USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > Thomas' Buffalo city directory for 1864 > Part 4
USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > Thomas' Buffalo city directory for 1864 > Part 4
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24
THOMAS' BUFFALO CITY DIRECTORY.
Coshaway, Captain Tucker, Captain Fred. Miller, and many others whose names I have not got. Captains William T. Pease and James M. Averill are believed to be the oldest masters living, now sailing upon the lakes. A few of these still live among us, fine specimens of the early lake sailor and navigator, while most of them have departed, long before they saw the development of the commercial empire they had aided so much to establish.
My own personal knowledge of our lake commerce commenced in 1838-nearly twenty-six years ago. In the month of May in that year, the writer landed from an iron canal packet boat in this city. On our passage up the canal I made the acquaint- ance of Harry Thompson, of Black Rock, and H. M. Kinne, of Buffalo. For several years I commanded one of the largest sail vessels then in use upon the lake, the schooner " Erie." She was 186 tons burthen; there were only five or six larger vessels than she was, as I recollect them. I speak of myself merely to show my connection with and knowledge of the commerce of the lakes from that time. The ship " Superior," altered from a steamer; the ship " Milwaukie," brig " Neptune," afterwards lost on Lake Michigan, and all her crew and passengers frozen to death, except Captain Sims, who commanded her, and Captain Webster, her First Mate-the Captain having one leg frozen and amputated, and the Mate both; and the brig "Manhattan," afterwards wrecked and lost at Point Abino, on Lake Erie. Then there was the brig " Queen Charlotte " and bark " Detroit," captured from the enemy during the war of 1812-15. A fac simile copy of the original enrollments follows :
[corY.]
ENROLLMENT.
No. 19 (nineteen.)
PERMANENT.
In conformity to an Act of the Congress of the United States of America, entitled " An Act for Enrolling and Licensing Ships and Vessels, de.," passed the 18th of February, 1793; and " An Act to regulate the Foreign and Casting Trade on the Northern, Northeastern and Northwestern Frontiers of the United States, and for other purposes." passed the 2d March, 1831. George Miles, Jr., of Erie, Penn .. having taken or subscribed the Oath required by said Acts, and having Sworn that he, together with Hiram Pratt, William F. P. Taylor, Horatio Stevens, and Thomas Cooke, of Buffalo, Erie County, N. York. Citizen of the United States, sole owner of the Brig or Vessel called the Queen Charlotte, of Buffalo, whereof L. H. Cotton is at present Master, and as he hath sworn is a Citizen of the I'nited Staten, and that the said Ship or Vessel was captured from the British Sept. 10th, in the year 1813, as appears by the certificate of Thos. Foster, Collector of the Port of Presque Isle. Pa., and Jay Handy, Jr., Dep. Collector, having certified that the said Brig or Vessel has one flush deck and two masts, and that her length is ninety-two feet and two Inches (92.02.) her breadth twenty-six feet (26.) her depth twelve feet (12.) and that she measures two hundred and fifty-four tuns 38 ninety-fifths; that she is a full rigged Brig; has no gallies, and a scroll head. And the said George Miles, J., having agreed to the description and admeasurement above specified, and sufficient security having been given in conformity with the terms of the said acts, the said Brig has been duly Enrolled at the Port of Buffalo Creek.
[L. B.] Given under my hand and Seal, at the Port of Buffalo Creek, in the said District, this 10th day of PIERRE A. BARKER, Collector.
(Signed,) July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
[COPY.] ENROLLMENT.
PERMANENT.
No. 42 (forty-two.)
In conformity to an Act of the Congress of the United States of America, entitled " An Act for Enrolling and Licensing Ships and Vessels. de.," passed the 18th of February, 1793; and " An Act to regulate the Foreign and Coasting Trade on the Northern, Northeastern and Northwestern Frontiers of the United States, and for other purposes." passed the 2d March. 1831. Thomas Cook, having taken or subscribed the oath required by said Acta, and having Sworn that he, together with William Ruxton and George Miles, Jr., all Citizens of the United States, sole owners of the Barque or vessel called the Detroit, whereof Geo. Miles, Jr., is at present Master; and, as he hath sworn, is a Citizen of the United States, and that the said Ship or vessel was captured from the British in the year 1813. as appears by the certificate of Leander Woodruff, Dep. Collector at Erie, Pa., and Elisha Kimberly. Dep. Collector. having certified that the said Barque or vessel has three masts and one deck, and that hier length is ninety.six feet two inches (96.02.) her breadth twenty-six feet (26,) her depth eleven feet and one inch (11.01.) and that she measures two hundred and forty.four tuns, forty-one ninety-fifths; that she is a Barque; has no gallies, and a seroll head. And the said Thos. Cook having agreed to the description and admeasurement above specified. and sufficient security having been given In conformity with the terms of said acts, the said Barge has been duly Enrolled at the Port of Buffalo Creek.
[L. S.] Given under my Hand and Seal, at the Port of Buffalo Creek, In the said District, this 2d day of (Signed, August, in the year one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-six. PIERRE A. BARKER, Collector.
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25
HISTORY OF OUR LAKE COMMERCE.
These composed the largest vessels then in use upon the lakes.
The tonnage of the lakes in 1838, I have no means of knowing; it was not large, however.
In 1849-50, the writer made a compilation from the records of all the Custom Houses of the tonnage of the lakes, and of the Port of Buffalo. The following is a copy of the latter:
VESSELS ENROLLED AND LICENSED. DISTRICT OF BUFFALO CREEK-1849. HTKAMERS.
Tonnage.
Tonnage.
Tonnage.
Tonnage.
Empire.
1.140 72|Great Western ..
780 00 Superior
667 18 Diamond
331 01
America.
1,083 27 Hendrik Hudson ..
750 46 Troy
546 47 Fashion
324 32
Wisconsin
887 15 Albany.
669 36 Constellation
483 60 Waterloo
140 92
A. D. Patchin
873 78 St. Louis
618 02 Rochester
472 41 Seneca
72 83
Baltic
825 37 New Orleans
610 00 New England,
416 23 Union
92 34
Sultana
806 88 G. P. Griffith
587 41 United States.
366 80 Empire State
1,553 70
Oregon
781 00 Obio
683 36| Lexington.
363 53|C. L. Gager
43 19
Total
PROPELLERS.
Gen. Taylor
462 91 California
420 26| Oregon
312 91 | Hercules
256 37
St. Joseph.
460 16 Delaware
416 52 Detroit
293 71 Samson
250 50
Princeton
455 73 Sandusky
370 19 Pangasset
290 63 Charter Oak
184 24
Pocahontas
426 64 Montezuma
322 63
Total
BRIGS.
Globe
319 77/L. A. Blossom.
258 09| Indiana
215 44 Robert Hunter. 161 87
Patrick Henry.
316 07 Lowell
255 90 Illinois
209 31 Missouri
153 17
Empire ..
297 13 Tuscarora
253 81 St. Louis Ist.
210 80 H. R. Seymour
245 88
Saginaw
282 53 Venice
253 43 St. Louis 2d
185 14 Europe. 234 84
Jan. MeBride
211 85 Mohegan
249 09 Emerald
185 40 S. C. Walbridge
227 16
Shakspeare 264 65 A. R. Cobb
226 07 Alert
184 17 Owaungah
129 76
Buffalo 263 79 Odd Fellow
224 64 S. B. Ruggles,
183 34 Robert Hollister .. 272 07
Wm. Monteath 261 71 |Prebie
217 32 Boston
165 75 Caroline
257 82
Total
ACHOOXKRS.
Virginia Purdy ..
301 46; A. Belmont
208 34| Constitution
130 15; Barcelona
89 74
Windsor.
269 35 Westchester
207 61 Big %
124 92 Com. Chauncey 168 67 F. Fletcher
81 24
Traveller
266 66 Watts Sherman.
198 51 Stranger
80 17
H. B. Bishop.
263 80 S. Burchard.
196 63 Michigan
121 62 Avenger
77 75
M. H. Sibley
252 18 | P. P. Pratt ..
196 60| Lexington.
118 10 North America 75 63
Nile
250 53 Lewis Cans.
191 79 John Grant
112 94 Vermont
67 92
Suffolk
250 12 Kosciusko .
178 16 Washington Irving
111 44 Lodi
66 24
Hope ..
247 65 A. Barton.
155 74 Sandusky
110 34 Oceana
59 37
Robert Emmet
245 07 S. Bugbee
151 86 Boneta
109 20 Frolic.
57 82
H. H. Sicer.
241 00 Blue Bell.
150 16|Navigator
107 19 Com. Lawrence
60 39
E. K. Bruce
240 39 M. Freme
148 56 Cambria
106 68 F. Whittlesey
49 67
Geo. Davis
238 46 Rocky Mountain. 237 56 H. Calvin
143 81 Wabash
102 42 |Almeda
269 65
H. Hagar.
237 61 Alps
141 51 Billow
96 36 St. Mary's.
253 25
Denmark
236 63 Marion
140 86 North Carolina.
95 15 Ablah.
353 39
Green Bay.
233 62 Wyandot
140 66 Aurora Borealis ..
94 40 Wing-and-Wing.
216 84
C. Y. Richmond ..
229 45 President.
139 33 United States.
93 19 Magnolia
198 67
Pilgrim
228 55 Trenton
132 66 Helen Kent.
92 21 Mary A. Myers
15 76
Dan Marble
213 68 Eudora,
132 60 Dolphin
91 62 Lapwing
5 68
Mansfield
213 27 Equator
131 61 Platina
90 93 Uncle Tom. 110 14
Petrol
208 71
Total
13,332 67
Lion
30 92 | Tiger
22 49
B
26 12
Total
79 58
G. M. Abell.
27 06 | Fly
4 41
Total
31 47
RECAPITULATION,
Showing the aggregate registered tonnage.
29 Steamers.
16,741 41| 3 Scow-Schooners
79 58
14 Propellers
4,924 40 2 Scow-Sloops 7,438 35-
31 47
85 Schooners
13,332 67 164
Total 42,548 3-95
Compiled by Capt. E. P. Dorr.
4
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249 83 G. T. Williams
167 04 Free Trader
111 23 Minerva
60 64
Excelsior.
144 48 Argyle
104 28 Josephine
43 71
Ivanhoe.
SCOW-SCHOONERS.
SCOW-SLOOPS.
32 Brigs
16,741 41
4,924 40
7,438 35
26
THOMAS' BUFFALO CITY DIRECTORY.
It was full of errors, but it was as perfect as could be obtained at that time. I am sat- isfied that there was a good deal of tonnage returned that had gone out of existence, and, in the main, the number of vessels, their tonnage and value, was over-estimated and exag- gerated. Under the practical working system of the "Board of Lake Underwriters," the statistics of the returns of vessels in actual use upon the lakes is made as perfect and correct as can be.
The compilation of 1849-50 makes the total tonnage of the Northwestern Lakes as follows:
45.067 tons of steamers-value.
950,000
101,080 tons of sail vessels-value.
3.538,000
161,832 tons gross.
Value, $7,868,000
The tonnage of the lakes in 1862, as compiled by the writer in the winter of 1862-63-while pursuing his duties as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the " Board of Lake Underwriters "-is as follows:
THE NORTHWESTERN LAKES.
Comparative statement of the tonnage of the Northwestern Lakes and River St. Lawrence, on the first days o January, 1862 sud 1863.
1862
1863.
Craft.
No.
Tonnage.
Value.
Craft.
No.
Tonnage.
Value. $2.190,300
Steamers.
147
64.669
$2,668,900| Steamers.
143
53.522
213
60.951
2,814.900 Propellers
254
70.253
3,573,300
Bark«
62
25,118
621,800 Barks
32 203
982,900
Brign'
86
24.871
501.100/ Brigs.
85
24.831
526.200
Schooners
989
204.900
5,248,900 Schooners
1068
227,831
5.955.550
Sloops
15
2,800
11.850 Sloops
16
667
12.770
Barges
3
3,719
17.000
Barges
1502
383,309
$11,862,450
1643
413,026
$13,257,02
Increase in number of vessels.
141
Increase in tons ..
29,717
Increase in value.
$1,394,570
Showing a wonderful increase, even admitting the crude and exaggerated estimate of the former statistics.
The era of side-wheel steam navigation reached its culminating point about the year 1856. Railroads westward, upon both sides of our lakes, destroyed the passenger business, upon which they mainly depended. At that time we had upon the lakes a large number of the finest and best steamers in the world, of large tonnage. Excepting some few of a smaller size running to Lake Superior, and some few on Lake Michigan, they have all disappeared. Some of the engines have gone to China, and are now running on steamers hundreds of miles up the Chinese rivers. Some are running in a new line of steamers between New York and New Orleans. Propellers have taken their place. Steam propellers almost had their origin upon the lakes. The first steam pro- peller in use upon the lakes, and, as far as I know of, any where else, was a small sloop- rigged craft, built at Oswego in 1840, called the " Vandalia." She was the pioneer of our now splendid fleet of propellers.
This seems to be a fitting place to introduce the carrying trade of the lakes.
The early commerce and carrying trade of the lakes, as most of you know, was all one way-from the East, Westward-and in small vessels, laden with supplies of provisions for the settlers of the Western States bordering upon the lakes, the new country not yet producing enough for its own consumption-strikingly in contrast with
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Propellers
$3,380.000
16,685 tons of propellers-value
27
HISTORY OF OUR LAKE COMMERCE.
the immense exports of breadstuffs and supports of animal life at this time from the same States, and all within the space of less than twenty-five years-and as the States became settled, goods from the East, for Western consumption, were added to the transportation. In a few years trade was turned-the seed carried Westward by the emigrant began to yield its golden and blessed return, and, in 1836, the first shipment of grain was made from the upper lakes to Buffalo-3,000 bushels of wheat were shipped from Grand River, Michigan, on the brig "Jolin Kenzie," owned by Josiah Dorr and DeGarmo Jones, of Detroit, and commanded by Captain R. C. Bristol, now of Chicago. This shipment was only made as a demonstration, giving promise of the magnificent trade we now enjoy. It was not until 1840 that grain was exported from the Upper Lakes to the avenues of an Eastern market, thereby changing the entire carrying system of the lakes. From that small beginning has grown up a grain and produce trade second to none in this country or the world, as the statistics of receipts at the Port of Buffalo alone, in 1862 and 1863, will demonstrate.
RECEIPTS AT BUFFALO.
Below is given a statement of the receipts at Buffalo, from the West, by water, of most of the principal articles, during the seasons of Lake Navigation of 1862 and 1863:
1862
1863.
1862.
1863.
Flour, bbls.
2,683,008
2,599,003 |Oats, bu.
2,661,929
6.418,400
Pork, bble ..
161,833
277,675 Barley, bu.
472,336
577,671
Beef, bbls.
11,168
154,413 Rye, bu ...
803,152
417,121
Whiskey, bbls.
84,858
96,393 Lumber, ft.
106,181,652
89,143,950
Eggs, bbla.
14.165
11,082 Staves, No.
28,671,361
24,937,248
Fish, bbla.
7,753
5,648 Cattle, No.
12.690
1,161
Coal, tons.
83,258
71.599 Sheep, No.
22,881
7,716
Wheat, bn.
29.740,291
22,073,275 Hogs, No.
30.798
5,244
Corn, bu.
23,878,954
19,942,449|Wool, bls.
42,089
23,339
When this revolution in our carrying trade took place (1840,) it found us with a small number of sail vessels upon the lakes, of an average of about one hundred or one hundred and twenty-five tons burthen-good vessels of their size-built by the fathers of many of the splendid naval architects of the present day; there were so few of them that any sailor of a year's experience upon the lakes knew and could name them all at sight. There were half-a-dozen side-wheel passenger and freight steamers.
The grain was unloaded from the vessels, in Buffalo, into canal boats, by hoisting it out in barrels, by the crew, taking three or four days to unload a cargo of 5,000 bushels.
In a little while, from the impetus of a large emigration, the Western States border- ing upon the lakes were rapidly settled, the lands were cultivated, and the trade was soon in advance of the water-carriage; vessels multiplied rapidly in numbers and size, fast creating the necessity of a more expeditious mode of handling grain cargoes, and in 1842-43 the first elevator was built in Buffalo by Joseph Dart, Esq.
ELEVATOR STATISTICS.
A list of the first vessels unloaded by the first Elevator in Buffalo.
The first steam elevator built, as far as I can learn, anywhere,-and the first eleva- tor intended solely for commercial purposes, and the transfer and storage of grain from vessels, was built in Buffalo, by Mr. Joseph Dart, in the winter of 1842-3. on the north side of the creek, at the junction of the ship canal where "Bennett's Elevator" now stands. It was destroyed by fire in 1862. Mr. Dart operated it himself. Mr. William Wells, now of the firm of Seymour & Wells, was employed as foreman.
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28
THOMAS' BUFFALO CITY DIRECTORY.
The first vessel unloaded was the schooner Philadelphia, Captain Charles Rogers, though the elevator had been first put (to test the machinery) into the schooner J. B. Skinner, and some grain taken out of her; but she was not unloaded. The Philadel- phia was of one hundred and twenty-three tous, and discharged 4,515 bushels wheat, consigned to Henry M. Kinne and George Davis, then the firm of Kinne & Davis.
The first receipt of corn was the cargo of the schooner South America, Captain A. Bradley, 3,145 40-56 bushels, June 22, 1843-sisth vessel on the list.
I give the number of vessels and bushels of grain unloaded and handled by this elevator, that year, just to show you the small beginning of the immense grain business now done at this port, through our elevators.
I am happy to be able to say to you, what you all know, that Mr. Joseph Dart who made this first important progressive movement, still lives among us, a hale, hearty man, with as good promise of life as any of us; and, in his name, I am delegated to present to the "Historical Society " this book, the original record of all the vessels unloading at his elevator during the first year it was operated; containing, also, the original " tallies" of the weights, and a list of the canal boats into which the grain was loaded; a little ok book apparently not worth noticing, but containing the first record of a branch of business that is now computed by millions in value, all over the lakes.
1843.
Vessel.
Master.
No. bush.
1843.
Vessel.
No. bush.
June 12, Sch. Philadelphia, Rogers,
4,515
wheat. Sept. 12. Brig Alert,
1,011 30wheat.
17,
Skinner.
Capron,
3.994
18, Sch. Ocean.
Master. Scovill, Chase, Taylor,
2.207
corD.
W. Brewster, Wood,
1,006 42 4
20.
Buffalo,
Troy.
Howard,
6,021 15 .4
25.
Adelaide,
Roanoke,
Seymour.
2.004
Western Tra- der,
0. Conner,
551 44 44
30.
La Salle, Ohio.
Allen,
1.004
2.804
Rebecca,
Wagstaff.
5,866 30 wheat
Oct.
4, Brig G. H. Me-
Whorter,
Richardson, 4,028
..
Uncle Tom,
Easterbrook,
574 50 €
5, Sch. N. Carolina, Travers, Home.
1,944 55
475
Tom Lemen, Nugent,
1.819
wheat.
11, Scow boat Cygnet, Hoffman,
812 15
President.
C. Sheppard, 1.958
.
14, Sch. Amazon.
1.869 45
J. D. Beaupre.s. T. Allen,
1,434
17, Agnes Barton. J. M. Averill, 2.692
Wisconsin,
Flood,
1.793
.
23. Birmingham, Bradley,
Reed,
6,072 30
Ocean,
J. B. Skinner. Capron, Frontier,
Eli Allen,
1,593
:
4, Brig E. H. Scott,
4. Pro. Hercules,
Floyd,
8.165 30 4
12
Rocky Moun-
10, Brig Maj. Oliver,
Kyle. 3,854 11 6
tain,
J. N. Gardner,5,637 18 «
10, Sch. Alpa,
Owen,
622 11
12,
Olive Rich-
11, Brig Olive Rich- mond.
Dorchester.
612 07
14,
Illinois.
1,660
11 Sch. Col. Benton,
630 30
15,
John Grant,
H. Mallon,
1,600
11.
Wm. Wood- E. Fletcher, bridge,
Jos. Monroe, 4.170 39
17.
Beaupre,
S. T. Allen,
8.106
13,
Emily,
D. P. Dobbins, 2,678
18.
Iluron.
Jas. Connoly, 1,430 45 Gibbs,
16,
Eudora,
26,
Philadelphia, Rogers,
4.729 44
20,
Troy, Missouri,
Oliver.
6.774
Simms. 4,064
21. Sch. Windham.
Sheppard,
1.421 1]
2.116
15,
Kentucky,
Berry,
3,000
27, Sch. Jlavre.
Maraden.
1.002
16,
Ocean.
Chase,
706
27,
Barcelona,
Vail,
3,742 44
27,
J B. Skinner. Capron.
3.996
whent.
27, Pro. New York,
R. Hawkins,
4.100
28,
Roscoe.
G. Chalmers, Bane.
2,228 30 4 703 30 44
30.
Ocean,
Chase.
2.500
Dec. 2,
Ottawa,
Webster,
4.521
Sept. 4,
7, Pro Hercules,
Floyd,
2,9-9 15wheat.
9, Brig Rob't Hunter, Richardson,
2.301
..
=
bush. wheat, ..
...
203.519
1-60
11, Sch. Equator,
782 09
25,741
10-56
12,
Dolphin,
1,114
Gross number bushels elevated, .. 229,200 11-116
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July
ซัตล์สไมล์ สสสภัสร์-ไต้หวัน 20. 21 22. 23 24 5. 10, 11,
liannah,
Gibbs,
1,792
206 45 44
4, Brig Ontario.
Miner.
4. 425
1.1$1 15
Atlas,
Pratt.
1.724 38 corn.
Tippecanoe, Fellows,
1.347 52 ..
7. 7, Birmingham, Bradley,
Mississippi,
J. Reymond, Chase,
2.967 48 corn.
Nov. 2, Brig H. Clay,
Root, 98 22 .
3, Sch. J. Oades,
C. R. Dixon. 5.332 15
343 45 **
11,
Albany,
mond,
Dorchester,
5,243 20
Bartholomew,1,160 45 44
17,
H. Alnsworth,H. D. Pheatt, 4 500
13,
17.
Buffalo,
Taylor.
2.926 45
14,
Dolphin,
3.102 30
24,
Hannah,
Stewart.
1,551 33 4
15.
4.470
corn.
10.
Warren,
621 40
25, Brig Marion,
29, Sch. E. G. Merrick, Miner,
29.
Buckeye,
Massachus'ts,
4,923 28 corn.
6, Brig Illinols,
Banks.
3,500
Total number vessels,
6.110
16
31, Tom Lemen, Nugent,
Kline,
3,617 01 44
18, Brig Burlington,
Howard, 2,000
Marengo,
31, Brig Indiana,
Aug. 8, Sch. Wyandot,
Freeland,
2.796
31, Wilcox,
Robinson,
919 45wheat. 612 40
S. America, A. Bradley,
3,146 40 corn.
27.
28.
J. G. King,
McQueen,
2.765 39
..
3.976 45wheat.
3,373 10
.4
1.185 30
1.500
" corn,
29
HISTORY OF OUR LAKE COMMERCE.
Against this amount, elevated in 1843, we have elevated in the port of Buffalo in 1862, 29,740,291 bushels wheat; and of corn, 23,873,954.
The average is 2,606 bushels to the vessel; but this is not a fair average of their capacity, as most of them were partly loaded with rolling freight. By many it was not supposed safe to load entirely with grain.
Buffalo now boasts of twenty-six elevators, with a storage capacity of 6,000,000 bushels of grain; capable of discharging, in the aggregate, from vessels, 130,000 bushels per hour.
ELEVATORS.
Statement of elevators in Buffalo in December, 1863 :
Bushels capacity.
Busbels capacity.
Bushels capacity. 260.000
Bushels capacity.
Bennett,
000,000
Frie Basin,.
250.000
New York & Eric,
Wilkeson,'
200.000
Buffalo,.
100.000
Exchange,
250,000
Reed.
260.000
Wells ....
75,000
Coburn,
300.000
Excelsior, ..
30,000
Richmond,
200,000
Wadsworth,
150,000
Corn Dock.
230.000
Evans ..
250.000
Sternberg.
350.000
Watson,
600.000
City ....
500.000
Main Street,
170.000
Sturges ..
300.000
Williams,.
140,000
Costsworth,
40.000
Marine ..
200.000
Swiltsure,
150.000
Empire,
200,000 |
Merchants,
20,000 | Union,
70.000
Twenty -six elevators, total capacity
6,905,000
Average, Total,
.5.000 bushels each per hour. 130,000 bushels per hour.
Mr. Joseph Dart informs me that these elevators, when fresh and clean, in his opinion, can handle 200,000 bushels per hour; and he is good authority.
Within the past two or three years it has not been an uncommon thing for a fleet of vessels to arrive at Buffalo, loaded with a million of bushels of grain, and to dis- charge the same and leave the port within the space of twenty-four hours.
We may dwell upon this topic with pride. Where else in the history of the world can you turn to such a spectacle? 1,643 vessels, with half a million tons capacity, manned by some 20,000 seamen, transporting millions in value of property, over our inland seas, traversing a length of five thousand miles of coast line, crossing each other's tracks continually ; and within the space of less than twenty-five years has this com- merce, without any special effort of our own, almost been forced upon us. Who can foretell its future magnitude, or the blessings from it yet to come ? Who can anticipate or predict the influence it has yet to produce in the world's history? While we have been told that "Cotton is King," have we not seen, here upon our beautiful domain, by his golden and yellow robes, shedding peace and plenty upon us, that "Corn" is also King, and Commerce his spouse and Queen ? Let us, each and every one of us, do all that we possibly can, with tribute to the one and encouragement to the other, to per- petuate his reign and to advance the interests of commerce and of liberal trade. The carriage of the lakes by water, and the carriage by the rail and canal from the far West to the East, are not and should not be rival interests. They are all the legitimate results of the action and energy of a free people.
The genius of a Clinton, with his co-laborers and associates, gave us the Erie Canal, that avenue of wealth and power through our own State, serving also to develop and advance our commerce upon the lakes; for, without the canal, what would the commerce of our lakes have amounted to, so far as the interests of our State and city are concerned ?
The morning of the 26th day of October, 1825, was an important one in the his-
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THOMAS' BUFFALO CITY DIRECTORY.
tory of our city and State: the opening of the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany. On that day, at ten o'clock A. M., the first boat-the canal boat "Seneca Chief"- with her distinguished passengers, left Buffalo (then a village) for Albany, New York and Sandy Hook, there to join the waters of Lake Erie with those of the ocean.
The news of their departure was conveyed by the booming of cannon from Buffalo to Sandy Hook in one hour and twenty minutes; and the news of their reception there returned to Buffalo by the same novel expedient, in the same time-Lake Erie thus greeting the ocean with the news of the journey of her first-born to her domain, and the answer of a cordial welcome back again, in the short space of two hours and forty minutes-a feat seldom surpassed by the telegraph of the present day.
If we had not the Erie Canal, we would not have water carriage through our State to tide-water, certainly not by the way of Buffalo. The St. Lawrence was closed to us Our Canadian cousins-who are so anxious to have us use their highway now-would not let us use it until within a few years past. They owning the land on both sides of the St. Lawrence from where our side of the bank ended down to the sea, denied us the privilege of its free exit, thus setting at defiance the opinion of the old commercial law- makers, "That a people or nation owning and living upon the bank or banks of a river, 'at any point, have the natural right of the passage of the river from that point to its outlet." I may not quote the exact language, but I think that is the meaning and spirit of it. This was the position always taken by our statesmen in treating on that point with our brethren on the other side, and always opposed by them until the adop- tion of the "Reciprocity Treaty," when self-interest made them abrogate and aban- don it.
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