USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania, from its first settlement > Part 31
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Extracts from Railroad Official Documents. - During the time that the track was up, from December 7, 1853 to February 1, 1854, the passengers, baggage, mail, and express were con- veyed between Erie and Harbor Creek in wagons and sleighs, at a cost of $17,000 to the railroad company. . It was a war in which both parties expended large sums of money, employed the best legal talent of the country, and exhausted the courts and Legislature. At first local in its character, it grew in importance until on one side was arrayed practically the whole people of Pennsylvania, its courts and Legislature, and on the other the citizens of adjoining States, east and west, backed by the urgent demands of the trade and com- merce of the country. And yet it was all for the purpose of maintaining what has since proved to be a mere shadow, as the broad treadwheel has quietly solved the problem ; and since that a universal uniform gauge prevails.
First Report of the Directors to the Stockholders of the Erie and Northeast Railroad Company .- The Erie & Northeast Railroad is about twenty miles in length, commencing at Erie, Pa., and running to the State line of New York, and is a link in the South Shore Railroad between Buffalo and Cleveland, connecting the Central New York and the New York and Erie roads with the roads running to Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, and other portions of the West. The road was opened
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for business about one year since, and was the first road com- pleted in Western Pennsylvania. It is straight nearly its entire length, being but forty-seven feet longer than an air line, with no grades exceeding fifteen feet to the mile-runs mostly through material composed of gravel and sand, is well ballasted and now in perfect order.
There have been taken over this road since its opening in January last, 73,476 passengers without any accident or injury.
The receipts from the 10th of January to the 1st of July last were $31,260 ; the expenditures for repairs and supervision dur- ing the same time were $10,007.24; leaving for net earnings the first six months $21,253.65, sufficient to pay the interest on the indebtedness of the company and a dividend of three per cent on the stock which was made and paid in July last.
On the receipts for the first six months, all but about $5,000 was collected before the opening of lake navigation in the spring, at which time the road west of Erie was not completed, and there being no communication between Erie and the West except by stages, all through business was driven on the lake.
The receipts from July 1 to the 1st of January, inst., were $31,119, of which about $16,000 was collected since the 20th of November last, and after the completion of the road west to Cleveland. . . The stock of the company, all of which has been taken and paid up, is $600,000. The present indebted- ness of the company is $131,950, to which it is estimated it will be necessary to add for additional rolling stock, extension of depot buildings, etc., $18,050. Making the whole cost of the road and fixtures complete $750,000.
The net earnings of this road are somewhat les- sened, and all the trade and travel passing between us and the seaboard are subjected to a greatly increased expense and most serious inconvenience and delay in consequence of the track of the Buffalo & State Line Railroad Company-which connects this road with the New York & Erie and Central New York line of roads, being different in width from either of the roads mentioned, and different from all other roads in the State in which it has been introduced. The Erie & Northeast was the first commenced and the first road completed on the lake
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shore. It was made a six-foot track in accordance with a con- tract between this company and the Dunkirk & State Line Company, the latter having been got up by the New York & Erie, interest to be used for the purpose of making a six-foot connection with this road at the State Line, which connection the New York & Erie Company by a written agreement with this company guaranteed should be made. The Buffalo & State Line Company being identified with the Central line of New York roads, the gauges of which are four feet eight and one half inches, complained that our laying the six-foot track only, would be doing injustice to them. This company, there- fore, with the consent of the New York & Erie Company agreed to furnish a track for each of the roads mentioned, cor- responding to their respective tracks, six feet and four feet eight and one half inches. Thus matters remained for some weeks, when, for reasons best known to themselves, without notice or any consultation with this company, the New York & Erie argued with the Buffalo & State Line companies, the former in violation of their contract with this company, and both regardless of the wrong they were inflicting on the pub- lic, to introduce between this road and theirs a four-foot ten inch track-a track different from all the roads with which it connected, and between which it only formed an intermediate link, thus compelling all freight and passengers passing be- tween the East and the West to change cars both at the State Line and at Dunkirk or Buffalo, as the case might be. What- ever inconvenience or expense, therefore, is incurred in conse- quence of these two changes, is solely attributable to the Buffalo & State Line Company, sanctioned by the New York & Erie Company. Much complaint is justly made on account of the unnecessary obstructions, and none regret their existence more than this company. It was out of the power of this company to prevent them, and is therefore out of its power to remove them-they can only be removed by those who placed them there. It is thought by some of our friends in Buffalo and Cleveland, that Congress, in the exercise of its power to establish post roads, may remove such nuisances. If so, it is but reasonable to suppose that the Buffalo & State Line Company will be compelled to change their imported gauge to
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one of their own State, and thereby remove the obstructions they have made on this important thoroughfare.
This being the first report of the directors to the stock- holders, and a desire to place this company in its true position on the question of gauge alluded to, we trust will be consid- ered a sufficient justification for this somewhat lengthy state- ment. By order of the Board of Directors,
Erie, January 18, 1853.
J. C. SPENCER, Sec'y.
As to the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, fears having been entertained by the stockholders that the enterprise could not be completed in consequence of the war alarm, the road was leased in 1862 to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for a term of 999 years. Work was vigorously prosecuted by the lessees, and in October, 1864, the first passenger train came through with a large party of excursionists. A magnificent entertainment was given them by the City of Erie at a cost of $3,000, one half being the bill for wines alone.
The first General Superintendent of the road was Joseph D. Potts, 1864; A. L. Tyler, 1865 ; W. A. Baldwin, 1870 ; R. Neilson, 1881. The Superintendents of the Western Division have been S. A. Black, 1859 ; W. A. Baldwin, 1862 ; J. W. Reynolds, May 1, 1868. The general offices were at Erie until 1874, when they were removed to Williamsport. Evening Herald, July 7, 1893.
Fastest time on record .- The Fast Mail on the Lake Shore Railroad gave that line an opportunity yesterday to show that in the matter of speed it is able to make as good a record as the best. The train consisted of seven mail cars and a bag- gage car, drawn by engine No. 568, with Engineer Charles Allen in charge. It left Buffalo 2 hours and 15 minutes late and was brought into Erie, 88 miles, in 1 hour and 48 minutes.
This time is two minutes faster than that of the Exposition Flyer, and the run with such a heavy train makes it re- markable. A stop was made at Dunkirk for water.
November 26, 1893 .- The crowd that was at the Union Depot Saturday to get a look at the exhibition American and English railway trains on their way through Erie numbered fully 2,000 people, and they patiently endured the chilly blasts in their long wait for the arrival of the trains. The
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Wagner vestibule train, drawn by the fleetest piece of wheeled machinery in the world, the famous " 999," steamed into the station at 1:30 P. M., and was at once surrounded by the eager throng, who gazed with admiration upon the magnificent piece of mechanism. The engine was uncoupled and run over to the roundhouse to be oiled up and the tank filled with water for the run to Buffalo. After the engine was detached the crowd availed itself of the courtesy extended by the offi- cials and passed through the vestibuled cars, admiring their magnificent appointments and the comfort they afforded the traveler. 'Attached to the rear of the train was a flat car upon which was arranged the De Witt Clinton train of an engine and three carriages, not unlike the oldtime stage coach. This train was the same that made the trip from Schenectady to Albany in 1831, and afforded the spectators an illustration of the revolution in railway travel that sixty years has wrought.
At 2 o'clock the English train, drawn by the "Empress- Queen," steamed in on the south side of the depot. It con- sisted of two English coaches, which the crowd at once de- clared were not to be compared with the Wagner or Pullman cars for elegance or comfort. The engine was an odd looking affair to the American eye, lacking the familiar " cowcatcher," and having a headlight no larger than those Erieites are ac- customed to see displayed upon bicycles. The bell instead of being forward of the cab, is perched midway upon the tank, and the whistle of the " Empress-Queen," sounds more like the toot of the small boy's Christmas horn than the ear-split- ting shriek that denotes the approach of the American loco- motive. The train was in charge of Mr. C. A. Baratoni, gen- eral passenger and freight agent for America of the London & Northwestern Railway, and he afforded the crowd all the op- portunity the short stay allowed to inspect the train.
The "999" drew away from the depot first, the English train following a "block " behind. The three vestibule cars attached to the latter train were occupied by a party of Erie gentlemen who availed themselves of the invitation extended by the railway official to ride as far as Ripley, where they were picked up and brought back to Erie by train No. 9.
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The old courthouse bell was lost for a time after 1854, then was used at the fire engine house, at which place according to one version it became cracked. For many years it was in possession of the antiquarian P. Osborn, Esq., eventually coming into the hands of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion, where it remained until a few days previous to the visit of the Liberty Bell of Independence Hall on its way to the World's Fair at Chicago, April 26, 1893, the city had a half holiday and on that occasion was visited by multitudes at the depot-and the Erie Liberty Bell was hung in the corridor of the City Hall to remain permanently,
For several years previous to the War of 1812 this bell was used in Fort Erie, Canada, where it was rung three times daily -7 A. M., 12 M, and 9 P. M .- as it was after being placed on the old courthouse in this city, where it remained until the building was torn down, It also has another war record which can be verified by many of our citizens. It was used to call the people together during the railroad war, and it only re- quired three taps of this silver-toned relic to bring out hun- dreds of ablebodied men arined with guns to intimidate the railroad laborers. The bell was rung with more violence than it could stand in that exciting campaign, and became cracked in consequence.
September, 1893. It may be of interest to speak of the new Liberty Bell cast to the order of the Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution at the foundry at Troy, N. Y, It attracted gen- eral attention at the World's Fair, though not the reverence paid the old Liberty Bell in the Pennsylvania State building.
There are three inscriptions on the bell, one at the top ridge, another in the center, and one at the lower edge.
The upper one reads ; "Glory to God in the highest ; on earth good will toward men."
The central inscription is : " A new command I give unto you, that ye love one another,"
The lower is ; "Proclaim liberty throughout the land and unto the inhabitants thereof."
The bell is one of the finest castings ever made. Not a flaw is in the metal. It is composed of a curious compound of precious and base metals. More than $10,000 worth of old gold
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and silver ornaments, coins and jewelry was contributed by the patriotic members of the order.
An old cent which was worth $100 from its historical associ- ation was contributed. The tone is very sweet because of the quality of the casting and the metal.
It weighs six and a half tons-13,000 pounds. Although it is one of the large bells of the world, it does not approach in size that of the enormous bell at Moscow, which weighs 25,000 pounds.
The bell is six feet high and eighteen feet in circuniference at the mouth. It has a bright lustre of a brassy nature.
The City of Erie has 105 64-100 miles of streets opened and in use. Area of city, 6,916 square miles, and contains 4,426.69 acres. Population per acre, 11.
The electric motor cars run each way on the streets below named, according to the following schedule subject to the fluctuations of business : On State Street every four minutes ; on Peach Street every ten minutes ; on Fourth Street every eleven minutes ; on Sixth Street every eleven minutes; on Eighth Street, to city limits, every twelve minutes ; on Eleventh Street every eleven minutes ; on East Eighteenth Street every ten minutes ; on West Eighteenth Street every ten minutes ; French and East Twenty-sixth cars leave corner of State and Eighteenth streets every ten minutes ; the East and West Eighteenth Street cars, as well as the main line cars, run on State Street.
Street Lighting .- The streets and public grounds of the city of Erie are lighted by 496 gas lamps at $21.50 each per annum, $10,664 ; and 220 electric arc lamps at $120.45 each (1,200 candle power) per annum, $26,499, making a total of $37,103.
Length of all sewers in the city .- Brick, 10.056 miles ; cost $244,721.79. Tile, 21.131 miles ; cost, $236,799.03. Total, 31 .- 187 miles ; cost, $481,520.82.
Total paved streets in city .- Stone, 6.865 miles ; asphalt, 7.981 miles ; total, 14.846 miles.
Mayors since 1860-Hon. Sherburn Smith, 1859-1861 ; Hon. Prescott Metcalf, 1862-64; Hon. F. F. Farrar, 1865 ; Hon. W. L. Scott, 1866 ; Hon. Orange Noble, 1867-70; Hon. W. L. Scott, 1871 ; Hon. Charles M. Reed, 1872-73; Hon. Henry
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Rawle, 1874-75 ; Hon. J. W. Hammond, 1876 ; Hon. Selden Marvin, 1877 ; Hon. D. I. Jones, 1878-80 ; Hon. Joseph Mc- Carter, 1881-82; Hon. P. A. Becker, 1883-84; Hon. F. F. Adams, 1885 ; Hon. F. A. Mizener, 1886; Hon. J. C. Brady, 1887-88 ; Hon. C. S. Clarke, 1889-93; Hon. Walter Scott, 1893-96.
Prior to and including the year 1878, the term of office of the Mayor of Erie was one year ; from 1879 to 1888 inclusive, two years ; 1889, one year ; 1890 to date, three years. The salary of the Mayor is $2,000 per year.
President Judges of Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions since 1860. William A. Galbraith, 1876 ; Frank Gun- nison, 1886.
SOME TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS.
Summit Township is the smallest of the county and the last organized. Its name was given from its containing "the divide " between the waters of Le Boeuf and Walnut creeks, the first flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, via the Ohio and Mississippi ; the latter into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, by way of Lake Erie.
Many years ago Col. Norris gathered oil from his quarry and sold it for medicine. This is known as Reynolds's quarry, being the nearest to Erie. A well was drilled for oil, but only yielded an abundance of gas. William Liddel has a smaller quarry.
The First National Bank is erecting a brownstone structure at Northeast. Northeast has now three banks, three news- papers and large manufacturing interests. A new national bank was organized August 1, 1893, with G. W. Blaine as president. The old bank of thirty years ago had the same, with A. W. Blaine, the father of G. W. Blaine, president.
St. Paul's German Evangelical church was organized in 1864, and erected its church building in 1867.
The German church of the Evangelical Association of North America completed their house of worship in 1871.
The Protestant Episcopal mission of the Holy Cross was organized in 1872, and erected a handsome church in 1879.
St. Gregory's Roman Catholic church was erected in 1870. A parsonage adjoins the church, and Father Riordy entered
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upon the duties at first in connection with the church at Girard.
Edinboro was incorporated in 1840, and included 500 acres of high, gravelly land at the foot of Lake Conneauttee. The third gristmill (the others being at Walnut Creek and Union) in Erie County was erected by William Culbertson in 1801, and he added a sawmill in 1802. The cemetery, which includes three acres, was the gift of William Culbertson, and has been in use seventy years. A Presbyterian church was organized there prior to 1819.
Waterford was the site of an Indian village, traces of which were visible thirty-five years ago.
A Mammoth Dairy Farm is at Belle Valley. It has 75 cows in very comfortable quarters. Twenty-five years ago Mr. H. H. Russell commenced selling milk in Erie with 17 cows. Then there were but two milk wagons in the city, A. Sullivan & Son's, and now Mr. Russell runs two wagons daily, or rather his three sons, N. W., Warner, and W. H. Russell.
A bridge of iron has just been finished to supply the place of one carried away by the flood. It is expected ere long that a new Presbyterian church will supersede the present one built about forty years ago.
Union City .- At a special meeting of councils of Union City, Nov. 17, 1893, a board of health was appointed by the Mayor, and his nominations confirmed by the councils are as follows : Frank P. Hatch, to serve one year ; S. M. Hayes, two years ; Prof. N. R. Luce, three years ; G. Gary Smith, four years, and Dr. L. D. Rockwell, five years. The board at once held a meet- ing and elected the following officers : Dr. L. D. Rockwell, president ; Dr. W. J. Humphrey, secretary and treasurer, and ex-Mayor Jonathan Canfield, health officer. The sanitary laws of the State are to be strictly enforced, and the board is made up of the right kind of material to do it.
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Corry is near the east line of the county, and in both Con- cord and Wayne townships. It was named from Hiram Cory or Corry, in consideration of his liberal dealing at the time of the purchase of his farm of fifty acres by Mr. Hill, superinten- dent of the railroad. It had been selected as a site by W. H. L. Smith, and was laid out in town lots by Eugene Wright,
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and is at the junction of the Philadelphia & Erie, the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio, and the Oil Creek and the Cross- cut railroads, from Titusville to Brocton, now called the Buffalo, Pittsburg & Western, Corry was organized as a borough in 1863, became a city in 1866, and in 1870 the pop- ulation was 6,809 ; in 1880 it was but 5,277. Until the panic of 1873 it was considered by some as bidding fair to rival Erie in the northwest. Samuel Downer, a wealthy oil refiner of Bos- ton, selected Corry for refineries, as obviating the necessity of transporting crude oil to a distance. Thousands flocked to this as to the whole oil region, real estate increased rapidly in value, and at this time a part of Wayne township was in- cluded, tripling its size, It has few equals and no superior as an inland city. Having three important railroads passing through, and being in direct communication with bituminous and anthracite coal regions, as well as oil, it has rare facilities for manufacturing, Freight trains are almost constantly passing, and at times more than twenty passenger trains arrive daily. The Downer Oil Works originated the city in one sense, and Clark & Warren are thus spoken of in the Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter : "One of the best appointed oil refineries in the United States and of their painstaking and improved methods of manufacturing superior oils, The firm holds many patents on the construction of stills, etc." Other prominent manufactories are of woodenware, iron works, novelty, radiator, and many others.
Corry has three fine brick school structures and two smaller ones ; three newspapes, two public halls, and three banks, Its churches are twelve in number, and it has an unusual number of secret societies. The State fish hatchery is about one mile west, in Wayne township, having nine acres, and fine cool springs which supply all the water requisite. Streams in all parts of the State to which they are adapted are sup- plied with fish. Mr. Seth Weeks, who is particularly quali- fied, has had charge from the commencement. In the words of an official, "It is the finest in the State. It has more ponds, better water, covers more ground, and does more busi- ness than any other in Pennsylvania, They hatcli trout, brook trout, and other kinds of fish."
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The board of directors of Young Men's Christian Associa- tion of Corry present the following statement for three months ending September 30, 1893 : Total attendance at the rooms 1,089 ; total attendance at meetings only 453 ; average daily attendance 12; total attendance at gospel meetings 375 ; the membership now numbers 225.
Benevolent Societies .- June 3, 1893, a Children's Aid Society was formed in Corry, the object being to provide homes for children who may have no friends able to take care of them. The annual meeting of the State society is held in Pittsburg, where methods of work are discussed. The aim is to have but one society in each county. Mrs R. G. Lindsey was elected president and Miss B. King secretary. A Children's Temper- ance Society was also organized in the Congregational church, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett, officers.
GRAPES.
When the French were at Franklin, Venango County, one hundred and fifty years ago, they introduced delicious grapes, and the vines were flourishing and bearing fruit not very long ago.1 Wild grapes abounded in the wilds and after frost they were quite palatable. Sweet water and Malagas were found in a few gardens sixty years ago. About 1830 the Isabella and Catawba were cultivated to some extent, but the season was usually found too short for them to ripen well. From Kelly's Island, near Sandusky, the choicest Catawbas reached the market, and were disposed of at large prices. About twenty- five years ago grapes were introduced suited to our region- the Concord, Delaware, Salem, and Niagara. We have found that the Pennsylvania grape belt in some places is forty miles wide ; the length is said to extend from Harbor Creek, six miles east of Erie, to Silver Creek, New York. We may quote from Phillip D. Armour, of Chicago, who could not be said to have local prejudice. A present of a basket of mixed grapes from Mr. J. H. Phillips, of Maple Grove Vineyard, was sent him, which resulted in his ordering fifty baskets more, "and that
1 Eight hundred bunches of grapes, off the famous vine at Hampton Court Palace, England, have been sent to Windsor, Osborne, and Balmoral. There were in all 1,200 bunches as the growth of the present year. The fruit is, however, what would be called meagre in size, this being due to the depleted strength of the parent stem, which is no less than 125 years old.
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they were the finest he had ever eaten." We cannot do better than give some reliable newspaper items which have ap- peared.
The Chautauqua and Northeast Grape Union sent a car of grapes to Seattle, Washington. The freight amounted to $754.40. During the grape season one car is to be sent weekly. "No one now doubts that the Chautauqua and Northeast Grape Union is a success in the largest sense of the word, be- cause it has proved the claims made for it by its projectors early in the history of the movement. The union has shipped over 2,000 cars of grapes and has 600 or 700 yet to ship as the fruit is demanded. Not a basket has been sold for less than eighteen cents, and the fruit has been sold on the cars and not consigned.
" It is not generally known that the fruit commission men in the large cities attempted to combine to force down prices, and were aided by a few enemies among the grape growers, but the movement was abortive and failed of effect. At the preseut time all the growers along the grape belt recognize the benefits that have come to them through organization.
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