The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 40

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 40

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Mr. Whittlesey remained in town nearly a year, and then moved to Indiana, where he afterwards became a justice of the peace and a county judge, and by an exemplary life won the respect of the community; and although the details of this affair followed him, yet the censure of opinion rested upon the wife.

Congress, on the 11th of January, 1821, passed an act directing the Secretary of the Treasury to cancel and surrender the bond given by Whittlesey, and endorsed by Fairbanks and Keyes, on condition of the latter giving another, payable with interest in two years, for the balance remaining un- accounted for,- thus virtually closing up a business arrangement which had been a continued occasion for anxiety and trouble to them through successive years.

It was at a time in the history of our country when men doing business with the Government were very properly held to a strict accountability for every dollar of the people's money, and they paid the utmost farthing.

In speaking of the Whittlesey matter, to the author of Hough's History, Mr. Fair- banks said :

Before we executed our plan we had positive evi- dence of his knowledge of the transaction, and of his guilt ; and on the strength of that, we did not expect to proceed to extremities further than to frighten him until he informed us where the money was secreted. But his stubbornness held out much longer than we supposed it would or could. When we put the evi- dence of his guilt before him In such a plain maquer his looks were evidence of it. We informed him that there was no doubt about it, and I believe that there is not one case In a thousand where evidence was so palpable as in this case. But Lynch law is a danger-

ous one, and I would not advise it. But with other guilty parties who have stolen from me and been de- tected, I believe I have used more mild and lenient measures. I have probably caught twenty persons pilfering fromn me, and I have always made them give me a confession in writing, and then promised them, that as they had relatives who would be dis- graced by their bad conduct, I would keep it a pro- found secret until they committed the crime again, when I would prosecute them. I found this plan the surest method of reforming them.

In giving such an extended notice of this Whittlesy episode we are perhaps open to the criticism of making a great deal out of a comparatively unimportant matter-but there is so much of tragedy in the story, and it affords so striking an illustration of the soul-destroying influence of a dishonest greed for money, that the tale rises above a mere relation, and becomes a great moral lesson. In that light we present it as a legitimate chapter of history.

VILLAGE INCORPORATION.

The village of Watertown was incorpo- rated April 5, 1816. The act provided for the election of five trustees, who were to possess the powers and immunities usually vested by similar corporations.

On April 7, 1820, an act was passed alter- ing the bounds of the village and amending the charter, and on April 17, 1826, and April 26, 1831, the charter was still further amended. March 22, 1832. the trustees were empowered by an act to borrow a sum, not exceeding $2,000, to improve the fire depart- ment of the village, and supply it with water to be used in fires, and April 21, 1832, the doings at an election were confirmed. An act was passed April 23, 1835, granting additional powers to the trustees, repealing former provisions of the charter, and auth- orizing the erection of a market. The vil- lage charter was amended by an act of April 16, 1852, by which its bounds were increased, the district included directed to be divided into from five to seven wards.

The first village election was held at the house of Isaac Lee, in May, 1816, David Bucklin, Esq., presiding, and the following officers were chosen: Timothy Burr, Egbert Ten Eyck, Olney Pearce, Marinus W. Gil- bert, and Norris M. Woodruff, trustees; Reuben Goodale, William Smith, Orville Hungerford assessors; Micah Sterling, treasurer: Seth Otis, collector: Jabez Fos- ter, Samuel Watson, Jr., Rufus Backus, William Fletcher, Joseph Henry, fire war- dens.

The trustees, at their first meeting, di- vided the village into five wards, to each of which a fire warden was to be assigned. A series of regulations providing against fires and making provisions for the several objects named in the charter, were also adopted.

October 27, 1823, a plan for a cemetery was accepted, and on December 6, 1825, the lots, one rod square each, were balloted for, each taxable resident being entitled to one share. To non-residents lots might be sold,

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

the proceeds to be applied to the building of a tomb. A hook-and-ladder company was voted to be formed in May, 1826.

A census of Watertown, taken in April, 1827, gave 1,098 males and 941 females; a gain of 500 in two years. There were 321 buildings, of which 224 were dwellings: 3 stone churches (Methodist, Universalist, and Presbyterian); court-house and jail; clerk's office; arsenal; 1 cotton factory with 1,300 spindles, another (Beebee's) then building; 1 woolen factory: 2 paper mills; 3 large tan- neries; 3 flouring mills; 1 furnace: 1 nail- factory; 2 machine shops; 2 fulling mills; 3 carding machines; 2 distilleries; 1 ashery; 2 pail factories; 1 sash factory; 2 chair fac- tories; 1 hat factory; 4 wagon shops; 2 paint shops; 4 cabinet and joiner shops; 8 blacksmiths; 4 tailor shops; 7 shoe shops; 3 saddle and harness shops; 8 taverns; 15 dry-goods stores; 2 hardware stores; 2 hat stores; 2 book stores; 2 leather stores; 1 paint store; 2 druggists; 2 jewelers; 2 weekly papers; 7 public schools; 6 physicians, and 10 lawyers.

In 1829 an association was formed for boring for water on Factory Square, and a hole 2 1-2 inches in diameter was drilled to the depth of 127 feet, when water was ob- tained that rose to the surface, and, having been tubed, discharged for a long time a copious volume of water, slightly charged with sulphur and iron. The cost of the work was about $800. On Sewall's island a similar well was bored, which at 80 feet discharged water and inflammable gas; but upon being sunk further these were both lost. This valuable flow of water was afterwards lost when the Knowlton Bros. bored for water on their premises. [See p. 12.]

The waters of Black river, within the dis- tance of a mile, pass over four dams, at each of which are numerous establishments, hut at none of them is the full amount of water power used. The facility with which dams can be constructed, and the security that can be given to buildings erected upon them from the bed of the river being solid rock, gives additional value to these privileges. The four dams were built in 1803, 1805, 1814, and 1835, and none of them have been im- paired by the spring floods. The river is crossed by three bridges, of which the lower one was first erected. Soon after the be- ginning at Factory village, one was erected there; and one over the cascade, near the ruins of Beebee's factory, in the summer of 1836. This consisted of a single arch of timbers, and was built by Hiram Merrill for the two towns it connects, at a cost of $764. In the fall of 1853 the present bridge was erected.

The business of the place early centered around the Public Square, especially at its west end, and on Court and Washington streets; and in 1815 John Paddock erected a three-story block, which was the first edi- fice of its size and class in the town. The

corner of Washington and Arsenal streets became, at an early day, the site of a two- story wooden tavern, and was occupied until 1827, when an association of citizens, desiring to have a hotel in the place that should compare with those of the first class in cities, was formed under the name of the Watertown Hotel Company, having a capi- tal of $20,000. In the same year they erec- ted the American Hotel, and this establish- ment continued to be owned by the company until burned in 1849, when the site was sold for $10,000.

EARLY FIRES.

Watertown has been repeatedly devastated by fires, some of which produced a decided check to its prosperity, while others acted beneficially by removing rubbish that would otherwise have disfigured the village for time indefinite, and from which the place recovered with an elastic energy characteris- tic of a progressive age and people. On Feb- ruary 7, 1833, a fire occurred which burned the extensive tannery and oil-mill of Mr. J. Fairbanks, the paper-mill and printing- office of Knowlton & Rice, and a morocco- factory and dwelling of Kitts & Carpenter : loss about $30,000. The destruction of Beebee's factory, was on Sunday, July 7, 1833. On December 22, 1841, the Black River Woolen-mills, in Factory village, were burned. On March 21, 1848, a fire occurred in an old stone shop, near the Union mills, which spread rapidly to the buildings on the island opposite, and to others above, which, with the bridge, were rapidly consumed : and two men, named Leonard Wright and Levi Palmer, perished in the flames, having entered a woolen-mill for the purpose of rescuing property. Mr. James De Long, now living on High street, barely escaped with his life. Among the buildings burned were the paper-mill of Knowlton & Rice, the satinet-factory of Mr. Partridge, a row of mechanic's shops on the island, etc. This fire threw many laborers and mechanics out of employment, and was seriously felt by the public.

Early in the morning of May 13, 1849, a fire occured in the rear of the American Hotel. corner of Arsenal and Washington streets, which swept over a considerable portion of the business part of the village, and consumed an immense amount of property. The American Hotel, Paddock's block, Woodruff's iron block, and all the buildings on both sides of Court street, as far down as the clerk's office, were burned. The Episcopal church, three printing-offices, about thirty extensive stores, the post-office, Black River bank, Wooster Sherman's bank, Henry Keep's bank, town-clerk's office, Young Men's Association, surrogate's office, and many dwelling-houses were in the burned district. This was by far the most disastrous fire that has occurred in the city, and nothing more fully proves the enterprise of the place than the quickness with which

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

it recovered from the disaster. While the flames were still raging, preparations for rebuilding were made by purchasing mate- rials, and laborers were seen pulling the bricks, still hot. from the smouldering ruins, and laying the foundations of new and larger buildings on the site of the former. The sites of the burnt buildings were, in many instances, sold for a greater sum than the same, with the building on them, would have previously brought. During the en- suing summer the village exhibited an industry among masons and carpenters which had never been equalled, and the external appearance of the village was thereby decidedly improved.

On September 24, 1850, a fire occurred on Sterling street, from which the burning shingles were wafted to the steeple of the Universalist church. and when first noticed had kindled a flame not larger than that of a candle ; but before the place could be reached, it had enveloped the spire in flames. beyond hope of arresting it, and the building was.consumed. January 27, 1851, Perkins' Hotel, on the site of Washington Hall block, was burned, with a large block on Washington street, adjacent. The loss was estimated at about $25,000.

October 16, 1852, a fire occurred on the west side of Washington street, which con- sumed all the buildings south of Paddock's block, viz .: Hungerford's block, Citizen's bank, and Sherman's block. The loss was estimated at about $14.000, of which the greater part was insured. Mechanics' Row, below the Union mills, was burned Novem- ber 5, 1852; loss about $20,000, of which between $6,000 and $7,000 were insured. From fifty to sixty mechanics were thrown out of employment; and one young man, Hudson Hadcock. perished in the flames while endeavoring to rescue property.

In the autumn of 1862. six different fires occurred, on six successive Friday evenings, and at very near the same hour of the day, all evidently incendiary, which created a great amount of excitament. Among the buildings burned was the old sugar-house on Massey and Coffeen streets, built by Henry Coffeen. Several dwellings were also fired in various parts of the village, and a portion of them consumed.

At half-past five o'clock Friday afternoon, May 6, 1850, the bells at Factory Square sounded the dreaded alarm, and in thirty minutes the well-known woolen factory in the east end of the village was a mass of ruins.

At the factory the most heart-rendering scenes were being enacted. The fire origin- ated in the " picking room " and an ineffect- ual effort was made to extinguish it with buckets of water. This was soon desisted from, and Mr. King at once gave the order to start the flooding pump. This was done, and the wheel and pump worked well-but all was ineffectual. Mr. King then started to alarm the operatives, of whom there

were 130 scattered through the five stories -the only means of egress from all above the second was down a winding stair. Many of the operatives heard the alarm. and rushed down the stairway and the ladders outside the building in comparative safety. Over a dozen, owing to the great confusion and want of time, were not so fortunate, and found themselves completely shut off from egress. Some of these were very badly hurned in getting down the ladder, after the fire had become a mass of flames in all but the fourth story, but the greater number of them threw themselves from the windows to the hard and stony ground below. We append names of most of them :

Miss Angeline Sloan, aged about 21, jumped from the fourth story, was picked up insensible, and died in half an hour.

John Shepherd was an object of excruci- ating suffering. He was deeply burned on the face, arms, breast and neck, and died on Sunday, about three o'clock.

Mrs. Vincent White (sister to Jas. Elder. so well known as a musician) jumped from the fourth story. She was the most seriously injured of any who survived the fall.

Miss Maria Greenwood, aged about 18, jumped from the fourth story, and was badly injured.

Miss Celia Blodgett jumped from the fourth story, and her escape from any other injury than the mere shock was really won- derful. She rose from the spot without help, and walked one-fourth of a mile to her home.

James M. Green escaped from the weav- ers' room down a ladder, with his child, seven years of age; between his legs. He was deeply burned on his left arm. His child was saved, with a slight burn on her right leg.

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were both very badly burned on the face, breast and neck.

Thomas Farrar, badly burned on the left arm.

Mrs. Elizabeth French, aged about 26, jumped from the fourth story - very badly burned and ribs broken.

Mary Harris, broken ankle- jumped from third story.

Mary A. Huntley, aged about 24, burned very badly, but recovered.

Mrs. Hannah Rogers, aged about 23 years, badly burned, but recovered.

Thomas Oshurn, burned deeply in the face, neck and arms.

Miss Simms jumped three stories.

Express messengers were sent to the vil- lage for medical aid, and, to the credit of the profession, they quickly responded.

The most probable conjecture as to the origin of the fire is, that it originated by a piece of iron or stone passing through the picker and igniting the linty combustible. Once started, it spread too rapidly for hu- man efforts to extinguish it.

Contributions were taken up in all the

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THE GROWTH OF A CENTURY.

churches for the aid of the destitute and suffering, and many liberal offerings were made by others.

On the evening of July 23, 1863, a fire broke out in the extensive foundry, car fac- tory and machine shop of Horace W. Wood- ruff & Co., on the north bank of the river, opposite Beebe's Island, which, with all its contents, was rapidly consumed. About seventy men were thrown out of employ- ment by this calamity, which was felt by great numbers indirectly concerned in the works, and by the public generally.

Soon after the fire of 1849, Norris M. Wood- ruff erected the spacious and elegant hotel that adorns the north side of the square, and there arose. simultaneous, from the ashes of the former a range of buildings ex- tending down Court street and on Washing- ton and Franklin streets fronting upon the public mall that, for architectural beauty, have few superiors. Among these we may name the Hubbard, the Burdick and the Taggart blocks, the Smith building, the Flower building, the Otis House, the Opera House, the Post-Office and the Armory.

CITY INCORPORATION.

Watertown was incorporated as a city under an act passed May 8, 1869. The orig- inal charter has been twice amended, to wit, on April 27, 1870, and April 28, 1871. The limits of the village were greatly en- larged upon its erection into a city, and made to include a large area taken from the town of Pamelia, embracing all the built-up portions upon the north bank of the river, and extensive tracts besides. The total area occupied by the city approximates 6,500 acres, nearly three-fourths of which is upon the south side of Black river, and originally constituted a part of Town No. 2 of the "Black River Eleven Towns."

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Watertown has just reason to feel confi- dence in her fire department, and we enu- merate it among her attractions. It is a just claim that no other city of its size can boast a more effective fire organization, while it is true that many cities containing a larger population cannot surpass, even if they equal her department.

The original charter incorporating the village of Watertown provided for the elec- tion of five fire wardens, each of whom was supplied with four ladders. Each owner or occupant of any building was obliged to furnish one or two buckets, according to the size of the structure, and to have them prop- erly marked and kept in a convenient place for use. It was also " ordained " that on an alarm or cry of fire. every male inhabitant of fifteen years and upward should repair to the place of the fire "forthwith," and pnt himself under the direction of the fire wardens. A fine of $1 was imposed for " disobeying orders." Each warden was furnished with a white staff seven feet long

by which to "distinguish " him from the crowd.

The first fire company was organized May 28, 1817, and on September 27 following, at a meeting of the freeholders, the sum of $200 was voted toward the purchase of a first-class fire engine. The " Cataract " was purchased soon afterward. The same meet- ing authorized the formation of a Hook and Ladder Company, and William Smith was its first captain. August 6, 1832, the second engine company was formed and attached to the fire engine of the Jefferson Cotton Mills. This company was No. 1, and the one previously organized, Cataract Com- pany, No. 2. Dyer Huntington was chosen Chief Engineer, and Adriel Ely, Assistant. In April, 1835, Neptune Engine Company No. 3 was formed with the first brake-engine used in town. In 1837 this company be- came No. 1. In 1842 a company was organ- ized to take charge of the engine formerly belonging to No. 1. This company disbanded in 1845, and the same year, a new engine having been purchased, a new company was formed and called Jefferson Hose No. 3. Cataract Company No. 2 was disbanded about this time, its engine having been dam- aged. In June, 1849, a new engine was purchased for No. 1, and in July of the same year, Central Hose Company No. 2 was or- ganized, taking the old " machine " of No. 1. which was called " Rough and Ready," and which was stored in barns or sheds, as places could be found. These companies exist un- der nearly the same names to-day, and are doing excellent service, as the fire record proves. On the 10th of April, 1850, the fire department was chartered by act of Legisla- ture, and the status of the active branch of the department January 1, 1894, was as fol- lows:

Name of Company. Organized, Member-

ship.

Neptune Hose and Steamer ! No. 1 ... ..

April, 1835 29

Central Hose and Steamer ! Company No. 2

July, 1848 24

Jefferson Hose Company No. 3.

1845 23

John Hancock Hook and /

Ladder Company No. 1

1817 32

Star Hose Company No. 4. .. Jan. 1890 25

There were also five companies of "ex- empt firemen," with a total membership of 270.

Neptune Company occupies a substantial brick building on Factory street, and Cen- tral Company a similar building on Goodale street. Jefferson Hose and John Hancock Hook and Ladder Companies occupy Fire- men's Hall on Stone street, built by the vil- lage in 1854. Star Hose Company is located on the north side of the river. The other buildings are owned by the department. The city pays the regular expenses of the organization, including rent, etc. January 11, 1851, the department was in debt 27 cents. It has now an ample fund on hand, received chiefly from taxes on insurance companies outside the State, doing business here, for the support of disabled firemen.

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CITY OF WATERTOWN.

It has also erected two engine houses, and February 8, 1875, by resolution of its direc- tors, decided to purchase a first-class steam engine for special nse along the river, at important manufacturing points not easily reached by fire hydrants. A Silshy rotary engine, one of the best, was purchased for $4.000. It has also done effective service, and demonstrated its superiority.

The city, the same summer, placed in the Court House tower a fire alarni bell weigh- ing 4,000 pounds. No further facts are needed to demonstrate that Watertown is well protected against large fires. especially when it is remembered that the reservoirs furnish at all times a plentiful supply of water by means of 100 fire-hydrants placed at convenient points.

Following is a list of Chief Engineers of the department since its formation: 1832 to '37, Dyer Huntington; 1838, Asher N. Corss: 1839, W. H. Robinson; 1839 to '48. (records destroyed); 1848 to '51, N. M. Wood- ruff; 1852-3, N. Farnham; 1854 to '65, Fred Emerson; 1866-7, S. B. Hart; 1868-69, T. C. Chittenden; 1870-71, G. L. Davis; 1872-3, J. M. Carpenter; 1874-5. W. S. Carlisle; 1876, R. L. Utley; 1877, Henry A. Smith: 1878, Henry A. Smith and John E. Berge- vin in place of Henry A. Smith, resigned; 1879, John E. Bergevin; 1880-1. Eugene C. Van Namee ; 1882-3, Egbert W. Knapp; 1884, William H. Cole ; 1885-6, Silas L. George; 1887-8, John L. McCarty; 1889, William Clarke; 1890-1, Charles E. Mc- Clare; 1892-3, Fred Morrison; 1894, John W. Phippin.

During the year 1884, for the better pro- tection of the large manufacturing interests, located at and near Factory Square, the de- partment joined with the city in the pur- chase of a new steamer from Silsby Manu- facturing Company at a cost of $4,100, one- half of purchase price being paid by the department, and the city being joint owner of said steamer. Said steamer was named "R. P. Flower," thereby recognizing an old member of the department, now Gover- nor of the State, whose interest in the good name and success of the fire department of the city of Watertown is as lively as when years ago he ran with the boys of Jefferson Hose Company No. 3.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 1894.

Chief Eng., John W. Phippin.

1st Asst. Eng., Robert E. Cahill.

2d Asst. Eng., Henry C. Bundy.

Co. No. 1, Ross C. Scott, Secretary of de- partment since Sept. 1865.

Co. No. 1, Adam W. Munk.

" 2, John J. Hartigan.

" 2, Fred Budlong.

3, Michael Mooney.

3, Edgar C. Emerson, Treasurer of department since 1878.

4, George Morrison.

4, John Barry.

Hook & Ladder, John Donelly.

Co. Hook & Ladder, Thomas W. Killeen. A. Exempts, Fred B. Devendorf.

Foster M. Ferrin.

William G. Rogers.

Gustavus Hardy.

John F. Wakefield.

Almon Parker.

D Edwin Scholes.

60 George A. Lance.

Egbert W. Knapp.

William Haley.

WATERTOWN WATER-WORKS.

As early as May 22, 1821, a plan for sup- plying the village with water was discussed. and action was taken towards the erection of reservoirs, but the measures were not carried out. June 14, 1828, the sum of $40 was appropriated for the purpose of boring for water on Factory Square. At the an- nual meeting in 1829, the proceeds of licenses in the First Ward were applied towards pro- curing water for the village. May 21, 1829, the sum of $200 was voted for the purpose of boring for water, and in pursuance of this object an artesian well was commenced on the Public Square. After it had been sunk many feet a steel drill was malici- ously dropped into it, thereby stopping the work.

April 10, 1826, the Watertown Water Company was incorporated. but nothing definite resulted, and a similar result fol- lowed the incorporation of the Watertown Water-works, April 11, 1845. But in 1853 (March 22), L. Paddock, G. C. Sherman, I. H. Fisk, and H. Cooper were incorporated as the Water Commissioners of the village of Watertown. These citizens gave a joint bond of $60,000, and were empowered to borrow on the credit of the village $50,000 for a term of thirty years. Soon after their appointment, the commissioners contracted with J. C. Wells for the construction of a pump-house and reservoir, the latter to be 150 by 250 feet at the water line, and twelve feet deep, properly made, with two center walls for filtering. The reservoir was located about a mile southeast of the village, on a lot of six acres, upon the brow of the limestone ridge, 180 feet above the village, and was given a capacity of two million gallons. This reservoir was constructed by Gen. W. H. Angel.

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The growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York, from 1793-1894, Part 40

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