USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > The semi-centennial souvenir : an account of the great celebration, June 9th and 10th, 1884, together with a chronological history of Rochester, N.Y. > Part 9
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since Rochester's first newspaper appeared. Suffice it to say that all, during their existence, and especially those still alive, have ever been watchful and jealous of the city's interests, and have never let slip an opportunity to advocate and advance them. Their aim and effort have always been to conserve the public weal-to uphold the right and put down the wrong. And the survivors have kept pare in their progress with the strides of the city. The primitive press of Danby that with bed and platen struck off two hundred and forty sheets an hour with twelve differ- nt and distinct movements of manual la-
bor, has been succeeded by the steam rotary that increases the number of impressions an hundred fold withont human exertion. The aggregate circulation of the daily press of Rochester forty years ago did not es- reed twenty hundred. To-day it is between fifty and sixty thousand. All Western New York is tributary to the press of Rochester, and is practically suburban territory of the city. The dozen different railways that rainity the country round about afford such facilities for distribution that the villagers along their lines, ten, twenty, fifty and hundred miles distant, are cuabled to read their Rochester evening paper before sup- per, and their Rochester morning paper before breakfast. sinmiltaneousty with the people of the city. This rapid intercourse forms and establishes a cummunity of inter- est, causes a constant feeding of business from the circumference to the centre, and hence aids the building up of the city that is constantly going on.
"I shall not, Mr. President, weary the company here assembled with any disserta- tion on the press as a general topie. Its power is known, its virtues are recognized, its vices are deplored. Electricity and steam have heightened the importance and value of its best attributes. Through these agencies it can gather in and spread abroad the events of the day, the hour. the mo- ment, in all parts of the world. Nay. the press of Rochester, New York, can obtain and publish a full account of what ocents in Rochester, England, before it transpires, according to the diurnal hour. Through the agencies of electricity and steam the press of the world could, by concert of ac-
all tion, bring the minds the civilized peoples of the earth into communion and engage them in consider- ation of any given subject at any given time.' Such an engine of thought is a mon- ster power to be directed for good or evil. Its increase of strength has, especially in this country during the past thirty years. been wonderful. In 1850 the number of newspapers and periodicals published in the United States was 2,526, and their cir- culation by single issue 5.142,179. In 1880 the number had risen to 11,403 and their circulation to 31,177,921. It has come to pass that aside from the journals that eul- tivate the fields of news and politics and. literature, the names of those that serve as organs of the various branches of business, trades, professions, miscellaneous indus- tries and enterprises, and specialties of various kinds are legion.
" There is nothing in the history of the press of Rochester to which we can turn with greater pride than to the talent and 'character of those who have gone before -- most of them to their graves, but some to engage in other pursuits which they still follow. Among the names of Rochester
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editors readily called, several of them from from the roll of fame, are those of Thurlow Weed, the leader in this state of the anti- Masonie, whig, and republican parties. in the order of their succession, for a period of over thirty years; Henry O'Reilly, the projector and builder of telegraph lines; Patrick Barry, the recognized head of the great horticultural interests of the country; Luther Tucker and Dr. Daniel Lee, dis- tinguished writers on agriculture; William Lyon Mackenzie, leader of the Canadian rebellion of 1837; Frederic Douglass, whose North Star lit up the line of the underground railroad and beaconed many a poor runaway slavo across the border to Canada; Thomas W. Flagg, T. Hart Hyatt, Isaac Butts, George Daw- son, Orsamus Turner, Henry Cook, Samuel P. Allen, Alexander Mann, and D. D. T. Moore, Among the names of Rochester publishers held in remembrance for their many excellent qualities are those of Au- gustine G. Dauby. Everard Pock, Derrick Sibley, Robert Martin, Alvah Strong, Eras- tus Shepard, Leonard and Lawrence Jerome, Blibu F. Marshall and Josoph Curtis.
"If the present conductors of the press of Rochester shall leave behind them exam- Hle as good, and record as bright, as have been left by those whose names stand out boldest in the list of their predecessors, they may confidently count upon honorable retirement and rest in peace."
The next toast was: "Municipal govern- ment; illustrious in history as the cham- pion of human rights, its integrity must be maintained by the wisdom, firmness and purity of its administration." The an- nouncement of the name of Mayor Seth Low of Brooklyn. elicited a burst of ap- plause followed three hearty cheers. Mayor Low's response was as follows:
"I cannot answer to this sentiment in the spirit of prophecy. As a prophet I would sell out cheap. but in history I count my- self some. In this spirit let me speak. I desire to say some things concerning a class of experiences not familiar to a guest ma- jority of my hearers. In explanation Jean do no better than repeat an anecdote which has been told of Mayor Green of Boston. At the time of which I speak the cellar of one of the citizens in a low part of the city was flooded with water. It was particularly unfortunate in this case, be- cause the good man kept bons in his cellar. After the disaster he appeared at the office of the tax collector and wanted his cellar pumped out. The official argued that it was his duty to pump men's pockets dry, but he could not properly be called upon to pimp out flooded cellars. The good man insisted that his hens would be drowned
and said, My name's Terry Muldoon and I've fifty votes, and I want my cellar pumped out.' To get rid of Terry
the tax collector advised
him to
go to
the
See mayor and he went. In a few days he returned to the tax collector's office with the same demand. My name's Terry Muldoon and I've fifty votes and I want my collar pumped out.' The official asked if Terry had visited the mayor; if so, what the mayor had said about pumping out the cellar. 'Ile only said to me,' was the answer, Terry, man. why don't you keep ducks?' So you see a mayor is called upon to solve a great many questions in the private life of citizens.
"In the presence of the honored governor of our state, who has himself been a mayor, and in the presence of half a dozen mayors of cities, I cannot assume to speak as one who knows all about it. I can only speak of some things we have done in Brooklyn. Our city government was formerly like other cities, in the hands of a number of separate departments, each one of which was a law unto itself. Each department >austinod the power to tear up our-streets, bnt Hot. felt called 10
upon
repair the damage. We "have had triple headed and non-partisan boards. Such commissions seem to have power to do harm enough, but little capa- city to do good. In this way it has been attempted to build cities npon the principle of the division of the responsibility. We now have in Brooklyn one responsible head to each executivo department-one police commissioner, one fire commissioner, one health commissioner and so on. The single head of a department, the one man upon whom responsibility rests, fears the blame that may fall upon him if he fails to discharge his duty, but, what is a more important consideration, he is anxious to do well. If there is bat one police com- missioner, and the department is efficiently managed, there can be no question as to where the credit belongs. Brooklyn gives to her mayor the power to administer the city government and puts upon him responsibility for the proper conduet of the city'saffairs. The mayor of Brooklyn assumes his office January 1, for a term of two years. February 1 it becomes his duty to name the heads of the several departments of the city government. He has the sole power of appointment. I claim our system the most American of any in the country, While the people are attempting to right one department, under the system gener- ally in vogue, another goes astray. When mayor comes for election = the people know that he will assume re- spon-ibility commensurate with the power with which he is to be clothed. The people know that they can make a city government at one stroke and that the mayor they cheet will be responsible to them while his teri
47
of office lasts. How many of us can tell . exactly the relations which one official sus- tains to another? If we find it difficult to mark the lines how must it appear to the mind of the naturalized citizen. The propo- sition that everything rests upon the olor- tion of a mayor is one you can make clear to the mind of any citizen, whether he be a native or foreign born ..
"We believe in home rule within proper limits. We have suffered by the legislature stepping in to tell us what to do in munici- pal affairs and we have got tired of all of it. We believe the legislature should limit the debt-making power of cities. We don't be- lieve though that the legislature should step in and say 'you must enter upon this improvement or that whether you will or not.' The debts of our cities have been contracted in just this
way. Too often the
desire of
a few men prevails with the legislature in laying burdens upon the people. When extraordinary or ordinary improvements are to be made we want the work to be done through home channels. We will ac- cept some extraordinary machinery, pro- vided it comes through the mayor who will be responsible for its workings." In con- cluding his remarks Mayor Low com- mended the civil service law governing municipal affairs, and spoke of the import- ance of training citizens to appreciate the importance of local political affairs. Mayor Low's speech was received with vociferous applause and three rousing cheers.
His worship the Mayor of Toronto, res- ponded pleasantly to the toast "Our Dominion Visitors. Separated from us by lines of state, but near to our hearts, and ever welcome to our shores," "I shall go back and tell my people," said the speaker, "that notwithstanding we
are under different governments and revere different fags, find in the United States and in Rochester a kind, generous and hospitable people."
The next toast was "The business in- terests of Rochester, by whom the million may be fed, clothed, shod and have their needs supplied. May 'good goods' con- tinne to be the motto and the whole world be the market." To this toast William N. Sage responded as follows:
.After the exhibition of to-day illustrat- ing what Rochester can do and has done, it is almost imnecessary to say anything about our business interest. Rochester was established here on account of the water power of our noble Genesee. At the same time we had this fertile country around of which this city was the natural
center. A large proportion of our prosper- ity has come since the granting of the charter. Since then the entire railroad system has entered Rochester, bringing in its riches and creating employment for Many men. We have a class of men here, who are enterprising, who carry on estens- ive operations throughout this entire ser- tion. Now about the shoe business with which I have been somewhat connected. That was started in 1835. It has been ex- tending until there are factories established whose reputation is known even to the Rocky mountains. So we might speak of the clothing business, so of drugs, jewelry and even the caskets in which we are laid when we go to Mount Hope. I could speak of the $18,000,000 in our savings banks. It is a testimonial of the economy and indus- try of our citizens." Mr. Sage referred to Powers block, making a complimentary al- lusion to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Powers. Mr. Sage also referred to the ap- proaching political campaign. saying that whatever the result we all be inspired with enthusiasm for the "land of the free and the home of the brave."
Patrick Barry was called to respond to the toast "Horticulture and Floriculture." Mr. Barry was not present, but his re- spouse was read by W. C. Barry.
The next toast was : "Our labor interest. Labor,' said one of America's greatest thinkers, 'is the grand conqueror, enrich. ing and building up nations more surely than the proudest battles.' The history of no city in our land more forcibly illustrates the truth of this saying than that of Roch- ester. Quietly, peaceably, without fortui- tous assistance, but steadily and laborious- ly she has gone forward. Who ean esti- mate her obligations to those who have borne the brunt, endured the heat and done the work of her upbuilding." Hume H. Cale was not present to respond and the toast was passed.
The paper prepared by Mr. Cale is as follows :
That beautiful lithograph, the "'Semi-centennial Memorial, " that has been issued, represents with a few skilful touches the growth of Roch- ester from a wilderness to its present state of population and impor ance. It also illustrates clearly and deftly the growth of industrial thought. The industrial idea grows as a tregrows. It may be, and is, crude at first; but continnal grafting and pruning, and experimenting improves it untd its fruit is seen in the beauty and perfection of our architectural and industrial surroundings, The Indian portured in thit lithograph. the original possessor of our soil here, had but a hazy idea of architecture and the various forms of industry. He knew enough to build a wigwam, and that was all, His constructiveness
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went no further. His idea of industry was the pro- curement of enough game to sustain life from day to day, and with this rude form of living and doing he was content The pioneer who succeeded him, whose sturdy arm leveled the forests and laid the foundation for our city's existence, had an industrial Hlea a triffle more advanced. His constructiveness went as far as the building of the rade log cabin. His industrial thought culininated in the felling of the forest and in the cultivation of the scant acres he had redeemed from wildness, Each generation is content with its industrial thought and its archi- tectural surroundings. Tne pioneer
was
content with his cabin and his plat of
clearing. and probably enjoyed his life as much as-if not more than-we do ours. The industrial thought grew and the saw-mill came, and with it came the crude framed dwelling, unplastered, unpainted, unadorned. The saw- mill is the pioneer. It widened the scope of in- dustry. Itevolved a farm from the clearing. It gave to the banks of the Genesee a village destined to become a great city The pioneers were uncon- scious of the growth or their industrial thought. It grew as naturally as plants grow. They knew not what they were building, nor had they an idea that the industrial thought would widen and de. velop and result in the order of things visible to us to-day. Had one predicted then the city as we know it, without doubt re would have been looked upon as having something out of gear in his mental machinery. The brickyard is the
civiliser -- the
second
mile
post.
the
road of pioneer progress. The Todustrial idea developed a brick dwelling, a brick block. rows of brick blocks, a village of brick-a city of brick and stone and marble, with all the wealth and beauty of architectural adornment. The first ef- foris were crude and excite our amusement to- day, but the fruits are seen in that grand block of Pow- ers', and in this stately hotel in which we celebrate the growth of the industrial thought of the men who made Rochester.
In the development of that thought the rude mortar and pestle of the Indian gave way to the millstone with all the milling improvements, and there was built up here a great industry that gave us the name, "Flour City. " The clearing of the pioneer which he tilled with such diffi-
culty and watched with anxiety developed
our fertile nurseries with their profific
wealth of beauty and gave to us our more modern "' Flower City. " Trace the thought and the chan- nel widens. The lapstone of the humble shoemak - ers in the little Genesee village developed our vast shoe industry. The forge and anvil of the village blacksmith wore touched with the wand of prog- ress, and in their stead sprang up our busy machine shops. In each advance of this industriel thought is seen the strong arm and skilled hand of labor What our cirisens are celebrating to-day with such generous enthusiasm is the creative genius of la. bor. Underneath all of our fair city's beauty and prosperity lies labor-the labor of brain and of hand. Before this creative genius all men should bow with profound respect. May we not
hope that the time will when all inen shall acknowledge. with
Daniel Webster, that "'the greatest interest of the country, the cause of all its prosperity, is labor, labor, labor?" May we not hope that the day will come when all men shall recognise the truth that the labor question is the first question to be settled in civil society, tat on it all other questions and conditions depend ? May we not hope that the time ยท will come when men shall pay less attention to the superficial industrial thought and have a more gen- +tous regard for actual and practical sabor? That day is coming. It is foreshadowed to-day in the cordial response of all classes of our citisens to cel- ebrate the growth of that thought which has built up the industrial interests of the city of Rochester.
Mayor Parsons annonneed as the next toast"Our veterans. Who offered their lives
.that our country might live. We rejoice it was not necessary to complete sacrifice that they were so ready to make, and that so many survived to celebrate with us this . festal das. To them and their companions who have gone before we owe the salvation of our nation and the safety of our city. To them all honor, glory and praise." Hon. H. S. Greenleaf responded to the toast sub- stantially as follows :
"I thank you for your cordial greeting but inost especially Mr. President I thank you for assigning to me this toast. What soldier would not take pride in responding to this toast? We are thrilled with high resolves at the two words 'our veterans.' Do wo understand what they imply? These words express love of country and loyalty to the old flag. Do we really understand they speak of deserted firesides. of weeping maidens, of physical and mental suffering greater than men could bear. They speak of the sentry guard. They speak of the at- tack and the tented field, of Sherman's march to the sea, and especially these words speak of the 1st New York Veteran brigade, of whose deeds on the field of bat- tle Roebester may be justly proud. They remind us of ignominions defeat and glori- ous vietory. They remind us of Lexing- ton, Bunker Hill and Yorktown. They stand for the republican form of govern- ment. They stand for civil and religious liberty for the United States of America. This beautiful city of flowers, literally built ou a rock, whose fiftieth anniversary we meet to commemorate to-night, this empire state with its 5,000,000 people, this magni- ficent country, grander than any other, now in fact the land of free and the home of brave owe more of their general prosperity and true glory to our veterans who defended their country in the days that tried men's souls, than they ever can repay. Do what we and our children can, they will be the country's creditors still."
The following toast was "The Ladies,
'They walk in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in their aspect and their eyes.'
Thus sang the poet of the ladies of other days, thus say we of the noble wives, mothers and sisters who have done so auch to make our city what it is, and of those who to-day make life and home lovely and attractive." J. B. Perkins, who it was expected would respond, was not present, but he sent the following letter which was read by Charles E. Fitch :
"I said at the time, that if after fifty years of corporate life, Rochester could not produce a toast committee which should
49.50
Lelester
U
COL. NATHANIEL ROCHESTER.
Col. Nathaniel Rochester was born in Westmoreland county, Virginia, on the 21st day of February, 1752. At the age of twenty we find him engaged in mercantile pursuits, but on the commencement of the struggle between the Colonies and Great Britain he became prominently engaged in the struggle, both in military and legislative offices. After the war, he again em- barked in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits, at Hagerstown, Maryland. In 17SS, he married Sophia, daughter of Wm. Beatty, Esq., of Maryland. .
Col. Rochester's connection with this section dates as early as 1802. in which year he visited the Genesee, where he appears to have become the purchaser of six hundred acres of land, which was made with the intention of removing to it with his family. In 1804 he again visited the Genesee, when the "Hundred-acre Lot," now included in our city, was obtained, at seventeen dollars and fifty cents per acre. In 1$10 Col. Rochester first became a resident of Western New York, at Dausville, where he lived five years, and erected a large paper mill and various other manufacturing establishments. In 1915 he removed to a farm in Bloomfield. After remaining there three years, in Ists he took up his residence in this city, which, in the interim, had received his name. In January, 1817. Col. Rochester officiated as secretary of the Convention, at Can- andaigua, which urged the construction of the Erie Canal. During the succeeding years of his active life he was prominently identified with the growth and improvement of our city, and held many offices of public trust, serving twice as presidential elector, the first as Clerk of the County of Monroe, Member of the Assembly, etc.
In the spring of 18.4 a law passed, granting a charter for the " Bank of Rochester," when Col. Rochester was appointed one of the commissioners for taking subscriptions and apportion- ing the capital stock. In June of the same year he was unanimously elected president of that correct and vigorous institution. The office (with that also of director) was resigned in Decem- ber following, it having been originally taken only at the urgent solicitation of a number of his fellow citizens, and with the avowal that, as soon as the bank was successfully in operation, he must be permitted to resign. When this resolution was carried into effect, the Colonel was only two months from completing his seventy-fourth year.
The relations of Col. Rochester to this city, after the period of his retirement from the bank, were those rather of personal influence than personal activity. The age and bodily infirmity, however, which restrained the latter, gave weight to the former. His opinions came with the. experience of three-score and ton. His example was enforced by the tried morality of a long life, and the higher sanction of religious conduct and hope. His disinterested use of the property he hit, afforded every facility for a thrifty and prosperous population. From the commence- mont he soll the lots on teris the most bberal, and encouraged, by his personal benefactions, every plan of general utility. He died May 17, 1831, after an illness of several weeks.
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choose a more appropriate person than my- self to answer the toast of the ladies, it spoke poorly for the city. I must now give the worst proof of iny unfitness for the honor by being recreaut to the cause I have agreed to -spouse ; but imperative business takes me from the city to-morrow. You can more than fill my place by choosing some poet to sing their charms or some wit to pretend to point out their imaginary foibles. If all fail, get some Mormon saint, who can speak from a large and varied experience.
Dr. Oronhyateka of London, Canada, was called upon by Judge Morgan to make a brief speech. He spoke substantially as follows :
"Since the gentleman who was to have responded to the toast, "The Ladies," has failed us, it is extremely unfortunate that I am not a poet, which seems to be an essential in responding to this toast. Still, as an Indian I think I may claim some right to respond to the toast. I
am well aware that
white men iook down On Indians as in- the an ferior race. This is a great mis- take. Let me in a few words show you why the Indians are a superior race. One of the evidences taken by the scientials in judging of a people is the language. Now when an Indian gets so full of feeling that he must swear he has to borrow his langu- age from the English. An Indian can not swearin his own language. That is one evid- ence of the superiority of the Indians. It is a common belief among the whites, I know very well, that we make the women do all the work. That is a mistake. Our women are free. I would no more think of oppos- ing the little queen who rules over my home than I would think of marching into this stato to retake our ancient heritage. In our councils when we cannot agree we call in the women. If you would follow our example you would still be more prospered. All our chieftan ships descend through the women."
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