant is Daniel J. Leonard, O. S. A. The last two entered upon their duties in August, 1894. The church is in a good financial condition. They have a fine parochial residence, con- nected with the church, and maintain a school. The church is largely attended, both from the village and from the sur- rounding country. The congregation is the largest in Carthage, and it is certainly the oldest church organization.

THIE BAPTIST CHURCH .- This church was set apart hy a council from the church at Champion, January 29, 1833. The church edifice was dedicated April, 1840. Services had previously been held in school houses and various buildings. Rev. J. N. Webb was pastor until 1845, and was succeeded by many efficient and faithful ministers. This society has twice seen their house of worship destroyed by fire. The church continues to prosper under the guidance of the present pastor, Rev. E. F. Hard. The church sus- tains a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, a Junior Society of Christian En- deavor and a Ladies' Aid and a Foreign Missionary Society. The present officers of this church are : H. D. Farrar, clerk ; I. S. Edwards, N. W. Lamphear and A. E. Bacon, trustees.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,-AS early as 1820 the Methodist itinerant preach- ers commenced to visit Carthage as one of their regular places for preaching, and began to lay the foundation for the present prosper- ous society. It was not until 1844 that their first house of worship, a frame building, was erected at that place. Its first trustees were Allen Peck, Elijah Horr, Hiram Chambers, Nelson Rulison, Joel Miller, Ebenezer

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THE M. E. CHURCH, CARTHAGE.

Wheeler, Willard Barrett, Wm. L. Chambers and Joel P. Rice. In 1873 the present site was purchased of the late Wm. Peck, and the large brick structure, which was used for about 20 years, was erected, at a cost of about $40,000, including lot and parsonage. The church was dedicated November 11, 1873. At that time the large sum of $20.800 was raised by voluntary subscriptions, and in 1884 the entire debt had been wiped out. It be- came evident finally that the church edifice had become unsafe, and as the building was not very convenient, it was resolved to tear down the old church and re-build. This was done in 1893, and in 1894 the new and beauti- ful church, as it now appears, was con- structed. The dedicatory services were very interesting. Rev. Dr. Payne, formerly of Philadelphia, preached a wonderfully elo- quent and suggestive sermon. A large part of the debt incurred by the new improvement was provided for, and the dedication and the church itself pronounced a grand success.

Rev. J. W. Briggs is the present pastor, and the following comprise the stewards and trustees of the society: Stewards-C. E. Francis, W. R. Thompson, Wm. B. Kesler, C. E. Dealing, Geo. E. Lewis, Mrs. Wm. B. Kesler, Dr. E. A. Simonds, Mrs. L. D. Thompson, C. B. Merrihew, Mrs. E. Fulton, L. D. Thompson, Mrs. S. H. White and Geo. E. Lewis. Trustees-Hon. A. Y. Stewart, L. D. Thompson, L. J. Goodale, Chas. A. Horr, Martin Rugg, Wm. B. Kesler. Chas. E. Dealing, H. Houghton and S. E. Rice. This church, in connection with the other Protest- ant denominations in Carthage, received a large bequest from Mrs. Suel Gilbert, of blessed memory

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Carthage was organized November 11, 1851. The first trustees were Hiram McCollom, John Hewett and Suel Gilbert. The present pastor is Rev. J. V. Shurts, who succeeded Mr. Snyder, and began his work as pastor of the church on May 17, 1884. During his

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THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CARTHAGE.

pastorate a new and beautiful brick church with chapel has been erected in place of the old one, which was destroyed by fire during the great conflagration in 1884. A large and beautiful parsonage was also erected. The congregation has trebled in size, the member- ship doubled, the church passed through two revivals, and large sums of money raised for church work and the cause of Christ. The church, which is in a flourishing condition,

has the following officers : Elders-John B. Wood, Alonzo Sylvester, S. S. Hoyt and Mark S. Wilder. Deacons-W. B. Van Allen, G. V. Eggleston, Trustees-J. E. Strickland, president and Myers Thompson, treasurer, and M. P. Mason, J. W. Clark, Hon. A. E. Kilby and R. Dickerman. Sabbath School-J. B. Wood, superintendent, and W. B. Van Allen, assistant superintendent, together with a large corps of efficient teachers.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 162

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823- Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company Number of Pages: 1098

Author: Haddock, John A., b. 1823-
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Albany, N. Y., Weed-Parsons printing company
Number of Pages: 1098