USA > New York > Albany County > Cohoes > The history of Cohoes, New York, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 18
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' The water of the Mohawk was too muddy in the spring and fall for use in their business, and the proprietors had several years before commenced the boring of an artesian well, which was carried down over 2,300 feet before it was abandoned.
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HISTORY OF COHOES.
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An addition to the knitting interests of the place was the establishment of the Globe Mill by Le Roy, Lamb & Co., Wm. Moore being the third partner.' The firm took pos- session of the building on Remsen street between the Diamond and Star Mills, which had been occupied since 1857 by the Harmony Co., and put in operation four sets of machinery. The second mill south of this, a building 30 by 96 feet, and four stories high, was fitted up for knitting purposes early in this year by George Warhurst, of the Atlantic Mill on Mohawk street, who sold both establish- ments to Thompson & Horrocks, in the fall. Two new knitting mills, the Peerless, and the Sunnyside, were located respectively in the first and second stories of the Empire Pin Co.'s building on Courtland street. The former, Joseph Bullock and Bro. proprietors, ran two sets, and the latter, of the same capacity, was owned by Fisher and Melinda. Neither remained in permanent operation.
A new establishment of the year was a gas and steam pipe factory erected near Courtland street between Saratoga and Van Rensselaer streets, by the Empire Tube Co. The com- pany was incorporated with a capital of $50,000, the follow- ing being trustees : Jas. Morrison, Thos. Colwell, Buckley T. Benton, Jas. M. Morehead, W. HI. Atwater .?
A series of articles, afterward issued in pamphlet form, was published in the Cataract during the year, giving a complete and careful account of the manufacturing estab- lishments of the place. The statistics of production may be summarized as follows : The Harmony Mills had in opera- tion 251,000 spindles, and employed 5, 170 operatives. The knitting mills, 20 in number, operated 129 sets of machinery, employing 2,503 operatives, at a monthly pay roll of $58,900.
" Mr. Moore afterward withdrew, selling his interest to the other partners.
' The company never commenced active operations, but leased the factory to Albert Smith and Jas. M. Morehead, who ran it a few months. On May 1 st, 1874, the present firm, consisting of Albert Smith and A. G. Curtis, was formed.
C
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The annual production was 453,000 doz. goods valued at 83,620,000. The establishments in the iron manufacture, 4 in number, employed 685 men at a monthly pay roll of $35,800. The value of the annual production, consisting of axes, iron and machinery, was 81,680,000. Miscellaneous establishments employed 394 hands at a monthly pay roll of $14,010, and produced goods annually to the amount of $479,000. The annual production stated of other concerns of which no further statisties were given, amounted in the aggregate to 8451,000. The total yearly value of manu- factured products thus shown was $6,230,000, exclusive of those of the Harmony Mills. A summary of the mercantile establishments, professions, etc., was also given, as follows :
"Groceries, 56 ; dry goods stores, 9 ; clothing stores, 7 ; millinery and fancy goods stores, 25 ; drugs and medicines, 7; boot and shoe stores, 15 ; hat and cap stores, 3 ; job printing offices, 1 ; news rooms, 2 ; cigar manufacturers, 5 ; flour and feed stores, 1 ; lumber yards, 3 ; coal dealers, 5 ; junk dealers, 2 ; liquor dealers, 79 ; meat markets, 22 ; jewelers, 3 ; sewing machine agencies, 4 ; insurance agen- cies, 7 ; fruit and confectionery stores, 6 ; oyster dealers, 4 ; music stores, 1 ; piano rooms, 1 ; marble yards, 1. Of other trades and occupations, we enumerate as follows : dress making establishments, 8 ; attorneys, 12 ; physicians, 11 ; teachers, 34 ; clergymen, 8 ; dentists, 2 ; photograph- ers, 3 ; surveyors, 2 ; architects, 1 ; barbers, 9 ; auction- eers, 2."
Among the improvements of the year was the enlargement of the Baptist church, at a cost of $15,000. The front was extended to the side-walk, a distance of some 20 feet, thus greatly enlarging the seating capacity of the building, and a spire and towers were Constructed which much improved its appearance. The interior of the editice was entirely renovated and its walls and ceiling handsomely frescoed. The church was formally opened on the evening of Jan. 15th, 1873, the dedication services being postponed, until the debt incurred in making the improvements should be liquidated. An historical sermon, giving a detailed account
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of the organization and progress of the church, was preached by the pastor, Rev. L. S. Johnson, which was followed by the singing of a hymn composed for the occasion, and con- gratulatory addresses by Revs. C. A. Johnson of Whitehall, Mr. Hanna of West Troy, and C. P. Sheldon, D.D., of Troy. Other clergymen present and participating in the exercises were Rev. Mr. Kenley of Lansingburg, and Rev. Wm. M. Johnson of the First Presbyterian church, Cohoes.
The long period of exemption from serious loss by fire which Cohoes manufacturers had enjoyed was interrupted in February, 1873, by the occurrence of two destructive conflagrations. On the afternoon of the Ist, a fire was discovered in the card room of the Stark Mill, on Courtland street. Efforts were made to extinguish it without giving an alarm, but the whole room was soon in flames, which com- menced to spread to adjoining parts of the building, and the operatives throughout the mill were at once informed of their danger. Most of them escaped through the doors but some who were in the upper stories, finding the staircase impassable, were forced to jump from the windows upon the sheds and ground beneath. It is a matter of surprise that only a few persons were injured, and those bnt slightly- had the building been higher, or the circumstances less favorable, a catastrophe like that at Hurst's Mill might have occurred. The structure was a mass of flames when the firemen reached it, and their efforts were principally directed towards preventing the destruction of the Miller House and other adjoining buildings. The loss of the proprietors, Scott & Stewart, upon machinery and stock, was between $35,000 and $40,000, which was covered by insurance for $22,000. The loss on the building was $3,000.
On the morning of the 14th, a fire broke out in the third story of the Erie Mill, on Erie street, caused by the falling of a small bit of waste, ignited by the gas, into a pile of laps npon the floor. It was some fifteen minutes before
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an alarm could be sounded and when the firemen arrived the two upper stories of the mill were in flames. The de- partment could accomplish but little, for the water was shut off from the reservoir and there was not enough head upon that in the pipes to throw a stream into the second story of the building, and some of the nearest hydrants were besides found to be frozen. Fortunately there was no wind at the time, and the danger to the adjoining mills, Parsons's and Thompson & Horrocks's, was comparatively slight. The loss on the building, which belonged to Wm. Burton, was $12,000 ; Mr. Moore, proprietor of the mill, lost on machinery, etc., between $40,000 and $50,000 of which $25,000 were insured.
The necessity of procuring horses for the Adams steamer had been for some time urged in the city papers, but no action was taken on it by the common council. As it was evident, however, at these two fires, that much valuable pro- perty could have been saved if the department had been promptly on hand, steps were taken to avoid in future such disastrous delays ; and accordingly a few months later a team . of horses was purchased for the steamer and the services of a paid engineer and driver secured.
Among the evidences of the prosperity of the place - at this time at its height - were several movements which were set on foot early in the year, for important public improve- ments. One of the enterprises proposed was the erection of a new hotel, with all modern conveniences - an institution talked of and desired since the earliest days of the place. The Cohoes Co. were in former years in the habit of hold- ing their annual dinners at the Cohoes Hotel, and in 1840, when the house was managed by the Messrs. Fuller, elabo- rate plans were made, while the guests were under the warming influence of a generous repast, for the erection of an elegant hotel. It was to be built in the pine grove which was then standing between Courtland street and the river,
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on the ground now occupied by Fuller's building. The estab- lishment was to be fitted up in the most complete manner, and to have among other attractions, floating baths in the river below, connected with the hotel by a covered passage and a flight of stairs. The nearest this enterprise ever came to completion was the preparation of the plans, which were drawn up by Joshua R. Clarke - for in the next year commenced a period of business depression, the effects of which were severely felt here. Since that time the project had been considered by several different parties, and the columns of the Cataract, from almost its first number, con- tained frequent appeals to the citizens to take some action in the matter.
The first movement of any importance was made in April of this year, when a bill was introduced in the legislature incorporating the Cohoes Hotel Co., of which the following gentlemen (who were to be the first directors), were named as incorporators : T. G. Younglove, Andrew J. Root, John V. S. Lansing, D. J. Johnston, Wm. S. Gilbert, Murray Hubbard, S. E. Stimson, Win. T. Horrobin, Henry S. Bogue, Thos. Colwell, Otis G. Clark, John Wakeman and Jacob Travis. The capital stock was fixed at $150,000 with liberty to increase to $200,000, to be divided into shares of $100 each. The company had several plans under discussion, but before any definite arrangements were concluded the panic came on, which, as in 1840, put a stop to further proceed- ings, and at present the long desired hotel is still unbuilt.'
1 " The owners of the city hotel property are contemplating the erection of a first-class hotel building on the site of the old building. An Albany firm of archi- tects already have the plans under way. It is to be of brick of modern style in con - struction, at a cost of from between fifty and sixty thousand dollars. It will fron: on Mohawk'street, and extend back a distance of one hundred and fifty feet. a sufficient depth to be reserved to allow stores being built fronting on Reisen street. The wealthy New York Spanish house which owns this valuable property. is pre- pared to go ahead, the only obstacle is the lease which the present occupants have."- Daily Nette, Nov., '76.
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HISTORY OF COHOES.
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Another improvement suggested during this year was a fire alarm telegraph, concerning which there was considera- ble discussion in the common council. The expense of its introduction - $7,000 - was decided to be more than the city could then sustain, and the matter was dropped.
On April 1, a meeting of business men was held at the Manufacturers' Bank to take steps for the formation of a board of trade in this city. Henry Brockway acted as chairman, and N. W. Frost as secretary. A committee was appointed to consider and investigate the matter, con- sisting of P. R. Chadwick, H. B. Silliman, J. W. Himes, Win. Acheson and Jno. V. S. Lansing. Subsequent meet- ings were held, but no permanent organization was ever effected.
Progressive movements of this sort, though they accom- plished but little at the time, are worthy of record, for the full development of the above and other similar projects which have been mentioned, will surely come at no distant day, and it will then be of interest to know the time at which their necessity first became apparent and the details of the earliest efforts made in regard to them.
The Mechanics' Savings Bank, which had been incorpo- rated in March, commenced business in May, its office being established in the Manufacturers' Bank rooms on Oneida st. The following were the first officers: president, Robert Johnston; Ist vice pres't, John Clute; 2d vice pres't, Wm. Stanton; secretary, Wm. S. Smith; treasurer, Abner J. Griffin; assistant treasurer, Leonard J. Groesbeck.
On September 22d, was issued the first number of the Cohoes Daily News, Edward Monk editor and proprietor, and Clark & Foster printers. The paper was 18 by 13 inches, four columns to the page, and the arrangement of the reading matter was the same as at present. The editors' salutatory was as follows:
" The Daily News will be published daily, at noon (Sun-
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HISTORY OF COHOES. 1873.
days excepted), at No. 1, Granite Hall, Remsen street, Co- hoes, N. Y., and can be procured at the news-rooms and at this office or will be delivered to subscribers at one cent per copy. The News is especially intended as a local paper and, although a portion of its space may contain a brief summary of general news and miscellaneous matter, its columns will principally be devoted to the doings and transactions daily occurring in our city. With this object in view, items of in- terest and news about town will be thankfully received at the office of publication; also brief communications of a local nature will be inserted in its columns. Although the Daily News goes before the public to-day for the first time unannounced, we hope it will not be entirely unwelcome. With this much of introduction we respectfully present the first number to the citizens of Cohoes with confident ex- pectation that, if deserving, our enterprise will meet with a share of their patronage."
On account of its proximity to Troy and Albany, Co- hoes had always been regarded as a poor field for a daily newspaper, and it was prophesied by many that the News could not exist more than six months. These predictions have proved false, however, for the circulation of the paper has steadily increased, it has twice been enlarged, and now holds an important position among the newspapers of the city.
During the early part of this season a remarkable busi- ness activity had prevailed. A number of buildings were erected in all parts of the city - among theni several for manufacturing purposes. Two knitting mills were put up in place of those which were burned in February. Mr. Moore rebuilt the Erie on the same site, and John Scott of the firm of Scott & Stewart, erected the Enterprise Mill, 50 by 50 feet and four stories high, on Courtland street, west of the pin factory, near the site of the old Stark Mill. On Simmons avenue, south of the cemetery, a brick factory 200 by 40 feet and two stories high, was built by Trost & Bezner to accommodate their business, which had increased rapidly since its establishment. Among the blocks erected
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for business purposes, was that of Campbell & Clute, 100 by 80 feet, four stories high, on Mohawk street south of Courtland, in which they located their machine shop ; and . also that of Patrick Rogers, on Remsen street near its junc- tion with Mohawk. A new knitting mill, with six sets of machinery, was established by Fuller & Hay in the foundery building on Courtland street. Another new enterprise was the machine shop of Tubbs & Severson, located in the same building. The station-house of the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. at the west of the White street bridge, was completed dur- ing the summer, and the local trains to Troy, which were a convenience much appreciated by our citizens, commenced running October 6.
A number of important public improvements were made during the year. Considerable money was expended in grading and opening streets on the hill in the lower part of the city, among them Central ave., Western ave., and Co- lumbia street. The latter street was extended at a width of sixty feet, to the extreme western bounds of the city, at a cost of over $21,000. White, Oneida, and Sargent streets were paved, at the following expense : White street, $13,346 ; Oneida street, $10,709 ; Sargent street, $6,498. The pave- ment on Mohawk street, which had been commenced in 1872, was also completed. The hill in the southern part of the city, west of the Erie Canal, a locality hitherto unde- veloped, was greatly improved and beautified by its owners, Messrs. Crawford & Hubbard. The property was carefully Inapped, a number of streets were opened, shade trees were planted, and Grand View Park, on the brow of the hill, was laid out. A camera obscura, put in operation during the autumn, afforded an extensive view of the surrounding country, which was enjoyed by a number of visitors.
The degree of growth and prosperity manifested in Cohoes during the early part of this year was greater than any which has since been attained. The financial panic which
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swept over the country in the fall, paralyzing every branch of business, had the same results here as elsewhere, and the condition of affairs has not since been such as to warrant a general freedom of expenditure. The effects of the panic were first felt here in November, and though they were not, during the following winter, as severe as had been feared, all the manufacturing interests of the city then began to suffer from a continued depression, from which, until the present season, there have been no signs of recovery. During October the various establishments in the city continued running, many of them having reduced the wages and working time of their employés. On the 25th the Harmony Mills were shut down, and the woolen mills ceased opera- tions a few days later, the water being drawn from the Cohoes Co's Canals. For some time there was great anx iety throughout the place. Rumors were afloat that none of the mills would be started until spring, causing appre- hensions of the most disastrous effects among all classes of the inhabitants. The local papers were, however, inclined to take a hopeful view of matters. The Cataract said : "There is as yet nothing very discouraging in the prospects before us, and if all will take courage and push ahead as far as their circumstances will allow, everything will come out right, and we shall see a far more favorable winter's business than has been predicted."
Accounts of the condition of business here, most of them favorable, were also published in the New York papers, some of which sent correspondents to the place. The following were some of the views expressed :
"The stoppage of work at the Harmony Mills, Cohoes, is not the unmixed misfortune which the first news led the public to expect. It is a step not unusual at this season and amounts at the very worst, to a few weeks' rest from work. ... If other cotton mills adopt the same remedy the proper rela- tions between demand and supply may become all the more quickly reestablished, though some little distress must. alinost necessarily, be its immediate result."- New York Daily Times.
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"At Cohoes, which claims a population of 20,000, the reports are more favorable up to the present time, than was to be anticipated. ... Under the present circumstances Cohoes is in as good if not better condition to stand the hard times than any manufacturing town in the United States. The chief hardships and loss are likely to come on the manufac- turers and capitalists, who are puzzled to account for the present panic in commercial circles, and like their brethren in New York can see no further reason for it, than a 'lack of confidence.' "- New York Daily Tribune.
" Altogether little apprehension exists just now that much suffering is likely to be encountered. By those best in- formed it is thought that the new year is likely to bring in much increased demand for labor. None of the workers have left, or have even thought of doing so. All are hope- ful. But oft has 'hope told its flattering tale,' and why should it alter its habit ?"- New York Daily Herald.
After a stoppage of two weeks all but two of the woolen mills commenced running, seven of them on full time and the remainder on half or three quarter time. The Harmony Mills were started Nov. 24, an average reduction of 124 per cent in wages being made. The news of their resumption was gladly received. The Cataract published a very hope- ful article in regard to it, in which it was stated that the worst of the panic was passed, and that the condition of business would continue to improve during the winter, and be in the following spring as prosperous as ever - a pre- diction unfortunately not fulfilled. There was no general stoppage of the mills during the season, but the stagnation of the markets, destined to be of long duration, afforded but little encouragement to the efforts of those manufac. turers who continued.
A matter which excited much local interest in the early part of 1874, was a dispute which arose in regard to the office of city chamberlain. Mr. C. F. North was appointed to the position at an early meeting of the new common conneil, and the resolution by which he was appointed was subsequently vetoed as illegal by the mayor, on the ground that the alderman moving it was interested in a city contract.
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At a subsequent meeting, Mr. North presented his official bonds for approval and they were signed by Alderman Le Roy acting as mayor pro tem. Mr. Cary, however, the in- cumbent of the chamberlain's office, refused to deliver his books and papers to Mr. North, on the grounds that his ap- pointment was not legal, having been vetoed by the mayor, and that his bonds were not properly signed. A manda- mus was accordingly served on him by Mr. North, and the case was argued before Judge Ingalls of Troy. His decision was that the appointment was legal, but that the bonds must be signed by the mayor to be valid. After a delay of some weeks, the mayor on April 27th, signed the bonds, and the matter was thus settled satisfactorily, having furnished material for much animated discussion among our citizens, and numerous articles in the local papers.
As in 1873, two serious fires were among the important events of the early part of the year. The premises of the Ten Eyck Axe M'f'g Co., consisting of three wooden build- ings on Courtland street were burned on Jan. 18th. The loss of the owner, John L. Thompson of Troy, was $20,000, of which $9,000 were insured. The buildings were occupied at the time by Sheehan, Jones & Ryan, who lost from $6,000 to $8,000 in manufactured goods besides several thousand dollars' worth of tools and fixtures. The fire was of incen- diary origin. Another disastrous fire occurred in Root's Mill on the afternoon of April 2d. The building, which was one of the best appointed of our knitting mills, was, with its contents, completely destroyed, at a loss to the owners of nearly $200,000, which was insured to the amount of $125,000. The bat factory of Edward Walker, situated in the rear, was also destroyed involving a loss of about $5,000. The fire originated in the picking room of the mill and spread with remarkable rapidity. An elevator near the middle of the building was the means of communicating the flames to the upper stories and so quickly that smoke
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was seen issuing from the cupola within five minutes after the discovery of the fire in the basement. Great excitement prevailed when the conflagration broke out, as it was feared that many of the operatives would be unable to escape from the building, but the fire escapes, which had been provided soon after the terrible fire at Hurst's Mill, proved adequate to the occasion and no injury was suffered by any of the employés. There was great danger at times that the ad- joining buildings would be destroyed - the mill of Gregory & Hiller, on the north, being several times on fire - but the exertions of the fire department, assisted by the Knicker- bocker Engine Co. of Waterford and the operatives of the mill, prevented its spreading further. These fires caused but a slight interruption of business. Messrs. Sheehan, Jones & Ryan moved their establishment to the pipe factory build- ing on Saratoga street which they now occupy, and the Messrs. Root immediately commenced the erection of their present mill which was finished in the fall. The main part of the building is 150 by 50 feet and five stories high ; on the north side of this is a wing 96 by 20 feet, four stories high, connected with it by arches in every story. On the river bank, entirely disconnected from the principal structure, is a fire proof building 53 by 35 feet, three stories high, con- taining the pickers, cotton cards, and lappers. The risk of fire is thus greatly diminished. The main building is also provided with every safeguard and means of escape in case of fire, and is in all its appointments one of the most per- fectly arranged knitting mills in the place. Its cost, in- eluding machinery, was about $150,000. Another large mill just south of Root's was built by Messrs. Bilbrough and Dubuque - the old Mohawk Mill formerly occupied by Mr. Bilbrough having been destroyed by its owners, the Harmony Co., to make room for improvements to the Ogden Mills. The main building is of briek, 120 by 50 feet, and five stories high besides a basement. There are also two wings con- taining office, store room, etc.
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