USA > New York > Albany County > Cohoes > The history of Cohoes, New York, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 11
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On July 8, the Strong Mill was burned. The original building, together with an addition of about the same size which was nearly completed, was almost entirely destroyed. Some of the machinery and most of the stock was saved,
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the entire loss not exceeding $16,000. One person wa- killed and several seriously injured by the falling of a wall during the progress of the fire.
The growth of the village continued to be rapid, and preparations were made for a number of new business enter- prises. Among the buildings erected for manufacturing purposes were the bedstead factory of Jeremiah Clute on Mohawk street (on the site of Campbell & Clute's block) ; the flouring mill of J. M. Hayward, corner of Remsen and Ontario streets, into which Mr. H. moved from the Baldwin machine shop, and the rolling mill (now Morrison, Colwell & Page's), built by Mr. Simmons. The Cataract commented as follows on the improvements of the year:
"IN THREE YEARS Cohoes may apply for a city charter. The present population cannot be far from 6,000, and when the factories now in progress get into operation it will pro- bably go up to 10,000. About 100 dwellings will be erected during the season, and rumor is busy about several other large manufacturing establishments. Hundreds of thou- sands of dollars are being invested here which cannot but prove profitable to the owners and give our village an im- pulse such as she has never before received."
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VII.
1855 TO 1860.
THE census of 1855 showed that the population of Cohoes had been trebled within the past decade. The re- sults of this began now to be shown in a demand for further improvements, for a different organization of the local go- vernment, and numerous other changes made necessary by the increased size of the village. For the next few years the steady growth of the place was manifested not so much by a large influx of new inhabitants, but by constant addi- tions to its wealth, business importance and material im- provements.
An act was passed May 12th which amended the charter in several important particulars. The village was divided into three wards; provision was made for the election of the presidents of the village and board of education, from the village at large; two trustees from each ward were to be voted for at the first election, one for the term of one, and the other for two years, and at each annual election thereafter one was to be elected to hold two years ; in the same manner two school commissioners from each ward were to be chosen ; the school law of 1850 was repealed and a new one enacted, similar in its provisions ; the levy- ing of a poll tax for school purposes was directed, new powers and duties were assigned to the trustees, and several minor changes in regard to the duties of village officials were made. The first election under the act was to be held on the third Tuesday of April, in the following year.
Since the passage of the act of 1850, the schools of the village had been greatly improved. At times there was discussion or complaint about some objectionable feature, but the system on the whole was better than those in vogue
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elsewhere. The following, published in the Albany Knicker- bocker in January, shows how its workings were regarded in neighboring cities:
"The advantage of having our public schools entirely free is shown by the experience of Cohoes. Under the part pay system the number of pupils who attended school was less than four hundred. At present it is over eight hundred. This fact should not be lost on the legislature. It shows that what is done in Cohoes, should be done in every town in the state."
Besides the schools under control of the village there were also in operation the parish school connected with St. John's church, and a private school under the direction of Rev. Stephen Bush, who erected a building for the purpose on Mohawk street near the foot of Sencca street.1
The following list of the village schools and teachers for this year, compared with that of 1851, shows the extent of the improvements in educational facilities :
" Brick School House (Oneida street). Mr. H. B. Thaver, Miss M. Hildreth, Miss A. Caldwell, Miss Van Der Werken.
Catholic Church. Mr. J. Eccles, Miss L. Goffe, Miss E. Brooks.
Dutch Church. Miss M. Henderson.
Egberts' House (Columbia street .? ) .Mr. R. Thompson, Miss L. Benedict, Miss L. Van Schaick, Miss Moe. Red School House.3 Miss M. Jefferson.
East Harmony Hill .? Miss Caroline Brown. West Harmony Hill. Miss S. H. Bannard."
1 It afterward came under control of the board of education. It was in 1861 re- moved to a lot just north of the Reformed church, and was destroyed in 1ST3.
2 This was a building belonging to Mr. Egberts on the corner of Columbia and Main streets, which had been erected some years before by --- Crandell. It stood near the site of the present brick school house which was erected soon afterward. The original building was for some time rented as a tenement.
3 These buildings were erected during 1854 and '55. The first was on School street, near the site of the present school house, for which it was exchanged with the Harmony Company. The second was on Vliet street near Willow. Previous to its erection the only school house on the Harmony Hill was an old wooden building nearly opposite, on the site now occupied by the boarding houses. The West Harmony School House remained in use until 1-63, when it was sold. the building on Mangam street now in use having been completed.
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HISTORY OF COHOES.
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The erection during the year of a large number of dwell- ings and several buildings for manufacturing purposes, gave further evidence of the growth of the place. The Cataract said : "There has not been a season for several years when business was as promising in Cohoes as this spring." Promi- nent among the new business concerns were The Mohawk River Mills on Remsen street. The company, of which Joshua Bailey was president, had been organized in March of the previous year, with a capital of $150,000. Their building, 350 by 75 feet and four stories high, was described as the largest knitting mill in the world, and cost with the machinery $120,000. The company employed 600 hands and operated eleven sets of machinery.1
Another new firm was the Albany Pin Company, also incorporated in 1854, with a capital of $35,000. The officers were L. S. Parsons, president ; Louis Spanier, treasurer ; C. W. Bender, secretary. The company manu- factured solid headed pins, using twenty-seven machines.2
In March the knitting mill of Thomas Fowler was bought by J. G. Root of Albany, who, with L. S. Parsons established the Tivoli Hosiery Mill, under the firm name of J. G. Root & Co. Mr. Egberts erected the buildings on Remsen street now known as the Diamond and Globe Mills,
1 In July, 1859, the name of the establishment was changed to Clifton Mills and a new company was formed, of which A. E. Stimson of Albany was the princi- pal stockholder, and Winsor Stone agent. In Oct., 1861, the Clifton Company was organized with a capital of $100.000, the officers being as follows : president, T. G. Younglove; treasurer and general manager, A. E. Stimson ; secretary, E. L. Stimson. The company suffered reverses in the late panic, and the busines was discontinued in Oct. 1875.
2 This establishment was in June, 1862, sold to T. G. Younglove, having been idle over a year. In August, he sold to Arthur T Becker, who commenced opera- tions at once, Robert Johnston becoming a partner soon after, Mr. Johnston sold his interest in Nov., 1863, to Heber T. Lyon. This firm was succeeded June, 1865, by the American Pin Company, and Cohoes Pin Company, followed later by the Empire Pin Company of which E. S. & W. II. Harris of Albany, wert principal proprietors, and G. M. Morris, superintendent. The business was in 1874 removed to Winsted, Conn., and the new building of the company on Courtland street sold to Tubbs & Severson in May Isto.
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HISTORY OF COHOES. 1855.
the middle one of which was occupied by the Pin Company, and also by Root & Co. who still retained possession: however, of the old Fowler Mill.
Another knitting mill, the Halcyon, was established by Barber and Leckie in a building on Ontario street which: has since become part of Brockway's Mill. This building was erected at the same time as the Mohawk River Mill- and had been used among other purposes as a shop for the construction of some of the machinery of the mill. '
The census of this year gave the following statement of Cohoes industries :
6 Knitting mills, value of product, $647 100
22 Cotton factories, . 618 000
1 Axe and edge tool factory,
2 Bedstead factories, 210 000
45 000
1 Veneering factory, 42 000
2 Mills, 28 000
1 Machine shop and foundry, 34 200
1 Tobacco factory, 21 450
1 Shoddy mill,. 21 840
1 Wheel factory, 9 000
1 Straw paper factory, 9 000
1 Bobbin factory, 6 000
Among the improvements made necessary by the growth of the place was a new system of water works. On April 10th a bill was passed incorporating the Cohoes Water Works Company, of which Alfred Wild was president. The following were named as commissioners : Chas. M. Jenkins, Hugh White, Alfred Wild, Egbert Egberts, Jas. Brown, Joshua Bailey, Wm. N. Chadwick, Wm. Burton, Henry D. Fuller, Andrew D. Lansing, Jenks Brown and Truman G.
1 In 1857, this firm was succeeded by the Halcyon Knitting Company, and the business removed to the new factory on Erie street.
" The Strong mill was rebuilt during the year, but did not commence operations till 1857.
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Younglove. By the terms of the charter the capital stock was $50,000, which might be increased to $250,000. The company was authorized to make agreements with the Cohoes Company for the use of water or the purchase of its works, and the latter corporation was authorized to take stock in the water works company to an amount not exceed- ing $20,000.
The subscription books were opened in August. Mr. James Slade was employed as engineer to make estimates on the cost of a new reservoir and reported as follows : " A reservoir on Prospect Hill, of a size to contain 1,000,000 gallons of water, will cost $12,507, exclusive of the land and earth of which the banks may be built. The hill belonging to Mr. Lansing (Abraham), near lock No. 17, Erie Canal, contains 8 acres. A reservoir on this hill to contain 3,000,000 gallons of water will cost $12,727, exclusive of the land." 1
Some dissatisfaction arose among the citizens in regard to the organization of this company. The opinion of many was that the water works should be the property of the village, and not of any private corporation. Out of respect for this feeling against a monopoly, the project was aban- doned, no active steps having as yet been taken. The pressing necessity of having a more adequate water supply still remained, however, and demanded immediate action. A new plan was accordingly set on foot, which resulted in the preparation, early in 1856, of the first draft of the " Act to provide for a supply of water in the village of Cohoes," still in force. The commissioners named in the bill were Alfred Wild, Chas. II. Adams, Henry D. Fuller, Wm. F. Carter,
1 It is worthy of notice that one of the projects for supplying Albany with water, which were submitted by F. S. Claxton, engineer, to the authorities of that city in 1849, embraced the idea of a reservoir on Prospect Hill. The water was to be raised from the Cohoes Company's canals to a reservoir on the hill which was to cover two acres of ground, and to be thence conveyed to the distributing reservoir in Albany, by means of an indestructible pipe three feet in diameter.
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Joshua Bailey and Truman G. Younglove. They will authorized to take all necessary steps for securing an abund- ant and reliable supply of water, and to meet their expen .. ditures the trustees were authorized to issue the bonds of the village to an amount not exceeding $60,000 ; the com- missioners were directed to purchase the pipes and hydrant - belonging to the Cohoes Company, and then in use, and were authorized if they found best, to enter into arrange- ments for a supply of water from the company's canal -. The bill at first met with some opposition and a meeting wa- called March 13 to remonstrate against its introduction. The chief objections urged were in regard to the term of office of the commissioners, the appraisal of lands, and the manner of letting contracts. Chas. H. Adams addressed the meet - ing in favor of the measure, and satisfactorily explained some of the obnoxious passages, and after the appointment of a committee to hear arguments for and against it, an adjournment was moved. The committee reported the following week in favor of the passage of the bill, which had been amended in several particulars, and a resolution was passed urging its presentation. It was passed April 12th, but new difficulties arose, which prevented the com- mencement of any work until the following year.
The chief obstacle was a disagreement between the com- missioners and the Cohoes Company, which asked $6,000 for its works, as established, while the commissioners pro- posed to pay but $3,000. The company's reason for asking $6,000, was that under the new arrangement it would be obliged to pay for the use of water in its works which it was then drawing from its own canals, a sum equal to the interest on that amount. An understanding was reached in May, 1857, and the agreement between the parties was drawn up and signed by the representative of the company. A number of citizens objected, however, claiming that the village could be supplied with water at cheaper rates, and
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another series of public meetings followed. A committee, consisting of I. F. Fletcher, J. F. Crawford, D. J. Johnston, I. Quackenbush, Wm. Burton, H. B. Silliman and G. L. Witbeck, was appointed to investigate the subject. Upon the presentation of their report June 27th, which stated that the best course was to fall back on the proposal of the Co- hoes Company, the matter was arranged without further controversy. The other plans which the committee had considered were : Ist, to purchase a water privilege in Crescent, and distribute directly from thence ; 2d, to pur- chase the mill privilege owned by I. D. F. Lansing near the Cohoes Company's dam ; both of which would entail an expense far exceeding the price asked by the Cohoes Com- pany for its works, and water rent. Work was accordingly commenced on the new reservoir at once, and the contract was let in July. The ceremony of breaking ground took place August 13, and was thus spoken of in the Cataract : "The water commissioners and village trustees together with a large number of citizens were present, each trying his hand at the plow. After the ceremonies on the grounds, the company was invited by Mr. L. Van Dercar, the con- tractor, to partake of a collation served up at the Hotel in Mr. Wilkins's best style ; after which appropriate speeches were made and sentiments offered, making it altogether an occasion of unusual interest."
The most noticeable fact in the history of Cohoes manu- factures since 1854, was the sudden increase of knitting mills. The only accessions of importance to the business interests of the place during 1856 were of this character. In February of that year Messrs. Willard Bingham and Alden & Frink purchased "the vacant lot south of G. L. Witbeck's store," on Mohawk street, and erected thereon the knitting mill now standing between Campbell & Clute's and North's Block. The building was pushed rapidly forward, and the mill, containing three sets of machinery, was in operation in July of the same year. Another mill was established by Messrs. L. W. Mansfield, John Maxwell
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and Chas. Hay, who took possession of the building on Courtland street which had previously been occupied by Hollister & Co., as a tobacco factory, and put in operation two sets of machinery.1 Messrs. Maxwell & Hay did not remain long in the firm, and the business was subsequently carried on by Mr. Mansfield alone.
In 1857 still further additions to this branch of business were made. The building on Erie street, now occupied by the Ranken Knitting Company, was erected by Wm. Burton and taken possession of by the Halcyon Knitting Company, C. P. Barber, agent, which ran four sets of machinery. The building, 60 by 60 feet, and five stories high, was de- scribed by the Cataract as one of the finest mills in the place. Another large mill, 46 by 80 feet, and four stories high, was erected by Smith, Gregory & Co., who put in operation three sets of machinery. The parties interested were Wm. Smith, Wm. M. and Alex. M. Gregory, of Albany, and J. R. Bullock, of Cohoes .? Knitting machinery was also introduced by R. Hurst, in his mill at the junction of Remsen and Mohawk streets.
Concerning inventions made in knitting machinery by Cohoes mechanics, the Cataract of August 16, contained the following :
" We notice by the last number of the Scientific Ame- rican, that Augustus J. and Demas Goffe of this village have obtained a patent for a new rotary knitting machine. This makes the sixth invention of the kind by citizens of Cohoes. The first was the old "reciprocating frame," by Timothy Bailey, which is still used in the Adams and Mohawk River Mills. This was the first power knitting machine ever invented, but it was never patented. The next
1 The subsequent occupants of this mill were Alden, Frink & Weston, 1862-06; Ward & Robinson, 1866-67; Scott & Stewart, 1867-73. It was destroyed by fire in 1873.
Mr. Bullock remained a partner for about two years. Mr. Smith died in 1800, and his interest was bought by Jonathan Hiller, the firm name being Gregorys & Hiller. After the death of Alex. Gregory, in 1875, the remaining partners became sole proprietors.
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is that of John Maxwell, which is somewhat similar in con- struction and operation to that of Bailey. Then came the " warp ". machine of S. D. Fairbank, which was followed by John Jackson's, also a " warp" machine. These were succeeded by a new rotary knitter by Mr. Bailey (the in- ventor above spoken of), which has been in operation only a few months. The last is that of the Messrs. Goffe."
A department of industry connected with the knitting business was the manufacture of knitting needles, com- menced by Henry Dawson, who located in the latter part of the year, in the foundery building on Mohawk street.
The importance of the cotton interest here was increased during the year by the erection of part of the Harmony Mill No. 2, having a capacity of 20,000 spindles, and giving employment to nearly 500 operatives. It was about this time, too, that the hill began to share in the general growth of the village. In 1856 the Harmony Company had pur- chased from Hugh White his farm of seventy acres on Pros- pect Hill, and laid it out into building lots. The erection of tenements and private residences followed rapidly. The Cataract of Jan. 31st noted the awarding of a contract to John Blair and E. Wolford " for twenty-two brick buildings on Harmony Hill which will require 1,300,000 bricks."
In August the Cohoes and Troy telegraph, built by W. C. Enos and J. C. Elmore, went into operation. It was managed by a stock company, with a capital of $1000, the officers of which were : president, Daniel Simmons ; secretary and trea- surer, E. W. Fuller ; directors, Dr. II. L. Landon, Ira Terry and Joseph Chadwick. The telegraph office, Henry E. Lasell operator, was established in the rail road depot. The first despatch passed over the wires August 31st. In October H. R. Grant became operator and the office was located in his store on Reisen street.
Besides the factories already spoken of, a number of new buildings were erected, many of them residences. Several new stores appeared on Remsen street, among them one
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owned by Joshua Bailey (now by C. II. Adams), adjoining Hayward's building, and one owned by Patrick Gugerty (now by Thos. Cartwright), north of the Van Rensselaer Block. The latter was noticed in the Cutaract as " the first marble front in the village." The following statistics of build- ings in Cohoes are from the town assessment roll of 1857: " The whole number of dwellings is 733, of which 567 are wood and 166 of brick.
No. of stores 56. No. of furnaces 1.
" factories 21.
" forges 1.
" " saw-mills 2. " coal and wood yards 5.
« " grist-mills 2. 66 " lumber yards 1."
In the latter part of the year the great financial panic which passed over the country commenced to be felt in Cohoes, and had for a time a paralyzing effect on the in- dustries of the place. In the Cataract of October 10th, an account of the condition of the different manufacturing concerns was given. The three cotton mills were running on part time, the wages remaining the same except in the Harmony Mills, where a reduction of ten per cent had been made ; of the knitting mills, four were stopped entirely and the remainder were running on reduced time, with the in- tention of closing as soon as the stock on hand was finished ; S. Bilbrough was running on half time and D. Simmons & Co. had discharged one-third of their men. The article concluded as follows :
"It is unnecessary to add that with 2000 of our citizens almost entirely out of employment, and the gloomy prospect before us, Cohoes presents anything but an agreeable picture." The following paragraph appeared Nov. 28th. " At present there is no definite prospect that the various mills of this village will run full time before spring. With the exception of Messrs. Alden, Frink & Bingham's es- tablishment, the knitting mills are either finishing up their old stock or are stopped entirely. Their mill is running two-thirds of the time. In the cotton mills no material
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change has taken place. They are running about two-thirds of the time." Elsewhere it was said: "Notwithstanding the tightness of the times, the Harmony Company are finish- ing up the extensive buildings connected with their mills. When they are completed and the plans connected therewith executed, their mills will be the most extensive and the most perfectly arranged of any in the state." It was feared that the embarrassments of Garner & Co., of New York, might have a disastrous effect on the Harmony Company, but such was not the case. The honorable reputation of the house made it an easy matter to secure the necessary extensions, and in the early part of 1858 arrangements were made with the creditors of the firm by which all their mills could be started on full time. Concerning Mr. Garner the following appeared in the New York Mirror in October of that year: "The splendid carriage and horses which were seen in Broadway a few days since with a ticket on their backs 'For sale,' belonged to Mr. Garner, who recently failed for millions. He has moved from his splendid resi- dence in the Avenue to a small two story house in the sev- enth ward. This is an example of the right sort."
The stringency of the times was especially felt by the laboring classes, who found it impossible to obtain work. The announcement in the early part of November that the junction locks were to be rebuilt was hailed with satisfaction, as it promised to give employment to a number of men.
But in spite of this and the other enterprises which were in progress here, hundreds of laborers were idle during the winter, and the suffering was very great. A meeting was called February 1st, 1858, to take measures for the relief of the poor. The sum of 8125 was raised at once, and com- mittees were appointed to disburse the same and make further arrangements. The following gentlemen were de- signated to receive contributions: D. J. Johnston, E. W. Fuller, Jacob Travis, HI. B. Silliman, Jenks Brown, Francis
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Henderson, T. G. Younglove, H. R. Grant, James Hem- street, J. R. Clarke, Wm. Acheson, Joseph Chadwick, S. Hayward, G. L. Witbeck. Among the measures taken by the committee for the aid of the poor, was the establishment of a soup-house at the engine rooms in Cataract alley which remained in operation some time, and afforded relief during the months of February and March to five hundred sufferers.
In the spring the prospect began to improve. The new mills, into which machinery had been placed during the latter part of 1857, commenced operations, and several of the factories which had been for some months closed were started up on full time. During March strikes occurred among the operatives in the Harmony and Ogden Mills and D. Simmons & Co.'s axe factory, the cause being that the reduction in wages made the previous autumn had not been completely restored. The differences were settled without much difficulty however, and work was resumed in a few weeks.
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